Hours into free agency and Maple Leafs fans waited to see if the new regime would continue their slow and patient rebuild or jump in with both feet.
Backes to Boston, Radulov to Montreal, Hamhuis to Dallas, Staal to Miinnesota. These deals calmed our nerves a bit.
Then they were uncalmed.
Matt Martin, formerly of the New York Islanders is now a Toronto Maple Leaf.
Matt Martin, of 19 points in 80 games last season was deemed worthy of $2.5 million over 4 by the front office.
Lou, Kyle, Brendan, Chaim Chimmons, all of them must now wear this. While it isn't a Clarkson deal by any means, it certainly is questionable, an odd move from a group dedicated to looking deeper into the numbers than anyone else.
As pointed out in this article from Eyes on the Prize (good job Matt Drake), Martin isn't the decoder ring at the bottom of the cereal box, it's a message to drink your ovaltine.
Look at this chart!
I don't understand it, but the gist of it is that it's not TEN MILLION DOLLARS OVER FOUR YEARS good.
Size? Physicality? You could have gotten that for cheaper. Fighting majors and being "Good in the room?" You have Richard Clune who is adored by the Marlies players and drops them when asked. What is the reasoning here?
He's a bottom six guy. You don't give a contract like this to a bottom six guy.
Hell, you don't sign a bottom six guy when you have an AHL team full of them!
What the hell?