Showing posts with label nhlpa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nhlpa. Show all posts

Friday, September 6, 2024

What your favorite NHL penalty says about you, Hat Trick Fever and more: DGB Grab Bag

The hockey world just went an absolutely miserable week, probably one of its worst ever. That might make it a weird time to pull out the old Grab Bag gimmick. Or maybe not, because we could all probably use a laugh right now. Unfortunately you’re stuck with me, so “laugh” might be asking too much, but maybe I can at least get a slightly louder than normal exhale out of you. Let’s see if we can find a way to have some fun.

>> Read the full post at The Athletic

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Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Puck Soup: Dear John

On this week's episode of the Puck Soup podcast:
- Bo Horvat, Dylan Cozens, and everyone else gets an extension
- The NHLPA gets a new leader, and Ryan has a scouting report
- John Tortorella writes a letter
- A look at where the trade market stands
- We have to mention all-star weekend
- And more...

>> Listen on The Athletic
>> Subscribe on iTunes
>> Listen on Spotify

>> Get weekly mailbags and special bonus episodes by supporting Puck Soup on Patreon for $5.




Thursday, March 21, 2019

Puck Soup: Poll postions

In this week's episode of the Puck Soup podcast:
- Greg, Ryan and I react to the NHLPA players poll
- Are the Lightning still the best team if they don't win the Cup?
- Is there anything to this Mike Babcock vs. Kyle Dubas feud?
- The Western wildcard gets fun
- The Hurricanes' "Duck Hunt" celebration spurs some old school NES talk
- Plus Bill and Ted 3, saddest retirements and lots more...

>> Stream it now:

>> Or, subscribe on iTunes.

>> Get weekly mailbags and special bonus episodes by supporting Puck Soup on Patreon for $5.




Friday, March 9, 2018

Grab bag: Survey says

In the Friday Grab Bag:
- Going through the results of the NHLPA player survey
- Seattle expansion, and what it means for Quebec City
- An obscure player who helped turn around an even worse Chicago team than this one
- The week's three comedy stars, including a math debate
- And in a week where everyone says Canucks fans are too negative, our YouTube breakdown features a nice man from New York who has nice things to say about them

>> Read the full post at Vice Sports




Thursday, October 4, 2012

The discarded out-takes from the NHLPA's message to fans

Hey, remember that NHLPA video from a few weeks ago? You know the one: various star players looking into the camera, earnestly describing their love for the game and their frustration over the ongoing lockout? Let's be honest -- it was pretty darn effective.

Of course, not every player who auditioned made the cut. And a few of them took more than one take to get their message just right. The NHLPA kept the good stuff for the final product, and tossed the rest in the trash.

Luckily, Bloge and I happened to be hiding out nearby and were able to grab the out-take reel.




>> More Bloge Salming goodness
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Lemieux: Was deceptively fast going from center ice to the goal, often arriving before the opponent's defence was ready for him.
Roy: Was deceptively fast going from the goal to center ice, often arriving before the Avalanche's goaltender was ready for him.


From An in-depth comparison: Mario Lemieux vs. Patrick Roy, one of 24 chapters of brand new material available exclusively in The Best of Down Goes Brown.
Buy today: Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Nook | Chapters/Indigo | Kobo | iBooks




Friday, September 17, 2010

NHL referees and linesmen head to the bargaining table

Everybody click that ad over there,
baby DGB needs a new pair of shoes.
There's plenty of concern these days about an impending work stoppage in the NHL. From the hiring of potential hard-liner Donald Fehr as NHLPA head to the bitter fight over Ilya Kovalchuk's contract, there's good reason to believe that players may be headed to the picket line in time for the 2012-13 season.

But there's more labour strife on the horizon, and this time it comes with a much closer timeframe. The NHL's referees and linesmen have been without a contract since August 31, and while negotiations on a new CBA are ongoing there are reports that the league is in the early stages of contacting potential replacement officials.

What's behind the stalemate? Sources tell me that while money is a focus, it's only part of the discussion. As it turns out, NHL referees and linesman have a long list of issues they'd like to see addressed in a new agreement.

My spies have supplied me with some of the officials' demands:
  • When we agreed to the clause in the last CBA about always giving 110%, we didn't realize it was referring to our escrow payments.

