Leafs to buyout Tucker

Post #1 » by **Snayr** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:35 am

So looks like you Leafs fans are getting your wish with Tucker reported as going to be bought out. Nice to see someone half decent in your front office.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=241569

Post #2 » by **bryant08** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:17 am

Goodbye Tucks, it's definitely sad to see you go. But Cliff Fletcher just keeps gaining respect in my mind, a GM willing to take risks and make decisions that are for the long term benefit of the franchise (although Tucker on the cap for 6 years hurts). Waiving Raycroft as well as Wellwood and buying out Tucker in the same day is intense. BTW, for those a bit perplexed as to why Wellwood was waived:

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/1306 ... 290vl6.jpg

That is not a photoshopped picture, it's him and his girlfriend. He has as much of a gut as me.

Realm · Post #3 » by **Realm** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 4:31 am

bryant08 wrote:Goodbye Tucks, it's definitely sad to see you go. But Cliff Fletcher just keeps gaining respect in my mind, a GM willing to take risks and make decisions that are for the long term benefit of the franchise (although Tucker on the cap for 6 years hurts). Waiving Raycroft as well as Wellwood and buying out Tucker in the same day is intense. BTW, for those a bit perplexed as to why Wellwood was waived:

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/1306 ... 290vl6.jpg

That is not a photoshopped picture, it's him and his girlfriend. He has as much of a gut as me.

Qualifying Wellwood for 1 million was simply not worth it. For a guy that has a lot of talent, getting paid nearly 800k and not even care about trying to get in shape, he was just not worth the time. Have fun floating around in the minors now, because whoever signs him, will have to qualify him, thus 1 million, which he has not really earned!

As for Tucker, it's really hard to say bye. He's really put his heart and soul into the team for the last couple of years. However, you could see that he really was not his former self, and I rather take the 1 million hit than 3 million. This gives us 2 million to work with, or Jamal 1.6 + Kulemin 600-800k?

Tor-Rap-Tor · Post #4 » by **Tor-Rap-Tor** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:46 pm

Well in with the new out with the old but this move could come back to bite them...

Tucker was hurt last year and I think with rest this summer, he may have returned and been his old self, if not, he doesn't hurt you out on the ice and if he didn't get back to his old form, there is always the same option next year and it would have taken a lot less, for a buy out...

Raycroft and Wellwood, I can see and there is no doubt the team will have a new face and a lot of new faces, in the coming season and it is sad and at the same time exhilarating but only time will tell if these moves are going to improve, or hinder the rebuilding process...

Post #5 » by **MAS** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:30 am

I wish it didn't have to be this way. If I had my way, I woulda had Tucker stay, and get rid of a lot of the rest of the bums.

I think Tucks still has that intangible that he can teach the younger guys. He was a captain (at least for a bit) with a young Tampa team before he joined the Leafs. He coulda been a good leader.

Unfortionetly due to the other problems with certain members of the Muskoka 5, he was really the only one of them who was an option to buy out. It had to be done.