Return for Matthews in a trade

[baton elevated]

AM may not have the leverage he and some of the fans think he has after all. There aren't many teams out there that can take on his salary. The ones that can are bottom feeders and don't have a good shot at the cup. Therefore not as appealing to him. Leafland is really his best option so negotiate a sensible contract and everybody is happy.
LA maybe the only team that can do it. Other teams that he may want to go to won't give up the assets to obtain him or they will end up in the same situation as the leafs.
Marquee cities (LA, NY) however do like their superstars even if the team doesn't win.
Fox, Krieder and one of the youngsters (Kakko, Lafrienere) will do. Although I do like Zbad. Unfortunately the Rags won't go for any of that.

 

[Trapper]

If he "bites", they hired the wrong person.

The Leafs have to remember that Marner is going to want what Matthews gets so...

They can't feed both these pigs because the money they save once JT's contract ends is needed to better the team, NOT give Matthews and Marner a raise.

As I posted after they lost to Florida...

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That’s the problem, you’re not just making Matthews the highest player. The other guy is going to want equal or more.

 

[WillNy29]

I bet you that he won't become the highest paid player when his deal in Edmonton is up. I think if he has not won by that point and doesn't see winning in his future there...he leaves and also leaves money on the table to go somewhere to win. He knows his legacy will be tarnished by being one of the very few superstars never to win a cup and will not be grabbing every dime out there like our guys do. He even said this year that every dollar more that he makes takes away from the teams ability to ice a better team. Haven't heard that from our "group" yet...nor will I be expecting it.

lol he will be the highest paid player...like he was the last time the cycle ran. The PA will make sure of it

 

[koyvoo]

Matthews is a cancer and needs to be gone. And if his buddy Mitchy doesn't get the message after that, he should be next.

This is harsh. A team cancer is someone who doesn’t get along with teammates, makes things around the team stressful, a high maintenance individual, always causing drama.

It’s definitely unfair to label Matthews as such. He’s simply a guy who doesn’t care about winning as much as some other pro athletes.

Some players play playoff hockey as if their mothers lives were on the line, or as if they were playing with every penny they’ve every earned on the line, without those things actually being on the line.

If Matthews actually had to play the post season with every penny he’s ever earned on the line rather than just have my his team advance ie be eliminated n the line, you’d see much, much different production from him.

That’s damning enough, but not a cancer to the team.

 

[Trapper]

If you are trading Matthews, blow it up.

This is why I would start with Marner. It’s not a blow up and I would bring guys in who play an harder game around Matthews.

 

[ToneDog]

This is why I would start with Marner. It’s not a blow up and I would bring guys in who play an harder game around Matthews.

That is my thinking. Marner with the larger cap hit should be the first to go. I'd go further and also move Willie if I could. This team needs a heart transplant.

 

[ShaneFalco]

This is why I would start with Marner. It’s not a blow up and I would bring guys in who play an harder game around Matthews.

Agreed

 

[Trapper]

That is my thinking. Marner with the larger cap hit should be the first to go. I'd go further and also move Willie if I could. This team needs a heart transplant.

Start a rebuild/retool around Matthews and Knies.
For the price if Marner, you could get a Kempe (we’ve discussed this) and a 2nd line C to move Tavares to wing.

Knies (ELC) - Matthews (13) - Kempe (5.5)
Tavares (11) - C (5-6) - Nylander (6.9 this year)

When Tavares contract expires you have more flexibility (2 years) and when Kempe is up in 3, you can decide between Nylander and Kempe.

Rebuild the D. Bigger, faster, mobile.
Improve the depth. Harder to play against.

Woll + Samsonov (or a trade) for platoon duties.

 

[ACC1224]

Matthews and Marner are untouchable for me. Only way they potentially are moved is if they won't re-sign.
I believe the Team sees it the same way.

 

[ToneDog]

Matthews and Marner are untouchable for me. Only way they potentially are moved is if they won't re-sign.
I believe the Team sees it the same way.

Agree and why we will never win with these two guys as the alpha dogs making the money they do and not being able to play playoff hockey IMO.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Matty at 12.6M or under and most everyone can buy into his role as a 1C who is great in regular season and likely does not care enough about winning in playoffs .. if he is top dog in NHL on pay then all he is doing is continuing to make it next to impossible for our team to WIN a Cup .. I think da leafs have made it clear to him .. he ultimately will have a choice to make .. hope he stays .. and i think he will

 

[mydnyte]

7 points in six games, including a four-goal game. I think I'd be pretty good with that MIA player.

