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

[cannucky]

Not sure he wants to be the villain Tavares was for leaving. Purposely blocking a trade when you dont re-sign puts a lot of pressure on the player

No it doesn't everybody knows where he wants to go and what he wants to get paid there is no extra pressure involved with playing out his contract , in fact completing his deal without bitching and crying for a trade will go a long way when it comes time to sign his next deal . JT was a villain in Long Island because he was the Captain and abandoned ship without bringing them a cup it had nothing to do with any perceived refusal it was simple abandonment issues .

 

[Gallagbi]

No it doesn't everybody knows where he wants to go and what he wants to get paid there is no extra pressure involved with playing out his contract , in fact completing his deal without bitching and crying for a trade will go a long way when it comes time to sign his next deal . JT was a villain in Long Island because he was the Captain and abandoned ship without bringing them a cup it had nothing to do with any perceived refusal it was simple abandonment issues .

Tavares is the villain because he didnt re-sign and didnt commit to that when he could be moved. It had nothing to do with the lack of succes with him, they wanted him back.

Similar with Sundin being boo'ed here after refusing to waive his NMC and the comments about being with a team all year.

If Matthews refuses a trade, then signs elsewhere in his UFA year he'll be boo'ed the rest of his career here

 

[cannucky]

If AM leaves, Oilers fans wont be able to sleep till McD signs his extension, bc they all know their worst nightmare might become a reality, lol.

I think there's a pretty big difference between who and what these two guys are . McJeebuz built his dream mansion in the boonies outside Edmonton , Mathews I believe is still living in the same "Team Condo" in Toronto after buying his big home in Arizona . Speaks volumes about intentions .

 

[cannucky]

Tavares is the villain because he didnt re-sign and didnt commit to that when he could be moved. It had nothing to do with the lack of succes with him, they wanted him back.

Similar with Sundin being boo'ed here after refusing to waive his NMC and the comments about being with a team all year.

If Matthews refuses a trade, then signs elsewhere in his UFA year he'll be boo'ed the rest of his career here

reading comprehension issues there buddy ? Yes they wanted him back but he was very transparent about it all along . Do you think he would be treated the same if he won a cup there then moved on to play in his home town ? Mathews will not accept a trade to any team he doesn't want to play for period end of sentence deal with it , he couldn't give 2 shytes about being booed in Toronto afterward , He wants to play in California or Arizona either way he will only play 1 game a year in Toronto big whoop .

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

If he is gone you restart another rebuild and tear it down to the studs. This time go slow and don’t bow to media pressure accelerating it. Lastly you don’t give out massive contacts to players who haven’t won anything.

Sadly, I liked those guys on the tanking teams more than this team. How sad is that? I think we were all patient and wanting to do it properly when Lou and Shanny thought we were the 2009 BlackHawks and accelerated us to this garbage pile that Dubas helped accumulate.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Man I remember back in 2016-2017 or so

You were one of the most hyped posters for this core.

44, 16, 88, 34, even 43.

I agreed with a lot of your posts back then. Really did think we had a certain multiple cup winner with so much elite talent and elite depth (kap, AJ, brown, Hyman etc)

Been a mad depressing 6 years to get to this point haha.

Don't know how they've kept on failing and haven't been able to breakthrough. Just seems almost like it's rigged sadly.

It's almost as if we were Billionaires and now we are just Millionaires. You know that old saying..."Better never to have had it then to have had it and lost it"

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Players come and go, the jersey remains the same.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Not sure he wants to be the villain Tavares was for leaving. Purposely blocking a trade when you dont re-sign puts a lot of pressure on the player

I would go hardcore on him if he was agreeing to a deal and then changing his mind after the NMC kicks in. I would tell him he is not playing in the NHL with the Leafs for the last season and if he wants to play...let us trade him. I really don't think he cares about being a villain or not. He is the Anti-Mitch in that regard. Mitch's problem is he cares too much and it screws his psyche up.

 

[Enniskillen]

Do we need regular season superstars like him?

