PromisedLand
I need more FOOD
The 3rd screw up would be caving into insane Marner's 11.5 million demands. The somewhere between Aho and Kucherov contacts is where Marner should fall anything more is a screw up. If Nylander's contract is deemed an over pay he should be traded but not so you can over pay market value on Marner. Matthews is a hope and pray situation that he lives up to the money and doesn't walk at the end of his contract. You don't trade franchise centres even if they are over paid. High scoring wingers are dime a dozen you can survive trading then ie. Kessel.
That would be absolutely stupid by dubas to give marner 11.5 AAV contract; he already screwed up matthews' contract and ruined one full year of nylander by taking negotiations till dec. 1st and has already traded two first round picks for a first round exit.
If Matthews had been given the same AAV for 8 years nobody here would have been complaining; given Matthews is a center and they have to help down low more than the wingers; Marner at 9 to 9.5 AAV for 8 years would have been fine.
Dubas screwed up Matthews term; Leafs just cannot afford to have Nylander, Matthws and Marner as UFAs at the same time. Marner has to be a 6 year term or a 3 year bridge.
P.S. Kessel deal of retaining 1.2 AAV is biting the leafs on their ass well. Guess you made that call?