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

[Peiskos]

Vision and confidence. Same thing happened in Detroit. Guys wanted to play there because it was a championship culture.

More guys will be wanting to come back. The next decade will be special in Toronto. Buckle up

I agree Toronto appears to be becoming an attractive place for free agents again, shame Doughty didn't feel the same way as Tavares. Imagine Doughty on this team..

 

[LeafFever]

I agree Toronto appears to be becoming an attractive place for free agents again, shame Doughty didn't feel the same way as Tavares. Imagine Doughty on this team..

Doughty has been in a very good situation. If Tavares won a couple of cups and was in sunny LA he might not have ever thought of leaving.

 

[Walshy7]

more importantly the guy on reddit who chatted to babcock while they were both pissing looks like a legit source now.

 

[Walshy7]

Doughty has been in a very good situation. If Tavares won a couple of cups and was in sunny LA he might not have ever thought of leaving.

if he had won a couple of cups on the island he's have stayed. The islanders dug themselves this hole by never supporting JT with proper talent. Its their own fault he left

 

[Ziggdiezan]

When is the last time the Leafs had a roster with 2 first overall picks on it?

Beyond stoked for this, I hope the first home game JT gets a huge standing ovation

 

[Joedoggy]

Just getting Johnny to keep his shifts under 2 minutes will be a big job for Babcock

 

[HandshakeLineRespect]

Sign Rick Nash to a one year deal.

 

[BayStreetBully]

When is the last time the Leafs had a roster with 2 first overall picks on it?

Beyond stoked for this, I hope the first home game JT gets a huge standing ovation

Sundin and Lindros in 2006? But this is way different. Matthews and Tavares both in their primes will be something really special and unprecedented in this city.

I still can’t believe we were searching for a #1 center for so long, and now we have two. Just unbelievable.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Anyone here over 30 always knew the hometown boys wanted to play here.

 

[kyle n00bas]

From bringing a world-class coach in to perfectly executing the tank to drafting our franchise center 1st overall to a surprise playoff appearance to our prospects winning the Calder Cup and now the hometown superstar leaving money on the table to come live his dream just like the coach said he would.... are we in a movie? 'cause it feels like we're in a movie

 

[Daisy Jane]

If Matthews wants to be captain is there no problem there?

no. there won't be. and again. i think this is moot. because i do not think they'll name a captain.
i've also gone on record saying that I don't think i'd give Matthews the captaincy anyway so i really don't care who they give it to.

 

[Peiskos]

Sign Rick Nash to a one year deal.

In any other occasion this might be foolish but the Leafs should be all in for the cup this season, their window is wide open and they should load up, wouldn't mind Nash on a 1 year deal.

 

[al secord]

If Matthews wants to be captain is there no problem there?

I remember when Mark Messier took his ball and went home, missing out on 4 Stanley Cups.

 

[Skin Tape Session]

I don’t know if this has been said, but I believe he wanted to be a Leaf all along. I believe the only reason he interviewed with the other 4-5 teams was to get a “higher offer” ($13 million from SJ) to demonstrate publicly that he could have gotten more elsewhere, and is taking less than market value. In a cap world, it’s always great optics to show that you left money on the table.

Long story short, I believe he wanted to sign with us all along. Maybe now the younger fans here will realize that Toronto has been an attractive place for UFAs in the past (and wasn’t always the hellhole Brian Burke made it out to be), and has become an attractive place again.

Quinn had zero problem getting guys to come here.Jfj and burke were just bad.Jfj inherited an old core and Burke tried to fast track the process which actually set us back 10 years. THe ironic think is it takes less time to do it right than whatever the hell Burk was doing.Nonis was just a fat scared little boy pretending to be a gm.Imagine the amount of times Shannon must of though ,oh my god fat boy yoy cant be this Pejorative Slured,Ijust want to jersey you.

THANK GOD IN HEAVEN FOR SHANNY AND DUBAS.

Also two days later...JOHN TAVARES IS A TORONTO MAPLE LEAF!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH...

Sorry excuse me..

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[AxNjXn]

don't sign any more big names until the trade deadline. Leaf fans need to stop hunting for that next big thing and enjoy what is happening... My God.. Toronto just acquired John Freaking Tavares... and what do the majority of the fans in Toronto do/say? - What's next. Who's gotta move now?.. Stop... Relax... embrace the moment.. Let it soak in... Digest this... Appreciate the fact that it wasn't long ago when articles read "Leafs in full rebuild mode"..

 

[Skin Tape Session]

If Matthews wants to be captain is there no problem there?

He might want to but hes not ready. The best thing this does is that for the next four years he does not have to be the guy.

Its a lot like Sundin when he first got here. He had a few yeas to play behind dougie which was awesome.

Look at what McD has to deal with out in Edm.That poor kid has to drag that whole boys club around on a leash.The slay he is pulling is going to exhaust him. Lemieux put compatant people around SID to help him get there, froma good gm to bringing in Dirty Gary.Edmonton has done nothing to help Connor, in fact they have hurt him. I fully expect Connor to either demand a trade if it continues or bolt ike tavares did.Edmonton should be paying attention to what just happaned.

This is a huge positive for Matthews.i want Tavres to be captain for a few years, let our first cup be hoisted by John Taveres (just for the extra HF salt factor) and then when Auston is 25 or 26 he can take over.

 

[Daisy Jane]

From bringing a world-class coach in to perfectly executing the tank to drafting our franchise center 1st overall to a surprise playoff appearance to our prospects winning the Calder Cup and now the hometown superstar leaving money on the table to come live his dream just like the coach said he would.... are we in a movie? 'cause it feels like we're in a movie

it will be a movie when we win a cup

 

[Daisy Jane]

His bonus drops down to something like 8 million in the last few years, if the wheels fall off we can trade him to another team with deep pockets in 5 years after paying out.

Contract is buyout and lockout proof with the bulk of his money coming July 1st every year, appeals to him.

I also once read that bonus payments are taxed at a lesser rate in Ontario (so still **** high of course) than general salary, also good.

he has a full no/no.
no trade
no movement.

 

[al secord]

it will be a movie when we win a cup

She didn't stutter.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

I wonder how pissed Matthews is going to be when he's putting up 30-40 powerplay points on a stacked unit and breaks 90 on the season. he'll probably demand a trade

 

[Tavares to Marner]

I mean Tavares is a highly respected Toronto native, him getting captain isn't really crazy.

in a room filled with young guys who probably look up to him I don't think they'd mind, plus it's less pressure off Matthews

 

[Willie Oree]

no. there won't be. and again. i think this is moot. because i do not think they'll name a captain.
i've also gone on record saying that I don't think i'd give Matthews the captaincy anyway so i really don't care who they give it to.

obligatory eye roll...

 

[Voodoo Child]

he has a full no/no.
no trade
no movement.

There's always a way, if it needs to be done.

But it probably won't be needed, speed usually goes first and Tavares has been a runner-up to the Art Ross without ever being fast. If we don't lose Matthews to Arizona, and people actually post and believe that, it's going to be pretty nice around here for a while.

 

[Willie Oree]

I remember when Mark Messier took his ball and went home, missing out on 4 Stanley Cups.

Who is Gretzky in this little scenario you have concocted here?

 

[Tavares to Marner]

being the captain of Toronto at 21 is just inviting unnecessary pressure