JFJ Inks Tucker to Good Deal

Don't worry people. That is not the first sign of the apocalypse. JFJ and Darcy Tucker are reportedly putting the finishing touches on a new deal for the feisty winger. This was a divisive topic within Leafs Nation as some wanted to see Tucker traded to cash in an asset at its peak (I was moving towards this view more and more) while others saw Tucker as the sort of jack-of-all-trades that the Leafs needed.

My own trepidation was based on early reports that had the negotiations centred around a 5-year deal worth between $4 and $5M per season. Tucker's injury made him almost impossible to trade for fair value and it apparently helped to depress his demands. The report states that the contract is for 3 (maybe 4 years) at an average of $3M and the no-movement clause that JFJ loves to throw around like tissues at a sens playoff party is non-existent. In its place there will likely be a no-trade clause that applies only in the last year of the contract.

All in all it's a pretty good deal in terms of length and money. Tucker had 19 goals in 39 games before getting injured and was a vital piece of the powerplay. He hits, fights, antagonizes, and fires up the team and the crowd. If he can maintain his style of play and the goal-scoring pace he has set in the last couple of years then this can be looked upon as a third great contract by JFJ (Raycroft and Kaberle being the others).

Here's a nice compilation from the guys at www.baystreetbullies.com that shows what $3M per season gets you:

Encino Man Returns

No, not the wonderfully witty movie starring Canadian Brendan Fraser and Samwise Gamgee but Wade Belak. Further proof that JFJ might actually have an evil twin that is ruining his reputation is found in the news that Wade Belak had his contract extended. AGAIN. We all thought that he was done after the lockout. Then he got a two-year deal. Now that we could see the light at the end of the tunnel he is re-signed until 2007-2008. Why? do we need to pay a guy to sit in the press box 82 times a year? Hell, I'll do it for the league minimum and save the Leafs over $200K.