I am disappointed that Domi won't accept a one-year offer at a price equivalent to his current worth. I would like to see him remain on the team -- certainly instead of clod Belak who can't do anything -- but I well understand the reticence at signing him for two years. There's still plenty of time for something to be worked out unless some other fool team opens the vault and gives him what he wants.
Domi has value to the Toronto Maple Leafs beyond his diminishing enforcer role but at this point he is reported to be asking a bit too much. If qualifying clod Belak was to increase the leaf bargaining position with Domi and it works and they can get rid of said clod Belak then it will all be worth it. But I shudder at the thought of the useless blond beast playing for us next year.
__________________ Noah Cross: 'Course I'm respectable. I'm old. Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough. Timothy Fenwick Jr: Do you ever get the feeling that there's something going on that we don't know about? Boogie: If you don't have good dreams, Bagel, you got nightmares.
Actually, Belak's qualifying offer was $800,000. By making that move, JFJ pretty much made Domi redundant unless he's prepared to take a significant salary cut. I have to say that in my books, Belak is overpaid at $800,000. That being said, in fairness to him, he was a force in one of the playoff series games v. Philly in the last season.
Domi has bled blue and white. That being said, at $1.9 million for his last contract, Leaf management did right by him. If he'd rather retire or leave the Leafs because Belak type money isn't enough for him, I have no problem with saying good bye to him.
His comments about seeing what the Leafs would do a week or so back before he'd consider resigning with the team were arrogant in my books. He's hardly a make it or break proposition for the Leafs.
O'Neill wanted to play in Toronto and put his money where his mouth was. He signed for $1.5 million for 2 seasons.
If Roberts, Nieuwy and Domi don't want to play for the Leafs enuf to give some ground on salary, I say let them go. Frankly, as much as I have enjoyed wathcing them play and appreciated their efforts, neither Roberts or Nieuwy seem likely to play effectively through the 4 rounds it takes to win the Cup. They're just too old and battered to go the distance IMHO. That's not a knock on them or their heart ... it's just Father Time knocking on the door.
Anyhow, I suspect that JFJ won't wait around to see if they'll do a deal for Leaf dollars. He'll be in the UFA market early and will cast a wide net. If he can find other players, he'll sign them and then it will be over for Roberts, Nieuwy and Domi before they know it.
2 big thumbs up so far for JFJ in my books (the Belak signing aside). He's obviously bargaining tough in the new CBA environment.
