On the drive home last night, Greg Brady had Rick Bucher, an NBA analyst for EPSN on. After they talked NBA playoffs, the topic turned to your Toronto Raptors. It was interesting to get a U.S. perspective on the Raptors as I always get the feeling that the Toronto press is a little too in love with the players and the team. Just my opinion, anyways. In any event, here a few tidbits from what Bucher had to say to Brady. I would provide audio but 640 doesn’t have it posted on their awesome web site.

On Jay Triano re-signing: A safe hire, not sure there was anyone marketable better out there right now. Although Bucher didn’t use the word, the adjective he should have used was vanilla as in plain. Now, little TSM loves him some vanilla ice cream, and we all know there is nothing wrong with vanilla. When I take little TSM to a Ben and Jerry’s or to one of those Marble Slabs and he gets vanilla I get a tad bit annoyed.

On Chris Bosh: This is the summer of Bosh. The Raptors aren’t (according to Bucher anyway) convinced that Bosh wants to stay here. If they ask the question of Bosh and don’t get a resounding yes they will flip him before the start of the season. Bucher said that Bosh is a high character guy who played through some injuries last year. He isn’t sure he is a league superstar. He also isn’t sure that Bosh isn’t frustrated with the lack of success compared with those in his draft class. The most interesting comment from Bucher was that he said he had talked to other league executives about Bosh and the executives were surprised that Bosh wasn’t able to get the Raptors into the playoffs. The suggestion was that if Bosh were another player (Dwyane Wade or LeBron James are two that I can remember him naming) there was little question in the executives’ minds that the Raptors would be in the playoffs. Unfair comment? Perhaps. It’s interesting that this is the mindset out there of the decision makers. Bucher did say that he isn’t sure that Bosh has categorically told the Raptors he won’t be back as Bucher’s colleague Stephen A. Smith suggested in his much publicized report earlier in the season, but Bucher does think that Bosh hasn’t sent the Raptors any signals that he wants to stay.

All interesting banter. Should be interesting to see how Bryan Colangelo stick handles through this offseason.

Thanks to a reader who sent me this after the post above. I am not going to comment at all as I am in no position to do so. Here is the gist of the article in the San Jose Mercury News: the Golden State Warriors are hoping to win Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery or at the very least move from No. 7 to No. 2 or 3 (sound familiar?). If they don’t win the lottery and move up that way then they have targeted Bosh as the next best thing. Here is what was written in the article about that:

“The main targeted veteran, I’m told, is Toronto’s Chris Bosh –- no surprise, given how hard Riley tried to get him at last year’s trade deadline.

Though Bosh is a big member of the great free-agent class of 2010, and therefore potentially available in a deal this summer if the Raptors are scared of losing him next year, it’s hard to see Toronto giving him away.
They’re going to want Anthony Randolph. The Warriors are going to have to think hard about anything involving Randolph, though I’m sure Don Nelson wouldn’t be broken-hearted about it. Heck, Randolph’s not going to be in his prime until Nelson is long retired, so why would Nellie want any part of him?

But could the Warriors trade Randolph, at 19 with a chance to be one of the top 10 players in the league in a few years…for a possible one-year rental of Bosh, who may or may not ever be a superstar?
(I guess Nelson thinks Bosh would be an idea [sic] big man in a scatter-ball mania.)

Another huge problem: To get Bosh, the Warriors almost have to include Andris Biedrins (no problem for Nellie, obviously) for value and contract purposes, but Biedrins remains a base-year player until June 30 next summerOOPS THAT CHANGES THINGS.

That’s complicated, but basically it means that a Biedrins-involved trade has to be a monster monetary deal (involving three or four big contracts going both ways) for Biedrins’ deal to fit into any trade. Update: But only until June 30. Again: OOPS.

Randolph and Biedrins for Bosh doesn’t even come close to a workable NBA trade. The money’s all wrong. The Warriors and Raptors would have to build another $10M or so both ways into this deal.

Also, by my reading of the CBA, I don’t believe Jamal Crawford can be traded until and unless he DOES NOT opt-out on June 30. It’s like the Baron Davis situation last year–Crawford, for trade purposes, is considered a potential free agent, and you can’t trade pending F/As until July 1.

If Crawford opts-in, which is likely, he can be traded after June 30, since he will then have two years left on his deal.

If he opts-out and becomes a free agent, then the Warriors can still sign-and-trade his rights after June 30. But, unless I’m wrong, Crawford CANNOT BE MOVED in the period from now until July 1, which means zero movement for him at draft time (June 25).

Obviously another candidate to be moved: Monta Ellis, but he’s also a base-year player until June 30 next summer.

Much easier to trade: Brandan Wright and Marco Belinelli, but they don’t have much value, thanks, in no small part, to Nelson’s handling of them.”

Okay NBA fans tell the rest of us…what should we think?

Not that there is much left to read, but the story can be found here.

Hey folks, I have spent the better part of the night talking to various folks in and around the Coyotes-Balsillie issue. I have tried to put together some facts and some opinions and, of course, in typical TSM fashion, a good look at what else is being said on the WWW:

Arizona Republic’s Craig Harris did a bang up job on his account of where things are and where they are going. Here are the goods:

“The Phoenix Coyotes filed for Chapter 11 reorganization today in a move that could allow the franchise to be sold and moved to southern Ontario, Canada.”

Yes indeed they did. The Coyotes have put themselves under the protection of the courts from their creditors. The potential move to Canada stems from the only offer on the table right now for the assets, which is Jim Balsillie’s very rich offer of US$212.5 million — an offer which carries with it a pre-condition that he be allowed to relocate the team to “southwestern Ontario.”

“The move is not a certainty, because other investors will have an opportunity to outbid PSE’s offer.”

This is correct, 100 per cent correct. Anyone can now tender an offer for the purchase of the assets of the now bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes. Normally, any new offer would have to be higher than the original offer (Balsillie’s in this case). However, these are not normal bankruptcy proceedings, and I will explain more below.

“Jerry Moyes, Coyotes’ chief executive officer and managing member is the team’s largest unsecured creditor at nearly $104 million, according to bankruptcy records. The city of Glendale, which receives lease payments from the team to play at Jobing.com Arena, is an unsecured creditor in the bankruptcy filing. The city would have to make a claim with the court to receive any payments, according to the team’s bankruptcy lawyer.”

