David Clarkson

[major major]

I wouldn't be surprised by something like 12G, 8A, which would be good for a guy who'll probably average around 10 minutes a night, and mostly play as a tough guy on the 4th line. And by all accounts, Clarkson is a good character player, so I don't expect any sulking as long as he isn't stuck in the press box for too long.

I agree with SG regarding his contract, what's done is done, and his salary doesn't matter at all at this point. Let's hope he plays well.

What do you think the lines will be

Jenner-Joey-Atkinson
Foligno-Dubi-Bourque
Hartnell-Wennberg-Dano
Calvert-Anisimov-Clarkson

Bourque will be kept on a short leash, but I do think they'll give him a chance at the start of the year to see if he can play with the intensity he showed during our win streak.

I'd rather the club resign Letestu (he might come cheap at around $1.75m) and ship out Arty to get some value, but I don't expect Letestu to be signed or Arty to be traded this summer.

 

[Xoggz22]

I see Clarkson starting the year with Foligno and Dubi if he's with the CBJ. I'm going to continue to write that I think there is a chance he is moved (slim, I know). I think with Dubi and Foligno he has a chance to get back to 15-20 goals and 15-20 assists which would help. he's also a hard player....

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3h3 hours ago

Only way #CBJ could get Toronto to trade for Horton was to convince them he'd never play again, thus allowing them to use LTIR = cap relief.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 2h2 hours ago

#CBJ believe David Clarkson can be a solid top-9 player. Hope to recreate role he had with #NJDevils; "plus" third-line guy. Not go-to guy.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3h3 hours ago

If #Leafs had declined Clarkson-for-Horton trade, #CBJ had #LAKings next on the list to dial. Target: Mike Richards.

Thoughts?

 

[EspenK]

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3h3 hours ago

Only way #CBJ could get Toronto to trade for Horton was to convince them he'd never play again, thus allowing them to use LTIR = cap relief.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 2h2 hours ago

#CBJ believe David Clarkson can be a solid top-9 player. Hope to recreate role he had with #NJDevils; "plus" third-line guy. Not go-to guy.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3h3 hours ago

If #Leafs had declined Clarkson-for-Horton trade, #CBJ had #LAKings next on the list to dial. Target: Mike Richards.

Thoughts?

Yikes! I think I'd rather have Clarkson than Richards. Although I could be persuaded Richard as our 4C might not be terrible.

 

[Samkow]

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3h3 hours ago

Only way #CBJ could get Toronto to trade for Horton was to convince them he'd never play again, thus allowing them to use LTIR = cap relief.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 2h2 hours ago

#CBJ believe David Clarkson can be a solid top-9 player. Hope to recreate role he had with #NJDevils; "plus" third-line guy. Not go-to guy.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3h3 hours ago

If #Leafs had declined Clarkson-for-Horton trade, #CBJ had #LAKings next on the list to dial. Target: Mike Richards.

Thoughts?

Clarkson is a bad player on a terrible contract. At this point, Richards is a terrible player on a terrible contract. So I pick the same poison the team chose.

 

[Jaxs]

Their stats last year were similar.

Clarkson 2014-15 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 58 10 5 15 92 -11
2014-15 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 3 0 0 0 14 -1

Richards 2014-15 Los Angeles Kings NHL 53 5 11 16 39 -10
2014-15 Manchester Monarchs AHL 16 3 11 14 4 6

I too would rather have Clarkson now, but the Richards of old would be nice too. It is a pick your poison proposition.

 

[Mayor Bee]

Richards could have been a reclamation project of sorts. He definitely has a long track record of being an above-average 2C who can kill penalties and provide a solid defensive and physical presence.

Cycle him in and out of the lineup, and as soon as he looks like an NHL player again regularly, trade him.

Oh well.

 

[CBJSlash]

I'd prefer Richards to Clarkson because it would save almost 10 million dollars over the same number of years. I doubt LA would be interested in taking on a worse contract even if the player were a little better.

 

[Light the Lamp]

It's probably best that CBJ accept the fact that Clarkson is in Columbus for a few years. Even if he puts up 40+ pts, teams won't want his contract.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

It's probably best that CBJ accept the fact that Clarkson is in Columbus for a few years. Even if he puts up 40+ pts, teams won't want his contract.

After the Umberger trade, anything is possible.

 

[TheOllieC]

It's probably best that CBJ accept the fact that Clarkson is in Columbus for a few years. Even if he puts up 40+ pts, teams won't want his contract.

If he puts up 40+ points for a couple of years his contract won't be that bad at all. That's second line production nowadays.

 

[CBJx614]

Im not holding my breath but im really hoping a change of environment will do him some good. Its a tight knit locker room and a amazing environment when winning. And no where near as much pressure when you're losing.

 

[SuperGenius]

It's probably best that CBJ accept the fact that Clarkson is in Columbus for a few years. Even if he puts up 40+ pts, teams won't want his contract.