  • We're willing to accept the league's demand that we no longer publicly vow to target Canucks winger Alex Burrows with bogus penalty calls, as long as everyone agrees that we can still secretly vow to target Canucks winger Alex Burrows with bogus penalty calls.

  • We don't want to seem like spoilsports, but we're really not big fans of that "everyone in attendance wins one free slice of pizza if the referee takes a puck in the throat" promotion.

  • Every time anyone calls a penalty against Tomas Kaberle, they get an angry phone call from his father.

  • We're getting a little tired of ignorant coaches calling us blind, when in fact many of our members don't meet the technical standards for legal blindness in several states and provinces.

  • Let's just say that it's not exactly fun breaking up fights between Colton Orr and Matt Carkner knowing that one linesman is inevitably about to get 230 lbs of dead weight dropped on top of him.

  • We just want the same thing any other union gets: Time-and-a-half for working overtime.

  • Whenever we skate onto the ice we can't tell if the fans are saying "boo" or "I hope somebody boo-urns your house down you soulless cretin", although now that we see it written down like that it probably doesn't matter very much.

  • We find this whole "mandatory penalty for high-sticking" thing way too restrictive, and would prefer to go back to it being optional like during the 1993 playoffs.

  • Hey, just a thought, but maybe when the league feels like taking a break from buying high-def TVs for the video review war room they could invest a few dollars so that we don't have to call them on a phone with a twisty cord from 1983.

  • If we're being completely honest, not a single one of us knows what that trapezoid thing behind the net is supposed to accomplish.

  • Now that Brian Gionta is apparently going to be named captain of the Canadiens, it's going to be murder on our knees having to kneel down every time he wants to discuss a call.

  • Look, we know the media has a job to do, but it would be nice to be able to work just one game without Ines Sainz throwing herself at us afterwards.

  • While we understand that the mascot with the hot dog gun is popular with fans, that still doesn't explain why he gets to kick in the door to our dressing room and fire off multiple rounds at point-blank range during every intermission.

  • It's been years since any coach was kind enough to offer us a donut.




Friday, September 3, 2010

A behind the scenes look at the Kovalchuk negotiations

You must be this tall to get
your contract approved.
It's official: The Ilya Kovalchuk saga has stormed past ridiculous, made a left at debacle, and is now heading full speed towards farce. Two months since the start of free agency, six weeks after Kovalchuk's first contract with the Devils was signed and rejected, and one week since a second attempt was submitted to the league, there's still no resolution to this mess.

We thought we'd have an answer by now, as the league was set to render its verdict on Kovalchuk's latest deal on Wednesday. But instead, amidst reports that the league was now playing hardball and demanding changes to the collective bargaining agreement, we got a two-day extension. Now we're told to expect a decision some time today.

Or, maybe not.

If there are any hockey fans left who are still interested in this ongoing travesty, they can take some comfort in the knowledge that the league and the players are at least working hard on a solution. In fact, sources tell me that most of this week was taken up by frantic negotiations between the league, the Devils and the NHLPA. Based on what I've been told, I've put together a timeline of this week's events.

Monday, 9:00 a.m. - Gary Bettman arrives early and begins reviewing the Devils' newest contract proposal, but admits to finding it difficult to concentrate with Donald Fehr sitting ominously in the back of his office cracking his knuckles.

Monday, 1:15 p.m. - Lou Lamoriello explains to a frustrated Bettman that while he understands his concerns, he still insists on submitting the contract in Comic Sans font.

Monday, 4:45 p.m. - Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly attempt to consult with the league's Executive Vice President In Charge of Not Having One of Your Best Players Go To Russia Just so You Can Prove Some Sort of Point, before remembering that he's been on vacation all summer.

Tuesday, 1:15 p.m. – A smiling Bettman shows Daly a series of encouraging notes reading “Keep your head up, Gary” that some kind stranger has been leaving on his windshield throughout the negotiations, although his mood changes when Daly points out that it they seem to be in Scott Stevens' handwriting.

Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. - Both sides begin to work in earnest to avoid a second round of arbitration. Nobody wants to risk a repeat of Brian Burke's twelve straight hours of testimony from the last time, especially since the only question anyone got to ask him was “How are you?”

