I think the main reason Tavares has been the 2C, and has been allowed to play with either Marner or Nylander, is Dubas' need to try to justify the contract.
Yeah it's true, that's the rep the team has, and it's well deserved. And that's why Matthews is the most annoying, it's his team so if he threw his weight around every now and then and did something other than laugh when things get physical, the rest might follow. But no, keep laughing all the way to the bank.
Maybe there's a 4th scenario - even though they don't want to pay Willie more than 9.5, they eventually cave, figuring that overpaying him by .5 million is better than letting him walk. I could see this happening next summer when I wouldn't be surprised to see some other team offer even more than 10 depending on how he plays this season. Some other team offers say 10.8x7, Willie signs here instead for 10 and he some options when it comes to the term.
I think you are overlooking the most obvious and likely outcome: Nylander signs with Toronto for between $9 and $9.5 million per season, and the team's cap situation will be fine because they have plenty of cap space opening up moving forward. Marner will likely get a minimal raise like Matthews, and Tavares will probably resign at close to half of his current AAV, if not less.
The best option is to bump JT upstairs as soon as his current contract expires. He gets to retire as a Leaf, the 'C' goes to Matthews or Rielly, and we have $11M (less what Marner takes) to improve the depth.
I don't think the "can't perform" comment is accurate. For their careers, Toronto's core players are nearly all point per game playoff performers. The notion that they don't perform in high-stress situations really isn't true. There have certainly been some games where individually and as a group they haven't looked good, but that is true of any player or team in any sport. Winning requires that a million different unpredictable variables fall your way. Just because it doesn't happen one year or for five years doesn't mean it won't happen. A team has to put itself in the best position to have those variables fall its way, and the only consistent truth in team sports is that the best way to do that it to amass the most talent possible.
We saw Tavares start last playoff without either on his wing. Its also how he played out the stretch that year.
There's also the increase in cap to add in, but I agree we're still not in great shape, even if we limit Marner's new contact to 12, which is probably still a bit of overpayment.
The seven year comment may be factual, but it has no context. The first 3 of those years the Leafs were very big underdogs in each first round series. I think the only two disappointing series that anyone can realistically point to are Columbus and Montreal, and truth be told in the former the two teams were more evenly matched than most fans gave Columbus credit for at the time.
I absolutely agree about the cap. I've never been one of those people who claims the flat cap during Covid hurt only us, or that the increases since will solve all our problems.
I don't question that Toronto may have overpaid on the initial RFA contracts, but at the same time there is no value in cutting off your nose to spite your face - i.e., trying to fix what you perceive as a prior mistake by making another one (trading one of these guys for inadequate value) wouldn't be helpful. If you can trade any player in the league for good value and it makes your team better, no one could argue with that approach. The problem I see here is that getting equal or better value for one of these guys would be difficult, and Treliving has already seen how that worked out with Tkachuk (Huberdeau will no doubt score more points this season, but he is a far inferior player to Tkachuk, and the value is still skewed even taking Weegar into consideration).
Do you just pull those facts out of your ass
He mostly played with 3rd liners and had 5p in 3 games last time. Got 37p in 21g total with team Sweden. 1.8ppg. Way better then with Leafs.
I actually expect him to be good at defence. A little more effort, a little more focus and a little more consistency in his own end and he’d be fine. For anyone with his physical gifts and skill set, it’s not too much to ask.
He is not asked to. But he probably could and maby it would give u more defensive minded and skilled Nylander overall?
His stats have been a bit above replacement level on the pk. Where he falls short is 5x5. And he falls really short. Last year he was worse than his dismal 3 year average. He can begin by not blowing the zone. Willy is good offensively. Lets not make him into something he isn't. A little more effort isn't going to cut it.
No - I watched the games.
Absolutely. Unfortunately Dubas left us in a position where we can't trade either of the two we should for two more years.