He is 100% MIA in his own zone, which is one of the main reasons Oil lost.
Drais is great at offense, but, worse defensively than JT and maybe a lot worse, or just lazier in that aspect.
in those 6 games he was a Minus 5

Eichel at $10M for 8 years. Is he $3M-$4M lesser of a player than AM?
AM don't be greedy, it's not a good look on people. Make your money in other ways not on the back of your teammates
Do your commercials, buy some bitcoin whatever but understand we can't improve this team without you and the other two making some compromises.
If unwilling then we know the true character of the lot of you.

you cant compare salaries signed a few years ago ...what was the cap % at time of signing? that is a proper indication of value vs todays market

 

[mydnyte]

Drai career playoff points per 82 = 127
career playoff goals per 82= 51

Matthews ppg/82= (lol) 72
Matthews pgp/82= (lol) 36

Matthews is a 7 million dollar player in the post season eating up 11.6 of our cap. Wants to be paid as the best player in the word. He’s a PROBLEM.

right, and let Matthews play on McD's wing on the PP ...and he'd be an 80 goal scorer.

on the Oil, the oppo defense is all focused on McD, and Drais has free reign... this is why every time they split the pair up they dont do as well and they move em back together, and also why the vast majority of their goals are all PP

 

[Peace Frog]

We don’t know what is going on in the heads of Matthews, Marner, Willy or anyone else on the team for that matter. We can only go on what they show us on the ice or in their interviews.

None of the three players mentioned above seem to have any bite or warrior mentality needed to be successful in the playoffs.

We don’t really know what is being said in their contract negotiations, and we need to be careful when listening to what the media speculates.

I’m sure all of these players have a burning desire to win, but it doesn’t seem like they have a burning desire to do whatever it takes to win.

When it’s all said and done though, it really comes down to one thing. What is best for the team! Re-signing these guys to bloated contracts just to keep them here, doesn’t seem like the best strategy, imo.

Trading them for solid returns and spreading the wealth around, making this more of a well balanced TEAM, makes a lot more sense to me.

 

[mydnyte]

Vegas won’t take him…….why would they mess up a well balanced team

Vegas are cutthroat!! ...they will sign any high end player, and sacrifice their last addition to do so.
Fleury was face of the franchise and their top ambasador, and they see another goalie they think may be better, and boom, bye bye, flower.
same when they signed Stone, then Pietro, and then Eichel. ...nobody on their roster is safe, and that is a good model to build a successful team.
just look at their turnover, they are all business, and dont have any loyalty to any player.
If they could get Matthews for example, they would dump Stone + in a second to free the cap space.

 

[Niagara Bill]

There are only a handful of equal players to trade even up. So it must be 2 for 1...not a draft pick, winning now is essential. Not a maybe 19 yr old. Not an older version like JT,
But, we will gain in the room when he leaves.
There is a reason Keefe, Dubas, Shanny believed he could not be a captain and leader.

 

[ToneDog]

Vegas are cutthroat!! ...they will sign any high end player, and sacrifice their last addition to do so.
Fleury was face of the franchise and their top ambasador, and they see another goalie they think may be better, and boom, bye bye, flower.
same when they signed Stone, then Pietro, and then Eichel. ...nobody on their roster is safe, and that is a good model to build a successful team.
just look at their turnover, they are all business, and dont have any loyalty to any player.
If they could get Matthews for example, they would dump Stone + in a second to free the cap space.

Missed the playoffs last year. Fired their coach. Thought about firing their GM. Hired Cassidy. Came into the year with questionable goaltending. Made minimal changes and are about to hoist the Cup. Everything went their way this year but they know what they are doing, unlike the organization closer to our hearts.

 

[mydnyte]

Missed the playoffs last year. Fired their coach. Thought about firing their GM. Hired Cassidy. Came into the year with questionable goaltending. Made minimal changes and are about to hoist the Cup. Everything went their way this year but they know what they are doing, unlike the organization closer to our hearts.

we had a good shot to land Pietro ...do you think maybe we could have won a series or more with him as our #1D ...our GM didnt have the guts to move anyone to clear the space.
thats the difference between winning a losing.

