Speculation: Tavares to Toronto.... eventually?

[Stephen]

After Stamkos, hometown guys are no longer welcome unconditionally.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Remember Steven Stamkos? I thought he was supposed to be a Leaf, was he?

Just be glad you guys got Matthews...

 

[Jester9881]

Patiently waiting for the rumors out of Arizona that Matthews wants to come home.

 

[BLONG7]

Remember Steven Stamkos? I thought he was supposed to be a Leaf, was he?

Just be glad you guys got Matthews...

Staying in T-bay for Stamkos makes alot more sense than JT staying with the Isles though....it seems the Isles and the ownership, etc could possibly be a reason to head out for JT.............but who knows....has JT said anything along the lines of not wanting to stay??

 

[IWD]

Hopefully he re-signs soon, and this speculation can end.

 

[PWJunior]

gonna be a long 2 seasons

Not really, it might be an annoyance for this upcoming season only. If Tavares signs an extension next July 1st, then it'll be nipped in the bud and then the Toronto media can move on to the next target.

 

[The Underboss]

Wait, just like Stamos was supposed to go?

::SMH::

 

[PWJunior]

Staying in T-bay for Stamkos makes alot more sense than JT staying with the Isles though....it seems the Isles and the ownership, etc could possibly be a reason to head out for JT.............but who knows....has JT said anything along the lines of not wanting to stay??

Owner Jon Ledecky to Islanders Fans: 'Tavares isn't going to be a free agent'
http://www.lighthousehockey.com/2016/7/15/12196890/john-tavares-free-agency-islanders-owner-ledecky

New owners want him so keep dreaming.

 

[theIceWookie]

After Tavares re-signs in NY, the next tweets will be "Leafs will be going after McDavid"

Obviously

We will get any top end star!

 

[ACC1224]

Owner Jon Ledecky to Islanders Fans: 'Tavares isn't going to be a free agent'
http://www.lighthousehockey.com/2016/7/15/12196890/john-tavares-free-agency-islanders-owner-ledecky

New owners want him so keep dreaming.

It will be up to the Player not the Owners.

UFA = UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT

 

[Jester9881]

Staying in T-bay for Stamkos makes alot more sense than JT staying with the Isles though....it seems the Isles and the ownership, etc could possibly be a reason to head out for JT.............but who knows....has JT said anything along the lines of not wanting to stay??

splain yo self

 

[Steve]

Stop.

This! He summed it up in the 1st response with 4 letters. Well done.

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

another guy that probably won't go to Toronto.

Or Ottawa

 

[Kraken Jokes]

The only rumour of a *big star player from the GTA* coming to the Maple Leafs to ever come true was Lindros, and he was well on his way out by then.

 

[CodeE]

Sorry I cant get the actual tweets on here for some reason... excuse my copy and paste...

Alan Strachan
‏@winsford99
Alan Strachan

I believe they'll get him.



Alan Strachan
‏@winsford99
Alan Strachan

I know the Leafs' plan is to target Tavares. This isn't sudoku here, trying to figure out an ending. It's a plan.


thoughts??

Any way to get Tyson Strachan's thoughts on the matter? I'd respect his opinion more.

 

[PWJunior]

splain yo self

 

[therealkoho]

Wait, just like Stamos was supposed to go?

::SMH::

the only reason Stamos didn't go is because Coulier wouldn't go and if Coulier wouldn't go no one would expect Sagat to give permission for anybody to go to Canada


jus kiddin around

btw how is this even a thread with no links

 

[BROCK HUGHES]

Sorry I cant get the actual tweets on here for some reason... excuse my copy and paste...

Alan Strachan
‏@winsford99
Alan Strachan

I believe they'll get him.



Alan Strachan
‏@winsford99
Alan Strachan

I know the Leafs' plan is to target Tavares. This isn't sudoku here, trying to figure out an ending. It's a plan.


thoughts??

LOL.One can dream eh.How are those Stamkos jerseys selling?

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

Okay, so, I've posted ITT a lot, especially considering I don't think Tavares is coming here. But for me, it's kinda dumb to say guys don't want to come home. In my lifetime, the Leafs have gotten Curtis Joseph, Gary Roberts, Shayne Corson, Joe Nieuwendyk, Mike Peca, Eric Lindros, Jason Allison, David Clarkson, and Jeff O'Neill, all of whom stated their reasons for coming to Toronto was because they wanted to play here. Yes, they were mostly older. Also, the last time the Leafs were any good, the UFA age was 31. Nieuwendyk didn't sign until training camp because the GM situation was totally unsettled, and yes, O'Neill was a trade, but you can remember the context of him saying he had doubts he'd get a qualfying offer from Carolina, and that if he didn't, he hoped to make it work in Toronto, and yes, they did overpay for Jason Allison.

