News Article: Friedman Article - Where did it go wrong with Marner

[Menzinger]

Why'd you leave out the did you read the article part?

Guessing you havent.

Article suggest it might not have been a Lou thing and the Leafs were planning on not giving them anyways to not impact their cap going forward.

While it leaves a degree of vagueness that part of the article definitely caught my eye.

Thr Willy not getting them either is also a thing that we often move too quickly passed.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Matthews was a 1st overall pick. You don't think he should have got the A bonuses just based on that alone?

Both should have gotten the bonuses like other top drafted prospects. But above all, they should have done the same with both. Such a self inflicted wound for no reason.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Marner got a better ovation during his welcome back video, compared to the Islanders fans who kept booing John Tavares, during his welcome back video.

Tavaras screwed the Islanders.

Marned did the Leafs a favour.

 

[The Shadow]

Tavaras screwed the Islanders.

Marned did the Leafs a favour.

I wonder if Tavares intended to sign there and the leafs made a pitch so hard to pass up that he just couldn’t say no.

Tavares was worth a ton of assets to a contender at that time

 

[notDatsyuk]

Yes I read the article. It says it's disputed, but also that Lou wouldn't allow them. It was a Lou thing, so I have no reason to think it wasn't a Lou thing here, but quite frankly, it doesn't matter. It was stupid to give it to one franchise-level prospect and not the other, and everybody here would be upset if it happened to them.

One of the franchise-level prospects who didn't get it didn't complain, but the other has whined about it for 10 years.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Both should have gotten the bonuses like other top drafted prospects. But above all, they should have done the same with both. Such a self inflicted wound for no reason.

They did the same with both the top drafted prospects who weren't first overall. One was ok with it, and the other has whined for years.

 

[Dekes For Days]

One of the franchise-level prospects who didn't get it didn't complain, but the other has whined about it for 10 years.

They did the same with both the top drafted prospects who weren't first overall. One was ok with it, and the other has whined for years.

Nylander wasn't a franchise level prospect, and was drafted lower, where not getting those bonuses was more common.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Nylander wasn't a franchise level prospect, and was drafted lower, where not getting those bonuses was more common.

Nylander was 8th overall in 2014, which is only four spots lower than Marner going 4th overall in 2015.

He was still a top 10 pick and your making it sound like the Leafs reached when they drafted him.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I wonder if Tavares intended to sign there and the leafs made a pitch so hard to pass up that he just couldn’t say no.

Tavares was worth a ton of assets to a contender at that time

I honestly think Garth Snow getting fired and being replaced by Lou Lamoriello might have been a factor for him.

I remember reading how Tavares and Snow were close, where as he had no previous working relationship with Lamoriello.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

The story is absolutely jaw dropping... I expected it to be an absolute puff piece, so kudos to Friedman for writing something that was no holds barred....

Being paid 11 million dollars a year to play a sport and spending even a second doom scrolling hate comments on social media is unhinge/insane behavior lol

As is STILL being bitter about the Elc bonuses..... It may have started as a legitimate issue (though convenient to note that it's not like he received less bonuses than Willy) but should have ended when he was made more than whole with that post ELC deal

Someone said that he didn't even reach the stats needed to get most of the bonus he is still crying over...so that's the whole Marner gang looking for disrespect around every corner. It's like being mad that you didn't get extra losing lottery tickets....madness I tell you, madness.

Would he have tried harder if he had the Schedule B bonus structure? If so, we had our problem in front of us all along.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Nylander was 8th overall in 2014, which is only four spots lower than Marner going 4th overall in 2015.

Which makes a difference for those bonuses. Marner as a prospect was also more similar to your average 1st/2nd overall, but that was a stacked year.

He was still a top 10 pick and your making it sound like the Leafs reached when they drafted him.

I don't know where you got the idea that we reached for him. He was a good pick.

 

[Gallagbi]

I don't know where you got the idea that we reached for him. He was a good pick.

