GDT: Free Agent Frenzy 2022

[fahad203]

mathews wants to make the most money he can . he damn well knows winning a cup in Toronto gives him a life long lottery with sponsors guest appearance eons of commercials and local opportunities as well as the largest fan base on the planet and he lives for it

Matthews will make more than that if he just joins the Rangers. Toronto is no where close to media exposure that is New York. All American kid playing in an all American team

The allure of playing for Canadian teams are long gone. Players want easy lifestyle, accessable and bigger stage

Even as a Canadian, the idea of living in New York, the ability to fly anywher in the world with 40 milion flights, private jets, the idea of shopping for anything you want when you want, the night life, the exposure to other celebrities..... it's very difficult to pretedent that doesnt' matter

 

[LeafSteel]

I feel for Flames fans. That f***ing sucks.

To be honest if the next time contracts come up for our big guys and they don't want to sign here. Ship them the f*** out and get as much back as you can.

Calgary is getting gutted right now pretty bad. At least with Tkachuk you can get something back and if he carries this shit on let him sit.

Agreed.

I feel for the Team and it's fans.

It's hard enough to put together a contender. Couple it with top talent not wanting to stay and additional challenges retaining it's stars that other Teams don't have swings the competitive advantage even further away, where it is not a level playing field.

Definitely horrible to watch your team gutted, and nothing can be done......

 

[93LEAFS]

I am sure sometimes a player via his agent says we only want to discuss when the contract is up

I believe this happens consistently.. do you guess then?

Sometimes it happens

You work on the assumption they want out at that point. Especially if the player is getting offered top end of the league money.

 

[Americanadian]

JVR wanted to stay but we showed no interest in retaining him. And, I said retain, and we really haven't gone after any big name American players.

When I said sign a UFA contract I was including players we retained when they had the option to leave. All of Gardiner, JVR, Campbell have walked in the Shanahan era. I know the team was in no position to retain any of them. I disagree with the notion that the team has no problem retaining American talent because we haven't seen it yet besides Kessel.

 

[93LEAFS]

Matthews will make more than that if he just joins the Rangers. Toronto is no where close to media exposure that is New York. All American kid playing in an all American team

The allure of playing for Canadian teams are long gone. Players want easy lifestyle, accessable and bigger stage

Even as a Canadian, the idea of living in New York, the ability to fly anywher in the world with 40 milion flights, private jets, the idea of shopping for anything you want when you want, the night life, the exposure to other celebrities..... it's very difficult to pretedent that doesnt' matter

In New York he'd be competing with Judge, whoever the best player on the Knicks is, plus the stars of the NFL.

New York has lifestyle advantages over Toronto for the ultra wealthy, but in terms of actual money you can make its quite different. In Canada you have 5 of the largest 50 banks in the World lining up to endorse you plus whatever else is out there.

 

[Budz]

While I don’t think it happens.

If Matthews leaves - I’m done with hockey for a long while.

 

[93LEAFS]

When I said sign a UFA contract I was including players we retained when they had the option to leave. All of Gardiner, JVR, Campbell have walked in the Shanahan era. I know the team was in no position to retain any of them. I disagree with the notion that the team has no problem retaining American talent because we haven't seen it yet besides Kessel.

Well, Campbell left for Edmonton. JVR wanted to stay but we decided he was a needed to casualty to sign Tavares. We kept Kessel pretty easily, he even turned down other American markets to go there. Just look at how the Jays attract top American players such as George Springer or Gausmann. This fear over Matthews leaving because its Canada is dramatically overstated.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Matthews isn't going to set franchise scoring records anywhere else, being #1 in points and goals alltime for an O6 franchise isn't nothing.

 

[supermann_98]

While I don’t think it happens.

If Matthews leaves - I’m done with hockey for a long while.

Tough to imagine and I'd probably be joining you. I fully expect Nylander to leave for absolutely no return because Dubas doesn't have the stones to trade him.

If Matthews leaves as a UFA as well and we're left with Marner and the carcass that used to be Tavares I'm tuning out hockey until I hear McDavid has signed here.

 

[andora]

You work on the assumption they want out at that point. Especially if the player is getting offered top end of the league money.

