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Would it really be the end of the world if Matthews isn’t on the team in two years?

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He probably won't stay.

We don't even have a #1 tender after all these years.

I would just go take 14% off a low tax state and cash in if I were him. Same applies to Marner.

You're almost in the territory of trading MM and AM for futures which is absolutely insane. That's just how terrible Dubas and Shanahan have been though.
 
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The OP answers his own question. Matthews not being here would likely mean a major rebuild. If you're in favour of that it shouldn't bother you too much. I don't think many people are.

Matthews is one of those players that is so rare you have to do what you can to keep him. Everyone else is expendable compared to him, including Marner. For MLSE it's not just about the on-ice product, it's also the other revenue and attention that comes with having a player like Matthews on your roster.

The big challenge will be if Matthews does not commit to an extension over the summer. There is something worse than losing Matthews, and that is losing him for nothing. That would be a tricky spot where I believe the direction and negotiations would come right from the top (Shanahan and ownership).
 
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No need to do anything until the date when he can resign. At that point is the time to either trade him or sign him. Right now, unless the tesm knows he's not signing we have to keep him. But if he says, "oh ya .... I'll sign but let's wait for FA". We need to move him.

Its sad but all of our core care about money more than winning. So you need to set them straight, we shouldn't always be held up by players decisions like Marner, Nylander, Sandin. You guys are players, we are the TML a very rich organization who should demand more respect then getting consistently held hostage by contract demands. Makes us look weak as an organization.
 
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If he does not want to stay, the server on HF will crash that;s for sure.
I think the team needs to have success this year, or he decides to go ufa and his last year in TO will be a media gong show.............more than usual that is.
 
CDN24 said:
If the Leafs fail in playoffs again this year with another 1st round exit and Dubas is out, I could see a scenario where he is traded.

Lets say Arizona has a top 5 pick this year (not No 1) would you trade Matthews to Arizona for that pick plus Cooley and Chychrun. Arizona probably says no but I would consider something around that pick and Chychrun
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The only way I can see Arizona having interest in adding Matthews would be through free agency due to there not being enough quality on their current team to move forward in a big way, and also in their pipeline for trade.

If anything could, I'd guess that Matthews arriving might entice Chychrun to stick around and subtracting young potential (Cooley and the pick) while adding Matthews doesn't necessarily sound like a firm enough step forward. I'm not of the mindset at the moment to know whether or not I'd like this move for the Leafs (it's too early to determine whom should be traded away, if anyone at all).
 
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He’s more likely to be a Brett Hull than a Wayne Gretzky in terms of being a generational talent. Sure he may hold some records by the time his career ends but he’s not going to be the cornerstone for a cup winning team unless he picks it up. That said he might be on an cup winning team by the time he retires. I mean, I’d love for him to prove me wrong but he’s got a way to go before that happens.
 
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Ive said this for a while, he’s off to Anaheim as a free agent.

Young core of good players. Lots of Americans on that team. Even though they are bad now, they have some pieces to contend in 2+ years. Zegras, Mactavish, Drysdale, mintyukov, Terry, Fowler, etc. Add in another likely high pick this year….
It’s in California, closer to home… they have the cap space.

He’s gone to Anaheim as a free agent. It makes too much sense
 
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William Hylander said:
No need to do anything until the date when he can resign. At that point is the time to either trade him or sign him. Right now, unless the tesm knows he's not signing we have to keep him. But if he says, "oh ya .... I'll sign but let's wait for FA". We need to move him.

Its sad but all of our core care about money more than winning. So you need to set them straight, we shouldn't always be held up by players decisions like Marner, Nylander, Sandin. You guys are players, we are the TML a very rich organization who should demand more respect then getting consistently held hostage by contract demands. Makes us look weak as an organization.
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Except the day he is eligible to re-sign is also the day his NMC kicks in so we can't "just trade him " July 1 2023 he becomes untradeable , nobody is paying a premium for an unsigned player when he becomes available for free .
Also can we knock off the generational BS , he is not a generational player . Crosby , Lemieux , McJesus these guys are generational players , you need a benchmark ? how about players that have posted 700 or more points in 500 games ? Mathews will not even come close to that mark but those three guys and 4 other players before them have all done it . He is not that guy , he is a very good goal scorer but he is not that guy that can take a team on his back and make them something they are not .
 
