You can't confidently say they can win a cup when this group still hasn't pushed through the first round. If the leafs fail to make the 2nd round over the next two years, Matthews is as good as gone. Why would he re-sign with a cap team who can't win a round when he can sign for more money and less taxes in his home state? Toronto can't risk losing him for nothing so he'll be traded before his last year starts should they choke again the next two years. Either he'll re-sign with his new team or he'll be a Coyote on July 1, 2024 (if they're still in Arizona). And the Yotes will be a better team with Matthews than Toronto will be without him.
Sorry for getting off track there, but this proposal doesn't make much sense.
I agree that I can't confidently say the Leafs will win a cup. But if Matthews future is hinging off of the ability to have team success, he's not going to go and sign with Arizona or Buffalo.
Arizona has made the playoffs once in the last 9 years, and they lost 4-1 in that one year they did make it.
Buffalo hasn't made the playoffs in 10 years.
The Leafs have made the playoffs 4 of the last 5 years.
All I'm saying is that if he's going to leave and go to Arizona, it won't be because he's tired of not winning with Toronto and because he thinks he will win with Arizona.
