2023-24 Toronto Maple Leafs General Discussion

[herman]

Someone (Gross is my guess) floated the trial balloon. This is Nylander?s asking price. If they can work in the usual incentives (up front signing bonuses, NMC), the Leafs should be able to chip it down.

In any case, Pastrnak?s 11.25M AAV is 13.64% of the cap at signing. Nylander?s would be 12.8ish% so it?s not technically an equivalent.

 

[azzurri63]

I think it's too much. Like Willy but his laziness at times and still soft play avoiding contact is hard to watch. He's not the only one. You can't compare him to Pastrnak. David is a better scorer plays harder and doesn't take any crap. If you had to chose 1 for the playoffs most managers would take Pasta so shouldn't be in the same ballpark. Dubas gave him what he wanted and if rumours are true Tre is doing the same. If Marner is gone then Tavares comes off the books maybe this team can retool but if we keep overpaying to the core it's going to be the same shi* repeated year after year. How long before MLSE figures it's not working?

 

[Champ Kind]

I think it's too much. Like Willy but his laziness at times and still soft play avoiding contact is hard to watch. He's not the only one. You can't compare him to Pastrnak. David is a better scorer plays harder and doesn't take any crap. If you had to chose 1 for the playoffs most managers would take Pasta so shouldn't be in the same ballpark. Dubas gave him what he wanted and if rumours are true Tre is doing the same. If Marner is gone then Tavares comes off the books maybe this team can retool but if we keep overpaying to the core it's going to be the same shi* repeated year after year. How long before MLSE figures it's not working?

Truthfully, if you talk to die-hard Bruins fans, they describe Pasternak in the same way you talk about Nylander. Doesn?t play consistently hard, disappears for stretches, lazy, etc.  Pasternak is probably the better player, or at least has performed to a higher standard to this point, but Nylander is absolutely a comparable.  To say Willie ?isn?t in the same ballpark? is a real exaggeration.

 

[Peter D.]

Hmmm.  Maybe a shade too high dollars wise, but will happily see the team sign that if it's for the max 8 years.

 

[herman]

Friedman thinks the signing could be as early as this week, and maybe sub 11M. Gonna fire up the FlightAware

 

[Peter D.]

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

 

[ZBBM]

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

I think John is deluding himself if he thinks he is NOT getting a big cut to re-sign here.  Maybe a lesser cut if he signs elsewhere, but it will be a cut one way or the other.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

Tavares will likely sign for a lot less when this deal is done. Kopitar is getting 7x2 after this season.

 

[Guilt Trip]

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

I think John is deluding himself if he thinks he is NOT getting a big cut to re-sign here.  Maybe a lesser cut if he signs elsewhere, but it will be a cut one way or the other.

Why is John deluding himself? There has been zero indication from anyone what he'll make next contract.

 

[Peter D.]

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

Tavares will likely sign for a lot less when this deal is done. Kopitar is getting 7x2 after this season.

He'll definitely sign for less.  He'll have to.  Will $6 or 7 million be enough to re-sign him though?  Will be interesting to see what his intentions are.  And of course his play between now and then.  He seems like a humble guy who would forgo uprooting his family for a couple extra million if it means staying home.

The Kopitar contract is a good barometer.  Albeit Kopitar will be 37 when the contract kicks in, while Tavares will be 35.  Both mid-30s, but those two years at that age can be a big gap.

I think Stamkos's upcoming deal will be another telltale sign of what Tavares may be expecting to get.

 

[herman]

https://x.com/pr_nhl/status/1742430487178781088
Wait he was faster than previous Matthews/Marner banana seasons?

 

[azzurri63]

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

I think John is deluding himself if he thinks he is NOT getting a big cut to re-sign here.  Maybe a lesser cut if he signs elsewhere, but it will be a cut one way or the other.

I imagine a Nylander signing, coupled with Matthews' bump and a presumed Marner signing and raise, that'll signal the end of Tavares's career as a Maple Leaf following next season.

Unless one of the Big Three gets traded (highly doubtful), Tavares would need to take a significant pay cut, or at least a few million dollar pay cut in conjunction with a significant bump to the salary cap to fit him in along with the Big Three's raises.

Tavares will likely sign for a lot less when this deal is done. Kopitar is getting 7x2 after this season.

He'll definitely sign for less.  He'll have to.  Will $6 or 7 million be enough to re-sign him though?  Will be interesting to see what his intentions are.  And of course his play between now and then.  He seems like a humble guy who would forgo uprooting his family for a couple extra million if it means staying home.

The Kopitar contract is a good barometer.  Albeit Kopitar will be 37 when the contract kicks in, while Tavares will be 35.  Both mid-30s, but those two years at that age can be a big gap.

I think Stamkos's upcoming deal will be another telltale sign of what Tavares may be expecting to get.