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Matthews isn't going to leave. He likes the money and the fame, and it's not like he wasn't given a good team to go with. It's been on him and his teammates to get the job done and they haven't. Very big difference between being on a 100+ pt team that spends to the cap and wants to contend, but that can't get out of their own heads and being stuck on a team that's perpetually mediocre and sniffing around the 8 seed. If he wasn't satisfied with a top~5 team where he was expected to put us over the edge, there ain't no other team that is going to be better for him. He's gotta be the guy who gets it done, wherever he goes. He's a hockey player and he understands this, I don't believe the narratives that he's going to leave because the team hasn't won. If he leaves, it's because he just wants to be somewhere else.

If he does leave, McDavid is coming home baby. And frankly, I could use the year off in between them. Hockey has never been less interesting with all the gambling ads and the endless reviews.

We'll give him a blank check and the C. I think he takes it.
 
I'd much rather Matthews stay. Imo Marner should be the guy we look on from. The atmosphere around Marner seems so negative, for his sake and the teams he'd be the one I'd move on from
 
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Spent decades wishing to have an average #1 C and #1 W nevermind top end ones and people are ready to throw them away.

Bandwagon fans are the loudest right now.
 
I will preface with saying we need to do everything in our power to keep him. A 60 goal 1C with a strong 2-way game is a unicorn and we should provide him with whatever he wants (thanks Dubas, if we got him at 8 years things would be easier right now). He is our franchise player and should be retained

With all that said, if he choses to leave it is what it is. We haven't won anything with him here anyways
 
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No, the end of the world would be he stays and will still lose, we then would be at 58 yrs and counting
 
Life is certainly better with Matthews on the Leafs than out the door but the franchise existed for 100 years before him.

I think we want to do everything we can to keep him but the second option here is to protect the franchise and make sure the next era is closer to our ultimate goal.
 
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WillTheThrill said:
I’ll preface this by saying it’s probably too early to have this conversation. However, with the abysmal start to the season and with what seems like will be the 7th straight year winning nothing of substance, I figure the question has to be asked.

Every leaf fan I’ve heard from thinks it will be the end of the world if Matthews isn’t playing here in two seasons. Matthews is a world class player. No denying that. But is it worth it for the Leafs to pay 13+ mil/yr to a guy who hasn’t proved he can elevate his game in the playoffs? Is it even possible for a team to win the cup in the modern NHL with a player taking up such a high percentage of the cap?

If the answer to these questions is no, or if the Leafs get the slightest inkling that Matthews won’t re-sign, then they have to explore moving him this off-season to at least get somewhat of a haul back for him.

Personally, I am ready to nuke the entire organization at this point. Move on from most (if not all) of the core, front office and coaching staff and start over.
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I thought he elevated his game in the Tampa, Columbus and the 2nd Boston series.
 
It won't be the end of the world if McDavid takes his place.
 
WillTheThrill said:
I’ll preface this by saying it’s probably too early to have this conversation. However, with the abysmal start to the season and with what seems like will be the 7th straight year winning nothing of substance, I figure the question has to be asked.

Every leaf fan I’ve heard from thinks it will be the end of the world if Matthews isn’t playing here in two seasons. Matthews is a world class player. No denying that. But is it worth it for the Leafs to pay 13+ mil/yr to a guy who hasn’t proved he can elevate his game in the playoffs? Is it even possible for a team to win the cup in the modern NHL with a player taking up such a high percentage of the cap?

If the answer to these questions is no, or if the Leafs get the slightest inkling that Matthews won’t re-sign, then they have to explore moving him this off-season to at least get somewhat of a haul back for him.

Personally, I am ready to nuke the entire organization at this point. Move on from most (if not all) of the core, front office and coaching staff and start over.
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No, it wouldn't be the end of the world. No player should ever come before the crest on the jersey. If that means Matthews or Marner or Nylander or Rielly have to go to improve this club.......all good. We don't seem to be able to do shit with this core anyway.
 
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Aashir Mallick said:
I wouldn’t care

For a generational player, he doesn’t do much in the playoffs compared to others

Mcdavid, Draisaitl, Mackinnon all have carried their team to at least a series win whilst being dominant

Matthews can’t even do that and I don’t want to hear the excuse of team matchups, we lost to Montreal
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If I could like this a million times, I would.

Very well said.
 
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