Unique Clarkson trade creates intriguing possibilities

The truth about David Clarkson has finally come out.
Clarkson, who was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Toronto Maple Leafs this week in a unique deal, is a modest talent who parlayed one good season into a huge, ludicrous contract. The seven-year, $37.5-million deal overshadowed the fact that the 30-year-old Toronto native has been a minus player most of his career, and injuries have severely limited his playing time. Often beset with injuries, he has only played all 82 games twice in his eight seasons.
But in 2011-12, when he played 80 games, he managed to score 30 goals and send teams into a tizzy, even though he only produced a career-high 46 points in total with the New Jersey Devils. In all of his other seasons, Clarkson has never recorded more than 32 points – and won’t this season, either, barring a major surge. Simply put, such numbers do not merit seven-year contracts.
The Maple Leafs were not the only team that offered big bucks, but they were left holding the money bags when he decided to sign with his hometown club. At the time, the Leafs were under pressure to sign a supposedly big name and Clarkson fit the bill, and it’s reasonable to expect that general manager Dave Nonis received some prodding from ownership.
Fortunately, Nonis and the Leafs caught a break when Columbus unexpectedly peddled injured forward Nathan Horton, who is not likely to play again but has a big, uninsured contract that is now Toronto’s responsibility. As has been reported, with Horton on long-term injured reserve, the Maple Leafs can now clear significant salary-cap space over the next six seasons, which they can use to sign free agents in their rebuilding process. Nonis also has the option of acquiring a proven star from a team that is at the salary cap max.
The Blue Jackets get a player that they can pay for actually playing, and Clarkson’s contract likely ensures that the small-market club will remain above the salary-cap floor going forward, enabling them to save money in the long run.
Nonis deserves credit for hammering out a creative deal. Now, it will be interesting to see whether he and Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen have started a trend.
For example, do the Philadelphia Flyers have more leverage in attempts to trade injured defenceman Chris Pronger’s rights? Although Pronger now works as an NHL disciplinarian, his playing contract does not expire until 2016-17 – and his $4.9-million annual cap hit could prove to be attractive to a team looking for relief over the next two seasons. Could Toronto bite again? The Flyers motivation: GM Ron Hextall could get a player or draft pick in return, or they could avoid insurance-related expenses.
Hextall reportedly tried to trade Pronger’s rights last season, but he might get more interest now that Nonis and Kekalainen have showed clubs how to make such deals workable. If not now, perhaps they will become more common in the future.
While most long-term injured players’ contracts will be insured and clubs will have less incentive to trade them, the salary-cap advantages could prove to be attractive – especially if concussions take more of a toll and insurers are reluctant to assume as much risk as they do now. More concussions could spell higher insurance premiums, which can be in the millions considering the size of some deals.
So the truth about David Clarkson is that he is not a great player. While the winger has highly coveted size, skill and leadership abilities, he is not likely to produce a plethora of points over the remainder of his contract. And while he hopes to get back to playing the way he was in New Jersey, that level was nothing to write home about.
But just by signing a big contract and being part of an unexpected trade, he might be a trendsetter.
The possibilities are intriguing.