Who has the better Cup window? Panthers or Leafs

[wintersej]

Hard to vote against Florida, back to back finals appearances and won a cup while being the most dominant team in the East by a fair margin.

Even the year before they won 58 regular season games in their way to a Presidents trophy. Obviously pre-huberdeau trade, but still much of the same core.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Is this a serious question?? Lol

 

[benfranklin]

lol what?! Not only have they won, but have basically the same roster locked in, while the Leafs have huge questions marks with Tavares and Marner coming up, while still not figuring out D or G problems.

Outside of signing McDavid next UFA, the Leafs are trending in the wrong direction.

 

[Sensatauro]

I stand by my Sharks statement. Sharks will win a cup before either of these teams win(another,Fla).

 

[Jordan Belfort]

I get Florida won but I'm asking who has the better window going forward...
This isn't a what has happened thread, it's a future based thread

Yes… And?

why would anyone in the future pick the leafs instead of the panthers who won a cup and retained their entire core

 

[Peltz]

I arguably take the Panthers over anyone right now.

Toronto isn't even in the conversation.

 

[3074326]

Hard to believe this is a serious topic. One team actually won the cup, and made it to the finals twice. The other, well, hasn’t proven anything.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

Leafs are just lucky Buffalo and Detroit aren't better... lol

Sens, Montreal, all on the upswing. All those teams should be/are stealing wins from the leafs that they wouldn't have had in the past.

Leafs windows is almost as gone as the jays IMO. Remember last year everyone swore something has to change...

 

[Space umpire]

I used to think this, and I actually do think it still applies to players on US teams


But Canada basically changed its mind and decided that NHL signing bonuses are salary and not “real” signing bonuses. That’s what the Tavares tax case is about.


That said, 1. The Leafs are more able to max out signing bonuses that other teams (some stars have tons of real salary). That means they get paid sooner and can invest sooner.

2. Toronto stars have infinitely higher endorsement potential. Marner is #2 on his team and isn’t generational tier

Yet makes more endorsement money than any combination of several Florida/Tampa stars combined

I may be wrong (my wife says I am all the time) but didn’t that have to do with Tavares moving his legal residence from NY (US) to the Toronto area (CA)?
His residency switched during the year the bonus was paid so Ontario and Canada put their hands out.

 

[FinlandPanther]

I stand by my Sharks statement. Sharks will win a cup before either of these teams win(another,Fla).

Lol

 

[blueandgoldguy]

A better question might be, does Florida advance to more Stanley Cup Finals than the Leafs win playoff series, with their current cores?

So far, Florida has the edge 2-1.

 

[Chips]

I may be wrong (my wife says I am all the time) but didn’t that have to do with Tavares moving his legal residence from NY (US) to the Toronto area (CA)?
His residency switched during the year the bonus was paid so Ontario and Canada put their hands out.

I might be wrong too I don’t remember too well as it’s been months, but I thought they were going after his first year bonus too. Wouldn’t he have been in NY still? Assuming that was his official residence for taxes already when he was on the islanders.


I do think I read they were trying to argue regardless that “he spends most months physically in Canada”. I wonder if that means even if he spent all summer in the US, they’d try to claim it


I remember they’ve done similar stuff with other athletes. I remember articles about “Canadian teams get another hurdle to compete with”

 

[Space umpire]

I might be wrong too I don’t remember too well as it’s been months, but I thought they were going after his first year bonus too. Wouldn’t he have been in NY still? Assuming that was his official residence for taxes already when he was on the islanders.


I do think I read they were trying to argue regardless that “he spends most months physically in Canada”. I wonder if that means even if he spent all summer in the US, they’d try to claim it


I remember they’ve done similar stuff with other athletes. I remember articles about “Canadian teams get another hurdle to compete with”

It’s hazy for me but IIRC Matthews OWNS his place in Arizona and rents the “work” residence in Toronto. He only pays taxes in Canada only on salary (not signing bonus) and only for games played in Canada.

 

[pekka55]

A tough choice. On one hand the Panthers have been to back to back finals and is the reigning champion. On the other hand there's Toronto, who have yet to show that they can be a force in the playoffs.

Not to mention the cap situation etc.

Sure, anything can happen in the playoffs, but right now there's nothing that would suggest that Toronto has the edge over Florida when talking about "cup windows".

 

[villacco]

Floridas core player are all signed and still young enough for 3 to 5 more years contending.

Even if they have a down year (to many games played, injuries) that wont change.

Remember Tampa Bay? They have a great core, got a lot of playoff success in mid 2010s, had a down year and went back to the finals again for 3 straight years and won 2 times.
I see a similar case in Florida: great core, get some fresh blood and win again in the next 3 years. Still contending, until core is getting old

Toronto still has a lot question marks regarding contracts, d-man and forwards.
Could go in both directions (serious contender for years, bubble playoff team)