For those of you a tad confused, let’s review some basic terminology. A secured creditor is a party who has lent money to another and has taken a piece of collateral as security on that loan. For example, when one buys a house, goes to the bank and gets a mortgage, the bank has the house as collateral. You can’t sell the house without the bank getting its money first. If you get into money trouble, the bank can take back the house. The bank is a secured creditor.

Now, when you buy that house and your parents or a friend lends you money to help pay for the house and you promise to pay that person back for their loan and you have nothing else between you and your friend or relative, if something happens to you, and you lose the house or stop paying for the house, your friend could lose all their money too. That person is an unsecured creditor. They have no security to get their money back.

Why is this important? Well, for one the top priority of the trustee in bankruptcy (like a judge) in these proceedings is to get the creditors the most money he or she can for the assets of the Coyotes. Secured creditors will get paid first. So, in this instance, when the team is sold, the secured creditors (see below) will get paid ahead of both Jerry Moyes and the city.

“Balsillie’s price of $212.5 million provides funds to pay secured creditors in full. Approximately $80 million would go to SOF Investments LP and $35 million to the NHL, which had loaned the team money earlier this year.”

Okay, so the amount of JB’s offer is just enough to pay off only the secured creditors, SOF investments and the NHL. There is nothing left for any unsecured creditors.

“That would leave $97.5 million to unsecured creditors. Coyotes owners would receive nothing for their equity investment, including $206.5 million in preferred and common equity that will not be recovered by Moyes under the current offer.”

Well, maybe. I don’t know who SOF Investments is, but it appears to be getting some money. So I have to believe that Moyes will get something back, otherwise why else would he allow or encourage Balsillie to put in this offer at this time?

“‘Likewise, the City of Glendale, which has been very cooperative with efforts to keep the team in Glendale, will be able to provide potential buyers assurances of the City’s willingness to offer incentives to keep the team as a tenant in the Jobing.com arena, the lease for which is subject to rejection in bankruptcy,’ Moyes said. ‘The process assures that the identities of the new owner and the team’s location will be known by June 30, 2009, thus enabling the NHL to include the team in its 2009-10 schedule.’”

Again, this may or may not be true. Yes there is now a window to try to figure this out. However, things in the legal process can be stretched out if needed. I do think there is no chance that this team plays anywhere other than in Phoenix next season.

“‘At the end of the day, you have a team that was not making money. It has not made money since it has been here, and he (Moyes) received an offer,’ said Thomas Salerno, the bankruptcy attorney for the Coyotes. ‘We feel it (offer) maximizes the value of the team for the assets and in such a way that sets up a process where other people can bid.’”

I include this so you know that when I talked to a successful bankruptcy attorney this evening the first thing he asked me was if Salerno was the attorney hired by the Coyotes. Salerno is without question the top bankruptcy attorney in Arizona and a renowned expert in the field in the USA. While the team may not be good at making money in hockey, it certainly knows how to pick a bankruptcy attorney.

The fine folks at TSN have a similarly good account of the story:

“‘The current team ownership asked that I table an offer to purchase the Coyotes and significant discussions resulted in an offer that is in the best interests of the franchise, the NHL, and the great hockey fans of Canada and Southern Ontario,’ Balsillie said in the release. ‘I am excited to move closer to bringing an NHL franchise to what I believe is one of the best un-served hockey markets in the world, Southern Ontario. A market with devoted hockey fans, a rich hockey history, a growing and diversified economy and a population of more than 7 million people,’ he said.”

And the PR campaign begins. Know this, sports fans: Jim Balsillie is not a fool. He doesn’t play games, and he certainly doesn’t play them to lose.

The release also states that Balsillie agreed to post debtor-in-possession financing of $17 million (US) at the request of the Coyotes franchise. The money will keep the franchise going before the sale is completed.

So Balsillie has now made US$17 million available to the Coyotes to continue operating should his offer be accepted, but before the transaction is completed. This is an important move and something that the trustee will look most favourably at. The Coyotes could use this money for operating expenses and Balsillie’s purchase would be reduced by any amount that the franchise used before the deal closes.

“Sources tell TSN that the NHL is not happy with what is perceived by the league as a powerplay by Balsillie and will wrestle with this matter in court. Those proceedings are expected to begin on Thursday. After learning of the purchase on Tuesday, the NHL’s deputy commissioner Bill Daly released the following statement: ‘We have just become aware of today’s Bankruptcy Court filing purportedly made on behalf of the Phoenix Coyotes. We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the petition, including the propriety of its filing. We have removed Jerry Moyes from all positions of authority to act for or on behalf of the Club. The League will appear and proceed before the Bankruptcy Court in the best interests of all of the Club’s constituencies, including its fans in Arizona and the League’s 29 other Member Clubs.’”

And now, my friends it gets really interesting. The league looks at this bankruptcy as being driven by Balsillie. Therefore, the league will likely petition the court to investigate the validity of the filing of bankruptcy as early as Thursday. So where the team denied that the league was running the show only days ago, it is now saying publicly that it is in fact running the team. The NHL has removed the owner!

Oh, the irony. Gary Bettman doesn’t like to be pushed around and he is clearly viewing this as someone trying to push him around.

Now, Scott Burdow, a journalist for the East Valley Tribune, reports that the Balsillie purchase is all but a done deal and the team is gone:

“In case you hadn’t heard, the Coyotes filed for bankruptcy Thursday [sic], and the filing included a proposed sale to Canadian billionaire Jim Basillie, who would pay $212.5 million for the team and move it to Ontario, Canada. Other offers will be entertained in an effort to keep the team in Glendale, but a buyer willing to outbid Basillie would require a miracle on the size of the Red Sea parting, and last I looked, Moses wasn’t in the market for a hockey team. No, by the end of June the moving vans will back up to Jobing.com Arena and take the Coyotes away box by box, stick by stick.”

Scott has jumped the gun just a tiny bit here. You see, this is not an ordinary bankruptcy proceeding. Let’s assume for one second that the trustee rules that this is a valid filing. Ordinarily, the Trustee’s only job is to get the most cash for the creditors. In this case there is a problem, at least in theory. The NHL has, I believe, a contractual legal condition precedent to any sale of the franchise.