There are only a handful of equal players to trade even up. So it must be 2 for 1...not a draft pick, winning now is essential. Not a maybe 19 yr old. Not an older version like JT,
But, we will gain in the room when he leaves.
There is a reason Keefe, Dubas, Shanny believed he could not be a captain and leader.

there is zero proof to what you are saying, they just Signed JT and posted him in his Leafs PJ's ...it may have even been part of the deal to make him the Captain.
I am also of the mindset that you dont give the C to a 2nd year player either, best player or not.
Captain used to be the teams leader, not the 'best' player

 

[ToneDog]

we had a good shot to land Pietro ...do you think maybe we could have won a series or more with him as our #1D ...our GM didnt have the guts to move anyone to clear the space.
thats the difference between winning a losing.

Petro probably gave us a better chance and he is a character player. He took 8.8m AAV and that was probably below market value given what other dmen subsequently got. Yeah, Dubas did not have the stones. Pretty sure Petro would have come home if the Leafs could have come close to what he got from Vegas.

 

[mydnyte]

Petro probably gave us a better chance and he is a character player. He took 8.8m AAV and that was probably below market value given what other dmen subsequently got. Yeah, Dubas did not have the stones. Pretty sure Petro would have come home if the Leafs could have come close to what he got from Vegas.

i remember watching that draft, and the leafs had to shuffle their Pietrangelo jersey from under the table to their Schenn jersey

 

[Leafsfan74]

If Treliving gets burned again by a player who walks for nothing, he wlll go down as one of the worst GMs in recent memory. Shanny the worst at choosing them.

Leafs have to get returns. Marner at min. has to go. Matthews has to decide "another couple of sports cars and interest from the bank, or, a chance at a Cup. This heavy top cap method simply doesn't work,.this isn't the NBA, you need a deep, balanced lineup to wn a Cup.

Petro probably gave us a better chance and he is a character player. He took 8.8m AAV and that was probably below market value given what other dmen subsequently got. Yeah, Dubas did not have the stones. Pretty sure Petro would have come home if the Leafs could have come close to what he got from Vegas.

Man I made a plea for him on here. I don't know if Dubas ever coinsidered it, but, we would be in a far beter place with a legit #1.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

right, and let Matthews play on McD's wing on the PP ...and he'd be an 80 goal scorer.

on the Oil, the oppo defense is all focused on McD, and Drais has free reign... this is why every time they split the pair up they dont do as well and they move em back together, and also why the vast majority of their goals are all PP

Check out career playoff ppg/gpg of every player at the Matthews "tier". MacKinnon, Kucherov, McDavid, Drai. They have ELITE numbers. Not 7 million dollar player numbers with a boatload of bullshit excuses.

There's only ONE "top 5" player that needs endless bullshit excuses instead of cold hard facts. And that's Matthews.

And now he wants to be paid as the best player in the world.

I'm sick of this nonsense. SICK of it.

 

[rumman]

That is my thinking. Marner with the larger cap hit should be the first to go. I'd go further and also move Willie if I could. This team needs a heart transplant.

Like Meatloaf sang, two out three ain’t bad………

 

[rumman]

Matthews and Marner are untouchable for me. Only way they potentially are moved is if they won't re-sign.
I believe the Team sees it the same way.

Even if there are deals out there that make the team better, your not trading 34 or 16? I don’t understand how someone like you who supports the team (obviously you got seasons tickets) is a passionate fan of the team wouldn’t consider any and all options to get the team to the next step………..

Missed the playoffs last year. Fired their coach. Thought about firing their GM. Hired Cassidy. Came into the year with questionable goaltending. Made minimal changes and are about to hoist the Cup. Everything went their way this year but they know what they are doing, unlike the organization closer to our hearts.

Exactly…….

 

[Niagara Bill]

we had a good shot to land Pietro ...do you think maybe we could have won a series or more with him as our #1D ...our GM didnt have the guts to move anyone to clear the space.
thats the difference between winning a losing.


there is zero proof to what you are saying, they just Signed JT and posted him in his Leafs PJ's ...it may have even been part of the deal to make him the Captain.
I am also of the mindset that you dont give the C to a 2nd year player either, best player or not.
Captain used to be the teams leader, not the 'best' player

There is proof he is not captain, yr 5. Yr 6. He is not a leader, see playoff results, see emotions or lack there of. See slump after O'Reilly was picked up to add character toughness and effort because his feelings were hurt.
He ran and hid from the challenge at year end.
I know this is opinion, but if last season is his standard, time he goes.