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NEWARK – Im not worried about [years] six and seven right now. Im worried about [year] one and year one I know were going to have a very good player ... If David Clarkson doesnt score 30 goals in a Leaf uniform, but provides all the other things that we know hes going to provide were pretty comfortable were a better team. The words promised to haunt the Maple Leafs general manager one day, just not this quickly. On the fifth day of July in the summer of 2013 Dave Nonis and members of Torontos since-dismantled management group emerged from the teams offices at the Air Canada Centre to proudly announce their newest addition. It took seven years and more than $36 million to reel in David Clarkson on the free agent market. Year one was bad, a self-described disaster, and year two really hasnt been much better. The details are unflattering: ? Clarkson is on pace to amass just 25 points. ? Four hundred and twenty-three players have accumulated more than his five assists so far this season. ? Not one of those five assists was a pass directly resulting in a goal. ? Clarkson holds just a single point in nearly 100 minutes on the power-play, that lone point (a goal) coming on the final day of October. ? Clarkson has gone 39 consecutive games without a power-play point. ? His 22 minor penalties are the sixth-most of any forward in the league. ? He has just two goals in the past 23 games. All in all, the Leafs just arent getting value (or anything close to it) from the onerous contract they extended Clarkson and that matters greatly (and painfully) in a cap world. Theres just no let-up from contracts of this kind. They squeeze teams in an era of precision and thats precisely what the Clarkson contract has done and will continue to do to the Leafs barring some unlikely escape. Toronto projects to be tight against the cap again next year as the roster currently stands and thats due in no small part to the $5.25 million annual cap hit of the 29-year-old winger. Its also why they may have to part with assets of value in the summer to clear space. The Leafs are painfully limited in their options with the Clarkson contract, which has five years still remaining. They could attempt to trade him, but such a possibility seems unlikely given the size of the contract and limitations of the player (not to mention Clarksons limited no-trade clause). Bad contracts have been moved before though and perhaps the Leafs can swallow up half of the contract in exchange for another of the calamitous variety. Now back with the Devils for a second time, Scott Gomez was seen as untradeable two years into a seven-year pact with the Rangers, only to land in Montreal in the summer of 2009. Gomez still had five years and $30 million left on his contract at that point – in a deal that sent future captain Ryan McDonagh to New York – but he remained a productive player of sorts; 16 goals and 58 points in his final season with the Rangers. The same cant be said of Clarkson, who has a mostly limited impact on the game and a contract that cant be undone. The buyout option, along those lines, isnt really an option at all. The savings – both in real money and on the cap – would be so limited as to eliminate it as a logical possibility. Clarksons contract would be done by the time the real cap savings emerged, rendering the buyout useless. David Clarkson Buyout Projection (per CapGeek) YEAR CAP HIT 2015-16 $4,716,667 2016-17 $3,716,667 2017-18 $3,716,667 2018-19 $4,716,667 2019-20 $4,716,667 2020-21 $466,667 2021-22 $466,667 2022-23 $466,667 2023-24 $466,667 2024-25 $466,667 Options, thus, are limited. (Even an eventual assignment to the Marlies would require Clarksons consent as he holds a no-movement clause.) Barring a trade, the Leafs likely have no choice but to grin and bear their mistake and hope to get as much out of Clarkson as they can – which has been exactly their course this season. The club has tried to prop him up where they can. Clarkson has gotten consistent minutes in a top-nine role (14 per game), year-long opportunity on the power-play despite scant production, and an alternate letter with Dion Phaneuf sidelined on Wednesday night. That approach could prove burdensome down the line though as Clarkson ages and the roster changes (improves) around him. The weight of the contract, as such, figures to only worsen in time. Five Points 1. Kessel and a Punch-less Offence Its been six weeks since Phil Kessel last scored a goal at even-strength. Kessel has just two goals total in that 18-game stretch – stuck on 19 this season – last scoring in a non-power-play situation on Dec. 18. Pretty cold arent I? Kessel concurred after a 2-1 shootout loss to the Devils, the Leafs 15th defeat in the past 18 games. Ive had some shots and peepers and different stuff, made a couple good passes, just nothing goes in when I touch it right now...I dont know what to tell you, the thing wont go in. I dont think Ive been this cold in a long time. His woes only accentuate those of the team. The Leafs have scored only 33 goals in this 18-game stretch, an average of 1.83 per game. James van Riemsdyk has led the cause. He broke a 0-0 tie against the Devils with a breakaway marker that snuck through