Wednesday, 10:45 a.m. - A potential breakthrough: Kovalchuk agrees to the league's demands that he confirm his intentions to play into his 40s by crossing his heart and hoping to die, but only if the league rescinds its controversial request that he also stick a needle in his eye.

Wednesday 1:30 p.m. - The league agrees to allow the contract to include a limited no-trade clause that kicks in towards the end of the deal and prevents the Devils from trading Kovalchuk to a southern US team, a concession they feel comfortable making given that none of those teams will still exist in ten years.

Wednesday, 2:45 p.m. - Bettman begins to consider threatening the NHLPA with the voiding of Roberto Luongo's 12-year, $64 million contract that was signed last summer. The idea was originally suggested to him by an anonymous stranger on the subway who bore an uncanny resemblance to Mike Gillis wearing a wig and fake moustache.

Thursday, 10:30 a.m. - With no agreement in place, a second arbitration hearing looms. The two sides begin the process of finding a new arbitrator to replace Richard Bloch, who is still recovering after his recent mysterious accident that left him battered, unconscious, and surrounded by shards of broken glass and grape jam.

Thursday, 11:30 p.m. - NHLPA negotiators attempt to ease league concerns over the length of Kovalchuk's contract by pointing out that while a 15 years may seem like a lot, you have to keep in mind that the way things are going at least three or four of those seasons will be cancelled by work stoppages.




Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The NHLPA's leaked Executive Director job application form

Not sure why, but I'm getting a
bad vibe from this guy.
While no deal has been reached officially, it now seems all but certain that Donald Fehr will be the next man in charge of the NHL Players' Association. The job has been vacant for almost a year thanks to infighting and indecision within the association, which has already parted ways with three different bosses since the start of the 2004-05 lockout.

Fehr may be a newcomer to the sport of hockey, but he's a well-known figure among North American sports fans. Fehr was in charge of the Major League Baseball Players Association for 24 years, a period that saw several work stoppages including the cancellation of the 1994 World Series.

While it's too early to know the impact that Fehr would have in his new role, we may be able to learn a few things from the way he got it. According to my sources, the NHLPA asked every potential candidate to fill out a simple one-page application form. I've obtained a copy of that form, and I think it sheds a lot of light on how Fehr managed to secure the job.

***

Thank you for applying for the position of Executive Director of the NHLPA. To help us determine your qualifications, please fill out this application form and hand it to the on-duty manager. Please note that only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

First Name:
Last Name:
Does your name lend itself to any cool headline puns that describe how scary you are?

Please list your desired salary for this position:

Please list the percentage of that salary that you are willing to have randomly placed into an escrow that you do not understand:

Describe any previous job experience you have which would be relevant to a position at the NHLPA, such as working at a daycare or as a public safety investigator specializing in train wrecks.

Rate your knowledge of hockey on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is "poor" and 10 is "extremely poor".

Hours during the day that you are available to work:
Hours during the middle of the night that you are available to be fired:

List any experience you have in dealing with cripplingly short-sighted work stoppages. (Use the back of the paper if you need extra space.)

This is probably a long shot, but by any chance do you have experience working with uncharismatic, condescending and universally despised professional sports commissioners?

Please describe your level of expertise when it comes to hacking into an e-mail system.

If you wrote anything other than "absolutely none" for that last question, please crumple your application into a ball and toss it into the nearest waste basket.

Place a checkmark next to any of the following that you feel you would be able to acquire on behalf of the players:
( ) Two weeks of vacation during the regular season
( ) Four weeks of vacation during the offseason
( ) Twelve months of vacation during the 2012-13 season

Please look at the attached photo of Gary Bettman making his very best "intimidating face". Write down the total number of seconds you were able to stare at it without laughing.

It's a long story, but we're going to need the successful candidate to let Eric Lindros follow them around 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You're cool with that, aren't you? AREN'T YOU?

Any future threats of a work stoppage are likely to be extremely unpopular with hockey fans, many of whom would take it as a devastating betrayal on the part of a sport they've cared for deeply since childhood. How convincingly would you be able to fake caring about that?

Bonus grammar question: Why is it a "Players Association" in baseball, basketball and football, but a "Players' Association" in the NHL?

Finally, and most importantly: In the space below, please describe in detail how you plan to react when we all inevitably rise up and backstab you in 12 to 18 months.




