Bleacher Report blogger says that Toronto no longer appeals to free agents, not considered a winning organization

[BlueBaron]

Its not a terrible contract for a guy that misses 20+ games per year if it was 2 years. 6 is atrocious. The chance of that contract aging well is about 2%.

The chance he's on our team for all of it is about 0.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The chance he's on our team for all of it is about 0.

Is he retiring

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Its not a terrible contract for a guy that misses 20+ games per year if it was 2 years. 6 is atrocious. The chance of that contract aging well is about 2%.

I get BB's point though from the TML perspective. At some point Tanev will be unable to play - be then gets put on LTIR, and then be able to enjoy Robidas island and collect the remainder of his contract. TOR can afford to do things like this, and IMO it is a way they take advantage of their teams financial resources (along with paying 90% of UFA contracts as signing bonus) to skirt the cap.

 

[Oilslick941611]

Toronto is basically a step above Ottawa, Buffalo, and Detroit. They do the bare minimum of making the playoffs consistently, but not even as a top seed or anything. First round fodder.

2 of those 3 teams have better modern histories than the TML as well. Buffalo made a cup final in 1999 and Detroit has won cups in most people life times who post here.

Toronto hasn’t done anything since before man landed on the moon.

 

[Bank Shot]

I get BB's point though from the TML perspective. At some point Tanev will be unable to play - be then gets put on LTIR, and then be able to enjoy Robidas island and collect the remainder of his contract. TOR can afford to do things like this, and IMO it is a way they take advantage of their teams financial resources (along with paying 90% of UFA contracts as signing bonus) to skirt the cap.

At some point he could still be able and willing to play, but he's just not that good anymore.

That could happen at any time at his age.

The idea that the Leafs will just be able to force the guy into retirement at any point of their choosing is wishful thinking.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

The chance he's on our team for all of it is about 0.

And that, I repeat, is a very strong indication that's it's a bad signing...

 

[tarheelhockey]

2 of those 3 teams have better modern histories than the TML as well. Buffalo made a cup final in 1999 and Detroit has won cups in most people life times who post here.

Toronto hasn’t done anything since before man landed on the moon.

(Ottawa also made a final, and more recently than Buffalo.)

 

[Oilslick941611]

(Ottawa also made a final, and more recently than Buffalo.)

I live in Ottawa have for most of my life and I forget about 2007. We even tried to copy the red mile in Calgary on Elgin street..which is not set up for that.

 

[Golden_Jet]

(Ottawa also made a final, and more recently than Buffalo.)

Also lost in double OT in game 7 from going to finals, as well as losing in game 7, last minute and half from a third final.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

At some point he could still be able and willing to play, but he's just not that good anymore.

That could happen at any time at his age.

The idea that the Leafs will just be able to force the guy into retirement at any point of their choosing is wishful thinking.

While I agree in general on the "forced exile" to Robidas Island - I know that Lupul (pretty sure it was him) said he was capable of playing, and then was never heard from again.

I think this is a way "within the system" for TOR to knowingly take advantage of the LTIR system. There is risk, but I think that with Tanev's style of play it's more of a matter of when he'll go on LTIR than IF. I'd bet that both sides are hoping for 3-4 years, but we'll have to see.

 

[Midnight Judges]

During the last five seasons, the Leafs are 4th in points out of 31 teams (Kraken are only 3 years old).

The posters acting like they aren't a contender are out to lunch.

 

[Coffey]

The posters acting like they aren't a contender are out to lunch.

I think people are just looking at playoff results.

Last 5 years.

3.2 wins per year in the playoffs.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I think people are just looking at playoff results.

Yeah I get it, but that merely tosses out an enormous sample size in favor of a very small one. It's a recipe for some very bad outcomes. I mean, the Habs had some playoff success a few years back, you're going to tell me they're a better destination?

 

[Golden_Jet]

During the last five seasons, the Leafs are 4th in points out of 31 teams (Kraken are only 3 years old).

The posters acting like they aren't a contender are out to lunch.