I've heard Ritchie was the guy to grab

 

[centipede2233]

Matthews was a 1st overall pick. You don't think he should have got the A bonuses just based on that alone?

Let’s give shanahan with zero management experience $6 million a year for 11 years but let’s squabble over a couple million on the first ever 1st overall superstar player we drafted. Make it make sense MLSE

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Yes I read the article. It says it's disputed, but also that Lou wouldn't allow them. It was a Lou thing, so I have no reason to think it wasn't a Lou thing here, but quite frankly, it doesn't matter. It was stupid to give it to one franchise-level prospect and not the other, and everybody here would be upset if it happened to them.

We all probably would be for a bit...but not 9yrs later like Mitchy and the Crew. Especially since he wouldn't have been able to cash in on all of them because his stats weren't so hot until he played with JT.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Which makes a difference for those bonuses. Marner as a prospect was also more similar to your average 1st/2nd overall, but that was a stacked year.

Nylander was the #2 ranked European skater behind Kasperi Kapanen.

I also think the talk was he should have gone in the top 5. However Michael Dal Cole went 5th, Jake Virtanen went 6th, and Hayden Fleury went 7th.

Among the North American prospects they ranked 5th, 6th, and 9th,

I don't know where you got the idea that we reached for him. He was a good pick.

The way you specifically said Marner was 4th overall and Nylander going 8th overall.

 

[ToneDog]

We all probably would be for a bit...but not 9yrs later like Mitchy and the Crew. Especially since he wouldn't have been able to cash in on all of them because his stats weren't so hot until he played with JT.

The MoFo was made whole when he fleeced the Boy Wonder for $11mx6. Only a greedy puke would remain bitter after signing that deal. One of the many reasons that make him so unlikeable.

 

[647Hockey]

The story is absolutely jaw dropping... I expected it to be an absolute puff piece, so kudos to Friedman for writing something that was no holds barred....

Being paid 11 million dollars a year to play a sport and spending even a second doom scrolling hate comments on social media is unhinge/insane behavior lol

As is STILL being bitter about the Elc bonuses..... It may have started as a legitimate issue (though convenient to note that it's not like he received less bonuses than Willy) but should have ended when he was made more than whole with that post ELC deal

The guy is a big baby. Who knew MM acted like such a baby behind the scenes as per the article, but not surprising.

The guy is an emotional train wreck on and off the ice when the pressure is on.

He's one of those guys at the office when things are going great, he needs a pat on the back, whether it's literal or a bunch of "Good Job!" email replies. When things are going sour, he needs a group hug for attention or else he feels like crap and wants to hide in an office with the door closed.

The guy raked in tons of money with a big contract with the Leafs, he stuck around for around a decade and he still complains about draft bonuses.

So it shows he's one of those people if you knew him, he'd hold grudges remembering and doom tracking everything for decades with everyone he knows. On one hand, he hangs out with you and you think he's a buddy for a decade. You helped him get a job and he gets paid a lot of money now.

But then he keeps bringing up the time you were both at a bar in college and calls you cheap because he paid the tab one night. So if you know him as a friend, fam member or coworker, you better make sure you get along with the guy in perfect harmony or he'll bring up dumb shit from decades ago. And when he gets really mad or sad, you got to be ready for his emotional outbursts.

What a loser.

 

[ToneDog]

I've heard Ritchie was the guy to grab

Pasta is the steal of that draft. How did he fall into the Bruins lap at 25?

.513 career goals per game. That is slightly better than Draisaitl.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I've heard Ritchie was the guy to grab

The Maple Leafs should have listened to Nick Kypreos and made this trade.

 

[Dekes For Days]

We all probably would be for a bit...but not 9yrs later like Mitchy and the Crew. Especially since he wouldn't have been able to cash in on all of them because his stats weren't so hot until he played with JT.

I don't think it really matters how much he would have made. It's not about the money. It's about the disrespect of bullying Marner out of it based on the idea that it was a strict team policy and nobody would get it and it's about taking one for the team, only to flip flop a year later when the next guy came along. It's a slap in the face. I doubt it was on his mind much 9 years later, but it's not something you really forget. Especially when the disrespect continued.