You see, each NHL franchise has an agreement with the league that governs its ownership of their franchise. This agreement, I suspect, contains a provision that deals with any transfer (sale) of the franchise. I don’t know this for sure, but I am sure there is some sort of provision that gives the league the ability to approve any transfer. More specifically, this provision probably gives the league the ability to kill any transfer.

Now, in most bankruptcies this type of agreement may not prevail. However, courts will enforce these types of provision under certain circumstances. The league will argue that the provision is required to ensure that the right type of person buys a franchise (it doesn’t want mobsters, thieves, etc., – unless, of course, it approves them and only find out they are bad owners after the fact). The league won’t have to argue that the provision needs to be enforced to keep Balsillie out specifically, rather that the league needs the provision in general.

It is extremely unlikely that the trustee will not enforce this provision of the franchise agreement. Therefore, all the league has to do is object to Balsillie as an owner (in whatever fashion it has to in accordance with the actual provision) and the Balsillie offer is dead.

“Fans will brave rush hour traffic to see a winner. But it’s been seven years since the Coyotes were in the playoffs, and they never won a postseason series. By the end, only die-hard hockey fans were venturing to the arena, and there aren’t enough of those in the Valley to support a team. For that, Wayne Gretzky has to take responsibility. He was supposed to bring a Stanley Cup to Phoenix, but he surrounded himself with cronies and yes men and turned out to be a mediocre coach. His reputation will survive — he’s still the greatest player ever — but when the eulogy is given, he won’t be spoken highly of.”

One word for that — wow.

“Let this be said, even as we say goodbye: There isn’t a better game to watch in person. Even a hockey neophyte like me appreciated the athleticism, the speed and the hits that rattled the bones and the plexiglass. I’ll remember Jeremy Roenick playing with a broken jaw, Keith Tkachuk standing in front of the net, harder to move than a tree trunk, and the loyalty of Shane Doan. But the Coyotes were a longshot to begin with. Everything had to go right for them; instead, nearly everything went wrong and they never had a chance. We’ll move on without them. Quickly, I imagine. Still, I can’t help but think that sometime in the next few years, when a playoff series has gone to Game 7 and the hockey is intense and the beards long, we’ll wonder what might have been. What a shame.”

What a terrific eulogy to a team. It says here it is prematurem but it is the type of thing that Bettman Inc. was betting on when they moved the team to a market like Phoenix.

Over at Sportsnet, they fellas had some interesting tidbits to add:

“Balsillie has turned up the heat by going public in his bid. He’s asking fans who want to see a seventh NHL franchise in Canada to make their voices heard, asking them to log on to www.makeitseven.ca to add their voices to his bid. Balsillie said that the website has already had ‘thousands and thousands’ of comments. ‘I think it affirms there’s an unserved market, there’s a real opportunity here,’ Balsillie said. ‘I’m prepared to put this kind of funding…I believe this is a serious commitment.’”

The website, for the record, can’t have “comments” — it asks people to register. According to the folks running the site, in a little over three hours since its launch it had over 10,000 registrations. So what is Balsillie’s game? What is he trying to do? Are there not infinite ways this can end? The easiest way for it to end would be for another bidder to up the ante, offer more then Balsillie’s $212.5 million. That isn’t going to happen.

However, that isn’t the end of the discussion. If the NHL can enforce its ability to approve any transfer of a franchise, then Balsillie’s bid is dead. So what is left? Well, if no one else emerges, and the league kicks Balsillie’s bid that will be the end of the franchise. The team will go from Chapter 11 protection to Chapter 7 and fold. However, if another bid emerges (remember my earlier post on Jerry Reinsdorf), well then it too can be approved by the court. If Jerry gets huge concessions from the city, gets a real sweetheart deal, and puts in a lower offer of say $100-150 million, there is nothing stopping the Trustee from accepting that offer if the league agrees. Those are really the only options.

Where it gets really interesting is in the NHL office and backrooms. The economy is shit. Any number of teams are struggling and those who are doing better are facing upward pressure to keep them alive. Toronto is an interesting example because it is spending more money in propping up teams than any other team, so you would think it would want to move those teams on life support faster than anyone else. Except in this case, the Leafs certainly don’t want another team here in Toronto.

It’s the classic NIMBY case. We want to help, but not in my backyard, thank you! The league is owed over $30 million. That’s around a million bucks per team. Compare, if you will, what Larry Brooks claimed the league made from itss NBC deal last year: $100,000 per team! One million dollars is a lot of money to those teams in these times. Some say that the league can only veto a move if it has over one-third of the owners voting against the move.

Bettman will try to sway as many votes as he can; he was successful in the lockout in keeping his ducks in a row. How successful will he be now and with this fight? You can bet on two teams for sure voting with Bettman — Toronto and Buffalo. I would include Ottawa as a strong alley too. After that all bets are off. Owners are going to vote with their pocketbooks not allegiances. If the league gets its $32 million back and instead of a deadbeat team gains a profitable one, how much better is that for all the partners?

Over at the Globe and Mail, David Shoalts and Sean Gorden have this to offer:

“According to a source close to the deal, Balsillie plans to lean on his sterling business reputation and play the public opinion card strongly; the first burblings of the strategy showed up in the form of a new website in support of a seventh Canadian NHL team.”

As I have stated already, I agree he will try to win the PR war, the question is, who is he fighting with and to what end?

“At the same time, the source indicated there was no prior agreement or consultation between Balsillie and league commissioner Gary Bettman — who was said to be incensed at news of the proposed deal — although there are suggestions other owners and the players’ union could support moving the team. And Balsillie is reportedly determined not to play by Bettman’s rules, so just to be on the safe side, he has also pulled what appear to be some canny legal manoeuvres.”

Bettman is a control freak and an egomaniac. Of course this will incense him. The other owners are key; as the for the PA, Kelley and Healey can make as much noise as they want, but they are powerless unless they are prepared to strike over this issue.

“A former NHL owner was more forthcoming, calling it ‘a game of chicken’ whose winner will be chosen by an Arizona bankruptcy judge. Sources say Balsillie quietly contacted municipal officials in Hamilton, Ont., about 10 days ago to sound them out over whether they would be interested in reviving a 2004 deal for lease rights to the Copps Coliseum and Hamilton Place. City officials indicated they would leap at the chance, the source added.”

This really won’t be surprised by the courts. Assuming the NHL has the clause that I am told it does, there is not much to decide. Hamilton may have to suffice as a temporary home to a team. The problem for Balsillie is that he would have to deal with two teams — Toronto and Buffalo — not just one if he moved it closer to the GTA. Is anyone surprised at the Hamilton reaction?

