News Article: Mirtle: Maple Leafs Ownership Could Make Massive Changes if 'Really Disappointing First-Round Exit' Happens Again in the Playoffs

[ACC1224]

I have a feeling this week is going to go by very slowly.
Saturday can't come quick enough.

 

[Confucius]

There's choices. If Tre wants to allocate that money somewhere else he will go down that avenue to explore, especially if Marner's camp says this is my price tag for next extension and it doesnt work. If he wants to play it safe until JT expires, he can do that too. But if Leafs misfire again these playoffs, that will be 1 series win in 8 years. Sooner or later, gotta make some moves.

He has a NMC, we can’t trade him without his ok. He says I’m staying then at the end of his deal he walks we get nothing. As I said we have no choice in getting a return for him.

 

[nuck]

I think the stats pretty much show how much better McDavid is than our stars if he can make a lump of coal like Hyman into a diamond. Why couldn't MM and AM do that?

Not the same but AMs shot based metrics when with Domi and Bert are really stout. The idea that you need two drivers on a line is stupid. If your star is actually a star they perform with people that have some skills and go where they need them to be. Look at Pasta's regular line mates. I would like to think this is from Keefe learning as he goes rather than just something he fluked into and will walk away from and go back to the forward pairs he has continously tried to run in the past.

 

[ToneDog]

He has a NMC, we can’t trade him without his ok. He says I’m staying then at the end of his deal he walks we get nothing. As I said we have no choice in getting a return for him.

And he cannot get that 8th year so why not agree to be moved to a team that you might sign with on July 1, 2025 and sign for 8 years? All you are doing is pushing up your free agency and helping Leafs get something for you? He could pull a Tavares but Isles still wanted to sign him. If Leafs ask him to waive it is because they do not want to sign him.

 

[Confucius]

And he cannot get that 8th year so why not agree to be moved to a team that you might sign with on July 1, 2025 and sign for 8 years?

If he wants to stay and we don’t want him, why would he do us any favours? I think he could care less about an extra year, just look at Mathews…

 

[The Masters]

He has a NMC, we can’t trade him without his ok. He says I’m staying then at the end of his deal he walks we get nothing. As I said we have no choice in getting a return for him.

which is why i said Tre can explore this and see. Not the first time a player gets traded with a NMC. If the leafs bottom out, Tre has to explore his options here. Extension talks will start in the off-season. If the number is too much (and by all means necessary it likely will) that convo can start. We will have to see how they do in the playoffs

 

[nuck]

There's choices. If Tre wants to allocate that money somewhere else he will go down that avenue to explore, especially if Marner's camp says this is my price tag for next extension and it doesnt work. If he wants to play it safe until JT expires, he can do that too. But if Leafs misfire again these playoffs, that will be 1 series win in 8 years. Sooner or later, gotta make some moves.

Do you really think if he couldn't get a substantial enough return for Nylander and felt compelled to sign him to the monster deal he did, that he would consider Marner walking for zero? I don't see it. He basically gave Willie as good a deal as he could have gotten as a free agent without the work of going to market. Tre or maybe its the Prez who is determined to win with these guys, and they are comfortable overpaying if necessary. I am sure there is a number too big for the club to take but it seems pretty clear there will not be any hard ball so it will get done.

 

[ToneDog]

If he wants to stay and we don’t want him, why would he do us any favours? I think he could care less about an extra year, just look at Mathews…

Sure he could ride it out and walk but he can only sign for 7 years. If he wants the extra year, they will listen.

Do you really think if he couldn't get a substantial enough return for Nylander and felt compelled to sign him to the monster deal he did, that he would consider Marner walking for zero? I don't see it. He basically gave Willie as good a deal as he could have gotten as a free agent without the work of going to market. Tre or maybe its the Prez who is determined to win with these guys, and they are comfortable overpaying if necessary. I am sure there is a number too big for the club to take but it seems pretty clear there will not be any hard ball so it will get done.

The only way they ask him to waive is because somebody high decides they want to change. I can't see anybody at MLSEL having the balls to tell Tre to move Marner or any of the core. Gotta keep the paying customers entertained.