Friday, July 30, 2010

Other NHL player grievances

Wait, I signed where?
The big news in hockey this week was the NHLPA's filing of a grievance against the league on behalf of Ilya Kovalchuk. The move will pit the association against the NHL in an arbitration hearing to determine the legality of Kovalchuk's controversial 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils.

But as it turns out, that wasn't all that the players wanted to get off their chests. In fact, the Kovalchuk situation was just one of several complaints the players would like to see addressed. And in an attempt to be as efficient as possible, the league has encouraged the NHLPA to consolidate all of their grievances into one single master list.

Well, that list was leaked to me this week. And the interest of keeping fans informed I'm publishing it here.
  • Although we’ve made our feelings crystal clear on the matter over the years, there are still between 20 to 25 players at any given time who are being forced to play in Edmonton.

  • Due to difficult economic times, Philadelphia Flyer fans are now pelting our wives and children with pennies and nickels, instead of the much lighter dimes they used to throw.

  • Can't quite put our finger on it, but something just doesn't feel right about the way Gary Bettman drives around town in his brand new sports car with the personalized plates that read "ESCROW".

  • It's not really fair that so many of us have to work all through May and June, while the players in Toronto get those months off every year.

  • The league should abandon its plan to replace the current steroid testing program (in which a league official asks players "Hey, none of you use steroids, right?") with a much more comprehensive system (in which the official will also be allowed to raise an eyebrow and ask "Are you sure?").

  • Hey, you know what would be completely awesome? If we all stopped hitting each other in the groin with slapshots! (Grievance suggested by Sami Salo.)

  • Veteran players on minimum-salary deals have consistently pointed out that the current CBA is structured to provide massive contracts to a handful of elite players at the expense of the overall group. So can we pass some sort of rule making it illegal for those guys to talk anymore?

  • No matter how loud we yell or how much we wave our arms around, those stupid mascots always aim their hotdog cannons into the upper deck instead.

  • This Sidney Crosby kid out in Pittsburgh tries really hard and is a super nice guy, and we all just wish the hockey media would find a way to mention him every now and then.

  • The current maximum roster size rules significantly reduce our overall earnings potential by artificially limiting the number of players who can receive idiotic free agent offers from Glen Sather.

  • No matter how many times it happens, it still really bothers Mike Richards first thing every morning when he plods down the stairs in his bathrobe, takes a sip of coffee, and then throws open his kitchen curtains to find Pierre McGuire smiling creepily into his window.

  • Every now and then we hear some fan trying to get the wave started. But when we climb into the stands and beat him to death with our sticks, suddenly we're the bad guys.

  • We pretty much all agree that Glashow's objection to string theory on the basis of not being sufficiently predictive is unconvincing given that the theory clearly satisfies the Popperian criterion of falsifiability, so shut up about it already, Boogard.

  • We don't want to identify the team, but let's just say that players from one particular franchise are deeply concerned that their GM's recent roster moves might indicate that he took too many shots to the head while growing up with his five hockey playing brothers.

  • We must continue to institute tougher rules to prevent players from elbowing each other into unconsciousness, and get back to just punching each other into unconsciousness the way God intended.




Tuesday, March 30, 2010

ESPN's NHL player survey: The missing questions

Richard Dawson is a pimp
Survey says...
The April 5th issue of ESPN The Magazine will contain the annual NHL player's poll, in which 50 players were asked about a variety of subjects. The poll yielded some interesting results, as players weighed in on topics such as PEDs, officiating, groupies, and more.

But something's wrong. All the media reports, and even the actual ESPN article, only make reference to 20 questions. And I happen to know there were 30, because I have a copy of the full results.

I don't know why the extra ten questions haven't been reported on. I'm thinking it may have just been an oversight. So I'm going to fix that right now, by revealing the ten NHL player poll questions ESPN forgot to tell you about.

The players are currently hiring a new head for the player's association. What is the most important qualification that your ideal candidate would have?
13% - Experience recovering from disastrous work stoppages.
11% - Inability to hack into e-mail systems.
8% - Some vague sense of familiarity with the sport of hockey, although to be honest that's really more of a "nice-to-have".
68% - We have a player's association?

