The mere thought of the first time Cammalleri slipped through Leaf fingers makes the Richmond Hill native – who grew up a Leaf fan – chuckle.
"Aki Berg," Cammalleri said over the phone from Chicago where the Habs played Friday night.
The Leafs traded a second-round pick in 2001 to the Los Angeles Kings for Berg, a middling defenceman at best. With the pick, the Kings chose Cammalleri, a 5-foot-9 centre who emerged as a point-a-game player.
"It said on the draft board, `L.A. from Toronto,'" Cammalleri recalled. "It was just the draft, so it's not like I was ever (Toronto) property, but obviously there was a lot that appealed to me about playing in Toronto."
Traded to Calgary last season when he had 39 goals and 43 assists in 81 games, he became an unrestricted free agent over the summer. It was believed by many – including Cammalleri – he was just the kind of top-six forward the Leafs needed this season.
"I was at the ACC on July 1 and met with Dave Nonis," Cammalleri said. "We talked."
The Leafs spent the day pursuing Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin. Cammalleri, just 27, ended up with Montreal on a five-year, $30 million (all figures U.S.) contract.
Fredrik Sjostrom, LW/RW
2010/09/02: Fredrik Sjostrom might be available at the start of training camp after undergoing a shoulder operation this off-season. He is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery, but Toronto GM Brian Burke said the team would not rush him back before he is ready. We'll keep you posted on his status, but he has no fantasy value. (Source: Ottawa Sun)
Christian Hanson, RW/C
2010/08/31: The Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Christian Hanson. Hanson scored two goals and registered five assists in 31 games last season. He should battle for a spot on Toronto's opening day roster. (Source: Sportsnet.ca)
Clarke MacArthur, LW
2010/08/30: Leafs GM Brian Burke expects Clarke MacArthur to spend a significant amount of time on one of Toronto's top two lines. MacArthur inked a one-year/$1.1 million deal with the Maple Leafs after Atlanta walked away from an arbitrator awarded one-year/$2.4 million deal. He scored 16 goals and 35 points in 81 games last season, but he still has some offensive upside. If he spends the majority of the season serving as a top-six forward, we think he can score 20-25 goals and 40-50 points. (Source: Toronto Star)
Clarke MacArthur, LW
2010/08/28: The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Clarke MacArthur to a one-year deal. The contract is worth $1.1 million. Last season MacArthur scored 16 goals and 19 assists in 81 games (split between Buffalo and Atlanta). He will contend for a top-six forward spot withe Maple Leafs. He will be valuable in fantasy pools if he can secure a spot on the Leafs' power play. (Source: TSN.ca)
Matt Lashoff, D
2010/08/27: Matt Lashoff will join a crowded blueline in Toronto this season after being dealt to the Maple Leafs on Friday for minor-leaguers Alex Berry and Stefano Giliati. He played the majority of last season with the Tampa's AHL affiliate in Norfolk, where he posted eight goals, 24 points and 105 penalty minutes in 68 games. Lashoff will likely begin the 2010-11 campaign in the minors with the Toronto Marlies. (Source: TSN.ca)
Jonas Gustavsson, G
2010/08/21: Goalie Jonas Gustavsson is doing whatever he can to avoid the dreaded "sophomore jinx". "The second season can be dangerous because not everything is new and exciting in the same way it was (when you are a rookie)," Gustavsson said. "You sometimes have to fight a bit more to find that same energy." The Monster should be more relaxed this year, understanding exactly how North American hockey works. He could be a sleeper pick in fantasy if he can re-gain his Pre-NHL, European form. (Source: Toronto Sun)
Tomas Kaberle, D
2010/08/20: The father of Maple Leafs' defenseman Tomas Kaberle believes his son will be traded during the 2010-11 season. "I think that during the course of the year he will be traded to another club," said Frantisek Kaberle Sr. "There is only one chance for Toronto to get something back in return for Tomas now. In my opinion, I can't see Tomas entering a new contract with the Toronto. Not if Ron Wilson continues to be employed there ... I cannot imagine how he will get along with coach Wilson, who relies primarily on aggression and stress. That's not Tomas, he's a technical type of defender." If Kaberle does end up being moved then he will have to go to Toronto GM Brian Burke himself with a list of teams because Burke has been steadfast in his claim that he will not ask the offensive rearguard to waive his no-trade clause. Look for stories like this to arise frequently throughout the year. (Source: Calgary Sun)
Tomas Kaberle, D