Interesting that could apply here with two players next season

 

[Americanadian]

Well, Campbell left for Edmonton. JVR wanted to stay but we decided he was a needed to casualty to sign Tavares. We kept Kessel pretty easily, he even turned down other American markets to go there. Just look at how the Jays attract top American players such as George Springer or Gausmann. This fear over Matthews leaving because its Canada is dramatically overstated.

I don't disagree that we walked Gardiner/JVR/Campbell out of town. As of right now Kessel stands alone.

I think the Jays are a different animal. The Leafs are the media center of the NHL. They get more coverage than any team in the NHL and I think that is a detractor for players. The Jays are MAYBE top 10 in the MLB in media attention. It's less about Canada, more about the media. Gausmann also didn't sign for the city but rather to follow in Holloday's footsteps.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Toronto isn't like other Canadian cities. It's as American as it gets and is practically Hollywood North.

Mathews got Justin Bieber and Drake hyping him up during the playoffs. He aint getting that in Arizona. Mathews is gonna be a Leaf for a long time.

Dare I suggest that the Beib’s friendship with Matthews will actually help him stay?

 

[93LEAFS]

I don't disagree that we walked Gardiner/JVR/Campbell out of town. As of right now Kessel stands alone.

I think the Jays are a different animal. The Leafs are the media center of the NHL. They get more coverage than any team in the NHL and I think that is a detractor for players. The Jays are MAYBE top 10 in the MLB in media attention. It's less about Canada, more about the media. Gausmann also didn't sign for the city but rather to follow in Holloday's footsteps.

Whatever reason, Gausmann signed here.

And, I don't see being the focus of the media harming the Lakers or New York Yankees. Kessel was the one American we heavily targeted to bring in and wanted to retain, he ended up staying.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Exposure aside, winning hockey in Toronto is the gold standard for NHL success.

For as good as Matthews is I don’t know if he would pass up the chance to stay with the team to win and pass records in the franchise.

 

[Zero1]

Leafs better not walk any of Matthews/Marner/Nylander to UFA. If they don’t sign an extension then trade them asap.

That short-term bridge contract with the high QO Tkachuk signed was such a dumb move by Calgary. They had a good year but walking Gaudreau to UFA was dumb too especially when there was already rumours of him wanting to leave.

 

[Fogelhund]

Ooof!

 

[JTK1967]

In New York he'd be competing with Judge, whoever the best player on the Knicks is, plus the stars of the NFL.

New York has lifestyle advantages over Toronto for the ultra wealthy, but in terms of actual money you can make its quite different. In Canada you have 5 of the largest 50 banks in the World lining up to endorse you plus whatever else is out there.

New York isnt a no-tax state though, which is what it seems like MT is looking at with his request list.

Toronto is much more comparable to most big American cities than any other Canadian city, but its not America.

I do hope the stigma around Covid and Canada is a bit less pronounced by the time Auston is looking to get extended.


Seperate note:
One thing I have always been surprised by, is the lack of intelligent sports franchises going to the government to help solve the tax issue.
If MLSE went to the province of Ontario and said "We want 0 tax for NHL players, and you can increase our tax by the difference." the province would think about it. It would be a big political win as well for whoever is the Premier at the time, as you get to say you are supporting sports teams without loosing and revenue.

It shows your players you are trying, and if it works it makes you the best destination for Canadian players by a decent margin.

Probably not a hard pitch either, in a salary cap world having no income tax is a big way to attract free agents. Sports teams that are successful bring in more tax revenue for the government directly, and indirectly by bars and restaurants near stadiums being more full.

Does the province care if they get their tax money from Matthews 11.6m or from MLSE? I wouldnt think so.

 

[Bloomberg]

This Tkachuk news has me worried about Matthews. He could go to LA or NY or Arizona.

 

[JTK1967]

Agreed.

I feel for the Team and it's fans.

It's hard enough to put together a contender. Couple it with top talent not wanting to stay and additional challenges retaining it's stars that other Teams don't have swings the competitive advantage even further away, where it is not a level playing field.

Definitely horrible to watch your team gutted, and nothing can be done......

Man, 2 of their top line guys potentially both leaving in the same off season after one of the best regular seasons in team histroy, while they are both young? WOOOOF

I almost think as a Leafs board we should like, do a group post.

"As Leafs fans, all we want to do is win the Stanley Cup. Although we are adversaries, we dont want to see what is happening to you happen to any Canadian team. This year, as a Leafs board we will collectively be rooting for the Flames as our second team.