the pads of Cory Schneider, also firing eight shots on goal along the way. Leaf Scoring since Dec. 18 PLAYER EVEN-STRENGTH GOALS James van Riemsdyk 4 Joffrey Lupul 2 Nazem Kadri 2 Daniel Winnik 2 Mike Santorelli 2 Roman Polak 2 Eight Players Tied 1 Phil Kessel 0 2. Kessel II Kessel has led the Leafs in goals in each of his first five seasons with the club, but hes been passed recently by van Riemsdyk, who is up to 21 so far this season. Sometimes youre going to have to adjust when its not going in for you, head coach Peter Horachek said when questioned on Kessels struggles. Sometimes youve just got to spend more time around the blue [paint] and stay around the net a little bit more and find a way to tip a puck or get an ugly goal. The Leafs are 13-2-1 when Kessel scores this season, 9-21-3 when he doesnt. 3. Replacing Phaneuf The Leafs got their first look at what a world without Dion Phaneuf may look like on Wednesday night. Aggravating a hand injury during a fight in Ottawa last week, Phaneuf will be sidelined on a week to week basis. These are the first games hell miss due to injury since the winter of 2010. Phaneuf led the Leafs both in quantity and quality of minutes. Some guys are going to get more minutes, Horachek said on the subject, some guys are going to pick up the slack...Were just going to have to spread it around. Thats a good opportunity for guys to pick up the slack and get opportunities. Korbinian Holzer got the first look alongside Cody Franson on the teams top pair, later replaced by Jake Gardiner, who led the Leafs with 27 minutes against the Devils. It was a season-high for the 24-year-old defender. What the Leafs brass do get with Phaneuf sidelined is an opportunity to view their defence and team without him – a benefit if the club seeks to move their captain in the offseason. Part of the justification that went along with signing Phaneuf to a seven-year extension early in 2014 was the apparent challenge of replacing the difficult minutes and role he assumed. His absence will provide a testing ground for such a theory. Phaneuf, who is averaging more than 23 minutes this season, has six years left on that long-term deal with an annual cap hit of $7 million. 4. Playing at Home While not speaking specifically on the matter of his contract, Clarkson said hes been able to keep away from the noise that comes with playing in his hometown of Toronto. I have no issue with that, he said. For me personally I dont have Twitter, I dont have Facebook, I dont listen to the radio; Im probably old-school and it sounds funny, but its easy for me. 5. Unlucky Leo Komarov was back only a couple weeks from a month-long concussion when he landed square into the end-boards at Staples Center earlier this month. Komarov injured his right shoulder on the play, returning for one brief shift before missing the next five games with the injury. Its [expletive] bad luck, he said. I hit people, I got hit, but its two injuries that [wasnt] supposed to happen that happened. So its just bad luck. Seemingly not at full health, Komarov played 13 minutes against the Devils. Stats-Pack 3-14-1 – Leafs record in the past 18 games. 64-33 – Margin by which the Leafs have been outscored in those 18 games. 26:49 – Ice-time for Jake Gardiner against the Devils, a season-high. 0 – Even-strength goals for Phil Kessel in the past 18 games. 9-21-3 – Leafs record this season when Kessel doesnt score. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-5 Season: 19.1 per cent (13th) PK: 3-3 Season: 83.4 per cent (8th) Quote of the Night Pretty cold arent I? -Phil Kessel on his offensive struggles. Up Next The Leafs host the Coyotes on Thursday night. Leonard Fournette Jersey . The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. Brandon Linder Jersey .com) - Stephen Currys jumper with 3. http://www.thejaguarsfansshop.com/Jaguars-Andrew-Norwell-Draft-Jersey/ . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. A.J. Bouye Jersey . "Opinion: Womens World Cup is the best Soccer of the year," Hanks tweeted to his 8.73 million followers on Friday. "Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Cody Kessler Jersey . Yet now its time for the most important pick of them all; the Grey Cup. The thought of going 5-0 with the correct choice is quite intoxicating, I dont think I have ever gone perfect in my CFL futuristic playoff speculations and would take great pride in guessing - I mean analyzing - correctly.CHICAGO - Jonathan Toews deflected in defenceman Duncan Keiths shot from the left point 3:01 into overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 preseason victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. Toews moved to the slot after passing the puck to Keith, and redirected Keiths slap shot between the legs of backup goaltender Pete Mrazek. Chicagos Patrick Kane made it 1-1 witth 2:37 left in the second period.dddddddddddd He took a pass from Brad Richards and beat goalie Jonas Gustavsson with a sharp backhand. Luke Glendening netted Detroits goal when he deflected the point shot of defenceman Danny DeKeyser over goalie Corey Crawford 5:59 into the game. It was the first preseason game for the Blackhawks. Detroit fell to 1-0-1. 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