Joffrey Lupul has spent six seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but has only appeared in 280 games.
I’d like to start this piece off by saying that I’m a huge fan of Joffrey Lupul’s game… when he’s healthy. However, healthy is not an adjective that is actively used to describe Lupul.
On February 9 2011, Brian Burke traded defenseman Francois Beauchemin to the Ducks for Joffrey Lupul, Jake Gardiner, and a draft pick, which looking back appears to be a great trade for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Regardless, that season Lupul had already missed 24 games following back surgery after playing in only 23 games with Anaheim the season prior. At the time, the Toronto Maple Leafs reviewed the case and the team had no concerns with his medical history.
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His first full season with Toronto was impressive. He had 25 goals and 42 assists. In the 2012-2013 lockout season, Lupul signed a 5 year-26.25 million dollar extension but played only 16 games that season due to a fractured forearm. He then played in 69 games next season registering 44 points, 55 games in 2014-2015 with 21 points, and 46 games this season with 14 points.
Unable to play a full season, Lupul has two years left on his contract with $9 million left on his deal. So the Toronto Maple Leafs have a few options…
Look for a trade partner. This is something the Leafs have undoubtedly tried to do but teams are understandably concerned with his sketchy medical history. A team would also be taking on a big contract for a fragile forward.
Hope that Lupul joins Stephane Robidas on the long-term injured reserve, also known as the island of misfit toys. Robidas and Horton would probably love to see a new face, wherever they are.
Assuming he’s able, keep him on the roster, give him an ‘A’ and let him be a veteran presence to a young squad. This isn’t the worst idea but I’d much rather give his roster spot to one of the kids or a trade-able asset that the Leafs sign during the off-season.
Finally, my preferred option, buy out his contract.
Buying out his contract would cost the Toronto Maple Leafs 1.5 million dollars in each of the next 4 years. It would save the team 3.75 mil this upcoming year, and 2.25 mil the year after (CapFriendly) Opening up that money would allow the team to make potential splashes in free agency, such as Steven Stamkos this season and potentially John Tavares the following.
That 3.75 mil could also go towards signing veterans to 1 year deals just to flip them at the deadline as they did this season, or towards signing a goaltender. It appears unlikely that their goalie of the future is currently on the roster.
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Yes, buying him out would eat 1.5 mil of cap space in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, and although those are the years that they’re looking to contend in, the cap space is crucial in these next two seasons.
By 2018, a lot of the Leafs larger contracts will have expired. Tyler Bozak, Milan Michalek, Colin Greening and Brooks Laich are all unlikely to be on Leafs payroll in a couple of years. The 1.5 million cap hit, although a nuisance, won’t be crippling. And unless Lou and Dubas can come up with another clever trade, buying out Lupul’s contract is the best course of action.
What are your thought on what the Toronto Maple Leafs should do with Joffrey Lupul?