Some additional situations: Doug Gilmour always had issues in Calgary, despite scoring the Cup winning goal there. Flames fans were more principled about his alleged affair with an underaged girl, and he was never super well received there. He was also in the middle of a contract dispute. He demanded a trade specifically to Toronto. Gary Roberts also asked for a trade back to Toronto after leaving, though that was to be closer to his daughter. We all also remember Eric Lindros demanding a trade to the Leafs, and backing off it and accepting other teams when he realized Bobby Clarke wasn't going to give him what he wanted. It's worth noting that by all accounts, both Roberts and Lindros grew up Habs fans. Then there's Marc Savard, who it's been reported offered to sign at a discounted price with the Leafs when he went to Boston, but the Leafs were focusing on defense, and spent their money on Pavel Kubina and Hal Gill instead. Mike Cammalleri walked to the ACC to negotiate with Dave Nonis, and basically every reporter in Calgary said he'd be a Leaf, and he gave several answers for why he "chose" Montreal that never made any sense, before in the last year or so saying "it never really got that far" with Toronto. Burke probably didn't want him. Was it stupid for the Leafs to turn down Savard and Cammalleri? Well, yeah. But they both seemed very willing to come. Sean Avery also said he wanted to try to make it work in Toronto in 2008, and the Leafs said no, and well, for good reason.

The problem is that for the last twelve years, the Leafs have been terrible or capped out, but usually terrible and capped out. Guys aren't going to a bad team just because they grew up here, and in fact, even if the Leafs were good, there aren't a lot of guys that will risk injury not re-signing as early as possible just to get it done. But if a GTA native is a free agent, and the Leafs are good, and their offer is competitive, yeah, I think they have an advantage. The problem in this scenario is that the Leafs aren't very good right now, and the Islanders are pretty good, and of all guys, I don't think it's wise to assume Tavares would want to maneuver his way to Toronto. He's too understated, and he's a 25 year old millionaire on a good team in New York City. The Leafs would have to be an inch away from the Stanley Cup to even compete with that scenario.

So, Tavares isn't happening, and won't come close. It's really dumb, I think, to assume this sort of thing will never happen. I don't get why fans of other teams think this is impossible. The Canucks got guys like Dan Hamhuis to go home, and the Alberta teams both seem to fairly regularly get Alberta guys? Brian Rafalski went home to Michigan, and I'd bet you Jimmy Vesey is headed to Boston. There have been plenty of guys for several teams to want to go home. But they also don't want to play for a loser. That's the problem. Let's have this conversation again when the Leafs have won a playoff round in HD. It might be a while.

It's not that it isn't possible, because a player wanting to play for their hometown is possible. It's the smugness of Leafs fans saying he's going to TOR like no other team in the NHL matters, or that because it was their childhood dream they'll leave their teams to go to TOR.

I guarantee most players that grew up Leafs fans are not Leafs fans anymore.

funny you say that, here is another tweet from him amidst the Tavares to TO tweets haha....


"If they can't keep Okposo what makes you think they can keep Tavares?"

I know, I'm mocking him Such a stupid thing to say.

Staying in T-bay for Stamkos makes alot more sense than JT staying with the Isles though....it seems the Isles and the ownership, etc could possibly be a reason to head out for JT.............but who knows....has JT said anything along the lines of not wanting to stay??

This actually makes no sense.

 

[CodeE]

Staying in T-bay for Stamkos makes alot more sense than JT staying with the Isles though....it seems the Isles and the ownership, etc could possibly be a reason to head out for JT.............but who knows....has JT said anything along the lines of not wanting to stay??

Posters.... who type................. like this tend to have very............ correct and intelligent opinions...................................... and not just hot taeks.

 

[sxvnert]

Enough already .

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Tavares is coming home to Toronto, just like Gretzky and Stamkos did when they became UFAs.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Tavares to Toronto threads need to be straight up banned from this forum. Anyone posting one should receive an infraction IMO.

Seriously I can't handle another round of that crap!

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Right sure just like the Leaf fans definitely thought that Stamkos was coming to Toronto, Garth Snow has the money to lock up John Tavares long term. The salary cap is becoming stagnant here how is Lou going to be able to afford to give JT say $12 million and then in a few years give Matthews the same plus give big money to Nylander and Marner down the road to lock up your core something would've to give..

Yup, just put us all in the same boat.

 

[BreakingGood]

It's not that it isn't possible, because a player wanting to play for their hometown is possible. It's the smugness of Leafs fans saying he's going to TOR like no other team in the NHL matters, or that because it was their childhood dream they'll leave their teams to go to TOR.

I guarantee most players that grew up Leafs fans are not Leafs fans anymore.



I know, I'm mocking him Such a stupid thing to say.

Aye, that's fair. I'd probably get annoyed at he smugness too. I also agree, you know, do you care about your favorite team as much as you did as a kid? Now he works in the industry, competes against them, etc. I don't think it can ever really be the same.