 

[keonsbitterness]

And he cannot get that 8th year so why not agree to be moved to a team that you might sign with on July 1, 2025 and sign for 8 years? All you are doing is pushing up your free agency and helping Leafs get something for you? He could pull a Tavares but Isles still wanted to sign him. If Leafs ask him to waive it is because they do not want to sign him.

He was fine with his current five-year deal, so why would he really care about eight vs seven? Matthews didn't.

 

[The Masters]

Do you really think if he couldn't get a substantial enough return for Nylander and felt compelled to sign him to the monster deal he did, that he would consider Marner walking for zero? I don't see it. He basically gave Willie as good a deal as he could have gotten as a free agent without the work of going to market. Tre or maybe its the Prez who is determined to win with these guys, and they are comfortable overpaying if necessary. I am sure there is a number too big for the club to take but it seems pretty clear there will not be any hard ball so it will get done.

Well then we are just going to spin our wheels here with a top heavy cap. If Tre just wants to play it safe and take JT's money and spread that around then sure he can do that but that's another year of waiting. If they had any playoff success, I'd say okay but they haven't. It can all change with a deep 24' run but if they don't these topics at least have to be explored.

 

[ACC1224]

If he wants to stay and we don’t want him, why would he do us any favours? I think he could care less about an extra year, just look at Mathews…

Yeah it's an easy bluff to call, 8th year would be very far down the list of wants.
For all we know after another season he may not even be dealing with Shanahan, Treliving and/or Keefe.

 

[ToneDog]

He was fine with his current five-year deal, so why would he really care about eight vs seven? Matthews didn't.

Excellent point. I am assuming he is looking for 8 years like Willie. If he is looking for a 4 or 5 year deal it will get dragged out IMO.

 

[ACC1224]

He was fine with his current five-year deal, so why would he really care about eight vs seven? Matthews didn't.

He did propose 8 initially (8 x 8.5) but Dubas declined. Marner then put up an excellent season and signed his current deal.
You're right though, 7 or 8 won't make much difference to him, certainly not enough to leave over.

 

[Dekes For Days]

He did propose 8 initially (8 x 8.5) but Dubas declined.

Except that never happened.

 

[Confucius]

which is why i said Tre can explore this and see. Not the first time a player gets traded with a NMC. If the leafs bottom out, Tre has to explore his options here. Extension talks will start in the off-season. If the number is too much (and by all means necessary it likely will) that convo can start. We will have to see how they do in the playoffs

lol, ok man for some reason you are disregarding Marner saying I don’t want to go. If that is the case won’t you agree we could get nothing and there is nothing we can do about it?

Excellent point. I am assuming he is looking for 8 years like Willie. If he is looking for a 4 or 5 year deal it will get dragged out IMO.

I think the only time 8 really comes in to play is at the end of a career. A 30 year old star player may think “I’m probably done by 37 but these guys are offering me top buck until 38.

 

[The Masters]

lol, ok man for some reason you are disregarding Marner saying I don’t want to go. If that is the case won’t you agree we could get nothing and there is nothing we can do about it?

I think the only time 8 really comes in to play is at the end of a career. A 30 year old star player may think “I’m probably done by 37 but these guys are offering me top buck until 38.

I'm not disregarding it - I clearly said Tre will have to explore his options - one being to work with Marner (or a another big $ number guy) if both see a breakup inevitable. Obviously if he says no they will have to wait. But I dont see how Tre lets it get to UFA for him to walk.. I'm not even a big Marner fan but that cant happen

 

[ACC1224]

I'm not disregarding it - I clearly said Tre will have to explore his options - one being to work with Marner (or a another big $ number guy) if both see a breakup inevitable. Obviously if he says no they will have to wait. But I dont see how Tre lets it get to UFA for him to walk.. I'm not even a big Marner fan but that cant happen

It's easy to see, he has no control over that.

 

[Confucius]

I'm not disregarding it - I clearly said Tre will have to explore his options - one being to work with Marner (or an another big $ number guy) if both see a breakup inevitable. Obviously if he says no they will have to wait. But I dont see how Tre lets it get to UFA for him to walk.. I'm not even a big Marner fan but that cant happen

Could be out of his hands, rinse and repeat. lol!

