Finger Gets Cut

He Sure Does!

Mark today on your calendar boys and girls, October 12, 2010 is the day the Leafs roster became $3,500,000 lighter. While this probably should have happened at this time last season, it serves the same benefits as it would have then, and we have the added bonus of a deeper defensive unit and a buried Finger this season means Lebda, Richmond and Lashoff getting ice time instead of the substantially worse Exelby, Oreskovic, and Frogren. There is simply no reason to endure the ill-fated Jeff Finger experiment (slightly worse than the Alan Parson Project), and now we get to move on to the questions that a post Jeff Finger world creates.

Question 1: Will someone claim Jeff Finger?
There is no shortage of teams looking for defensive help. However $3.5 million for a player who struggled to hold down the 7th defensive spot a 29th place team. Burke prides himself on being a players GM and may have a team lined up (if not now, then on re-entry waivers) I'd be shocked, but maybe a team in the west is convinced Finger can repeat his mediocre success with the Avalanche. Much more likely Jeff Finger will be riding the bus around the AHL for the next couple of years.

Question 2: If Finger goes down, who comes up?
More than likely there will not be an immediate promotion for any of the Marlies. Mitchell, and Lebda are manning the press box nicely, and the youngin's don't need to keep them company. The upside there's always room for one more. This also could mean the Leafs don't want to send Zigomanis within the 30 days after he cleared waivers, and could remain on the team for the season. The extra spot is a nice luxury of having a local AHL team, and will earn keep that cap space available for when the team truly wants to use it.

Question 3: Is a trade imminent?
God I hope not. The team is actually playing like a team, the lines have stayed the same for two games (a Ron Wilson record I think), and no one has played themselves out of the lineup. It is still likely that Burke will use this space, but I'd wager everyone should make nice with this lineup, as this is it (minus injury callups) until the New Year.

Another chapter in the Leafs big book of overpriced busts has been written, and we can at least take comfort in the fact that at least no prospects were harmed in the acquistion or removal of Jeff Finger. Now the countdown to the John Mitchell waiving can begin.