New GM, New Trades and Signings Thread

[Avilaj07]

I actually don't mind Matthews signing for 3 years. Gives us 4 years of him, and in 3 years we sign McDavid and trade Matthews prior to his final season and voila lol

 

[SprDaVE]

Terrible. 5 years is the bare minimum but still very disappointing. 3 years is appaling. It better come with serious AAV cuts. But it won't.

Just so disappointing that he's unwilling to commit to the franchise. The only star unwilling to do so and a shame the Leafs can't get him to sign 8 years.

 

[Jozay]

5 x 13 or less is fine by me.

Locks him through his prime, so its not that bad.

 

[SprDaVE]

5 x 13 or less is fine by me.

Locks him through his prime, so its not that bad.

I wouldn't go a penny over 12.5M but it's a 500k difference so whatever.

No cap savings, no max term. What a great deal.

 

[Legion34]

If he signed for 3 x 13. That would make his 8 year deal

8x12.15

That’s about fair really…..

Then he gets to sign at 30 to 37 on a projected 100 million ish cap.

I thought that was the most likely from the start

He signs…. Makes sure he breaks the all time goal record and then can decide.

If he signs for 3 years I don’t care. As long as we don’t lose him for nothing

 

[SprDaVE]

If he signed for 3 x 13. That would make his 8 year deal

8x12.15

That’s about fair really…..

Then he gets to sign at 30 to 37 on a projected 100 million ish cap.

I thought that was the most likely from the start

He signs…. Makes sure he breaks the all time goal record and then can decide.

If he signs for 3 years I don’t care. As long as we don’t lose him for nothing

Toronto is the only team that has to deal with this. It's so bizarre. Every other star signs for 8 years without even blinking. And if they have issues with their team, they ask for a trade and then sign with the new team.

Nothing about it makes any sense. It's all mental gymnastics.

 

[Legion34]

I wouldn't go a penny over 12.5M but it's a 500k difference so whatever.

No cap savings, no max term. What a great deal.

Do you wish we were not paying Tavares for the last 2 years of his deal right now?

5 years seems to be a bad idea for Matthews.

Sign at 32? He has a big injury history.

 

[Tony Romo]

Yeah 5x13 will make me puke. Of course the leafs get a franchise C and this dude just won’t sign for max term.

 

[Legion34]

Toronto is the only team that has to deal with this. It's so bizarre. Every other star signs for 8 years without even blinking. And if they have issues with their team, they ask for a trade and then sign with the new team.

Nothing about it makes any sense. It's all mental gymnastics.

1.) not the only? Like at all? Lots of players signed 3-5 years deals

Point. Tkachuk panarin. Nash staal crosby stamkos toews Kane Meier etc.

 

[SprDaVE]

Do you wish we were not paying Tavares for the last 2 years of his deal right now?

5 years seems to be a bad idea for Matthews.

Sign at 32? He has a big injury history.

What? This is a Franchise center and he should be here his entire career. If things change when he turns 32 years old, you deal with it. But right now there's no reason to keep maxing out his cap hit.

Players commit to their team all the time. The Leafs don't even know what to expect because their franchise center keeps wanting to up his cap hit every 3-5 years.

 

[SprDaVE]

1.) not the only? Like at all? Lots of players signed 3-5 years deals

Point. Tkachuk panarin. Nash staal crosby stamkos toews Kane Meier etc.

You might want to check their recent contracts.

ELC, bridge and then 8+ year contracts. All of them. The majority of them with cups and post-season success.

There was nothing wrong with the last Matthews contract based on a lot of things. There's zero reason to not go 8 years right now. It's terrible.

The guy wants his money and wants to earn even more in 3 or so years. We're gonna do this AGAIN in 3 years, maybe 5 if we're lucky. Meanwhile all the other teams get their star or franchise players locked up through their primes for 8 years without any worries.

The Leafs made the playoffs every season he's been around. They gave him everything he could really. And he doesn't want to commit. It's disappointing.

 

[kb]

1.) not the only? Like at all? Lots of players signed 3-5 years deals

Point. Tkachuk panarin. Nash staal crosby stamkos toews Kane Meier etc.

That are those players second deals, and almost all now have max term contracts for their 3rd.

This is Matthews 3rd contract.

 

[Americanadian]

What? This is a Franchise center and he should be here his entire career. If things change when he turns 32 years old, you deal with it. But right now there's no reason to keep maxing out his cap hit.

At least this way you can actually pick whether or not you want to sign him at 32. There's a very real chance that injuries catch up to him by that time and the Leafs elect to move on. I see upside from the Leafs perspective from going 5 years.

 

[Legion34]

What? This is a Franchise center and he should be here his entire career. If things change when he turns 32 years old, you deal with it. But right now there's no reason to keep maxing out his cap hit.

Players commit to their team all the time. The Leafs don't even know what to expect because their franchise center keeps wanting to up his cap hit every 3-5 years.

