Some Leafs fit to be tied
Frustration over inaction growing

July 8, 2003
MIKE ZEISBERGER
Toronto Sun

MARKHAM -- Tie Domi has fielded calls from Mats Sundin in Sweden, Ed Belfour in Manitoba, and Alexander Mogilny and Owen Nolan in California.

Their questions always are the same.

What is the media saying back in Leafland?

What's new on the Robert Svehla front?

Did we sign anyone?

The answers usually are not what they want to hear.

"Guys are frustrated and since I'm the guy based in Toronto, they phone me to find out what is going on with the team," Domi said.

Or in this, the summer of discontent, what isn't going on.

Even during the Bell Celebrity Golf Classic, a charity event held at Angus Glen yesterday, the boiling frustrations of Maple Leafs players concerning this truly perplexing off-season were front and centre.

It has reached the point where Gary Roberts, an acknowledged team leader, politely declined to comment on the direction the team is headed.

Anyone familiar with the normally vocal veteran winger knows that such silence speaks volumes.

SPEAKING OUT

Domi had no such problems speaking out. Before going to the first tee, he teed off on Svehla's agent, Ritch Winter.

Svehla has not signed retirement papers despite telling the Leafs he is not coming back in the fall. Until the Leafs can be certain he'll stay away, team officials insist they cannot spend the $4 million US allotted for Svehla.

As a result, the Leafs are rejecting the overtures of Ontario-born free agents such as Joe Nieuwendyk and Bryan Marchment, who would love to play for Toronto.

"I think it's frustrating for management and players that they're holding us over a barrel and I don't like that," Domi said of Svehla and Winter. "And I don't think the decision is (Svehla's). I think the agent is giving him bad advice, and that's why I think (Winter) should be reminded he works for the player, not the other way around.

"If guys don't want to play here, don't. We haven't won (a Stanley Cup) in 36 years and it's frustrating. We want guys that want to be here. There are a ton of guys like Nieuwy and Marchment who would give (anything) to be here.

"This thing is holding us up. Robert's a great guy, but if we had his money maybe we could pursue free agents."

Instead, that does not appear it will happen. In fact Pat Quinn, who was at the same tournament yesterday, said any moves likely will come through trades.

Not good news for Nieuwendyk, Roberts' close friend.

"For Robs', it's a difficult situation because of Joe," Domi said. "I saw Joe at Doug Gilmour's birthday party and he was really excited at the chance to come here."

Unless something changes quickly, the Leafs may not sign Nieuwendyk, Marchment or anyone else. And that prospect is not making for many happy Leafs players these days.