“News of the bankruptcy and the shock offer to buy the team stunned several owners — ‘Holy shit!’ was the response offered by two of those contacted by The Globe — including one of the teams that could oppose a relocation to the Hamilton region. ‘This is a complete surprise, you still need league approval for all this stuff, so I don’t know what to say,’ said Buffalo Sabres minority owner Larry Quinn.”

To his credit, Balsillie and the owners of the Coyotes kept this very, very quiet. That is impressive. The owners’ response, by the way, is classic!

“Either way, Bettman’s sway over the owners, many of whom have been quietly courted by Balsillie, will be tested in what is shaping up to be a contest of wills. An NHL governor who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed some of the animus some owners feel toward Balsillie, whose ham-fisted attempts to move the Penguins and the Predators to the Toronto region earned him no friends among Bettman and his coterie of allies. The governor pointed out that franchises are granted by the league, which could just as easily revoke them — although that would surely form the basis of a nasty and lengthy lawsuit.”

There is no revoking to make so I am not sure the basis of that point. What the other governors think of Balsillie is paramount in this decision, however, and one thing worth digging into.

“‘Balsillie tends to do things like this. The game last night [on Monday between the Penguins and Washington Capitals] was amazing, it’s too bad this has to follow on the heels of that,’ the governor said.”

That is what must be killing Bettman. This is not what he wants idiots like me writing about tonight. Instead of watching one second of a game tonight I talked to people about this! That is not what the league wants its fans to do.

“More evocative, then, is a subsequent passage of the release: ‘overbids must exceed the PSE proposal by $5-million and must be fully funded at closing without a financing contingency.’”

Not so fast on that one. A lesser bid without the condition may have to be considered. At least that is what my legal gurus are telling me tonight.

Still at The Globe, Stephen Brunt has an excellent commentary:

“So here we are — with an owner who has no other options, in a league fighting multiple fires, with a process that is now in the hands of the courts. A more-than-fair offer is on the table, one that will help prop up franchise values, will solve a huge problem, will save millions in bailout money and will instantly transform a have-not franchise into a have. Think maybe Jim Balsillie has talked to some of those other owners over the past few months? Think maybe they’ve come to understand he’s not the bogeyman, that he might be the best and only alternative right now?”

That is exactly where we are at. This is all going to be handled behind closed mahogany doors. Bettman has been able to stay away from the likes of Balsillie before through magic and luck. Will that hold true this time?

“And when the commissioner calls them to the barricades for what would be a protracted, expensive legal battle to keep Balsillie out of the league and to keep him from moving the club (he certainly meets all of the criteria they’ve laid out in their bylaws), think they’re ready to follow him blindly into battle one more time? He won the lockout — and look at what that fine, fail-safe labour agreement delivered. He beat back Balsillie twice, and how did that fix anything? He said not so long ago that Phoenix would be just fine. How did that work out? By all accounts, the commissioner was apoplectic last night. It seems he may have good reason. In chess, it’s called being put in ‘check.’ Bettman has already proved himself a grandmaster of the game. But even the best of them eventually meet their match.”

Balsillie threatens everything that Bettman is to the league. If he is a rogue prospective owner, how will he act when he is an owner, one of Bettman’s bosses? This is war, and it is very, very personal.

Kevin McGran leads his column in The Star with this:

“The NHL took control of the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday evening, removing owner Jerry Moyes from all positions of authority and seems set to challenge the very notion that the troubled NHL franchise is bankrupt.”

Do you think that is what Bettman wants to be dealing with during the playoffs?

Hanky has one of the most bizarre posts in the history of his site, as he goes Oliver Stone:

“I think someone is trying to get the NHL to budge on their anti Balsillie stance. And listen. I know Balsillie and I like Balsillie. I WANT AND BELIEVE THE BEST THING FOR THE NHL WOULD BE TO GIVE JIM A TEAM! If Balsillie is the one behind this act I would be somewhat surprised. UNLESS Jim is just continuing on his path to make a legal case that would force the NHL to give him a team in some sort of settlement. Those are high risk stakes for a guy that would in all likelihood have a team if he just respected the systems in place…But seriously, I don’t know what is happening at this point. One thing is for sure…it’s a crazy night…stay tuned.”

I am going to let his post stand for itself…believe what you want, call me a sucker, but I don’t think this is a “sham.”

“He called it ‘a very clear and serious offer. I’m excited and delighted to make this offer and try to bring a seventh team to Canada for hockey fans in an unserved market of Southern Ontario.’”

That was the National Post quoting Balsillie himself. Doesn’t sound like a sham to me at all. Does it to you?

Several sources are telling TSM this morning that the reason the league is so upset is that Moyes, the Coyotes’ chief executive officer and managing member, had actually resigned his right to make any decisions as they pertain to the Coyotes as far back as two weeks ago (as sources in the Arizona media reported and the team refuted). So far no one from the league will confirm this.

Steve Simmon’s column in today’s Toronto Sun perfectly captures where things stand right now, in my opinion:

“Jim Balsillie is well on his way to becoming the dumbest, most stubborn, successful entrepreneur around. How else to explain his latest hockey outburst — his clumsy, all-too-public attempt to bully the National Hockey League into allowing him to purchase the now-bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes franchise and move it to southern Ontario. If all he is attempting here is to find his name in the headlines, he is certainly accomplishing that. But if he honestly believes he can pull an end-run on commissioner Gary Bettman, secure an NHL franchise, move it, and use a public website to drum up support for a seventh Canadian franchise, then he is either getting terrible advice or he is simply fond of banging his head against the wall. Because that’s all he can accomplish here. This is a war he may not be able to win. Even if he’s willing to overpay for the moribund Coyotes, which he is.”

I totally agree. This is a very strange way to get the leagues blessing to become a member of the club especially when the league has shown that this is perhaps more important than one’s background or financial wherewithal. I am not sure who is advising Balsillie on this matter, but I think perhaps he is getting bad advice.