Signed, (and put the user name of everyone who signs up)

 

[93LEAFS]

New York isnt a no-tax state though, which is what it seems like MT is looking at with his request list.

Toronto is much more comparable to most big American cities than any other Canadian city, but its not America.

I do hope the stigma around Covid and Canada is a bit less pronounced by the time Auston is looking to get extended.


Seperate note:
One thing I have always been surprised by, is the lack of intelligent sports franchises going to the government to help solve the tax issue.
If MLSE went to the province of Ontario and said "We want 0 tax for NHL players, and you can increase our tax by the difference." the province would think about it. It would be a big political win as well for whoever is the Premier at the time, as you get to say you are supporting sports teams without loosing and revenue.

It shows your players you are trying, and if it works it makes you the best destination for Canadian players by a decent margin.

Probably not a hard pitch either, in a salary cap world having no income tax is a big way to attract free agents. Sports teams that are successful bring in more tax revenue for the government directly, and indirectly by bars and restaurants near stadiums being more full.

Does the province care if they get their tax money from Matthews 11.6m or from MLSE? I wouldnt think so.

Leafs are popular, but asking the government for tax reductions for the ultra wealthy (which NHL players are) would cause serious issues even if the taxes on Sports teams rise. Plus, the NHL would probably lose their mind for parity reasons. Plus, non-resident foreign nationals are already open to a ton of tax loopholes to the extent the NBA banned them for us.

Man, 2 of their top line guys potentially both leaving in the same off season after one of the best regular seasons in team histroy, while they are both young? WOOOOF

I almost think as a Leafs board we should like, do a group post.

"As Leafs fans, all we want to do is win the Stanley Cup. Although we are adversaries, we dont want to see what is happening to you happen to any Canadian team. This year, as a Leafs board we will collectively be rooting for the Flames as our second team.

Signed, (and put the user name of everyone who signs up)

Honestly, don't really care. I guess I'm just more Torontonian than Canadian, but bitching about Ontario is an Albertan past-time.

 

[Kelly]

Man, 2 of their top line guys potentially both leaving in the same off season after one of the best regular seasons in team histroy, while they are both young? WOOOOF

I almost think as a Leafs board we should like, do a group post.

"As Leafs fans, all we want to do is win the Stanley Cup. Although we are adversaries, we dont want to see what is happening to you happen to any Canadian team. This year, as a Leafs board we will collectively be rooting for the Flames as our second team.

Signed, (and put the user name of everyone who signs up)

That's cringy af, and also I'm guessing they're going full steam ahead tank commando when Tkachuk leaves.

 

[LeafSteel]

Dare I suggest that the Beib’s friendship with Matthews will actually help him stay?

That would make him useful for something, I guess.

God knows his Tim Horton's stuff is crap.....

 

[as Pure as Evil]

Matthews will make more than that if he just joins the Rangers. Toronto is no where close to media exposure that is New York. All American kid playing in an all American team

The allure of playing for Canadian teams are long gone. Players want easy lifestyle, accessable and bigger stage

Even as a Canadian, the idea of living in New York, the ability to fly anywher in the world with 40 milion flights, private jets, the idea of shopping for anything you want when you want, the night life, the exposure to other celebrities..... it's very difficult to pretedent that doesnt' matter

beyond mike gartner and richter tell me the big name yanks that came home to new york. callahan and trouba and fox in the last decade. they have there own salary cap to worry about long before they are even in the running

 

[Ziggdiezan]

View attachment 571132

Ooof!

For the rest of his life with Johnny Hockey being the key part i guess. No Johhny no Matthew

 

[thewave]

When I said sign a UFA contract I was including players we retained when they had the option to leave. All of Gardiner, JVR, Campbell have walked in the Shanahan era. I know the team was in no position to retain any of them. I disagree with the notion that the team has no problem retaining American talent because we haven't seen it yet besides Kessel.

Our team has a really big organizational flaw, a few really.

Losing decent assets for nothing, not having the foresight to sell high.
Signing old players to contracts that are overpriced and too long
The inability to develop a top 10 tender
The inability to formulate a team playing style / template that is followed for more than 5 years
Trading away D-men prematurely and at times, problems developing them as well

I think that covers it. Depending on the point this spans multiple decades.