I don't really care who turned down who and what the reasons why were. I'm just glad it didn't happen. It was a trap and I'm glad we didn't either fall for it/were spared from it. He might(?) be an 8.5 million player now, but he isn't trending up.
I think this source maybe Canadian as 14mil CAD is a more reasonable offer.
I don't buy this for a minute.
Even if Stamkos did actually ask for this much, that ask would have been player/agent-speak for "I don't want to play here, so don't bother."
A $14MM ask would have been insulting. I hadn't thought he's that kind of person.
That's exactly what makes it so plausible. Why would Stamkos want to give a discount to the league's worst team?
Seems like it's a good thing they passed up on him? Quite the difference in contract from what he signed
Or he'd rather take less money to play with a cup contender, if he was going to a brutal team like Toronto the only incentive they could've given him was money.
Anyone with a working brain would have told you that a Stamkos signing would have been pretty bad for Toronto, as he'd take up way too many resources that would be better left to your own stable of prospects. In 3 years, that 14 million could easily equal up to Matthews, Nylander, and Marner.
he was never leaving tampa
It's pretty clear he never got what he wanted from the open market and went back to the reported deal he was offered from the Lightning for weeks/months.
In 3 years, that 14 million could easily equal up to Matthews, Nylander, and Marner.
Or he'd rather take less money to play with a cup contender, if he was going to a brutal team like Toronto the only incentive they could've given him was money.
Seems like it's a good thing they passed up on him? Quite the difference in contract from what he signed
Not all that much for his bank account given the tax implications.
So why even bother with the BS then? If he didn't want to play in TO, just say so. If he wanted to return to Tampa...why wait so long? And as far as wanting to play for a contender, if you are looking for 14 million; you've pretty much killed the chance of your team being able to contend.