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

[Michel Beauchamp]

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

With 4 forwards who, this season, will make more than $46M, they should be more than a very difficult first round loss, n'est-ce pas ?

 

[Nothingbutglass]

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

You want praise? TML have won nothing. "Better than most teams" hahaha

 

[BB79]

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.

And so is the snarky stuck up attitude apparently.

 

[Eyeseeing]

Toronto would be extremely intimidating to a player who doesn’t have confidence.
It’s is the most impactful market in all of hockey and the expectations are very high.
Some players wilt under its enormous pressure.
I could see many free agents not wanting to play there, it’s understandable

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

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

Also won a President's Trophy....something the Leafs have never won or even finished runner-up towards.

 

[Enga Olly]

You want praise? TML have won nothing. "Better than most teams" hahaha

That is a fact, your fantasies of hate mean nothing

 

[BostonBob]

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

You want praise? TML have won nothing. "Better than most teams" hahaha

That is a fact, your fantasies of hate mean nothing

Your fantasies of the Leafs being one of the better teams means even less.

 

[Leafs87]

With no or a soft salary cap, Toronto would be as good a free agent destination as any. Unless players are die hard fans of the franchise or want to be around family living in the area, there's little incentive for them to sign for the Leafs as it is.

A lot of the major cities in Canada have been transformed into open air dumps recently as well. There's absolutely no reason for an outsider or even a Canadian to choose this country over USA in 2024.

Most people I know in Toronto want to move out of Toronto lol. Now with the 66% tax on anyone making over $250,000 even doctors are leaving lol.

 

[MoneyManny]

Most people I know in Toronto want to move out of Toronto lol. Now with the 66% tax on anyone making over $250,000 even doctors are leaving lol.

Even doctors are about to be priced out of the area lol.

 

[Nothingbutglass]

That is a fact, your fantasies of hate mean nothing

Its actually not. "better" is your opinion. A fact is zero cups since Sgt. Pepper was released. Get your "facts" straight.

 

[PaulD]

I would imagine anyone from anywhere would take the best offer available $ wise. Anyone in their right mind would play for any team if the deal was good.

But if they have several "good deals" offered ...... They ain't picking Toronto

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

With 4 forwards who, this season, will make more than $46M, they should be more than a very difficult first round loss, n'est-ce pas ?

Yeah but blame the coach and the supporting cast

 

[PaulD]

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.

They may have contended for presidents trophy and came up pretty short.
They havent "contended" for a Stanley Cup since ....... "DOUGIEEEEEEE"

 

[JPT]

Toronto would be extremely intimidating to a player who doesn’t have confidence.
It’s is the most impactful market in all of hockey and the expectations are very high.
Some players wilt under its enormous pressure.
I could see many free agents not wanting to play there, it’s understandable

It's possible to have a lot of confidence and still have zero patience for the bullshit. Like I said earlier in the thread, there is no reason I should know the Phil Kessel enjoyed street vendor hotdogs, but, since some dipshit op-ed columnist in Toronto needed attention, now we all know.

 

[Golden_Jet]

That is a fact, your fantasies of hate mean nothing

Neither do yours, earlier in the thread.

 

[Suntouchable13]

That is a fact, your fantasies of hate mean nothing

They are better than current Ottawa, Detroit, and Buffalo teams but that's about it. Definitely not most. They are first round fodder. Maybe after JT and Marner leave we will finally be able to build a truly deep team that can contend for the cup.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Most people I know in Toronto want to move out of Toronto lol. Now with the 66% tax on anyone making over $250,000 even doctors are leaving lol.

Good grief, at least understand what the 66% tax is for, lmao.
As it has ZERO to do with earnings.

 

[The Management]

They are better than current Ottawa, Detroit, and Buffalo teams but that's about it. Definitely not most. They are first round fodder. Maybe after JT and Marner leave we will finally be able to build a truly deep team that can contend for the cup.

I consider myself pretty cynical when it comes to this hockey club, after thirty-forty years of personal disappointment, but I think that's a bit much. They're currently in the top half of teams in the Eastern Conference. That could and likely will change in the future, but every team that finished below them in the standings this year has serious question marks as well.