2010/08/16: The Toronto Maple Leafs were unable to find a trading partner for Tomas Kaberle prior to his no trade clause taking effect again. "While a number of clubs made offers to trade for Tomas, none of them reflected Tomas's value to our team," said GM Brian Burke in a statement. "I understand a period like this is stressful to the player, and we are pleased that there is a resolution, and we can all continue to prepare for the coming season." If the Leafs want to move Kaberle at some point during the 2010-11 campaign they will need his approval. He has one year left on his current deal with Toronto and could end up walking away as an unrestricted free agent next summer. (Source: TSN.ca)
Tomas Kaberle, D
2010/08/15: Toronto GM Brian Burke believes that New Jersey and Los Angeles could both have been potential landing spots for Tomas Kaberle if not for the Ilya Kovalchuk contract situation. Burke said "I think both teams that were involved - and I'm not going to say that they are interested or were interested or would be - but I suspect that both teams involved in the Kovalchuk situation would have been more involved in this. The window to trade Kaberle is closing so Burke will need some eleventh hour magic if he's going to deal the defender before midnight on Sunday. (Source: The Bergen Record)
Tomas Kaberle, D
2010/08/13: Toronto GM Brian Burke is still waiting for an offer to jump on in the ongoing Tomas Kaberle trade talk. "It's too early to say. I know it sounds crazy because the deadline is midnight on Sunday, but the simple fact is we haven't received an offer yet (worth acting on)," said Burke while on Toronto radio station the FAN 590. "We're not going to see everybody's best cards until the last couple of days anyhow, so I'm not surprised we don't have anything that we would take yet, so we'll see what happens." We'll keep you posted, but expect Burke to pull the trigger close to the deadline when he believes the potential offers will improve. (Source: TSN.ca)
The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.
No Comments Allowed for Anonymous, please register
Re: Habs sniper Cammalleri could have been a Leaf (Score: 1) by leafmeister(ottawasenators@willneverwinthecup.com) on Sunday, November 01 (User Info | Send a Message)
For 6 mil? No thank you.
Also I am officially not worried about Kessel not having a set up man. It doesnt matter who plays centre with him, because every power play he will be playing with the league leader in assists. Who needs Savard when youve got Kaberle?
Re: Habs sniper Cammalleri could have been a Leaf (Score: 1) by mojo19 on Sunday, November 01 (User Info | Send a Message)
All last season, looking ahead to July 1st Mike Cammalleri was the #1 guy I was hoping the Leafs would sign. I can't believe when they said yesterday he actually was at the ACC on July 1. I wish we had him
And ya Montreal's offer of $6 million probably blew away the other offers so you can't really blame a guy for going where the money is, but so far he's playing like he's worth those dollars, he's the only real threat on Montreal from the 3 or 4 games I've seen the habs play. He's dangerous and he generates a lot of offense.
Re: Habs sniper Cammalleri could have been a Leaf (Score: 1) by mojo19 on Sunday, November 01 (User Info | Send a Message)
I would trade Mike Komisarek in an inter-league trade with Finland to bring back Aki Berg right now.
Re: Habs sniper Cammalleri could have been a Leaf (Score: 1) by leafshockey(18000000@gmail.com) on Sunday, November 01 (User Info | Send a Message)
Burkie has got to be shopping Finger. Finger has been a 3.5 million dollar scratch, and even when he does play, he's not worth it. So do you guys think Finger will be traded sooner or later, or simply waived?
Re: Habs sniper Cammalleri could have been a Leaf (Score: 1) by cam7777 on Sunday, November 01 (User Info | Send a Message)
I feel like the Leafs need to make a trade this week for a player to accompany Kessel, and really give them a shot in the arm. It would take the pressure off of Kessel to be the savior, and hopefully also provide some added spark at 5 on 5.
I don't know who Burke would go after though, or even who's expendable anymore. As soon as you think guys are starting to establish themselves as trade bait (grabovski), and others are becoming potential resigns (stajan), everything turns around and the guys that sucked are awesome and the guys that were awesome are sucking.
I do think that Tlusty should go back down to the minors if Wilson isn't going to play him. It's doing nothing for his confidence to play 10 minutes a game next to Matt Stajan. What this team could really use is some natural injury call-ups for Tlusty, Bozak, Stalberg, or Hanson. I think they'd fare better being called up to actually replace offense, and being handed responsibility, rather than being expected to just compliment the likes of stajan.
Re: Habs sniper Cammalleri could have been a Leaf (Score: 1) by leafy on Sunday, November 01 (User Info | Send a Message)
Some comments about Aki Berg:
After joining the Leafs in 2001, Berg was actually pretty good. He helped solidify the Leafs defence that spring....Yuskevic, Markov, Kaberle, McCabe, and Berg (I hated Cory Cross).
That year, the Leafs rolled to a 4 game sweep over Ottawa and almost knocked off powerhouse New Jersey.
But then after, I don't know why, Berg's play slowly slipped. He is now the poster boy of underachieving Leafs.
