Divine
Registered User
- Dec 18, 2010
- 20,351
- 14,885
Well that's fair but its 2 different questions. What is he worth in a new deal and is that smart for the cap implications.
Also the fact that they tried to trade him for a guy who will likely demand the same or more in a new deal shows they don't think the same as you do.
Who doesn't think the same as I do? I've been pushing for a Marner for Rantanen trade all season. The Leafs need to replace Marner for either a superstar goalscorer or depth. Rantanen is a 50 goal scorer who can pass and shows up in the playoffs. If you want to replace him with 1 player, he's one of the guys that you try.
There's a world of difference between Laine and Marner, and you're exagerating the optic. Laine has played at snail speed so far. Far from the same kind of performance Marner gives.
I also disagree about the 'worst team'. With their coming additions, like Demidov and Reinbacher, also with much cap space to make further additions, adding Marner would bring the Habs fairly close enough to what the Leafs are right now. Habs are up and coming and will only get better. They've had major progression in only 3 years, they're pacing to have progressed 30+ points in the standings in a very short rebuild, and that's without the additions of Demidov and Reinbacher, and young players who are just starting to have an impact like Hutson and Slaf.
Anyway, I don't see it as an impossibility. The money is there, the link with his agent is there, and it's a burgeoning roster.
Yes and there's a world of difference between salaries and expectations from players like Laine and Marner. You're not getting Marner at Laine's cap hit, he makes more than that already - so obviously the expectations will be higher than Laine in addition to the cap hit.
Montreal is factually a worse team than Toronto right now. You can argue their future is brighter but that's just a guess. Every rebuilding team claims their future is bright, including Buffalo saying they were better than Toronto for many years. Not all prospects and rebuilding teams reach their full potential, in fact, most don't.
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