 

[nuck]

Well then we are just going to spin our wheels here with a top heavy cap. If Tre just wants to play it safe and take JT's money and spread that around then sure he can do that but that's another year of waiting. If they had any playoff success, I'd say okay but they haven't. It can all change with a deep 24' run but if they don't these topics at least have to be explored.

I am really disappointed that Tre laid down like this for Willie because it seems like the guy loves being a Leaf and didn't have any really interest in moving. They couldn't hold him to just the Pasta deal? I guess once BT had been through the Gaudreau and Tkachuk grinder he didn't have the stomach to risk it again. Its piss poor management because no other club is consistently getting greased by their players. I honestly thought it could change after Kyle left. What is their thinking? The weakness with Nylander will play out with Marner, bet on it.

However.... we do have to look at the big picture. If Matty plays like this every year (unlikely but possible) his deal is fine. If you are overpaying Willie by $1.5M that doesn't exactly break the bank on an $87.7M cap. Same will apply to Mitch. Its not great cap management to be the club that keeps setting the new salary standard but the two or three million they wasted isn't even 1 1/2 Kampf salaries and he might be dealable after his bonus is paid this summer.

 

[The Masters]

Could be out of his hands, rinse and repeat. lol!

he'll need to figure that out else we're just wasting years

I am really disappointed that Tre laid down like this for Willie because it seems like the guy loves being a Leaf and didn't have any really interest in moving. They couldn't hold him to just the Pasta deal? I guess once BT had been through the Gaudreau and Tkachuk grinder he didn't have the stomach to risk it again. Its piss poor management because no other club is consistently getting greased by their players. I honestly thought it could change after Kyle left. What is their thinking? The weakness with Nylander will play out with Marner, bet on it.

However.... we do have to look at the big picture. If Matty plays like this every year (unlikely but possible) his deal is fine. If you are overpaying Willie by $1.5M that doesn't exactly break the bank on an $87.7M cap. Same will apply to Mitch. Its not great cap management to be the club that keeps setting the new salary standard but the two or three million they wasted isn't even 1 1/2 Kampf salaries and he might be dealable after his bonus is paid this summer.

the problem with the NHL is all these NMC. NBA doesn't have them that's why teams have way more flexibility for trades

 

[Dale Gribble]

I don't have much faith in Ownership to make the changes needed for this team to win the Cup.

They've had about a decade to see what Shanahan could do, and while it's better than when he first came, we still don't win much in the playoffs.

The whole Dubas "firing" situation also should have been a red flag for Shanny, but he's still here.

Lastly, the amount of power some players seem to have with this team, along with Keefe and staff x's and o's are also a whole other problem.

Ed Rogers hasn't made much changes with the Blue Jays even though they haven't really done anything in a while. Bell just seems happy to make some money, and Tanenbaum is pretty much on the way out shortly anyways. So, while I would love to see change especially if the team is out in the first or second round, I just don't have faith the ownership group, even with Pelley will get it right.

 

[keonsbitterness]

He did propose 8 initially (8 x 8.5) but Dubas declined.

Terrible decision.

 

[freshwind]

I am trying to look at the situation a little differently .... let's say marner signs for 12 as an even number ... i then look at the 3 amigos as collectively being overpaid ... let's say 3-4'ish million between the 3 .... that equates to 1 bad contract on the books, definitely should not create an unsurmountable wall for a competent gm .... jt is, and has been the issue all along in looking at an unbalanced roster ...

either way, i hope they figure it out and we get to see some decent playoff hockey from this group

 

[nuck]

I am trying to look at the situation a little differently .... let's say marner signs for 12 as an even number ... i then look at the 3 amigos as collectively being overpaid ... let's say 3-4'ish million between the 3 .... that equates to 1 bad contract on the books, definitely should not create an unsurmountable wall for a competent gm .... jt is, and has been the issue all along in looking at an unbalanced roster ...

either way, i hope they figure it out and we get to see some decent playoff hockey from this group

^ Not that far away. I will say please MLSE fire Shanahan's ass the first excuse you get. He offers no value unless he completely recuses himself from operational decisions which a President actually can't do. But there is no wall this season. Beyond any management drama. a hot goalie, a healthy lineup, and Willie's stick waking up and these guys can do some damage.

 

[robertmac43]

They also could do the same thing again....