Will Leafs Pursue Stamkos? Part 2

[Ruski]

Lol now everyone is throwing their sources around.

I don't plan to back mine up or say who I talked to either but since a November I have been hearing that Stamkos is coming to the leafs and the Phaneuf trade to me put the nail in it.

I highly doubt the years and dollars are settled or have even been discussed between the parties as that would violate so many rules! When it comes to situations like this I am sure it's all quiet back channel stuff until July 1 hits.

 

[Stigma]

Revealing sources is a hard one....none of us want to get into some sort of trouble.

I wouldn't dismiss people who've heard from 'sources' about his desire to come here though. Don't forget, Stamkos spends his summer here and plays on a softball team with a lot of 'loose lips' types. Information travels fast. It's also not to hard to eventually run into someone who knows him or his family (I recently found out that the secretary at the school I work at grew up next door to the Stamkos family! She didn't have any good intel for me though. LOL)

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Maybe the Leafs will promise him a cushy desk job when he retires !

Come to the Leafs. Play for us with a reasonable cap.
And when you retire, you can take over for Shanny.

Possible

 

[saltming]

Why wouldn't you think he would get that?

We talk of hometown discount.

If you are Newport, why not a hometown premium?

The Leafs need him more than he needs us. They don't have a star. Their team is crap. It's their big marketing season. And signing here, unless there is a massive influx of talented 25 year olds via trade, means that there won't likely be a Cup chance until his 7 year deal is nearly over.

There will clearly be more than 1 team interested if he gets to UFA status.

What leverage do the Leafs have other than their history?

Imo we do not need him, we would like him very much, but don't need. If we were that one star player away from a Stanley Cup, then we might need him.

 

[Swervin81]

Every Stamkos story has a source. Every source has a reason for saying Stamkos is coming to Toronto. Why do my sources tell me Stamkos is coming? Because I'm Perd Hapley, and I just realized Stamkos is coming.

 

[Pookie]

Imo we do not need him, we would like him very much, but don't need. If we were that one star player away from a Stanley Cup, then we might need him.

You are correct IMO.

I am posing that question to those that think Stamkos will end up here, maybe even at a reduced rate all for the pleasure of ending his career with this storied franchise.

Yes, we are a storied franchise. And that's about all they have on offer right now.

This team is far away from the playoffs, let alone a Cup. They need Stamkos more than he needs or may even want them.

 

[saltming]

Every Stamkos story has a source. Every source has a reason for saying Stamkos is coming to Toronto. Why do my sources tell me Stamkos is coming? Because I'm Perd Hapley, and I just realized Stamkos is coming.

Can I quote you as my source? If not my buddy on my shinny team who plays centre just like stamkos says stamkos is coming to toronto, o I will cite him if you're not comfy with me citing you.
Hahaha

 

[saltming]

You are correct IMO.

I am posing that question to those that think Stamkos will end up here, maybe even at a reduced rate all for the pleasure of ending his career with this storied franchise.

Yes, we are a storied franchise. And that's about all they have on offer right now.

This team is far away from the playoffs, let alone a Cup. They need Stamkos more than he needs or may even want them.

Ok. Ya I don't think the home town discount idea is realistic. It's a business and these guys want/deserve to get paid.
That said there is also the fact that if he does play for the leafs and IF he won a cup with us, he would be fnacially set for EVER!

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Like McCown just said...if you bring in Stamkos during his prime you are wasting 3/4 years(MINIMUM) with him during a rebuild....

The fact is it doesn't really make sense to bring in a superstar in their prime going into what, year three of a rebuild? lol...

This argument doesn't wash for me. From a Leafs perspective. The only person who should be concerned about possibly wasting their prime years in a Toronto rebuild is Stamkos, not the Leafs. That's up to him if he is willing to see this through, or wants a chance at instant gratification. The plan's not to rebuild forever. Signing him for 7 years takes him to 33. No reason he couldn't sign for another 7 years to take him right to retirement after that when we think/hope the team will have many sustainable years of contention ahead of them.

He's young, an elite talent and only costs money. The last franchise changing free agent was Chara. That was 10 years ago. An opportunity like this may never come around again.

 

[Pookie]

Ok. Ya I don't think the home town discount idea is realistic. It's a business and these guys want/deserve to get paid.
That said there is also the fact that if he does play for the leafs and IF he won a cup with us, he would be fnacially set for EVER!

He's already getting major endorsement deals. Do you think Canadian Tire would be more lucrative than Nike?

Leafs are popular in Canada. Not with the main stream USA which is key for North American companies.

 

[saltming]

He's already getting major endorsement deals. Do you think Canadian Tire would be more lucrative than Nike?

Leafs are popular in Canada. Not with the main stream USA which is key for North American companies.

Iirc the leafs brand is still top 3 nation wide (canada and us). The original 6 still have more branding power and nike would rather be associated with steven stamkos captain of the maple leafs and stanley cup champion over steven stamkos captain of some team thats only popular in one state and has fewer fans globally than the original 6 teams get to show up at games.
That argument for him also stands for any of the other original 6's. The home town aspect should give us the edge, all other things being equal.
Also when his career is over as a hockey player being oyr captain and winnin a cup with us would keep him in endorsements whereas in a small market, though he would still find success imo it probably would be as lucrative as it would be if he did that here.

 

[7even]

Every Stamkos story has a source. Every source has a reason for saying Stamkos is coming to Toronto. Why do my sources tell me Stamkos is coming? Because I'm Perd Hapley, and I just realized Stamkos is coming.