You can’t have it both ways.

The amount of times a player signs doesn’t actually effect anything. In fact.

Option A. He signed for 8 years out of RFA. What would have been fair for a 2 time rocket winner and mvp.
8x12? IF he signed for 11.634 x5 and 13 x3. It’s still 8 years.

It would be about that… which would be fair….. and we got a staggered cap out of it.

That’s what I was saying. Everyone was mad that he didn’t sign for 8 last time. Now yoj get your 8 years and will be in the exact spot you would be

2.) I would rather sign Matthews for lower cap hit from 27-31 and then trade him. We would all love to be out of Tavares last 2 years. Toews was a disaster. Lots of players

3.) the idea that this fanbase won’t want to kick him out of town eventually is silly. Remember sundin?


A 5 year deal favours us like crazy. He doesn’t have to be here for 20 years. I would trade him at 31 for sure myself.

That are those players second deals, and almost all now have max term contracts for their 3rd.

This is Matthews 3rd contract.

Why does it matter? Is there some record for number of deals?

Everyone wanted 8 years out of RFA.
If he gets 5 + 3 now you got it…

Why does that matter?

 

[justashadowof]

Terrible. 5 years is the bare minimum but still very disappointing. 3 years is appaling. It better come with serious AAV cuts. But it won't.

Just so disappointing that he's unwilling to commit to the franchise. The only star unwilling to do so and a shame the Leafs can't get him to sign 8 years.

3 years! He'll only get to play with McDavid for 1 season.

 

[SprDaVE]

At least this way you can actually pick whether or not you want to sign him at 32. There's a very real chance that injuries catch up to him by that time and the Leafs elect to move on. I see upside from the Leafs perspective from going 5 years.

There's a real chance he's also still a great player scoring 50+ goals. I really don't care to be so afraid of that stuff. Who knows. Why are other teams completely fine with locking up their star forwards for 8 years? Probably because both sides want to work through it and make it work through everything.

but yeah Matthews is the only franchise player in the league that wants 3-5 years. He has every right. I have every right to be frustrated about it and I am not impressed the Leafs can't get him to sign for 8 years.

You can’t have it both ways.

The amount of times a player signs doesn’t actually effect anything. In fact.

Option A. He signed for 8 years out of RFA. What would have been fair for a 2 time rocket winner and mvp.
8x12? IF he signed for 11.634 x5 and 13 x3. It’s still 8 years.

It would be about that… which would be fair….. and we got a staggered cap out of it.

That’s what I was saying. Everyone was mad that he didn’t sign for 8 last time. Now yoj get your 8 years and will be in the exact spot you would be

2.) I would rather sign Matthews for lower cap hit from 27-31 and then trade him. We would all love to be out of Tavares last 2 years. Toews was a disaster. Lots of players

3.) the idea that this fanbase won’t want to kick him out of town eventually is silly. Remember sundin?


A 5 year deal favours us like crazy. He doesn’t have to be here for 20 years. I would trade him at 31 for sure myself.



Why does it matter? Is there some record for number of deals?

Everyone wanted 8 years out of RFA.
If he gets 5 + 3 now you got it…

Why does that matter?

What? I just want the player to commit at max term. Like every other star player. There's nothing about wanting it both ways. Work out a fair deal today based on his previous season and accomplishments, and work towards a max contract with that. 8 years around 13M or whatever huge number. Every other star player understands this. But Matthews wants top dollar now and in 3 years. He has more money Sundin ever made in Toronto and he's not even 30 years old.

You're moving goal posts and playing mental gymnastics if you're making it like he technically signed 8 years by adding his 5 year deal plus the 3 year deal now. The cap hit will be vastly different. It doesn't work that way. The 5 year out of his ELC was fine and made sense. Now it doesn't.

You like that your franchise center would rather sign for 3-5 years without any sort of cap savings? That's your prerogative. I think it's complete bullshit and I'd be ready to trade him for even suggesting a 3 year contract.

 

[justashadowof]

The way Matthews fell during that "fight" with Stamkos you'd think he might've change his mind on maximum term contracts.

 

[Americanadian]

There's a real chance he's also still a great player scoring 50+ goals. I really don't care to be so afraid of that stuff. Who knows. Why are other teams completely fine with locking up their star forwards for 8 years? Probably because both sides want to work through it and make it work through everything.

but yeah Matthews is the only franchise player in the league that wants 3-5 years. He has every right. I have every right to be frustrated about it and I am not impressed the Leafs can't get him to sign for 8 years.

I don't disagree that it's disheartening that he is more concerned with maximizing his earnings than committing to the team. I do prefer, as a fan of the team, a 5 year deal and then walk away. The odds of Matthews being a top 5 player in the league from 32-35 (if he signed 8 years) are very low. His cap hit would probably still be top 5, I only see McDavid and Draisaitl passing him during that time frame.