“The league will say it has control over the franchise and any possible movement. They will say that, knowing also there is a long-term lease in Phoenix. But what Moyes and Balsillie are banking on here is direction from the bankruptcy court: Once the court orders the Coyotes to accept the Balsillie offer, which is entirely possible considering there is unlikely to be another offer anywhere close, then Balsillie will pick up the franchise and attempt to move it, likely to Hamilton, with the NHL fighting it all the way. This, almost certainly, will go to court, the way Al Davis had to go to court when he moved the Oakland Raiders to Los Angeles in the National Football League many years ago. Davis won his lawsuit against the NFL. Balsillie is gambling he can win here. Does a second NHL team in southern Ontario make sense? Yes. Does Balsillie have the wherewithal to operate this team? Yes. Is it in the NHL’s best interest to have another team around Toronto? Yes. But the reality is, the number of owners who have attempted to ambush the NHL and succeeded is zero.”

I think that the assumptions Balsillie is making, if Simmons is correct, are wrong. I can’t see Balsillie suing the NHL to get into the club and I can’t see a trustee in bankruptcy voiding the league franchise agreement.

Bob McKenzie has a great article up on TSN.ca, too:

“The first thing you need to know is that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in Phoenix today, ostensibly to put the finishing touches on an intent to purchase agreement from Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, whose intention was to apparently keep the financially-troubled Coyotes in their current home of Glendale, which is also home to Reinsdorf’s spring-training baseball facility (a mile away from the Coyotes’ Jobing.com Arena). That offer was expected to materialize within the next few days.”

Everything I am hearing (and reported earlier yesterday morning) confirms this. Don’t think that the Balsillie bid is going to stop Reinsdorf, per se. The bankruptcy proceedings may not the US$212.5 million offer.

“Balsillie’s bid of $212.5 million is what is known as a ‘’stalking horse bid.” All that effectively means is that Balsillie’s bid officially kicks off an official auction process. If anyone chooses to outbid Balsillie, they must do so by at least $5 million. The bankruptcy court is obliged to accept the highest offer that provides the best financial relief to the secured creditors, which ironically includes the NHL as the second largest ($35 million). It is unfathomable to think anyone would make the $217.5 million offer to keep the team in Phoenix. But where this starts to get confusing is the conditional aspect of the offer. Balsillie is only prepared to pay $212.5 million as long as the franchise is moved to southern Ontario.”

Bingo! The condition precedent is a problem for both the Coyotes and Balsillie.

“The question then becomes, can a bankruptcy court in Arizona mandate the NHL to relocate or transfer a franchise in order to satisfy the needs of the Coyotes’ secured creditors? It’s an interesting legal question and without putting words in anyone’s mouth — no one is commenting anyway — the safe bet is that Balsillie’s group believes that’s a possibility while the NHL doesn’t believe a bankruptcy court can tell it how to conduct its affairs.”

That is right. The 212.5 million dollar question is — what does the franchise agreement say with respect to transfers and is that language legally binding? If it says the league can kill the transfer and a court will back that clause, Balsillie is out of luck. If it says the league can kill the transfer and Balsillie and the Coyotes are willing to fight in court and the court agrees that the provision is illegal then they have a good shot. If the provision says the league can kill a transfer with one-third of the owners agreeing to kill it, well then it gets really, really interesting.

“The NHL, meanwhile, is likely to battle Balsillie on the issue of ”control.’ While the league will get destroyed in the court of public opinion in Canada, it is quite likely to exert what it perceives to be its legal rights on how it does business. That is, the league believes it ultimately controls who owns NHL franchises and where they are located. To do that, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will ultimately require the backing of the board of governors, but he has had it in the past. It remains to be seen whether he has it this time, but this has all the makings of a battle royale. The battle lines are clearly drawn. While Bettman and the NHL will take a beating in that court of public opinion in Canada, one suspects this situation will ultimately be decided in a legal court.”

That is correct. This, perhaps more than the lockout, will challenge Bettman’s authority and control over his group of owners. Will he survive this is the right question. The US$212.5 million sounds pretty good to the owners of the Thrashers, Panthers and the estate of Bill Davidson to name but a few.

If you are looking for another perspective on the matter, Damien Cox’s is here. The gist is that the only way the team ends up in southwestern Ontario is if Balsillie and Bettman kiss and make up, which Cox suggests isn’t very likely.

Simmons is here.

McKenzie is here.

Read Craig Harris here.

Read TSN here.

Read Scott Burdow here.

Read Sportsnet here.

Shoalts and Gordon are here.

Brunt is here.

McGran is here.

Hanky is here.

The National Post is here.

“We stayed in Toronto for a week and played three games. I don’t know if you ever stayed in Toronto, but it’s not exactly Las Vegas. To say that we were plucking our eyebrows out one at a time would be an understatement.”

And fuck you too, Chipper. Here is hoping for some reason he has to come back. Please let him come back. Funny how other athletes come here and don’t seem to complain. Not enough hot spots for ya, Chipper, like there are in Atlanta? Downtown Atlanta is a real thriller. Perhaps he prefers the risk of getting shot in Buckhead as opposed to the Toronto club district. Here’s hoping Bobby Cox gets to him and talks some sense into him before he opens his trap again. Somewhere I bet J.P. is laughing or cheering Jones on.

Meanwhile, get a load of the video of the Grabovsky/Blake affair. What the hell is Jamal Mayers doing? Who does this clown think he is? He shows more toughness in this clip then he has in every Maple Leaf game this season. Please let the Mayers trial end soon. Brian, waive him today if at all possible.

What a day it was. GM Brian Burke was busy; not as busy as I would have liked, but busy nevertheless.

Here is a review of the deals (in case you didn’t know):

1. The Maple Leafs acquired a 2009 second round draft pick and a conditional draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft from the New York Rangers in exchange for forward Nik Antropov.

2. Toronto traded forward Dominic Moore to the Buffalo Sabres for Carolina’s second round draft pick in 2009.

3. Toronto obtained goaltender Olaf Kolzig, defencemen Jamie Heward and Andy Rogers and a fourth round draft pick in 2009 from the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenceman Richard Petiot.

4. The Maple Leafs claimed goaltender Martin Gerber off waivers from the Senators and defenceman Erik Reitz from the Rangers.

Here’s a tour of the reviews:

Damien Cox, Toronto Star

“The Maple Leafs started the day with five picks in this summer’s draft, selections in the first, third, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. They ended it with eight picks, adding two second rounders and a fourth, as well as an extra conditional selection acquired in the Nik Antropov deal with the Rangers. Nothing spectacular, but certainly necessary. Instead of having one pick in the top 60 selections, the Leafs should have three in the top 50. Instead of having two picks in the top 120, the Leafs now have five.That’s how the restocking of the prospect cupboard starts.”

