Argonauts send Arland Bruce to rival Tiger-Cats

Argonauts head coach Bart Andrus, who hasn't wanted Arland Bruce in his sight in recent days, will have to look at the player at least three more times this season.

Toronto sent the disgruntled slotback to the rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Wednesday, less than a week after the Canadian Football League team left him behind for a road game for disciplinary reasons.

In return, the Ticats sent Toronto the rights to defensive lineman Corey Mace, a third-round pick next year as well as a conditional pick in the 2011 draft, according to the two teams.

'Right now, I do not want him around the team.' —Bart Andrus, Argos head coach

Toronto has reportedly already agreed to terms with Mace, which would make sense given the money the club saved by dealing Bruce. According to one of the sources, Bruce is scheduled to make $180,000 this season, of which $35,000 was paid up front.

With Bruce having already received four game cheques, that left Toronto with about $113,000 to play with in an attempt to sign Mace, who reportedly was looking for somewhere around $95,000 during negotiations with the Ticats.

Bruce, 31, has surpassed the 1,200-yard receiving mark with Toronto three of the past four years but had been fined four times this season for unprofessional behaviour that included leaving his playbook on a plane in Calgary and missing special-teams meetings.

He also made disparaging remarks about Toronto quarterback Kerry Joseph and was fined by the league for his Michael Jackson tribute touchdown celebration at Hamilton on July 1.

Bruce didn't attend an Argos team meeting Tuesday morning and later missed practice.

"He's not here because I don't want him here," Andrus said at the team's practice facility.

"We're looking at a lot of different things, a lot of different ways to bring this to a resolution," the coach added. "But right now, I do not want him around the team."

Toronto doesn't meet Hamilton until the Labour Day Classic at Ivor Wynne Stadium on Sept. 7. The Tiger-Cats visit Rogers Centre four days later, with their final regular-season meeting Oct. 23 at Toronto.