Tucker, Wellwood and Raycroft

Darcy Tucker has been bought out by the Leafs.

Tucker had three years remaining on his contract and Toronto will payout two-thirds over six years. Having signed a new 4 year deal just last year, this has got to hurt the team.

Still, it is another piece of the 'Muskoka Five' (the other's being Mats Sundin, Bryan McCabe, Pavel Kubina and Tomas Kaberle... see classic Leaf slam at right, thanks to Dolighan @ the Sun) that needed to go. The hard nosed Tucker had been a Leaf for eight years now, some of that time controversial. We won't speak of the time when his cousin Shayne Corson was along for the ride. Overall though Tucker has 'brought it' to the game and I wish him and his family well, wherever they settle.

Cliff Fletcher (interim/non-interim GM of the team) called it a 'difficult decision'.


Can the same be said about Kyle Wellwood and Andrew Racycroft though. The team recently having placed forward Wellwood (just claimed by Vancouver) and goaltender Raycroft on waivers, rids the team of distraction. Raycroft has simply lost his confidence and his play suffered terribly. Despite his team tying 37 win season in '06-'07, the team sought out (and found) a number one goalie in Vesa Toskla. That sealed Raycroft's fait as a Leaf. Wellwood though is another matter. The team has a history of discarding small, flashy pivots (think Steve Sullivan) who go on to play well in the NHL. Wellwood is a little quirky though. He walks to his own beat (and you gotta respect a guy for that), but, he neglects his conditioning and his commitment to the team is questionable. His loss could come back to bite us.

With Mats Sundin off to enjoy poutine, you have what could be called a radically different looking team for the '08-'09 season. Will Kubina (who finished the season strong, and who's no-trade clause has been temporarily voided because of the team not making the play-offs... again... for the 3rd straight season) return? If he continues his strong play (and lets not forget he had been challenged really for the first time in his career with injury, pretty much since his arrival in Toronto), sure... why not.

The McCabe to the Islanders story just won't die.

Kaberle has to stay, period.

Hockey stories in the summer?

This is Canada...