Interesting that Damien has a positive spin on the Burke’s day…

“Dominic Moore, acquired after waivers last year by John Ferguson, re-signed by Cliff Fletcher and traded away Wednesday by Brian Burke, netted a second-round pick, a net gain for the Leaf organization. And what of Antropov, the 10th overall pick in 1998, moved to Manhattan for a second rounder? Well, the Leafs got a lot of years of service for the Kazakh. We watched him grow from a skinny, confused kid with little ability to speak English into a power forward with scoring ability, not to mention a gentleman and a father. Was he a bust? Well, he didn’t become a star, but look at the other players taken in ‘98. After Vinny Lecavalier went first, the order went David Legwand, Brad Stuart, Bryan Allen, Vitali Vishnevski, Rico Fata, Manny Malhotra, Mark Bell, Mike Rupp and then Antropov. Based on that group, Antropov was a very successful pick by the Leafs. At the end, he was traded because he wasn’t good enough for the dollars he’ll be looking for as a free agent to a team that’s at the very early stages of a long rebuilding period. And if he pans out for the Rangers and helps them win two playoff rounds this spring, the Leafs will get an additional fourth rounder.”

The fact he is so positive scares the hell out of me. Let’s see what the days ahead bring…

Paul Hunter, Toronto Star

“Vesa Toskala is finished for the season. Toskala has been struggling though hip and groin problems and said he would have surgery to correct those issues next week. His spot between the pipes will be filled by former Ottawa Senator Martin Gerber, who the Leafs claimed on re-entry waivers. As expected today, the Leafs also traded Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore, two players who were headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. Antropov went to the Rangers for a second-round draft pick and another conditional draft pick. Moore went to the Buffalo Sabres for a second-round draft pick.”

Just the facts, ma’am!

Stephen Brunt, The Globe and Mail

“Brian Burke has a way with words, and in his current gig, that’s going to come in mighty handy. Yesterday afternoon, at the conclusion of his first signpost day as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was called upon to explain the absence of highlight-reel goals and home runs and one-punch knockouts. The trade deadline had come and gone, leaving the franchise minus a couple of useful pieces they declined to sign for what those players and their agents believed they were worth, Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore. The Leafs are now in possession of a marginal starting goaltender acquired on the waiver wire, Martin Gerber, to replace the now-shelved Vesa Toskala, and have four new drafts picks — two second round, one conditional, one fourth round — to partly fill the gaping hole left behind in that department by previous administrations. But there were no first-rounders acquired, though that was the original asking price for Antropov. There were no bright young prospects added who might some day be part of a contending Leafs team. There was no real blockbuster deal, through which a Tomas Kaberle might have brought something truly significant in return. It was more housekeeping than renovation, which for an understandably anxious fan base might not have been quite the Burkean miracle they had imagined.”

I don’t disagree with anything Brunt says there…

“To get better, the Maple Leafs will have to make far better use of the draft than they have in the recent past. They will have to patiently and skillfully develop those players. They will have to create a positive environment and create cap space so that they can attract free agents. And they will have to get lucky, because however adept Burke is at manoeuvring through the current collective agreement, however savvy he is in his dealings with his peers, at some point his team is going to have to stumble on a franchise player. Today, early in his honeymoon period, most fans are probably willing to take Burke at his word, and to cut him some slack, especially since he declines to make excuses. ‘If you hear me start complaining people should throw something heavy at me,’ he said. ‘I work in one of the greatest cities in the world, I work for one of the greatest teams in the world and we’ll get this sorted out. I didn’t think it was going to be an easy or quick process and it’s not going to be.’ But check in again in a couple of years, on another deadline day, in what will likely be a rather different NHL, with the Leafs’ building process advanced, the stakes higher, and the movie presumably well into its second or third act.”

This passage could have been written at any time during the last nine months. Nothing new here folks, nothing at all.

Tim Wharnsby, The Globe and Mail

“The Toronto Maple Leafs restocked their supply of draft picks, but also have left their roster bare to play out the remainder of this season. Not only did the Leafs deal forwards Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore for a pair of second-round selections yesterday, they also shut down goaltender Vesa Toskala.”

And this is a bad thing? Plummet, Maple Leafs, plummet, for god’s sake!

“Although such talk is taboo, the move enhances the Leafs’ chances of sliding into the bottom five in the league standings and being eligible for the draft lottery. With 18 games remaining, the Leafs are 23rd in the 30-club NHL, six points up on the 26th-place Colorado Avalanche.”

Now you are talking. That is more like it.

“As a fill-in for Toskala, the Leafs plucked Ottawa Senators goalie Martin Gerber off re-entry waivers. Gerber will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and he hasn’t played a NHL game since Jan. 8, when the Senators buried him in the minors. What made the Toskala decision intriguing was that Leafs general manager Brian Burke publicly scolded Toskala last month for poor work habits in practice. The harsh words prompted the Leafs goalie to inform his boss that he took it easy in practice because of his chronic hip problems. After the information session, Toskala, Wilson, Burke and the medical staff discussed their options. When surgery as soon as possible was agreed upon as the best course of action, Burke and his management team began searching for another goalie last week. ‘I have been talking with the team and I’m on the same page,’ Toskala said. ‘We made a decision that is best for me.’”

I am calling bullshit on this one. Bill Watters and Greg Brady have been saying for weeks that Toskala hasn’t been healthy. Then Burke attacks him. I don’t know why, but I am just not buying the chain of events as they are being laid out. This doesn’t smell right. To be honest, who cares?

“Both Moore and Antropov, who were kept out of the Leafs lineup on Tuesday, were moved because they are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Antropov was the first to be traded. He went to the Rangers for a second-round pick and a conditional pick. Moore went down the highway to the Buffalo Sabres, also for a second-round selection. These were moves expected to be made by Burke, who will now turn his attention to signing two or three U.S. College players, then the draft and possible trades there as well as the free-agency frenzy in July. ‘We intend to be aggressive on a lot of different fronts,’ Burke said.”