Looks like going wrong direction
Last 4 years -4
Last 3 years - 5
Last 2 years - 7
Last year - 10

 

[Suntouchable13]

Yeah I get it, but that merely tosses out an enormous sample size in favor of a very small one. It's a recipe for some very bad outcomes. I mean, the Habs had some playoff success a few years back, you're going to tell me they're a better destination?

Yea, sure, 8 years of sample size is small. They are not a contender. Florida and Boston both would be favoured against them in a series.

 

[TheFinalWord]

Yea, sure, 8 years of sample size is small. They are not a contender. Florida and Boston both would be favoured against them in a series.

Great. They can both be favoured, but that's not how everything plays out. Florida wasn't a favoured team the previous year and went to the Cup final. They literally got in on the last day. The Leafs lost to Boston in OT of Game 7, in a series where 2 of their 3 best players missed multiple games, and their top goalie was hurt in the series. It could easily have gone the other way. But it didn't and that's life. And maybe they would have been smoked by Florida in the next round. I know people will assume that, but that's why we play the games.

Toronto isn't getting stomped in the playoffs, but they aren't finding ways to win. Not winning 10 years ago has nothing to do with not winning last season. And while it does help predict what will happen next season, the deck is reshuffled, players and coaches are added and removed, and perhaps they find the magic needed. Or not. But they have the talent to contend.

 

[WillTheThrill]

Ryan O'Reilly jumping ship made it fairly clear that there's something wrong with the Leafs org

Some guys don't love the spotlight and would rather play in a tax free state, don't think it had a lot to do with the organization itself but rather the noise surrounding it and all that comes with being an Ontario boy on the leafs

 

[JimmyApples]

To be fair, every Canadian team has a hard time attracting high profile UFA’s for a variety of reasons

 

[Oilslick941611]

During the last five seasons, the Leafs are 4th in points out of 31 teams (Kraken are only 3 years old).

The posters acting like they aren't a contender are out to lunch.

and they having nothing to show for it. 1 playoff series win in that time.

 

[Enga Olly]

This is all stupid noise.
If a player has options, the reason they won't sign in Toronto is they are not mentally capable or just dont like the heat that the spotlight of Toronto brings.
Every Canadian team has some issue. Montreal and its language, ottawa is a feeble organization, Edmonton has this rabid fanbase that will turn on you oh and living in edmonton has almost as much appeal as living in winnipeg. Winnipeg is winnipeg, etc

 

[BB79]

Not really everything in Canada costs much more. Besides it's the anonymity that they are after the most.

Yeah, with teams like Florida, TBL and Carolina being perennial playoff teams in recent years, it's a smart move. You get paid more, in USD which converts to more Canadian cash when you go home in the summer. On top of that you get better winter weather than freezing your behind off all winter in a place like Winnipeg or Calgary (no offense to those places). Less of a pressure cooker atmosphere than Toronto or Montreal, plus less taxes

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

During the last five seasons, the Leafs are 4th in points out of 31 teams (Kraken are only 3 years old).

The posters acting like they aren't a contender are out to lunch.

Nobody denied they were a good regular season team.

But when it comes to the nitty-gritty... they tend to fade out rather quickly.

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

You get paid more, in USD which converts to more Canadian cash when you go home in the summer.

Shouldn't you know that they get paid in US dollars even if they play in Canada ?

If not, time to get educated and this first lesson is free.

 

[Enga Olly]

Nobody denied they were a good regular season team.

But when it comes to the nitty-gritty... they tend to fade out rather quickly.

Nobody denies they are a very good regular season team but they get zero regard for it.
As far as losing in the po, they usually provide a very difficult first round loss, no sweeps but they just haven't been able to put it all together. Tml are better than most teams, something 95% of the posters here refuse to admit

 

[CanadasTeam99]

At some point he could still be able and willing to play, but he's just not that good anymore.

That could happen at any time at his age.

The idea that the Leafs will just be able to force the guy into retirement at any point of their choosing is wishful thinking.

Who is the last guy who just retired with a big hit?

Marcus Naslund from the NYR? He had a 5M hit I believe. He just left after the first year