Tavares

[Johniac]

Exactly. Tavares is a meat and potatoes kind of player. He isn't flashy, but he does all the little things right.

Watch how easily the Leafs break out of their zone when he's on the ice. He's always there to support down low and he's always there for the easy support pass.

From an outside observer: you don't pay $11 million for meat and potatoes - that should get you lobster with caviar! If he really wanted to help Toronto, he could have left a little $$ on the table to pay for needed depth, because that is showing IMHO.

 

[LeafsNation75]

From an outside observer: you don't pay $11 million for meat and potatoes - that should get you lobster with caviar! If he really wanted to help Toronto, he could have left a little $$ on the table to pay for needed depth, because that is showing IMHO.

Tavares signed for $2 million less because San Jose was offering him 7 years and $13 million AAV.

 

[mapleleaf979]

Tavares is not a franchise center. He’s the YouTube Premium to Kadri’s free YouTube. Unnecessary expenditure for a unnecessary upgrade.

Agreed. They didnt need Tavares with Kadri as the 2c with an excellent contract.

Its Dubas fault. He gave Tavares big money and the rest of the team was not going to take a discount on anything. Kadri and Reilly could have been used as the models for good contracts when signing Nylander, Matthews and Marner and they could have followed suit to some degree. The template for getting max money was after Dubas gave Tavares max money. Lets be real though, Dubas is a phony person hiding behind asssss kissing the media , calling them all by first name, his nice guy act. No one even cares, just build the team right. He saw a weak D core since he joined MLSE 5 years ago but went and spent 11 million on a 2c that LEafs did not need. Now he is selling assets off to fix how he built the team and how he overpaid players. They havent even won a round yet.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Agreed. They didnt need Tavares with Kadri as the 2c with an excellent contract.

Its Dubas fault. He gave Tavares big money and the rest of the team was not going to take a discount on anything. Kadri and Reilly could have been used as the models for good contracts when signing Nylander, Matthews and Marner and they could have followed suit to some degree. The template for getting max money was after Dubas gave Tavares max money. Lets be real though, Dubas is a phony person hiding behind asssss kissing the media , calling them all by first name, his nice guy act. No one even cares, just build the team right. He saw a weak D core since he joined MLSE 5 years ago but went and spent 11 million on a 2c that LEafs did not need. Now he is selling assets off to fix how he built the team and how he overpaid players. They havent even won a round yet.

When Rielly and Kadri signed their current contracts it was after Toronto finished last place overall in the 2015-16 season. So they didn't exactly have any negotiating leverage the way Matthews, Marner, and Nylander did.

 

[Chief keefe]

When Rielly and Kadri signed their current contracts it was after Toronto finished last place overall in the 2015-16 season. So they didn't exactly have any negotiating leverage the way Matthews, Marner, and Nylander did.

loosing in game 7 two years in a row isn't really leverage. 1 above 80 point season between the 3 of them ALSO isn't leverage. I don't know how they pulled it off cause what should have happened was a 1 to 2 year show me deal that keeps them at RFAs... all 3 of them

 

[LeafsNation75]

loosing in game 7 two years in a row isn't really leverage. 1 above 80 point season between the 3 of them ALSO isn't leverage. I don't know how they pulled it off cause what should have happened was a 1 to 2 year show me deal that keeps them at RFAs... all 3 of them

Matthews signed his extension during the 2018-19 season, so at that time they had not lost to Boston in a Game 7 for the second straight season.

 

[Chief keefe]

Matthews signed his extension during the 2018-19 season, so at that time they had not lost to Boston in a Game 7 for the second straight season.

Ah yes, it was 2 months before. Good point. Doesn't change the fact he didn't earn it yet. Honestly, though... this team has some of the most skilled leafs I have ever watched. So maybe the do deserve it but not yet. Not everything in life should be just handed to you

 

[Menzinger]

loosing in game 7 two years in a row isn't really leverage. 1 above 80 point season between the 3 of them ALSO isn't leverage. I don't know how they pulled it off cause what should have happened was a 1 to 2 year show me deal that keeps them at RFAs... all 3 of them

Matthew's was already one of the leagues leading goal scorers (and I believe THE league leading 5v5 scorer) from entering the NHL by the time he signed his contract. He was getting a massive payday regardless of the GM

 

[Menzinger]

I thought he played well last night.

He did. Unfortunately one of the few errors he made was costly at the worst time and so that tends to stick out too much in people's minds.

He definitely was not a problem last night

 

[LeafsNation75]

Ah yes, it was 2 months before. Good point. Doesn't change the fact he didn't earn it yet. Honestly, though... this team has some of the most skilled leafs I have ever watched. So maybe the do deserve it but not yet. Not everything in life should be just handed to you

Matthews had a 40 goal rookie season which tied him for 2nd place in goal scoring and won the Calder. Plus he saw Jack Eichel get a $10 million AAV extension after 56 points in his second season and he's not as good compared to Matthews. So I think he earned his contract extension.

 

[Chief keefe]

Matthew's was already one of the leagues leading goal scorers (and I believe THE league leading 5v5 scorer) from entering the NHL by the time he signed his contract. He was getting a massive payday regardless of the GM

I hear what you are saying and you are absolutely correct but he got McDavid money... and he is not McDavid. He got 1.6 mil too much in my opinion. Again, Matthews is the least of our issues. He is our best and most complete player. I just think that putting up points means nothing if you can't win games and go far in the playoffs. Win 1 round. Show us your compete.

