Matthews or BUST

[Zee]

To potentially sign Jimmy Vesey I'm sure the Leafs would have to offer max bonuses. If not, I doubt he would be interested when he will get max in Boston and certainly Buffalo.

So...how can Lou hardball Matthews without following thru with Vesey.

So this contract with Matthews will indicate if we have any chance at Vesey.

Vesey's bro and dad though.

 

[Al14]

To potentially sign Jimmy Vesey I'm sure the Leafs would have to offer max bonuses. If not, I doubt he would be interested when he will get max in Boston and certainly Buffalo.

So...how can Lou hardball Matthews without following thru with Vesey.

So this contract with Matthews will indicate if we have any chance at Vesey.

Vesey's bro and dad though.

Money talks, and, can sometimes speak louder than family! 

 

[TBLeafer]

To potentially sign Jimmy Vesey I'm sure the Leafs would have to offer max bonuses. If not, I doubt he would be interested when he will get max in Boston and certainly Buffalo.

So...how can Lou hardball Matthews without following thru with Vesey.

So this contract with Matthews will indicate if we have any chance at Vesey.

Vesey's bro and dad though.

Money talks, and, can sometimes speak louder than family! 

Yeah Lou, about them performance bonuses...

 

[Zee]

Only the Leafs team I've been a fan of my entire life could screw this one up https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2016/07/20/leafs-lamoriello-balks-at-bonus-demands-of-auston-matthews.html

 

[Highlander]

ya sign the kid already, for F---s sake

 

[herman]

Here is a slightly more measured look at the situation unfolding: https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2016/07/21/on-auston-matthews-lou-lamoriello-and-the-entry-level-bonus/

Lamoriello ostensibly did not come to Toronto to make the organization his own for the foreseeable future. By all descriptions, he came to Toronto (on a short-term contract) because he was serving in a fringe/reduced role in New Jersey, was sold on Brendan Shanahan?s vision, and felt/feels he still has something more to bring to the table before he bows out of the game. He certainly appeared to understand that a structure and some strong personalities were already in place in the Leaf front office, and that he was hired to ? in Shanny?s words ? complement the existing group.

I report to Brendan. Brendan is in the position he?s in. I respect that. I have no problem with that. I feel very comfortable in my own skin.
? Lou Lamoriello, July 26, 2015

 

[Bullfrog]

I'm not worried at all, but do think the position is ridiculous. I don't imagine having individual bonuses will all-of-a-sudden turn Matthews into a selfish player without regard for team success. And, this seems to be the reasoning quoted by Lamoriello for refusing individual bonuses.

Likewise, I don't feel that having a number in the 40s forces a rookie to conform to a team-first mentality or that having short hair and a clean-shaven face strengthens team cohesion.

I agree with the previous article where an NHL source questions what the reward is here for Lam. I think he has a flawed and out-dated view of team building.

 

[Highlander]

Time for Dubas, now. Sorry Lou but its time to play in the tomato patch with your grandson.

 

[Zee]

Hopefully it's all about nothing and he gets his bonuses and there's no hard feelings.  But as a Leafs fan I've been conditioned all my life to expect this team to do the worst thing possible.  I wouldn't be surprised if Matthews is the lone guy that goes first overall and suddenly bolts when he's a UFA, just because.

 

[Deebo]

I'm not worried at all, but do think the position is ridiculous. I don't imagine having individual bonuses will all-of-a-sudden turn Matthews into a selfish player without regard for team success. And, this seems to be the reasoning quoted by Lamoriello for refusing individual bonuses.

That quote was from 5 years ago and he has given bonuses in contracts since then, in New Jersey and Toronto. Severson, Quennville, Zaitsev and Kaskisuo to name a few.

I really don't get why these articles focus on the Larsson deal from 5 years ago and ignore the numerous deals that have had bonuses since. It only mentions Marner but dismiss it because it was being negotiated before Lou came in. I can't see him giving bonuses to Kaskisuo and Timashov but saying no to Matthews.

They also act like every top pick was signed by July 5th, which isn't the case.

Matthews said he was going back to Arizona after prospect camp then will be back in Toronto in a few weeks. Doesn't it seem more reasonable that he's just going to sign when he's back in town? They may have already even agreed to terms.

 

[TBLeafer]

It's all speculation.  Lou is mum and refusing to comment.  There are a lot of pressing things with an arbitration hearing going and others still pending.

 

[TBLeafer]

I'm not worried at all, but do think the position is ridiculous. I don't imagine having individual bonuses will all-of-a-sudden turn Matthews into a selfish player without regard for team success. And, this seems to be the reasoning quoted by Lamoriello for refusing individual bonuses.