The CBJ seem fine with it. It's some of the fans that can't seem to accept it.

 

[Light the Lamp]

The CBJ seem fine with it. It's some of the fans that can't seem to accept it.

Correct...I missed the word "fans"

I watched a lot of NJD games. If Clarky gets back into that kind of player, CBJ fans are going to love him. Great guy, intense competitor, Flyer and NYR hater.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Correct...I missed the word "fans"

I watched a lot of NJD games. If Clarky gets back into that kind of player, CBJ fans are going to love him. Great guy, intense competitor, Flyer and NYR hater.

I think he shwoed some flashes of that in the couple of game she played before his injury. I think he'll come into camp ready for the change of scenery. Who knows what numbers he'll put up but I expect them to be at least a decent amount better than in Toronto.

 

[blahblah]

The CBJ seem fine with it. It's some of the fans that can't seem to accept it.

If you were just saying the CBJ is fine with the player? OK. But, I highly doubt the CBJ front office is "fine with it" if it is the contract. For the most part; fans are purely reactionary. They think they know everything based off the stat sheet and aren't interested in waiting to see what ends up happening.

Clarkson was obviously garbage in Toronto. But did he degrade that much as a player during that time or was it just being in Toronto? We'll find out next season; but I thought he seemed motivated the few games we say him.

 

[Cowumbus]

I think the culture here will make it easier for him and bourque to be what they "were"

lockeroom seems to close/tight/accountable to let players just go through the motions

 

[CBJSlash]

Of course we are "okay with him". We are more okay with him than Nathan Horton. Horton was literally tradeable to 1-2 teams, we approached one and made a deal. Clarkson is tradeable to a handful more.

Do you really think if Lombardi were to call on him for a deal around Richards we would hang up on them?

Sure Clarkson might return to 30 point form and we'd be okay with that. We likely be just as okay with saving 10 million dollars for a marginally worse player.

Not saying it's likely...

 

[JacketsDavid]

Of course we are "okay with him". We are more okay with him than Nathan Horton. Horton was literally tradeable to 1-2 teams, we approached one and made a deal. Clarkson is tradeable to a handful more.

Who do you think Clarkson is tradeable to? He is widely regarded as having the worst contract in the NHL.
At least with Horton if a team with a lot of cash has him they can get cap relief.

At some point Clarkson's deal will show itself to be horrible to everyone. Right now we haven't seen our team on the ice for 2015-16 or in the future. But having a bottom 6 forward making $5.4M will limit the roster flexibility.

Again I hope he plays well but even if he settles on the 3rd line it's a terrible contract. One that will be near impossible to get rid of.

 

[Xoggz22]

Who do you think Clarkson is tradeable to? He is widely regarded as having the worst contract in the NHL.
At least with Horton if a team with a lot of cash has him they can get cap relief.

At some point Clarkson's deal will show itself to be horrible to everyone. Right now we haven't seen our team on the ice for 2015-16 or in the future. But having a bottom 6 forward making $5.4M will limit the roster flexibility.

Again I hope he plays well but even if he settles on the 3rd line it's a terrible contract. One that will be near impossible to get rid of.

They only get cap relief if they exceed the cap and then can place him on LTIR. It isn't as simple as placing him there for cap relief. So if Toronto spends to the cap and all of a sudden Horton is medically cleared.... Uh oh!

 

[DarkandStormy]

Clarkson is tradeable to a handful more.

His contract is damn near buyout-proof and his salary (actual dollars) increases at the back end of his contract compared to his cap hit. Good luck finding a trade partner.

 

[Arch City Zach]

His contract is damn near buyout-proof and his salary (actual dollars) increases at the back end of his contract compared to his cap hit. Good luck finding a trade partner.

I thought they said that most of his contract came in as a signing bonus and we're only paying him like less than 2 million a season in actual money.

 

[KeithBWhittington]

His contract is damn near buyout-proof and his salary (actual dollars) increases at the back end of his contract compared to his cap hit. Good luck finding a trade partner.

His tenure in Columbus didn't start any better than it did in Toronto. Yea, he was injured, but that contract will be difficult to overlook if he is playing third line minutes predominately and putting up 15-25 points a season, assuming he stays healthy enough.

CBJ management might have done the best they could, but they still weren't "winning" any trade involving Horton, best we can hope for is that the cap continues to go up and ownership feels like the team is head mostly in the right direction to free up a bit more money.

 

[DarkandStormy]

I thought they said that most of his contract came in as a signing bonus and we're only paying him like less than 2 million a season in actual money.

http://www.spotrac.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/david-clarkson/

His signing bonus comes at the start of each year. In 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 his base salary will be $2 million with a signing bonus of $5 million each season. So his actual dollars will be $5.5 million next season, bumped up to $7 million the next two years, then back down the last two years of his deal ($4.75 million, then $3.25 million). His hit against the cap is $5.25 million throughout.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I predict a lot of screaming "Ahh, David Clarkson!"