 

[Legion34]

There's a real chance he's also still a great player scoring 50+ goals. I really don't care to be so afraid of that stuff. Who knows. Why are other teams completely fine with locking up their star forwards for 8 years? Probably because both sides want to work through it and make it work through everything.

but yeah Matthews is the only franchise player in the league that wants 3-5 years. He has every right. I have every right to be frustrated about it and I am not impressed the Leafs can't get him to sign for 8 years.



What? I just want the player to commit long-term and at max term. There's nothing about wanting it both ways. Work out a fair deal today based on his previous season and accomplishments, and work towards a max contract with that. Every other star player understands this. But Matthews wants top dollar now and in 3 years.

You like that your franchise center would rather commit 3-5 years without any sort of cap savings? That's your prerogative.

Did you want 2 time hart finalist and Olympian Tavares to sign for 7 years? You still want it? Are you so happy that a “franchise center” lcommitted?

You think toews 8 years was a good idea? How many players really age well after 32? Was he not a franchise C?

Matthews has had a bad wrist for like 3 years. I don’t think he will age well personally.

Marner I think will. Matthews is always hurt.

The idea is if he signs a 3-5 year deal he will take less. If he took 3x 15 it would be an issue.

 

[SprDaVE]

Did you want 2 time hart finalist and Olympian Tavares to sign for 7 years? You still want it? Are you so happy that a “franchise center” lcommitted?

You think toews 8 years was a good idea? How many players really age well after 32? Was he not a franchise C?

Matthews has had a bad wrist for like 3 years. I don’t think he will age well personally.

Marner I think will. Matthews is always hurt.

The idea is if he signs a 3-5 year deal he will take less. If he took 3x 15 it would be an issue.

Yes. I want Matthews for 8 years. This isn't about Tavares, so it's a weird argument but I am more than fine with Tavares through his 6th and 7th year yes. But Matthews could very well pull a Tavares as well and leave at the end of the year if he isn't happy. For every Tavares you have a Crosby or Ovechkin or Stamkos. Wanna guess what they have that Matthews hasn't come close to? And they were top end players at 32 years old.

3x13M is not taking less. That's asinine. That's the most expensive contract in the league. And we get to do it again in 4 years!!! So smart, so fun.

Insane the Leafs are even entertaining this. But I'm happy that you think it's a smart way of doing business. I'll leave it at that.

 

[justashadowof]

Yeah 5x13 will make me puke. Of course the leafs get a franchise C and this dude just won’t sign for max term.

The glass half full is that he'll be motivated to have great 4th and 5th years on that contract. It's not entirely a negative.

 

[Legion34]

I don't disagree that it's disheartening that he is more concerned with maximizing his earnings than committing to the team. I do prefer, as a fan of the team, a 5 year deal and then walk away. The odds of Matthews being a top 5 player in the league from 32-35 (if he signed 8 years) are very low. His cap hit would probably still be top 5, I only see McDavid and Draisaitl passing him during that time frame.

I agree with this. He has chronic wrist issues.

He had a bum wrist In 2019-2020. Showed up at the allstar game with a brace.

2020-2021. Couldn’t hold a stick for like 12 games and was hurt in the playoffs

2021-2022: wrist surgery

2022-2023: could barely shoot

I would love to have him until 32.

I can see him having a heatley/spezza/toews aging curve

 

[Legion34]

Yes. I want Matthews for 8 years. This isn't about Tavares, so it's a weird argument but I am more than fine with Tavares through his 6th and 7th year yes. But Matthews could very well pull a Tavares as well and leave at the end of the year if he isn't happy. For every Tavares you have a Crosby or Ovechkin or Stamkos.

3x13M is not taking less. That's asinine. That's the most expensive contract in the league. And we get to do it again in 3 years!!!

Insane. But I'm happy that you think it's a smart way of doing business. I'll leave it at that.

Yes. It is about Matthews. He has way more chronic issues than Tavares ever did. He has been in a brace for 3 years. Not good


You thinking that for every Tavares there is a crosby… just isn’t even remotely true. The vast majority of NHL players drop off a cliff at 30.

For every pavelski there are about 30 heatleys

I think 8 years at 12 million is fair for him. The idea that signing for 8 or 5+3 makes no difference.

I want to get his good years and trade him.

 

[baton elevated]

AM out, McD in works for me. So 3-5 years could be a godsend. We'll see who benefits from all this posturing in the end. I think it's a huge risk for AM's camp. He isn't the most elusive player by far and he is constantly getting tagged.

 

[Kiwi]

He signs for 3-5 years
Fine

But so help me God of we give him a massive long retirement contract afterwards i'm going to lose my mind

He wants to be ruthless and max out his value, ok but we better be just as ruthless when he doesn't have the leverage in his favor

Won't happen but I can dream I guess