Ya heard from Perd ladies and gents

 

[Pookie]

Iirc the leafs brand is still top 3 nation wide (canada and us). The original 6 still have more branding power and nike would rather be associated with steven stamkos captain of the maple leafs and stanley cup champion over steven stamkos captain of some team thats only popular in one state and has fewer fans globally than the original 6 teams get to show up at games.
That argument for him also stands for any of the other original 6's. The home town aspect should give us the edge, all other things being equal.
Also when his career is over as a hockey player being oyr captain and winnin a cup with us would keep him in endorsements whereas in a small market, though he would still find success imo it probably would be as lucrative as it would be if he did that here.

Well if Jose Bautista ever loses the Booster Juice deal, Stamkos could pick that up

 

[saltming]

Well if Jose Bautista ever loses the Booster Juice deal, Stamkos could pick that up

Hahaha

 

[dirk41]

Based on how Stamkos has played since his injury, I can't see how he's worth $10 million plus. He's on pace for 62 points over 82 games. He's being outscored by Tomas Plekanec, Alexander Steen, and Kyle Okposo. Yikes.

 

[Stephen]

Based on how Stamkos has played since his injury, I can't see how he's worth $10 million plus. He's on pace for 62 points over 82 games. He's being outscored by Tomas Plekanec, Alexander Steen, and Kyle Okposo. Yikes.

This is a fair point but don't we also have to acknowledge there's something misfiring with the entire Lightning team this year?

 

[LeafsNation75]

This is a fair point but don't we also have to acknowledge there's something misfiring with the entire Lightning team this year?

Not only that when was the last time a previous 1st overall draft pick who previously won a Rocket Richard Award, is considered one of the best players in the NHL ever comes makes it July 1st as a UFA, assuming Stamkos gets to that point. My thinking was if he really wants to stay in Tampa he would have re-signed right away on July 1, 2015 when he was allowed to and that never happened.

 

[dirk41]

This is a fair point but don't we also have to acknowledge there's something misfiring with the entire Lightning team this year?

Probably, but Kucherov has five more points than Stamkos while playing fewer minutes.

Not only that when was the last time a previous 1st overall draft pick who previously won a Rocket Richard Award, is considered one of the best players in the NHL ever comes makes it July 1st as a UFA, assuming Stamkos gets to that point.

He was a Rock Richard award winner; now he's not in the top ten in goals.
He was one of the best players in the NHL; but he's not right now.

 

[Stephen]

Probably, but Kucherov has five more points than Stamkos while playing fewer minutes.

Yeah Kucherov is their golden boy at the moment, I understand that. But their satisfaction level will go down when he's making $7.5 million and pushing UFA too.

Hedman, Johnson, Palat, Drouin have all had various problems this year: injuries, underperforming, etc.

 

[veedubn1]

Probably, but Kucherov has five more points than Stamkos while playing fewer minutes.



He was a Rock Richard award winner; now he's not in the top ten in goals.
He was one of the best players in the NHL; but he's not right now.

Agreed.

Bringing in Stamkos only sets back the rebuild and he's not worth what he'll be asking.

The only people who should be for this move are the people who profit off the Leafs... which is anyone who sells hockey jerseys and the media.

As a Leaf fan I hope they stick to the course and end up picking top 3 this year and next.

Let's draft and develop our own Stamkos instead of paying a massive price (in terms of cap.. I could care less about actual dollars) for someone else's.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Probably, but Kucherov has five more points than Stamkos while playing fewer minutes.

He was a Rock Richard award winner; now he's not in the top ten in goals.
He was one of the best players in the NHL; but he's not right now.

Yup. I'm so sick of hearing about how Stamkos once scored 60 goals as if that has any relevance today. Le't overpay someone for their past performance for another team for the next 7 years. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

 

[Damisoph]

Agreed.

Bringing in Stamkos only sets back the rebuild and he's not worth what he'll be asking.

The only people who should be for this move are the people who profit off the Leafs... which is anyone who sells hockey jerseys and the media.

As a Leaf fan I hope they stick to the course and end up picking top 3 this year and next.

Let's draft and develop our own Stamkos instead of paying a massive price (in terms of cap.. I could care less about actual dollars) for someone else's.

I'd bet a goodly amount of money that the Leafs won't be anywhere near the bottom 3 next season. You don't pass on a superstar (granted, not playing like one right now) because you want to save cap space.

 

[bobber]

Not sure Stamkos will want to go to a rebuild team. Could be years before they contend. Doubt Stamkos wants to spend his last year's on a rebuild.

 

[Doc300c]

Where do you see us finishing if the following happens
This does NOT seem like bottom 3 to me.

Sign Stamkos
Draft Matthews
Sign Vasey
Sign Zaitsev
Promote Nylander

JVR - Stamkos - Michalek
Vasey - Matthews - Nylander
Leivo - Kadri - Lupul
Winnik - Forese - Komorov

Rielly - Hunwick
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Percy/Harrington/Cowen/UFA

Realistically 2 of the 5 are already done.
Stamkos is very possible
Vasey is very possible
Matthews is the least likely

 

[WTFMAN99]

Where do you see us finishing if the following happens
This does NOT seem like bottom 3 to me.

Sign Stamkos
Draft Matthews
Sign Vasey
Sign Zaitsev
Promote Nylander

JVR - Stamkos - Michalek
Vasey - Matthews - Nylander
Leivo - Kadri - Lupul
Winnik - Forese - Komorov

Rielly - Hunwick
Gardiner - Zaitsev
Percy/Harrington/Cowen/UFA

Realistically 2 of the 5 are already done.
Stamkos is very possible
Vasey is very possible
Matthews is the least likely

I'm probably in the minority but I wouldn't bother with Stamkos if we got Matthews.

It's not fair to pen in Zaitsev into 2nd pairing and Vesey into 2nd line duties already.