 

[Gallagbi]

I would go hardcore on him if he was agreeing to a deal and then changing his mind after the NMC kicks in. I would tell him he is not playing in the NHL with the Leafs for the last season and if he wants to play...let us trade him. I really don't think he cares about being a villain or not. He is the Anti-Mitch in that regard. Mitch's problem is he cares too much and it screws his psyche up.

Mitch is abnormal in how much it pains him, but very few players like being hated. Theres no benefit to him vetoing a trade if hes planning to move on. Im sure he'd have his preferences and the team would work with him to find a good fit at the deadline like most players in that situation.

 

[Legion34]

I think there's a pretty big difference between who and what these two guys are . McJeebuz built his dream mansion in the boonies outside Edmonton , Mathews I believe is still living in the same "Team Condo" in Toronto after buying his big home in Arizona . Speaks volumes about intentions .

No…. It speaks volumes about the international tax agreement and his relationship status.

He moved his family here. He has to “rent” for tax advantages

 

[mapleleafs34]

Haha this thread is a joke. This site never fails

 

[Menzinger]

I think there's a pretty big difference between who and what these two guys are . McJeebuz built his dream mansion in the boonies outside Edmonton , Mathews I believe is still living in the same "Team Condo" in Toronto after buying his big home in Arizona . Speaks volumes about intentions .

The number of NHlers who have property in the GTA is pretty massive, but it' hasn't exactly been an indicator they're all running to play here. I'm not so sure it's a good way to judge player intentions

 

[Channelcat]

Matthews is the one you do EVERYTHING in your power to keep.

If he demands 15x8, you freaking do it. He isn't an rfa anymore like last negotiation. He had zero leverage then. Now he has all the leverage. You do what you gotta do to keep him.

No leverage yet still got 5x12.

 

[NewEraGM]

Except he is giving up an extra year. ……. And going to a non playoff team.


And they don’t do full SB.

In 2 years with those young players plus one of Fantilli/Bedard, they will be in playoffs.

Also he signed his last contract for 5 years so it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t want to go full 8 years. He probably looks at renewing for a final contract when he’s 32 and then takes the 8 years. I don’t think he’s sign even 7 years on his next deal

 

[Gabriel426]

I think there's a pretty big difference between who and what these two guys are . McJeebuz built his dream mansion in the boonies outside Edmonton , Mathews I believe is still living in the same "Team Condo" in Toronto after buying his big home in Arizona . Speaks volumes about intentions .

One can hope.
Also, people read into players house and all these stuff way too much. I know for a fact A Canucks player is still renting a house with his family and instead of looking for a place after he signed the extension, he just extended the lease.

 

[New User Name]

It's my understand Matthews can't sign a new contract until July 1-2023.

Is there any restriction to talking prior to that and coming to an agreement and getting a MOA from Matthews that he will sign for the agreed terms in the MOA?

Mouser might know as he's very knowledgeable on the CBA.

If the answer is Leafs can't get that, I would seriously start shopping him NOW.
If the answer is they can but Matthews and his agent refuse to discuss and agree to sign a MOA I would seriously start shopping him now.

With his NMC kicking in July 1 2023, teams would be reluctant to offer a decent package of picks/players.

Moving him now, at least gives teams 2 years of him, which I know we have, but we aren't even close to competing for the SC.

I know many will hate my opinion but it's the long term Leafs fans should be concerned about.

 

[34]

Leafs will re-sign him...calm down ppl lol.

Matthews is leaving Toronto. California kid born, and raised in Arizona. He is going to peace out of T.O. He is going home.

 

[keonsbitterness]

It's my understand Matthews can't sign a new contract until July 1-2023.

Is there any restriction to talking prior to that and coming to an agreement and getting a MOA from Matthews that he will sign for the agreed terms in the MOA?

Don't think an MOA/MOU is allowed, but you can talk before July 1.

 

[New User Name]

Don't think an MOA/MOU is allowed, but you can talk before July 1.

Thanks, if true I would shop him now.

