The Toronto Maple Leafs have used their second compliance buyout to shed the contract of 29 year old centre Mikhail Grabovski. Grabovksi has 21.5 million dollars over four years currently on his contract. With this buyout the Leafs are now have the second lowest payroll in the NHL, with only the New York Islanders having lower.
Grabovski had 9 goals and 7 assists and was -10 in 2013 representing his worst NHL season since putting up just 9 points with the Montreal Canadiens in 2007-08 (albeit, when he played in just 24 games). His best NHL season was 2010-11 in which he scored 29 goals and added 29 assists for 58 points.
Reports have it that they could be clearing space in order to resign UFA centre Tyler Bozak and winger David Clarkson. Bozak is believed to be asking for an 8 year deal at 4 million dollars per. The Leafs have already alleviated 4.5 Million off the cap that belonged to defenceman Mike Komisarek.
This move will come as a surprise to some, who believe Grabovski is being unfairly punished for a poor second half of the 2013 NHL season. However, it was clear that he did not fit under coach Randy Carlyle’s system. He spent stints of the season of the Leafs fourth line, and has his lack of production had his head sitting firmly under the axe for many.
For his part, Grabovski was not impressed with Randy Carlyle, saying the following to TSN’s Jonas Siegel.
“I play in the [expletive] Russian KHL, I make lots of [expletive] points and what’s going to happen? He makes me [expletive] play on the fourth line and he put me in the playoffs on the fourth line and third line again,” Grabovski said. “Yeah, I don’t score goals. I need to work more about that. I know that. But if you feel support from your coach [you’ll find success]. I don’t feel any support from this [expletive] idiot.”
“Wilson [expletive] pushed me same hard as this,” Grabovski went on to say, “but don’t be an [expletive] with me. If you don’t like something tell [expletive] right away, don’t put me on the bench, healthy scratch [me] or something. Don’t put me on a [expletive] third line and then [expletive] play me six minutes in a game.”
Clearly Grabovski has an obvious target for who he blames for his struggles this past season.
We’ll keep you posted as the Leafs free agency story develops. More news to come!
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