The way you specifically said Marner was 4th overall and Nylander going 8th overall.

That has nothing to do with reaching for him. Marner was factually a 4th overall in a really strong draft, and Nylander was factually an 8th overall, and regardless of how you feel about them, that makes a difference for those bonuses.

 

[LeafsNation75]

That has nothing to do with reaching for him. Marner was factually a 4th overall in a really strong draft, and Nylander was factually an 8th overall, and regardless of how you feel about them, that makes a difference for those bonuses.

Please answer this question.

Why did Nylander not complain about getting the A bonuses, despite being a top 10 pick.

However, it's something Marner could not forget happening and holding a grudge about it, the whole time he played in Toronto.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Please answer this question. Why did Nylander not complain about getting the A bonuses, despite being a top 10 pick. However, it's something Marner could not forget happening and holding a grudge about it, the whole time he played in Toronto.

For like the 10th time, because an 8th overall pick not getting those bonuses wasn't particularly unusual, while a 4th overall pick - especially one of that calibre - not getting it was extremely unusual.

 

[647Hockey]

Please answer this question.

Why did Nylander not complain about getting the A bonuses, despite being a top 10 pick.

However, it's something Marner could not forget happening and holding a grudge about it, the whole time he played in Toronto.

Marner would get a lot less flak if he just knew how to handle the media and simply played better in the crucial playoff games. He didnt even have to track at 100 pt ratios like regular season because the rest of the core players dropped too. Simply just dont drop that much like he did, combined with his goofy game killing turnovers.

Nylander even held out for a big contract back in 2018 or 2019 and missed some games. And everyone at the time was ragging on it. And when he played, he even played like crap like a fatty who was out of shape.

Fast forward and nobody talks about it. Thats because WN (along with JT and AM) know how to handle the media calmly like robots. And WN is the most consistent playoff performer out of the core 4. And he got paid the least. So people give WN a break and dont keep bringing up his contract negotiation.

 

[Stephen]

While it leaves a degree of vagueness that part of the article definitely caught my eye.

Thr Willy not getting them either is also a thing that we often move too quickly passed.

Willie was also kept out of the Leafs lineup in his Year 18 season and part of his Year 19 season as well, going from the 2014 draft to 2015-16 before finding his full time employment with the Leafs. Adam Larsson was the 4th overall pick in 2011 and I believe the Devils didn't give him Schedule B bonuses either:

In fact, he refused to give them out while running the New Jersey Devils. He even got Adam Larsson, the No. 4 pick in 2011, to accept a contract without them – an extremely rare concession for someone selected so high.

Keeping Marner out of the NHL at 18 was also inconsequential in the sense that it was a tire fire tank season, it got them his "brother" Auston Matthews and paved the way for their debut season in 2016-17 which hit like Beatlemania. Marner also won a Memorial Cup that year, but man let's stay bitter. How do you also stay bitter at an organization that had also changed GM's twice between the one that you had the bonus issue with?

The Marner's are just shitty people for selectively remembering every inconvenience without remembering how those early days paved the way for such a massive pay day later on. If they want to hold a grudge I think this town is willing to oblige.

 

[647Hockey]

The Marner's are just shitty people for selectively remembering every inconvenience without remembering how those early days paved the way for such a massive pay day later on. If they want to hold a grudge I think this town is willing to oblige.

He's like that person at work everyone knows who complains about everything.

Everyone gets a company phone. IT gives a new employee say an iPhone 14 because it's under company contract and it freed up because someone left the company.

A few other new people get an iPhone 15 because there's no spares left so IT goes with the newest phones available by Bell for corporate lease.

After a bunch of years, the guy with the iPhone 14 gets upgraded to the latest one (whatever it is), got promoted a few times and makes a huge salary right up there with the other VPs.

He has a chat with the CEO how it's going and every year for a decade he keeps bringing up when he got hired he only got offered a used iPhone 14.