News Article: Auston Matthews - August 1st., Contract Crickets

[myleafs]

Vegas got to conduct a fantasy draft from like 2/3 of the roster of every team in the league and a bunch of GMs ended up paying them picks and good players in exchange for their word not to select worse players. Idk I just don't see this as a repeatable model of success, and even still even still they have pursued expensive marquee talent at every opportunity since that draft. they just started from a position of almost unprecedented depth across the roster.


again fair enough. I love watching Nylander especially, and disagree that Matthews has been a no-show the past two playoffs at least. but whatever. I loved watching him fight through Perry's slashes and hooks to score the 4-2 goal and then fight to get to that tip on the 4-3 in that comeback game. I don't care if he doesn't want to fight Steve Stamkos. but again I get that lots of people do. my own opinion is that I wish Dubas would have stuck to his guns more and not gone out to Get Tough every deadline but I understand the rationale. I would trade Jake McCabe for Rasmus Sandin tomorrow.

anyway thanks for the chat

First of all I never said that or implied it. I dont want 34 to fight if he really doesnt have to. With helmets having to stay on I actually think fighting is kind of stupid now. Punching a helmet with your bare fist? Not smart. What he should have done imo is grabbed Stamkos by the jersey and start yanking. 34 is a big boy and younger than Stammer, he could have handled him easily if he wanted to and it would have sent a message to Tampa. As for getting tough guys....with this marsmellow core I would have made every other forward thats not the core a nasty mfkr. If scoring depth is not going to be there anyways then make it very tough on other teams and create some space for your chosen ones.

 

[Nineteen67]

Dummied would require a full tear down and rebuild, losing close means the series is tied or in our favour if we make surgical changes that add or save a goal a game.

If we got dummied, everyone ought to be worried sick about the scale of changes management is talking about.

Like I’ve said all year, they built a team to win one round this year, but they had to get extremely lucky to do that.

 

[Marlow88]

After hearing this, I get the sense the Leafs do not have the fortitude to make any bold moves (i.e. trade one of AM/MM/WN or fire the coach). It is obvious that the team needs a change of some sorts, but management does not seem to have the appetite to make changes.

 

[Martin Skoula]

No one in the NHL banked on it, ha ha.

Dubas didn’t manage it well enough, obviously.

A market collapse impacts everyone the same but a guy who negotiated a new contract at pre-collapse prices is going to be better off than someone just getting out of a Junior position and negotiating their first big deal after the collapse regardless of how well he manages it.

No one else had 3 RFAs coming up for contracts right before Covid, other contenders had a single guy like Rantanen or Point to deal with. Even if we had perfect management, whoever had their stars come in a season or two later would have an advantage signing them. Even just having Mitch burn his first ELC year a season earlier would have spread out the deals enough to reduce the impact. I’m not saying it was well managed, but even the best management would be starting at a disadvantage just based on when and how our RFAs came in.

In the two offseasons we could take advantage of a depressed cap, we had Muzzin on the cap with uncertainty about his career, you can’t spend his LTIR money on any long term pieces because he might come back and put you in a bind. You can argue we should have traded him in his last year instead of signing him but it was signed before Covid and before he took that freak hit in the Montreal series.

 

[pcruz]

Ive been preaching this for the last week....Even Panthers cap is spread around so much more than the leafs....Its pretty crazy actually. Put Vegas/Panthers caps beside the leafs and you see pretty clearly and quickly that one of the these things is not like the others. (Capfriendly)

You guys are lauding the teams that have had to put some of their top players on LTIR in order to slide in under the cap and simultaneously wondering how they can have these super teams?

Maybe if Toronto had JT, AM, or MM on LTIR for most of the year, we could have added a $10m player(s)....

 

[Ziggdiezan]

Well said - minus the swearing.

Lol, been a rough day at work my apologies

 

[Niagara Bill]

If that’s the case, I think Oilers would win with McD over any other teams in the league.

Are you suggesting the style does not change? Are you suggesting AM and MM are not timid and intimidated? Are you suggesting that Schenn did not stand out in playoff hockey even though he cannot skate?

 

[myleafs]

You guys are lauding the teams that have had to put some of their top players on LTIR in order to slide in under the cap and simultaneously wondering how they can have these super teams?

Maybe if Toronto had JT, AM, or MM on LTIR for most of the year, we could have added a $10m player(s)....

None of those teams have 4 forwards taking up 50 per cent of the cap or have 3 11milly guys is the point. Its not just the cap with these teams .... its the style and team play that is showing what it takes to win and what it has always taken to win. Our team does not go to war for each other...winning teams do....even losing teams do, why we dont baffles my mind.

 

[ORRFForever]

I don't think anyone believes we can win with these 4 chewing up 50% of the cap. If Marner, Nylander and Matthews eat up any savings we have once JT's contract ends, then we're no farther ahead.

That means one (Nylander, Marner or Matthews) has to go.

 

[Racer88]

They took the 5th best player off every team and have depth - then they added here and there. The Leafs have NO depth.

I agree the Leafs have no depth and that’s managements flawed builds fault.

 

[ORRFForever]

I agree the Leafs have no depth and that’s managements flawed builds fault.

The Leafs need to make a trade because :

1) The Cap did not go up;
2) Matthews and Marner were spoiled with their first contract.

Perhaps Dubas thought M&M would give him a discount if he overpaid the first time. If so, then he misread the room / their greed.