Let’s hope so. I am not thrilled with what happened today. I wanted more. Having said that, it appears to be a start. Maybe more tearing down is needed before the rebuild starts…

Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun

“Brian Burke is committed to rebuilding the Maple Leafs, but other National Hockey League teams were just as determined not to let him do it with their best draft picks. Burke’s attempt to wrestle a first rounder for Nik Antropov and a high second rounder for checking centre Dominic Moore were only partially successful on a day when the Leafs also shut down goalie Vesa Toskala with hip/groin surgery and added goalie Martin Gerber and defenceman Eric Reitz on waivers. Antropov is taking his act to Broadway, dealt to the New York Rangers at today’s 3 p.m. deadline for a second rounder and a conditional pick, likely based on the Rangers making the playoffs. Toronto began the day with a first pick in the top 10 at the June draft and hoping to parlay Antropov into another, but had no second or fourth rounder. It turned out just one first-rounder changed hands as the anticipated slow day because of salary cap concerns came to pass.”

Like his counterpart at the Star, Lance offers no opinion.

Bruce Arthur, National Post

“But you want a deal that epitomizes the new NHL? Try one of the day’s final trades, in which the Toronto Maple Leafs sent an undistinguished gentleman named Richard Petiot to cash-strapped Tampa Bay for the expiring contracts of Olaf Kolzig (torn biceps), Jamie Heyward (concussed), minor-leaguer Andy Rogers, and a fourth-round pick. Kolzig and Heyward are unlikely to play a game for the Leafs; Rogers, from all appearances, is an afterthought. So basically the Leafs are paying the salaries of Kolzig and Heyward until the summer – a total of about US$500,000 – to get a fourth-round pick, while the Lightning save some cash. Toronto can afford it; Tampa cannot. Welcome to the new NHL. ‘I think part of it is people are scared to death of the 2010-11 season,’ Burke said. ‘The coming season, what the cap’s going to be, the cap will be based largely on this year’s revenues, and most of our revenues were in the tills before the bad news really hit. So I think it’s artificial in terms of what revenues will be in a year. But because the cap always follows 12 months of financial developments, my sense is that teams – and I know I am – are scared to death of 2010-11 in terms of committing money or locking up guys. This is where, if you go back to when guys were doing six, seven, 12-year, 15-year deals and patting themselves on the back for how smart they were, I think some teams are really going to regret going that far along.’”

This is not editorial on Burke or the Leafs per se, however, it’s very interesting to see how Burke used cap space and wealth to acquire a later draft pick.

Mike Brophy, Sportsnet

“Toronto’s Brian Burke likely hoped to make a bigger splash than he did as he tries to resurrect the Maple Leafs, but with Antropov and Moore gone, and Martin Gerber tending the net down the stretch, perhaps the Leafs stand a better chance of getting a lottery pick. That, for the record, is a good thing especially if they get John Tavares or Victor Hedman.”

Here’s hoping…

Jim Kelley, Sportsnet

“One could even make a case that the winner is the one that comes up with the most innovative way to perhaps legally circumvent the rules of transaction, much the way Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke is attempting to do in essentially buying a fourth-round draft pick for $500,000 by buying off injured and likely retiring players via a complicated transaction with the Tampa Bay Lightning.”

If it weren’t legal, do you think the league would have passed it?

“Take Burke’s deal with Tampa Bay. Burke may have done something outside the spirit of the rules while working completely within them. He traded Richard Petiot to the Lightning for veteran goalie Olie Kolzig, Jamie Heward, Andie Rogers and a fourth-round pick. Knowing full well that Petiot isn’t likely to ever be a player in the NHL, that Heward hasn’t made it (and likely never will) and that Rogers is also looking at the end of his career, he essentially delivered about a half million dollars in cap space to the Lightning in exchange for a fourth round pick. If this kind of transaction holds up, Burke will have won a battle he’s been losing for years, that being the ability to trade cap space from a team that has it to a team that doesn’t. This bears a whole lot of watching.”

A GM has to do what he can within the confines of the rules. That is a two way street. The Bolts are tight on cash and need any break they can get. The leafs needed a pick and took some dead weight from the Bolts and turned it into a pick.

Howard Berger, National Post

“What seems like an emotional let-down today for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs may ultimately be viewed as the perfect beginning to a long, complicated process. And, don’t fool yourself for even a second into thinking there are any short-cuts in the task of properly re-structuring the Maple Leafs, a franchise that only now – four years after the fact – is starting to be managed compatibly in the post-lockout NHL. Brian Burke was depicted by some as a media manipulator with his tempered comments of the past couple of weeks. He was merely lying in the weeds – managing expectations in the unseemly event he couldn’t re-shape the hockey club with a few bold strokes. In the end, however, Brian was typically shooting straight. He warned observers not to work themselves into a frothing mess over the Leafs’ trade deadline possibilities, suggesting as recently as Tuesday night that it was only the first step in his long-range plan.”

I think Howie is right (I know, two blogs in a row). Lots of us were hoping for much more today and are disappointed with the little that Burke did. I guess in time we will see if it was enough.

“Whether or not that plan actually lifts the hockey club out of its perennial quagmire remains to be seen, and will obviously determine if Burke was, indeed, the best man for the job. But, on the day of his first trade deadline with the Leafs, Brian kept his word. He mentioned on numerous occasions that his primary goal in this initial step was to re-stock the franchise with draft picks that were lost in recent trades, and he did exactly that – acquiring two second-rounders, a fourth-rounder and a conditional selection. In bartering for those picks, he vowed not to take on wasteful salary – contracts of middling players that extend into the 2010-11 season, when the global economic crunch is likely to affect the league’s payroll cap. Again, Burke stuck to his guns. And, the players he moved – Nik Antropov and Dominic Moore – were widely rumored to be going elsewhere as they prepare to test unrestricted free agency this summer.”

Credibility is a good thing in this town. I still am not buying the Toskala thing one bit, but that is a discussion for another day. While all the pundits were yelling bullshit, that Burke is merely playing poker, the reality is he was being pretty straightforward. Not only that, but his near f-bomb on the TSN deadline marathon was priceless.

“So, really, an outbreak of clinical depression should not be endemic among Leaf fans that chose to pay attention, and viewed the 2009 trade deadline for what it was – a table-setting exercise. Much more anticipation can be reserved for the warm months, when Burke will begin to replenish his draft stock, and will have more cap room to work with in free agency than most other big-market teams. It will enable him to sign a premium talent such as Richmond Hill native Mike Cammalleri – a bonafide 40-goal shooter that is young enough, at 27, to be a vital cog on a contending team three or four years down the road. It will allow Burke to try and deal for a top-end player with a contract that does extend beyond next season, now that he eschewed taking on fringe holdovers at the deadline. And, the process of fashioning the Leafs into a winning club will advance to the next level.”

