Clarke MacArthur 2010-11 Preview

The Maple Leafs were expected to acquire at least one first line winger during the off season, either through trade or free agency, however they opted for a more inexpensive, unproven player in Clarke MacArthur. He was signed to a one-year, $1.1 million deal on August 28th, following the Atlanta Thrashers decision to walk away from his $2.4 million arbitration award.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward scored 35 points in 81 games last season, so a $1.1 million salary is relatively cheap for a player of his ilk. Considering his average ice time last season (14:39) and his age (25 years old), MacArthur should be on to produce upwards of 40 points in a top six role for the Leafs. One area that MacArthur must improve was his dismal -16 plus/minus rating last season.

MacArthur is a responsible two-way player with solid offensive instincts, but struggles with consistency. For him to find consistent success, Ron Wilson should pair MacArthur with a playmaking centre, such as Mikhail Grabovski, who can feed the puck to Clarke and create more scoring chances.

The native of Lloydminster, Alberta was perhaps the best dollar-for-dollar signing in the off season. The majority of 40-45 point players are making well over $2 million per season, so the Leafs have a potential steal who can add another element to the team’s already formidable group of forwards. Tyler Bozak will likely centre the top line alongside Phil Kessel and Kris Versteeg, while Mikhail Grabovski will play on the second line with Clarke MacArthur and Nikolai Kulemin.

If MacArthur manages to stay consistent throughout the season, Leaf fans with be crediting Brian Burke with waiting until the latter part of August to sign MacArthur, as opposed to overspending for a veteran player on July 1st. There is no indication that MacArthur will be part of Toronto’s long term plans, but his offensive presence in the interim will help contribute to the Leafs pursuit of regaining respectability.

2009-10 Statistics
81 games, 16 goals, 19 assists, 35 points, 49 penalty minutes

2010-11 Prediction
79 games, 18 goals, 22 assists, 40 points, 32 penalty mintutes

3 Burning Questions

1 – Do you think the Leafs got fair value for MacArthur at $1.1 million this season?

2 – Can MacArthur top the 40-point plateau in a top six role or is he better suited as a third line winger?

3 – Would you rather MacArthur get top six minutes or a younger player including the likes of Luca Caputi or Marcel Mueller?