Speculation: Stamkos Ask from Toronto was 14M AAV

[DyerMaker66*]

this reeks of damage control spin

The number reported or the "we didn't even want him" people?

 

[Mad Brills*]

this reeks of damage control spin

Marek isn't a leafs employee.

 

[HisNoodliness]

So this gives us three plausible options:
Firstly and my personal opinion: this is BS and the Leafs are trying to save face after pushing "Stamkos coming home" so hard.
2) this is true and Stammer was only using the Leafs as a bargaining tool to try and drive up Tampa's/other's price which didn't end up working so he just signed his contract.
Finally: he genuinely thought he deserved that much but no one would give it to him so he figured 8.5 and a good shot at a cup is better than 11 and suffering for eternity.

 

[Paranoid Android]

Crazier things have happened, though I'm not sure I believe this

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Just lol if you think the Leafs passed on him. He passed on the Leafs.

100% in agreement with this. Just a ridiculous number that I place no faith in at all and just media spin.

 

[sansabri]

No idea how credible this tweet is, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit. It's as if some people like to forget that hockey is a business and players (along with the NHLPA) look to get paid the most.

 

[Beezeral]

Marek isn't a leafs employee.

who said he was? but he got the info from somewhere and it seems like this number came from the leafs camp. Stamkos has no reason to put that number out there

 

[Sundinisagod]

this reeks of damage control spin

What damage? The interest level dropped a ton when the Leafs won the draft lottery. It would have been gravy to get Stamkos, but nobody here is crying about him staying in Tampa.

 

[Love]

Of course he asked for 14m, its another way of Stamkos saying: "I don't want to play in Toronto, but if you're willing to pay me 5m above market value then sure."

 

[GoJetsGo55]

I'll remember this next time someone says that Winnipeg has to overpay to lure in UFA's

 

[The List Of Jericho]

Seems like it's a good thing they passed up on him? Quite the difference in contract from what he signed

Glad you stayed home in Tampa Steven, you're drunk.

 

[Vipers31]

Taxes are only part of the equation. How much more would he make in endorsements playing for a Canadian team in the richest city in Canada?

His agent probably has somewhat of an idea how much more. It's not like his name isn't already highly sought after for endorsements. It's a tough thing to speculate on from the outside.

 

[The List Of Jericho]

Tampa in 5 years will still be better than Toronto. It was a smart play by Stamkos that he came back regardless of the money offered by Toronto. Yzerman building a dynasty and Stammer knows it.

I'll take that bet...

 

[Liferleafer]

Because he doesn't have to say anything and that's not BS.

He wanted to see what other teams would offer.

Offering a certain player too much money isn't the player killing a team, it's the GM.

Except according to the OP, 14 million was the "ask" from Stamkos' camp...not the "offer" from TO.

 

[BLONG7]

That never happened...
The Number never happened...

And Toronto was never close to signing Stamkos...

Sounds kinda like Nick Kypreos kind of stuff, eh....let's throw a number out there, and get people talking about it..............again!!

 

[Liferleafer]

who said he was? but he got the info from somewhere and it seems like this number came from the leafs camp. Stamkos has no reason to put that number out there

Since Stamkos resigned, the TO media hasn't mentioned him, why would TO need to release anything? Nobody around here is asking why we didn't get him...Hell, most of us are happy we didn't.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Except according to the OP, 14 million was the "ask" from Stamkos' camp...not the "offer" from TO.

Which he has every right to do, so what's the problem again? That he's not playing in Toronto for 5 mil a season?

 

[AINEC*]

Lmao this is kind of sad. Fans get more worked up over this than the players and GMs themselves.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Hometown discount.

Tampa is his home now.

 

[DyerMaker66*]

Since Stamkos resigned, the TO media hasn't mentioned him, why would TO need to release anything? Nobody around here is asking why we didn't get him...Hell, most of us are happy we didn't.

Pure gold.

12 months of "we're getting Stamkos" followed by a Summer of " Most us are happy he didn't sign". Never change, T-Dot.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Seems like it's a good thing they passed up on him? Quite the difference in contract from what he signed

So Stamkos supposedly wanted $5.5 million more to play in his hometown of Toronto then what he accepted from Tampa to play on a cup winning team. Sounds logical.

 

[WannabeFinn]

yeah Toronto "passed" on him when he was never actually a free agent

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I'll remember this next time someone says that Winnipeg has to overpay to lure in UFA's

I thought Edmonton was the one that had to overpay to lure UFA's

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Hometown discount.

Tampa definitely got one, Considering what Stamkos could've gotten on the open market.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

That never happened...
The Number never happened...

And Toronto was never close to signing Stamkos...

Totally agree with this, Stamkos was going to sign with Tampa all along. He was only seeing what the interest was. But for a chance to win the cup right now his only option was staying in Tampa.