It's no surprise this thread is otherwise populated by the usual suspects.

 

[Enga Olly]

Its actually not. "better" is your opinion. A fact is zero cups since Sgt. Pepper was released. Get your "facts" straight.

When was ottawa's last cup?
Buffalo? Vancouver? Or how about NYR and their 1 cup in 80 years? Nothing to say about those facts? A SC as the only metric is a silly way to judge but it's not the worst, I eould say the aforementioned teams have done worse

 

[Nothingbutglass]

When was ottawa's last cup?
Buffalo? Vancouver? Or how about NYR and their 1 cup in 80 years? Nothing to say about those facts? A SC as the only metric is a silly way to judge but it's not the worst, I eould say the aforementioned teams have done worse

Seriously? How about SC finals appearances? Those four teams have at least been there. When did the Leafs do that? The Rangers won a cup. WTF are you even saying? Leafs aren't "better" than "most" teams. What makes them better?

 

[Golden_Jet]

When was ottawa's last cup?
Buffalo? Vancouver? Or how about NYR and their 1 cup in 80 years? Nothing to say about those facts? A SC as the only metric is a silly way to judge but it's not the worst, I eould say the aforementioned teams have done worse

lol, All those teams have won 3 rounds in their time in the league. Something leafs have never done, let alone win 4 rounds, need to try and get 3 under the belt.

 

[JianYang]

It's a confusing headline.

It "no longer" appeals? That implies that it was at the top of the list for potential free agents up to now, which seems like an odd take.

I don't think anything has changed from last year to now in terms of it's attractiveness as a market.

 

[Golden_Jet]

It's a confusing headline.

It "no longer" appeals? That implies that it was at the top of the list for potential free agents up to now, which seems like an odd take.

I don't think anything has changed from last year to now in terms of it's attractiveness as a market.

Ya, part of the issue is they sign some veterans, who come to play in Toronto, then they get waived to the minors, and stuck there for a while.( sometimes because they aren’t good, there’s cases where they sign too many 1-ways, so someone had to go down)
So some might be going, I’ll sign somewhere else, where that might not happen.

 

[Space umpire]

Tanev went there, OEL went there after getting crapped on in Vancouver, Stolarz went…it’s a destination spot for sure, but it’s not for everyone. You do have to have a strong backbone to go there, but if you win there, you’ll be a legend and your great great great grandkids won’t have to pay for a beer/meal in Toronto.

While I'm all for Toronto continuing the losing streak, after finally winning the Cup, fans should be able to experience that. That collective cheer would be heard all the way down here lol.

Maybe players can be moved to get legit shots at the cup but I’ll be most please if the Leaf fans never experience that level of success.
Let them make the playoffs every year. Win a round every decade and 2 rounds every other decade. That will be sufficient.
Look now, nobody under the age roughly 62 or 63 remembers a cup winner. Yet each year they are here telling everyone how great the team is. … ripped off by refs, Bettman’s against them. Tough division, tough schedules, unfortunate injuries.

You don't think Tanev and the Leafs already know that's he's going to "LTIR retire" at some point?

Most likely? They already know this is probably going to happen.

if you think Tanev and the Leafs already know the deal will go to LTIR in a few years (which is cap circumvention) don’t you think the league knows?
What would be an appropriate penalty?

Here’s a suggestion….
1) Loss of 1st rd pick for each year of LTIR.
2) Can only dress 19 players while he’s on LTIR.
3) 5 million cash for each year of LTIR to go to the players assistance and relief fund.

 

[Space umpire]

Tanev will have the worst stretch of his career in Toronto.
OEL - eventually thrown to leaf nation wolves, eaten alive.

Tanev will (start out) the same high quality defenseman he’s always been. He will be paired with Rielly who just happens to be one of the worst defensive defenseman in the NHL (a#6 or #7 level). Leaf fans blindly love Rielly so they will blame Tanev just as they have all of Rielly’s partners.
Then by year 3 Tanev’s decline will be in full bloom.