Josh Gorges vetoes trade to Toronto Maple Leafs
By Cory Buck
Josh Gorges could soon become a thorn in the side of the team that signed him to a six-year deal just two seasons ago. After days of rumors that alluded to a move, the Montreal Canadiens tried to trade Gorges to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but Gorges used his limited no-trade clause to veto the deal. Now all parties are left with the awkward taste in their mouths of a failed trade.
More from Montreal Canadiens
- NHL Draft winners and losers 2023: Blackhawks hit jackpot, Maple Leafs flop
- NHL Mock Draft: Connor Bedard No. 1, but who’s next?
- NHL rumors: Calgary in Flames, Kings, Flyers set for big deals, Hall to Chicago
- Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 revealed: Welcome to immortality!
- Hockey Hall of Fame Election: Who is eligible and how to watch
Bob McKenzie had this to say about what transpired between Gorges and Montreal.
Josh Gorges situation in MTL problematic for all. MTL had deal with TOR but Gorges refused to waive modified NTC to go to TOR. Still won't.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2014
MTL appears to want to shed his salary/contract. Could trade him to 1 of 15 approved teams. Failing that, could put him on waivers.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2014
Why would the Canadiens place Gorges on waivers instead of trading him? Simply put, it could be a power play to force through this trade to the Leafs, as McKenzie notes.
If it's waivers, MTL gets no return but Gorges loses all control of where he ends up. Might spectre of waivers convince him to approve TOR?
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2014
He concludes with this bit.
Only solution at this point IMO would appear to be MTL finding trading partner with 1 of 15 teams on Gorges' approved list. All 15 in U.S.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 30, 2014
Gorges didn’t hold his silence on the issue, defending his decision to use the no-trade clause the Canadiens offered him in the contract signed two years ago.
#Habs: "This is really hard to accept. I have always given my heart to this team." - Josh Gorges.
— J-F Chaumont (@JFChaumontJDM) June 30, 2014
#Habs: "I have never asked for a trade, this is the call of Marc Bergevin. I am in shock" - Josh Gorges to the Journal de Montréal.
— J-F Chaumont (@JFChaumontJDM) June 30, 2014
Thus we see business and personal go head to head here. Gorges doesn’t want to leave Montreal, but he can only limit the Habs to 15 teams with which they can trade. If Montreal really wants to dump Gorges, they can do it, but clearly they have their best offer from Toronto.
For now, the matter remains unresolved, but expect this to sort itself out sooner rather than later. The Canadiens clearly want more cap space for free agency and they’re going to move Gorges one way or another in order to get it.