That quote was from 5 years ago and he has given bonuses in contracts since then, in New Jersey and Toronto. Severson, Quennville, Zaitsev and Kaskisuo to name a few.

I really don't get why these articles focus on the Larsson deal from 5 years ago and ignore the numerous deals that have had bonuses since. It only mentions Marner but dismiss it because it was being negotiated before Lou came in. I can't see him giving bonuses to Kaskisuo and Timashov but saying no to Matthews.

They also act like every top pick was signed by July 5th, which isn't the case.

Matthews said he was going back to Arizona after prospect camp then will be back in Toronto in a few weeks. Doesn't it seem more reasonable that he's just going to sign when he's back in town? They may have already even agreed to terms.

Plus Matthews said himself that he was going to stay completely out of it, trust his agents and when they present him with a contract to sign, he'll sign it.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

That quote was from 5 years ago and he has given bonuses in contracts since then, in New Jersey and Toronto. Severson, Quennville, Zaitsev and Kaskisuo to name a few.

None of those players received any Schedule B bonuses though, and that's where the real additional money can potentially come from.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Only the Leafs team I've been a fan of my entire life could screw this one up https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2016/07/20/leafs-lamoriello-balks-at-bonus-demands-of-auston-matthews.html

I don't see why you would get upset about an article with no credible sources and where the author only says "it is believed" this is what is happening.  That could mean anything.  It is believed by who?  The author?  Anyone with any connection to the people involved?  It could mean the author is trying to fill in a dead time of year of NHL news.

 

[Kin]

I've been a Leafs fan for a long time and seen some strange things in the fandom but the complete 360 some people have done on the Burke-esque tough talk on "Culture" and the like ranks right up there.

 

[McGarnagle]

I don't know a ton about entry level bonusing, but when Shanahan was on the radio talking about the situation a couple weeks ago, I sort of detected a tinge of frustration/embarrassment about it not being done.

At the end of the day, if Eichel/McDavid got similar incentives to what Matthews is expecting, I don't see that as particularly unreasonable as a benchmark. The leafs are going to have to cave at some point, so why strain the relationship so early in the process? It's pretty baffling. Ultimately, Matthews is going to get paid somewhere, and the leafs have everything to lose.

 

[Deebo]

That quote was from 5 years ago and he has given bonuses in contracts since then, in New Jersey and Toronto. Severson, Quennville, Zaitsev and Kaskisuo to name a few.

None of those players received any Schedule B bonuses though, and that's where the real additional money can potentially come from.

His quote says:

""I am not one who is a believer in the rookie bonuses that is in the National Hockey League CBA -- the A, Bs and Cs as they're called.
...
and the reason is because every player in our locker room that we have drafted have bought into that philosophy and nobody worries about individual things and only the team"

He said he didn't believe in any bonuses, not just schedule B bonuses. Do you think he changed that stance on just A bonuses? That makes no sense, given the reasons he stated for not believing in them.

 

[Zee]

Only the Leafs team I've been a fan of my entire life could screw this one up https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2016/07/20/leafs-lamoriello-balks-at-bonus-demands-of-auston-matthews.html

I don't see why you would get upset about an article with no credible sources and where the author only says "it is believed" this is what is happening.  That could mean anything.  It is believed by who?  The author?  Anyone with any connection to the people involved?  It could mean the author is trying to fill in a dead time of year of NHL news.

Like I said, I hope it's all nothing and just reporters looking to fill some news stories, but as a Leafs fan I always expect the worst.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

He said he didn't believe in any bonuses, not just schedule B bonuses. Do you think he changed that stance on just A bonuses? That makes no sense, given the reasons he stated for not believing in them.

Well his reasons for not believing in them (and reasons for his other odd tendencies) don't make much sense to me, so I'm not going to get into his logic there much. But yes, it wouldn't really surprise me if he decided to only soften his stance on the issue instead of dropping it entirely.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

He said he didn't believe in any bonuses, not just schedule B bonuses. Do you think he changed that stance on just A bonuses? That makes no sense, given the reasons he stated for not believing in them.

Well his reasons for not believing in them (and reasons for his other odd tendencies) don't make much sense to me, so I'm not going to get into his logic there much. But yes, it wouldn't really surprise me if he decided to only soften his stance on the issue instead of dropping it entirely.

I mean, I really, REALLY can't see if this was holding up him signing or not signing that Shanahan wouldn't step in and make sure it got done.  They are not going to go through the last year, year and a half to get to this point and let this hold things up.  Lou answers to Shanahan in the end.