Which team would you least like to be playing for?
13% - Columbus Blue Jackets
16% - Florida Panthers
12% - New York Islanders
59% - Whoever has to play the Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs.

Do you think Alexander Ovechkin will hit the 50-goal mark this season?
74% - Yes
15% - No
11% - Only if it turns its back to him first

The NHL is rumored to be considering another round of expansion. Would this be a good idea?
31% - No.
28% - No!
24% - Good lord, no.
17% - Yes.
17% - Just kidding... but seriously: No.

Should the NHL alter its overtime format for the playoffs?
23% - Yes, introduce 4-on-4 overtime for the playoffs.
17% - Yes, introduce the shootout for the playoffs.
45% - No, do not change the overtime format for the playoffs.
5% - I am a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and I do not understand the question.

Do you think it's ridiculous that in today's NHL, a team can lose more games than they win and still be considered over .500?
58% - Yes
54% - No

Travis Moen recent suffered a gruesome eye injury that nearly ended his career. Why don't more players wear visors?
27% - Find that it reduces peripheral vision.
34% - Stigma that tough players don't wear them.
22% - Not necessary since chance of suffering a serious eye injury are probably small.
17% - What? Who said that? Is there somebody in the room?

What's the single most important thing a hockey player can accomplish during their career?
23% - Stanley Cup championship
18% - Olympic gold medal
13% - Hall of Fame induction
38% - Trade out of Edmonton

There is growing concern over the number of serious injuries to NHL players. What's your best advice to fellow players on staying healthy?
19% - Hide behind the mascot any time Shea Weber winds up for a slapshot.
25% - Spend a lot of time standing next to Rick DiPietro; at least you'll look healthy by comparison.
12% - Never make eye contact with Colton Orr.
34% - Try to get an appointment with the Capitals' team "chiropractor".

The Winter Classic has become an unqualified success, generating massive fan interest and historic television ratings. How will the NHL ruin it?
11% - Hold it more than once per season.
10% - Play the game in indoor stadiums in southern markets like Dallas.
15% - Start re-using the same teams every year.
64% - Not sure, but have an absolute and unwavering faith that Gary Bettman will figure something out.




Monday, August 31, 2009

The NHLPA fires Paul Kelly: The top secret transcript

Paul Kelly NHLPAThe big news in hockey today was the firing of Paul Kelly as executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association. The move came in the middle of the night, after a lengthy closed door meeting among the NHLPA's player reps and executives.

TSN's Darren Dreger is getting a lot of credit for his coverage of the meeting via his twitter account. But while Dreger was left reporting from the hallway, DGB spies were actually in the room and have forwarded me this top secret transcript.

(The 30 player reps are seated around a table in a board room. NHLPA General Counsel Ian Penny rises to speak.)

Ian Penny: Hi everyone. As you know, we're here to decide the fate of Paul Kelly. Now this could a long night, so let's dive right into it. The first speaker is NHLPA Ombudsman Buzz Hargrove.

Buzz Hargrove: Hey guys, I won't go into a ton of detail but I think I've been pretty clear with all of you about where I stand. I think you need new leadership, and I strongly encourage you to fire Paul Kelly tonight.

Players (murmurs): Yeah.

Hargrove: And you guys should listen to me, because I've spent a lifetime fighting for guys just like you in the auto unions.

Players (louder): YEAH!

Hargrove: And that industry is doing great right now!

Players: ...

Penny: OK, you know what, let's change the subject. Maybe we should take a break and talk about some of the other items on the agenda. We have a motion from the Montreal Canadiens' player rep that... let's see, I have it written down here... "Be it formally resolved that the Canadiens suck." Wait, is the Montreal player rep here tonight?

Mike Komisarek: Yes, I'm here.

Kelly: I see. Yeah, I don't think we're going to bother voting on that.

Komisarek: Right, no need. Motion carried.

Chris Chelios: As an Executive Board member, I just want to say that I'm really unhappy with the flow of communications these days. Everything is so secretive. It wasn't like this when I broke into the league.

Penny: Absolutely.

Chelios: When I was a rookie, if the union had something to tell you, they'd sit down and write you a nice letter.

Penny: OK, thanks for that Chris.

Chelios: Then they'd tie the letter to a pigeon's leg and send it on its way.

