Ferris isn't wrong on the Matthews deal. Its the most favorable 2nd contract handed out in recent memory. It bought one UFA year, and was frontloaded as hell. Its a significantly better deal for Auston than the McDavid contract barring he doesn't suffer a career ending injury and can cash in at UFA. No reason Marner shouldn't expect the same deal. It sucks and will be a serious issue in team construction, but you can't let a player like Marner walk, just assuming you'll get Panarin. Leafs should have paid up last summer before letting him have a full year with JT. At most you are giving him a Draisaitl deal then.
Look, for whatever reasons, we have a culture, where guys aren't going to take discounts to stay. Whether that is not liking playing for Babcock, not liking Toronto, bad negotiations by Dubas, or just what other players on the team make, etc this is the reality we are in.
Look, for whatever reasons, we have a culture, where guys aren't going to take discounts to stay. Whether that is not liking playing for Babcock, not liking Toronto, bad negotiations by Dubas, or just what other players on the team make, etc this is the reality we are in.