Daigle's the man

A Couldabeen = A shouldabeen + time = Alex Daigle.

It's that simple, right at the root level. Someone who could have been a legend (Cam Neely is the quintessential example) is really somebody who should have been a legend, plus time.

Alex Daigle was the first overall pick in the 1993 NHL Entry draft - drafted ahead of players like Jason Arnott, Chris Pronger, Paul Kariya and Adam Deadmarsh - after two great seasons in the QMJHL (he netted over 110 points in each season, more then double what he would get in the NHL).

And he was a bust. Sure, he wasn't exactly Ryan Leaf, but he sure wasn't anywhere near as good as people hoped he would be.

But he's still not too bad. He's spent 10 of the last 12 NHL seasons in the league, scoring over 300 points. He's coming off a 50+ point season in 2003-04 and while he hasn't reached that same plateau this year, he still should have a few years left in him as a decent grinder.

And that's why the Maple Leafs should claim him off waivers.

Why not? He's had more points in the last two seasons then Eric Lindros has, and is about equal with Jeff O'Neill. He's someone who can be counted on for a few goals and more then a few assists. He's a grinder and would work nicely on a line with Alex Steen or Mats Sundin. And, most importantly, he's cheap (he signed with the Wild for less then a million dollars, at 500,000 (source)

The Leafs have made some bad moves and had some back luck this year, such as Eric Lindros, and they need some help for a stretch at the postseason - so why not Daigle? Sign him to a conditional one-year contract and see if he's still got some gas in the tank.

After all, this is the Toronto Maple Leafs we're talking about. The team that traded for Phil Housley and Doug Gilmour for what turned out to be one game for each (ever!) in 2003. The team that felt Ed Belfour was still a starter. The team that signed Jeff O'Neill, Eric Lindros and Jason Allison yet passed on Mark Recchi.

Come on and sign him, what's the worst that could happen? He's cheap and there's almost no expectations. He's not going to work against the cap and can maybe score a few clutch goals. Signing him would be no worse then signing O'Neill or Lindros, which the Leafs already did.