7/14/08
Paying Warriors Their Due
In the past, the Leafs have not utilized their minor league veterans for NHL prosperity. As things sit, David Ling had 59 points in 71 games last year and 88 points in 80 games in the 2004-05 season in St. John's. Ling was on a line that season with Kyle Wellwood and helped him to a 87 point season. While it may be beneficial to the younger players on the farm team to have these guys in the minors, what exactly is the trigger to bring them up? Bryan Muir, who was an astounding +23 in 80 games last year, never saw an NHL game. The Leafs had more than one chunk of the season where they were down more than one defenseman in 2007-08. At some point you have to choose whether you are rebuilding or trying to make the playoffs. Every quote I read from Paul Maurice said he was making the playoffs. That means not having a look at a first year NHLer or maybe leaving Colaiacovo in the minors until he proves to be NHL worthy. I'm not knocking Colaiacovo so much as I am saying there are guys who have paid their dues and then some. Give the guys their due(and an NHL paychque or two) .
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I may be way off base here, but I think to bring Muir up to the Leafs he would have to go through re-entry waivers as he is an NHL veteran. That being said, any team could pick him up for half of his salary, which is peanuts for a d-man who can contribute. Again that is only speculation on my part as I am not sure how it works for veterans. I think they would have had the same problem if they wanted to bring Ling or Battaglia back up as well.
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