Stamkos' skating is a plus. JT is slow and going to get worse obviously by the time his contracts up. Stamkos the better scorer but all round JT is better. JT should be moved to the wing after this contract if he resigns. His skating is probably the reason I wouldn't go any higher than 6-7  million. Or you use that money to bring in a younger FA centre to replace him.

 

[herman]

https://x.com/MLarkinHockey/status/1742579068946505981
Are you tired of other teams' fans chirping you about the Leafs losing to a Zamboni driver?

 

[Chris]

$6-7 mil for a 35+ year old Tavares...I sure hope he is willing to sign for less to stay in Toronto. He's made his fortune. This will be the time to take a discounted deal and help build out the rest of the roster a bit, try to win that Cup here. Maybe a pipedream but I can dream...

 

[Guilt Trip]

$6-7 mil for a 35+ year old Tavares...I sure hope he is willing to sign for less to stay in Toronto. He's made his fortune. This will be the time to take a discounted deal and help build out the rest of the roster a bit, try to win that Cup here. Maybe a pipedream but I can dream...

JT is making just over 8m the last 3 years of his contract.  No reason he won't sign for a little less then that after next year.  Plus he still has a year to go.  He may continue the Crosby way or go the Ovi way,  who knows? I'm leaning Crosby because he's so dedicated and will still have his smarts and hands.

 

[Chris]

$6-7 mil for a 35+ year old Tavares...I sure hope he is willing to sign for less to stay in Toronto. He's made his fortune. This will be the time to take a discounted deal and help build out the rest of the roster a bit, try to win that Cup here. Maybe a pipedream but I can dream...

JT is making just over 8m the last 3 years of his contract.  No reason he won't sign for a little less then that after next year.  Plus he still has a year to go.  He may continue the Crosby way or go the Ovi way,  who knows? I'm leaning Crosby because he's so dedicated and will still have his smarts and hands.

Depending on what the cap is at the time, $6-7 mil may well be too much, especially if Nylander is over 11 and Marner's new deal (assuming he stays) is also around 11. Same old problem, $40 mil plus tied up in 4 players one of whom is 35+ and slow already.

 

[louisstamos]

Part of me hopes that Spezza rubbed off enough on Tavares that he'd be willing to take a league min deal to stay, but I don't think that's happening.  That said, I'd probably be alright with a $6mil deal on a 2-3 year deal, especially considering his versatility.  I think he'd be a very good winger for the 1st line with Matthews & Marner/Nylander if we ever find another player to be the 2C.

 

[azzurri63]

$6-7 mil for a 35+ year old Tavares...I sure hope he is willing to sign for less to stay in Toronto. He's made his fortune. This will be the time to take a discounted deal and help build out the rest of the roster a bit, try to win that Cup here. Maybe a pipedream but I can dream...

JT is making just over 8m the last 3 years of his contract.  No reason he won't sign for a little less then that after next year.  Plus he still has a year to go.  He may continue the Crosby way or go the Ovi way,  who knows? I'm leaning Crosby because he's so dedicated and will still have his smarts and hands.

Depending on what the cap is at the time, $6-7 mil may well be too much, especially if Nylander is over 11 and Marner's new deal (assuming he stays) is also around 11. Same old problem, $40 mil plus tied up in 4 players one of whom is 35+ and slow already.

I'm with you Chris. I personally think if he doesn't take a huge cut let him walk. They can find a younger replacement. His skating is what's hurting him that's why you move him to the wing. Unless you give him an extra year so the cap hit is lower and figure out what to do with him when he's to the point of being a scratch.

 

[herman]

For Tavares, I kind of look to the Jason Spezza model. Made hay in his day, came home to try to win the big one at long last, and took a big time hair cut after he turned 36 to do it (7.5M down to 700k). Tavares is approximately 35 when this current deal ends and will be subject to 35+ contract rules. His career earnings are already higher than Spezza's (although time-value might introduce some nuance there).

I would not be surprised to see him get a 1yr league min in perpetuity, and I'd be happy to see him get 3x4M AAV as a 3C or savvy grinding LW. He gets to call his own shot here, but I highly doubt he'll try to rake the Leafs for a Kopitar level deal given that he already turned town 13M from San Jose.

Aside from that one overlap year, at worst it'll be like Nylander and Tavares swapping deals with the benefit of the rising cap.

 

[herman]

Someone (Gross is my guess) floated the trial balloon. This is Nylander?s asking price. If they can work in the usual incentives (up front signing bonuses, NMC), the Leafs should be able to chip it down.

In any case, Pastrnak?s 11.25M AAV is 13.64% of the cap at signing. Nylander?s would be 12.8ish% so it?s not technically an equivalent.

So the contract negotiation nearing the finish line was confirmed by Friedman, but he was hearing of potentially lower numbers than 11.25. Gross leak + signing under that number = Willy is a hometown-discount hero and Treliving looks like a boss.