but that's not the point.
as of right now the leafs are making moves as if we've either A: won a championship, or B: extremely close to doing so, neither of which (right now) is true.
I am comparing the paydays of a lot of our core, to those who have won championships (before their 2nd contracts) or were about to, and have won multiple individual awards. this team has done none of that.
So no I don't think i've missed any boat here. majority of people (players included) for the most part get paid for what they've actually done and or accomplished.this trend is shifting towards the opposite and i personally don't think it's good for the league either.
If you're a young player you're seeing older guys being squeezed out earlier and earlier.
How many Marleau's(late 30's/early 40's) existing from say 2000-2005 in this league?
Fast forward to now and I feel like there is just no comparison.
So if you're not paying high producing 20/21yr olds those big salaries who should be getting them? Wayne Simmonds? Michael Ferland? The free agent crops aren't exactly star studded because of how much the youth is progressing and producing now.
We're paying Matthews elite money. Because he's elite. We could have traded down and not picked him and took someone inferior to pay less money but that certainly wouldn't put us any closer to winning.
If the league didn't have a floor and a cap and be trending towards speed and agility as the main strengths of a team then i'd agree with you and be in favor or more ways to keep the money from the youth. But we do have those...and 20yr olds are out playing 30yr olds so they're getting paid like it.
The guys we're talking about here are elite. This isn't a 60 point Marner wanting to be paid like a 90 point Marner. He's a 90 point Marner wanting to be paid like a 90 point player. If NHL players waited to win to be paid then literally 85% of the league would be on bargain contracts and guys like Ron Hainsey would be on long term deals at huge cap hits. Then that would be the complaint.