Here Howie heads offside. One, he predicted in his last blog that Burke could make up to six or seven deals if he wanted to. So don’t give me this ‘if you paid attention’ crap. Also, folks, should Burke sign Cammalleri, remember this blog post for when Berger slams Burke for doing so.

“There was much deception from the Leafs – and from Toskala, himself – over the goalie’s suspected groin and hip problems this season. It’s never pleasant to be outright lied to – Ron Wilson, you’ll recall, assured that Toskala’s recent hip examination showed no structural damage – but the Leafs aren’t the only team to go down that path, and it’s understandable that teams would wish to protect their assets in any way possible.”

Hey come on, Howard, it’s not a lie if you know the truth!

“Burke doesn’t yet seem like the “hot shot” he rhetorically called himself on the radio last month. The moves he made at the deadline lacked even a modicum of flair. But, showy maneuvering isn’t the recipe for a pseudo-expansion team with legitimate designs of advancement in today’s NHL. Large steps must be preceded by baby steps.”

Modicum, love it! I don’t necessarily disagree with this comment. I think the Tampa deal was creative, though. Interesting to see Howie give a hat tip to Burke’s moves.

All in all, it was an interesting day. I think the TV networks looked like idiots for being on at 8 a.m. Going from eight to nine hours of coverage translated into an hour of my life I will one day wish I can get back. To me, the big winner of the day was those of you who were on Twitter, and Twitter itself [Note from the Editor: you can now find RotoRob on Twitter]. It was pretty wild to see all the dialogue on it. For those of you who are curious as to what I am talking about, go here and then enter #nhltrade into the search bar and you will see all those who were talking NHL trade deadline over the last several hours. I can tell you that the numbers were staggering. It just proves once again that NHL fans are the most tech savy of any sports fan out there.

Second place goes to the folks over at The Globe and Mail. Their online live blog was good. I don’t think they talked to the room enough, but this was their first time. Coverage on the Fan 590 was weak. Really weak. It started with Hogan and Toth who essentially started the day with nothing to talk about. They seemed almost annoyed to be there. The rest of the day was, well, just boring. I know the moves didn’t really start until later in the afternoon, but man, they didn’t seem to have an real planned programming. I only heard about an hour of Brady and Bill Hayes. In my opinion, it paled in comparison to what the TV guys were doing. Then again, that isn’t a fair comparison.

So technology won the day for me. A buddy hooked me up with his slingbox so i could watch TV on my laptop. It was phenomenal. Add Twitter to that and it was a fun day. Here’s hoping draft days and free agent days are more active in the future. I’ll be back with more thoughts and commentary tomorrow.

Check out more of TSM’s articles here.

It’s a frosty Monday morning, folks. It’s a blustery -15 C here in Toronto. The only place it may be colder is on Brian Burke’s cellphone. There are numerous theories out there this morning as to what is happening and what is going to happen. In essence, they all boil down to two:

Burke is playing rope-a-dope: Set expectations low and over deliver vs. there is no real interest in the Maple Leaf players and therefore Burke’s hands are tied.

Take a look at the Boston-based Tomas Kaberle rumour this morning — Kaberle for first round pick, a third round pick and a prospect. Burke quickly “pissed” all over it. Why would he do that? Of course it could be because there is no truth to it and Burke is a straight shooter. He said that he hasn’t talked to Boston about Kaberle. Now, let’s take a look at that comment too. Why would he say that, besides the fact that it is truthful?

Isn’t it in Burke’s best interest to at least give the impression that the wheels are in motion? With the Kaberle rumour, Burke not only shot down that specific story but shot down any talks involving the Leafs and Bruins as they relate to Kaberle. If you are Burke and you are hoping to get your socks knocked off, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to have as many teams think that you are talking about Kaberle as possible? Isn’t that how the game is played?

Let me throw this out there for a second. I believe that in many a hockey markets, owners react to news they read in the press. I am convinced of it. The owner of team A reads that the Bruins have offered X Kaberle, a player whom he has heard that his team may like and therefore he reacts. He calls or goes to visit his GM. In other words, I believe that the reason that stories get scooped in the media is that teams use the media as vehicles to help them get info and get shit done.

In some markets, the press (what’s left of them) can make or break an executive’s career. I would say that the press killed JFJ here in Toronto but I think it’s safe to say he did it himself. I think there is tremendous pressure on a GM from owners and I am positive that owners react to what they read or hear in the press. I think that GMs react to that pressure, or are forced to.

Which brings us back to Burke. From the beginning of training camp we have been told several, honest, not so flattering things about our Maple Leafs. Everything from Nik Antropov being the only top forward on the team, to the team being devoid of any real talent. We have also been told to be patient, that this could take some time. We are all fine with this. We have recognized that this season is little more than a necessary evil; we are doing little but hoping that the calendar would move a little faster than it is, without any real care for current results.

There are three specific days or times of the year that are actually important to us. They are milestones in the development of our team. These are: the draft, the opening of the free agent period and the trade deadline. For Maple Leaf fans that is it. That’s all we got. So people can or should understand the pent up energy as one of these days approaches. Burke is strong enough not to really care about that. He has the spine to do whatever he thinks is in the best interest of the team that employs him. However, like Cliff before him, he does have an ego.

Matt Millen will be forever remembered as the GM which built the first and only (so far) NFL team to not win a single game in an entire season. This is now Burke’s team. It has been for a few months. This is his shot to make his first imprint on it. Trading a pick for Brad May was one move. The next couple of days sets up the beginning of Burke’s legacy here. For now, all is quiet.

I will say it again. There isn’t a single guy on the roster I wouldn’t move for the right package. For 50 per cent of the guys, give me a draft pick back — any pick — and I am good. The rest, it would be nice to get an earlier draft pick for. It says here that Burke’s inability to move players for picks, or use available cap space to his advantage will be detrimental to the franchise. Does it all have to happen now? No. Does it have to start? Yes. To hell with the rest of the season…

For more content from TSM, visit his site Torontosportsmedia.com.