Penny: That's enough, Chris.

Chelios: And three months later, if you hadn't died of Consumption, you'd take it to the village elder and ask him to read it to you.

Everyone: ...

Chelios: I'm old.

Penny: Yes, we got that.

Hargrove: Look guys, I think what Zombie Chelios is trying to say is that you're not happy. You're getting a raw deal here, every single one of you!

Robyn Regehr: Well, except for Horcoff.

Shawn Horcoff: Hey...

Hargrove: Well, yes, obviously except for Horcoff, but he has to play in Edmonton so he doesn't count. But the rest of you should be mad as hell. Let me hear it!

Shane Doan: We need more of a say on league matters!

Hargrove: Yeah!

Eric Staal: And get rid of this stupid escrow!

Hargrove: Yeah!

Chris Phillips: And lower the salary cap!

Hargrove: Wait, what?

Phillips: Sorry. Sometimes, in pressure situations, I forget which side I'm supposed to be on.

Matt Stajan: Hey guys, could I just say something?

Penny: Sure Matt, what's on your mind?

Stajan: Well... it's just that, I can't shake the feeling that we're making a terrible mistake here. The economy is going into the toilet, and here we are getting paid millions of dollars to play a kid's game. We may have some valid concerns, but the fans who pay our salaries aren't going to have any patience for us talking about taking a hard line. I know we're all athletes and by our very nature we're competitive. But these sorts of things shouldn't be about winning or losing. Let's take a step back, try to see the big picture, and work towards forming an honest partnership with the owners. That way... we can all win.

Penny: Wow. That was really moving. Well said, Matt.

Stajan: Gosh, thanks guys.

Penny: Mike, would you give him the special "Most Eloquent Speaker" award that we talked about?

Stajan: Wait, on second thought I...

Komisarek: (Gunshot)

Hargrove (under his breath): Truculence.

Penny: OK, enough beating around the bush. Let's put this thing to a vote.

Players: Yeah!

Penny: All in favor of firing Kelly, taking a hostile approach towards ownership, getting ready for a drawn out CBA battle, losing another season or more, alienating our few remaining fans, bankrupting the league and spending the rest of our lives working at Tim Hortons and wondering what the hell happened... say aye!

Players: AYE!

Penny: All opposed, say nay.

Stajan: (Gurgle.)

Penny: Motion carried! Great work everyone. I'll see you all at next year's annual NHLPA executive director firing!




Saturday, July 5, 2008

NHLPA ready to rumble over McCabe

I wrote a post last month about whether we'd see Bryan McCabe sent home by the Leafs. I warned against the idea because, as much as I'd like to see the guy brought down a peg or two, it wouldn't be a good long term business move for the Leafs.

Well, Howard Berger had an excellent column yesterday that confirmed my fears. Berger asked new NHLPA director of player affairs Glenn Healy for this thoughts on the Leafs possible stance.

The entire thing should be mandatory reading for any Leaf fan who thinks Fletcher should play hardball, but here are some choice quotes.

"They do not have the right to destroy Bryan McCabe’s career. They gave him as restrictive a contract as there is in the NHL today. If they want to go to the most extreme of situations and tell him they will pay him to stay at home, the artillery will be released from our end. The P.A. will back Bryan to the grave, I guarantee it.”

“Bryan McCabe has lots of hockey left, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are not going to tell him to stay at home… not a chance... You can’t destroy a player’s craft by sitting him at home and basically telling him, ‘your career is over.’ That type of action would be something for the legal minds at the P.A. to deal with...

With that type of a welcome mat, I can’t see why there isn’t a rush for all the free agents in the world to come and sign with the hockey club. I mean, that’s just a wonderful way to treat a player...

But, there will be absolutely no limit to what the Players’ Association will try to throw at [the Leafs]. We’ll go at it hard."
If you're a Leaf fan, that last line should scare you. I don't claim to be fluent in Healey-ese, but when he says there's "absolutely no limit" to what the PA would do, I get very nervous.

Would the PA actively discourage future free agents from signing in Toronto? We know that the PA has leaned on players in the past to make sure they got maximum value on their deals. Would they try to keep top players out of Toronto as retribution for McCabe's treatment.

Is it really worth it for the Leafs to find out?