 

[Chief keefe]

Matthews had a 40 goal rookie season which tied him for 2nd place in goal scoring and won the Calder. Plus he saw Jack Eichel get a $10 million AAV extension after 56 points in his second season and he's not as good compared to Matthews. So I think he earned his contract extension.

I guess that's part of the problem. Jack Eichel should not be making anywhere need 10 mil.. He should be making Nylander money until he shows he can lead a team to wins... Yes the team around him sucks but your best player needs to be the best player every game which he is not. This is the problem. This league has been handing out stupid contracts to the young kids for the last 5 years... and these kids who are clearly taking over the league have all not done a single thing to earn it. Call me old-school but honestly it is exactly why Carolina who has not given out these massive contracts is doing way better than we are. I am sorry but our team is so much more stacked than theirs... they're entire forwards group cost them 40 mil this year while 4 our players cost us 40mil... it is not okay. I am a huge Dubas supporter and I love the players he brings in and his creativity but these contracts are his biggest mistake and it is already haunting us.

 

[ORRFForever]

He did. Unfortunately one of the few errors he made was costly at the worst time and so that tends to stick out too much in people's minds.

He definitely was not a problem last night

I agree. It was the curse of my post. Shortly after I wrote the post, he lost the puck and I knew.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I guess that's part of the problem. Jack Eichel should not be making anywhere need 10 mil.. He should be making Nylander money until he shows he can lead a team to wins... Yes the team around him sucks but your best player needs to be the best player every game which he is not. This is the problem. This league has been handing out stupid contracts to the young kids for the last 5 years... and these kids who are clearly taking over the league have all not done a single thing to earn it. Call me old-school but honestly it is exactly why Carolina who has not given out these massive contracts is doing way better than we are. I am sorry but our team is so much more stacked than theirs... they're entire forwards group cost them 40 mil this year while 4 our players cost us 40mil... it is not okay. I am a huge Dubas supporter and I love the players he brings in and his creativity but these contracts are his biggest mistake and it is already haunting us.

In fact before Eichel signed his contract extension he was the first star player who signed for 8 years, so that's why people were surprised Matthews only signed for 5 years. However a 5 year contract extension coming off an ELC was a standard thing. Players such as Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Kane, and Stamkos all re-signed for 5 years after their ELC were about to or had already finished.

 

[Gallagbi]

In fact before Eichel signed his contract extension he was the first star player who signed for 8 years, so that's why people were surprised Matthews only signed for 5 years. However a 5 year contract extension coming off an ELC was a standard thing. Players such as Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Kane, and Stamkos all re-signed for 5 years after their ELC were about to or had already finished.

Pretty sure Draistl and McDavid signed max term deals a few months prior to Eichel too. I think Ekblad was a max deal a year prior too

 

[LeafsNation75]

@Gallagbi

Yes you were right that McDavid and Draisaitl signed their contract extensions before Eichel did.

Plus Ekblad was the first one who did that since his 8 year extension was signed on July 1, 2016.

However it doesn't take away from the fact Matthews is a better player then Eichel and he did not deserve 8 years and $10 million AAV coming off a 56 point season in his 2nd year, because he was always going to be Matthews best comparable.

 

[Duke Silver]

lol

So he didn’t recover at all during these 5 months of quarantine then.

Not what I said.

Taking injuries out of the equation, you don't see how silly it is to make judgments about small sample sizes after 5 months off?

It's pretty clear your mind is made up regardless of the rationality of your arguments.

 

[Koolboss]

Agreed. They didnt need Tavares with Kadri as the 2c with an excellent contract.

Its Dubas fault. He gave Tavares big money and the rest of the team was not going to take a discount on anything. Kadri and Reilly could have been used as the models for good contracts when signing Nylander, Matthews and Marner and they could have followed suit to some degree. The template for getting max money was after Dubas gave Tavares max money. Lets be real though, Dubas is a phony person hiding behind asssss kissing the media , calling them all by first name, his nice guy act. No one even cares, just build the team right. He saw a weak D core since he joined MLSE 5 years ago but went and spent 11 million on a 2c that LEafs did not need. Now he is selling assets off to fix how he built the team and how he overpaid players. They havent even won a round yet.

Agreed

 

[colchar]

From an outside observer: you don't pay $11 million for meat and potatoes - that should get you lobster with caviar! If he really wanted to help Toronto, he could have left a little $$ on the table to pay for needed depth, because that is showing IMHO.

Getting decent depth players ain't his responsibility.

 

[colchar]

I hear what you are saying and you are absolutely correct but he got McDavid money... and he is not McDavid. He got 1.6 mil too much in my opinion. Again, Matthews is the least of our issues. He is our best and most complete player. I just think that putting up points means nothing if you can't win games and go far in the playoffs. Win 1 round. Show us your compete.

Um, that isn't a noun.

 

[Stephen]

The Dubois line is beating Tavares like a mule.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Looks like he’s a plug again

 

[Stephen]

They should put the captaincy back in the drawer.

 

[michi510]

He came home for this, while islanders goes further than us both years. Salt in the wound. Hockey gods hate us and wants us to be the laughing stock of the league.

 

[frizzer1]

Islanders are better and leafs are worse since the all star franchise player changed teams.
Just sayin.