Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 3.6

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In the NHL, the age range between 27 and 35 is widely viewed as the time when many players hit their prime and experience the most productive years of their careers. By that point, players have learned the ropes of the NHL and know the way they have to play in order to be most successful. It’s often the time when great players establish themselves as consistently dominant NHLers and average players rise up to a new level as they realize their full potential.

When the Maple Leafs signed Bryan McCabe to a massive five year deal worth $29 million prior to the start of the 2006-2007 campaign, they thought they were signing a player who had shown tremendous potential that would only get better as his “best years” were still yet to come. Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, the previously discussed trend in players’ careers seems to be working in reverse for McCabe. Ever since McCabe put pen to paper on that deal, the confident youngster full of potential for greatness has disappeared and been replaced by one who continually fights the puck, looks unsure of himself in the defensive zone and commits horrible turnovers; all of which is unacceptable for a player being paid the way he is.

Players just coming off signing big contracts do tend to struggle initially as they attempt to live up to their new salary but usually regain their form after twenty or thirty games. For McCabe, it has now been over a season’s worth of hockey and improvement is nowhere to be seen. In fact, McCabe’s quality of play seems to be diminishing each game out. His defensive game is at the point where he is virtually a liability on the ice against any of the opponent’s top players, the ones he is paid so richly to shut down. Worst of all, his on ice demeanor gives off the impression to fans that he isn’t particularly concerned with his struggles and that his where he is losing the patience of Leaf Nation. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.