It's possible the Leafs go from having 4 players chewing up half the cap (JT, Matthews, Marner and Nylander) to 3 players chewing up half the cap (Matthews, Marner and Nylander).

Unless they're willing to sign for what they make now, one has to go.

 

[ToneDog]

Ive been preaching this for the last week....Even Panthers cap is spread around so much more than the leafs....Its pretty crazy actually. Put Vegas/Panthers caps beside the leafs and you see pretty clearly and quickly that one of the these things is not like the others. (Capfriendly)

They acquired Stephenson for a 5th. Dubas traded a 3rd for Rittich. I don't have to remind you what he gave up for Nick Foligno or Gio.

The Leafs need to make a trade because :

1) The Cap did not go up;
2) Matthews and Marner were spoiled with the first contract.

Perhaps Dubas thought M&M would give him a discount if he overpaid the first time. If so, then he misread their greed.

It's possible the Leafs go from having 4 players chewing up half the cap (JT, Matthews, Marner and Nylander) to 3 players chewing up half the cap (Matthews, Marner and Nylander).

Again, unless they're willing to sign for what they make now, one has to go.

Keep praying and keep the faith, sister.

 

[DarkKnight]

Feel the same about MacKinnon?

That comment is perfect, guy coming off a CUP and potted 13 goals. People like you have lost the sport plot.

 

[ORRFForever]

Keep praying and keep the faith, Sister.

I always do.

 

[darrylsittler27]

There is nothing be said that I believe. This top 4 overpaid bs will never work and never did. Someone is gone and don't think Mathews is worth 14 million. I don't think Marner is worth keeping for a cup run either. Someone is gone. You can't pay players for failure or you just keep losing.

 

[notbias]

That comment is perfect, guy coming off a CUP and potted 13 goals. People like you have lost the sport plot.

He's chasing money now, that's for sure.

I am sure his commitment to winning has changed.

He also chased the money on his contract before too.

People like you have lost all logic.

 

[DarkKnight]

He's chasing money now, that's for sure.

I am sure his commitment to winning has changed.

He also chased the money on his contract before too.

People like you have lost all logic.

So weak dude, he just won a cup, he deserves the pay check. You’re comparing it to a Matthews, a brutally bad analogy that defies logic. It’s about winning, not losing and scoring no goals for an entire series. Matthews has accomplished sweet f*** all, MacKinnon the ultimate prize and he was making 6.3 at the time.

 

[notbias]

So weak dude, he just won a cup, he deserves the pay check. You’re comparing it to a Matthews, a brutally bad analogy that defies logic. It’s about winning, not losing and scoring no goals for an entire series. Matthews has accomplished sweet f*** all, MacKinnon the ultimate prize and he was making 6.3 at the time.

All contracts after a cup are acceptable I guess. Your original argument was if Matthews is the highest paid he doesn't care about winning.

There are a bunch of players who probably don't care about winning in this league in your opinion.

 

[Martin Skoula]

They acquired Stephenson for a 5th. Dubas traded a 3rd for Rittich. I don't have to remind you what he gave up for Nick Foligno or Gio.


Keep praying and keep the faith, sister.

Florida might be the worst example.

10.5 for Barkov
10 for Bob
9.5 for Tkachuk
7.5 for Ekblad
6.5 to cap penalties

Vs 3 mil more for our top 5, I’m assuming most would agree Nylander is better than that Cap Penalties kid.

It’s almost as if the problem is spending 10 mil on Kerfoot, Murray, Holl instead of Bennett, Verhaeghe, Lundell. Vegas spends less money on their bottom 6 than we do, same with Tampa in their cup runs or Boston this year. Most expensive bottom-6s are on bubble teams, good teams keep the fat trimmed.

You always see “there’s no cup winners with 11+ mil contracts” come up but for some reason you don’t see equally true statements like “there’s no cup winners with a 9 million dollar 4th line.”

 

[Gabriel426]

Are you suggesting the style does not change? Are you suggesting AM and MM are not timid and intimidated? Are you suggesting that Schenn did not stand out in playoff hockey even though he cannot skate?

Huh?

I am suggesting that our guys can't get it done in the playoffs. ONE goal in FIVE games for our top 3 highest paid forwards just won't cut it on any teams.

 

[GoonieFace]

All contracts after a cup are acceptable I guess. Your original argument was if Matthews is the highest paid he doesn't care about winning.

There are a bunch of players who probably don't care about winning in this league in your opinion.

I can guarantee there are a lot of players who don’t care about winning. We might have a few of them

 

[ORRFForever]

There is nothing be said that I believe. This top 4 overpaid bs will never work and never did. Someone is gone and don't think Mathews is worth 14 million. I don't think Marner is worth keeping for a cup run either. Someone is gone. You can't pay players for failure or you just keep losing.

So who goes?

 

[notbias]

I can guarantee there are a lot of players who don’t care about winning. We might have a few of them

Or we may have 0. A lot of people like to guess.

 

[Confucius]

They took the 5th best player off every team and have depth - then they added here and there. The Leafs have NO depth.

Wasn’t everybody able to protect 11 players?

 

[Fogelhund]

So Dubas who had Keefe in the Soo and the Marlies then the Leafs was Shannys idea all along and the reason Keefe hasnt been fired? And that Dubas wanted to fire him but Shanny wouldnt let him? Or did I misunderstand cause I dont get this way of reasoning?

You are misunderstanding.