Confirmed with Link: Tavares to Toronto (7 years, $11M AAV)

[Skin Tape Session]

Im thinking that brown/kapanen will get traded now for a D. Possibly tanev.

Id trade brown personally.

i wouldnt, his contract is good

 

[Leafsdude7]

Style-wise I think Nylander with JT and Marner with matthews is a better bet.

Nylander and Matthews have played together for forever. I doubt Nylander plays with Tavares and Marner plays with Matthews. Honestly, though a lot of speculation is that part of the pitch to get him was that Tavares would play with Marner, I wouldn't be surprised to see the following:

Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Tavares-Kapanen
Johnsson-Kadri-Marner

Kadri and Marner played well together down the stretch last year, and Kapanen gets to play with two veterans to shield him for his first full season. As well, Babs can still move Nylander and Brown in and out for each other when that line is struggling a bit, which he does a lot.

Really, though, it doesn't matter much what the line combos are, because even the most absurd set of lines you could think of would be insane.

Im thinking that brown/kapanen will get traded now for a D. Possibly tanev.

Id trade brown personally.

I'm with people that say you keep the forward core together as long as you can and let the defense work itself out in the system, especially now that Doughty is locked up long-term. Just get rid of Gardiner for some bags of pucks and give Dermott, Rosen, Holl and Borgman the chance to show they belong.

 

[thunder16]

im hard

The New Fantastic Four

 

[nuck]

I think this means Matthews gets the same AAV - $11M. If Marner has a monster year which is definitely possible he'll want $10M and accept $9M so he can remain a Leaf. Nylander's out of luck.

Nobody gets that kind of money on on an RFA deal. 10.5 for AM and 6.5-
7.0 for Marner.

 

[Strangle]

I had to log in to celebrate!

 

[BallardEra]

GRAMPS IS A LEGEND!!!!

Is that 91 clapping emojis?

 

[The Best Leafs Ever]

I think it all starts with Tim and the 2013 melt down...

Listen to this interview when he hired Brendan

Tim Leiweke on hiring Brendan Shanahan as Leafs president - Sportsnet.ca

Amazing where we are now

Lieweke tree keeps on giving fruits, and not just for Leafs. You look at success of Raptors, TFC it’s all thanks to big TL. I don't know what kind of picture he showed to the MLSE but they bought into everything he had to say and offer and they bought in big. Only if his dream wasn’t bigger than MLSE president he would be recognized as god right now.

Toronto sports clubs and fans owe him big time.

 

[Daisy Jane]

the best part is Brian Burke is probably hating his life right now

as he should.
ironically, took Toronto 9 years to get the guy.

honestly, I can't believe that Toronto signed Tavares. (I don't want to go too much in depth, i'm going to write something for Hawkey Intangibles for this), but this is massive.

I don't blame Islanders fans for being mad - people are still pissed off that Sundin didn't allow himself to get traded to better the franchise. But like I said with Mats. (and i'm going to say about John) - I don't think either of them were screwing the franchise over. I do believe (for both) they wanted to stay with the team that was home. I also don't think it's their prerogative to let themselves get traded. (practically, I don't get why they don't want to - go off, and win somewhere, said the same thing about the Sedin twins and Doan and even Iggy - who got traded too late).

I don't think JT was tone deaf either .i think he can be sad (about leaving) but ecstatic about the new chapter. it's like graduation. you're sad about leaving life as you know it for years but you're also excited about the new chapter..

what i also love is that JT took less money to play here. I think especially because Mo + Kadri did that too, it should really trigger with Will, Auston and Mitch that if they take less - it's for the best, and it's not like they waste the money on poo players. they go get Tavares's

 

[Pinto]

The New Fantastic Four

Love it! Bye bye big 3...

 

[LilySmoov]

Does anyone know the timing of the Leaf presser? (Assuming we're having one today)

 

[Skin Tape Session]

TWO FRANCHISE CENTERS!!!!!!!

 

[dougieg93]

Yeah don't post in the Islanders board - let them grieve in peace. I can't fathom what they are going through - I don't think it's the same situation as Sundin - It's as if Sundin didn't sign that contract in 98 .

Definitely looking ahead to Matthews UFA, and McDavid

 

[Popeye7735]

The pressure is now on Babcock. If we don't go deep in the playoffs with this roster (like winnig a conference championship or two as the minimum), he should be replaced.

 

[Trapper]

TWO FRANCHISE CENTERS!!!!!!!

2 Ha Ha Ha!
Count with me children!

 

[taurine330]

Im thinking that brown/kapanen will get traded now for a D. Possibly tanev.

Id trade brown personally.

I now some guys love Brown to death. But I saw Kapanen score that overtime game winning goal in WJHC. The guy is a glutch. I'd much rather trade Brown at this point.

 

[david999]

A great day, truly a great day

 

[BackPassChampions]

NYI fans are pathetic. Not all, but all the negative ones, and just flat out being unreasonable about the situation. It's sad really. Their board is going way over board.

 

[Daisy Jane]

So now we know the Leafs pitch wasn’t “why should you come to Toronto” it was “why you should take a discount to come to Toronto”

The implications on MNM could be big cap savings - seeing JT come and take a cut like that.

TAVARES-MARNER IS GONNA HAPPEN!

now Matty will be sad LOL

 

[Machinehead]

Hope you guys go on and win it now.

 

[BallardEra]

Boys and gals, just wanted to say that I FINALLY saw my Caps win a Cup. Now things are alligning for the Leafs to do likewise. I always said that I'd NEVER see my Caps and Leafs win a Cup.

Guess what? One down and one to go!

Gonna steal a Soc here...

GO LEAFS GO!!!

 

[TimeZone]

You don't like EK? We have the cap to rent him.

Of course I like EK, but let's be realistic here...EK is certainly not being traded to a divisional rival.

 

[Borschevsky]

We'd probably act the same way if we lost Matthews

But it's our time to be happy so who cares now

 

[Mikeyg]

We went from bozo 1C to 2 franchise 1c’s in three years....

 

[Mickey Marner]

After watching Nylander dominate with a play making center like Backstrom at the worlds, I'm with the Tavares-Nylander pairing.

Matthews had first dibs on Marner anyways.

Eh, Tavares is a fairly goal-heavy center. Not quite Matthews-level, but around where Sundin was. I expect Matthews-Nylander; Tavares-Marner. With Tavares taking JVR's PP1 spot.

 

[danron1376]

sad but what are the chances marleau goes to robidas island in 2 years to make cap room?