As I don't believe this team is a serious contender and from the time they drafted him I thought he would leave, to me it just makes sense to get as much as you can for him now.

I know I'm in the minority but hate to see us get nothing if I'm right and he does leave. Just not worth the risk IMO.

 

[Morbo]

gross thread.

if he leaves, when do you think the next time the Leaf get a 60 goal scorer will be?

 

[Jojalu]

Some of the worst logic on the board right here bud . You don't seem capable of grasping the actual concept at play here , re-signing doesn't change his paycheck next year and his NMC isn't a NTC he can choose if he wants to block a specific trade so if the 2 or 3 teams he wants to go to don't have the assets to trade or even more likely the desire to trade their assets at all there no is deal for him to accept . He isn't going to say sure trade me to Columbus so I can play one year then go sign in LA or Anaheim , there is no point , he will either go where he wants or he will play out his last year then negotiate his next contract directly with the team he wants to play for without weakening that team in a blockbuster trade .
For example why would he take a trade for McJesus when he can wait a year and go play with McJesus on what would be a much better team ?

Some of the worst logic on the board right here bud . You don't seem capable of grasping the actual concept at play here , re-signing doesn't change his paycheck next year and his NMC isn't a NTC he can choose if he wants to block a specific trade so if the 2 or 3 teams he wants to go to don't have the assets to trade or even more likely the desire to trade their assets at all there no is deal for him to accept . He isn't going to say sure trade me to Columbus so I can play one year then go sign in LA or Anaheim , there is no point , he will either go where he wants or he will play out his last year then negotiate his next contract directly with the team he wants to play for without weakening that team in a blockbuster trade .
For example why would he take a trade for McJesus when he can wait a year and go play with McJesus on what would be a much better team ?

I understand what the scenario is.

I just don't see it playing out like that. The Leafs can't take that risk. While they can't extend him, they can get an idea what his intentions are. Unless he decides to flat out lie to them, if he shows any inkling to want to play elsewhere they would move him before the NMC kicks in.

 

[Hoglund4MvP]

Fan since I popped out the womb. If their loyalty to Dubas causes Matthews to leave I am officially exiling Leafs from my life. They only deserve casual and band wagon fans

 

[discostu]

I'm a Sens fan, so just throwing that out there as I'm sure I'm coming in with my biases, and completely understand any Leaf fan dismissing a rival fan opinion right now.

With that out of the way, I think Matthews resigns, but it will be at a price point significantly higher than what we've seen top players sign at.

There's been rumblings that agents want to see top salary levels rise in the NHL, most notably by a comment from Kypreos. It's Kypreos, so it deserves some skepticism. But, his sources has usually been the player agent community, so, it's an area where he could have insight. If that sentiment exists, Matthews is the next big player up for a contract.

If Matthews is looking to set the new standard, Toronto is probably the team that is most likely to pay him. Owned by two media conglomerates, any GM or team president that says they can't make the salary work would get fired. A board of directors would see it as a simple decision to take the biggest name they've had on the Leafs and give him what he wants. Especially since the discussion will be happening around the same time that an extension for Pascal Siakam is being discussed, and that's trending towards a Supermax extension that'll make Matthews demands seem quaint (note: as a Raptors fan, MLSE should absolutely give Siakam what he's due).

The different league economics and team competitive concerns will be moot at that point. MLSE will want to keep the guy who makes them a lot of money.

I think a contract at the 20% max will happen. I think the term may not be as long though, to allow for reups as the cap goes up, but, NHLers tend to value security, so hard to judge that.

 

[Funk21]

Sadly, I liked those guys on the tanking teams more than this team. How sad is that? I think we were all patient and wanting to do it properly when Lou and Shanny thought we were the 2009 BlackHawks and accelerated us to this garbage pile that Dubas helped accumulate.

There were a bunch of missteps from the get go:

1.) We should have traded Bozak, JVR and anybody not part of the core going forward;
2.) The year we won the AM draft pick we blew our second round pick on somebody who wasn’t on anybody’s draft board;
3.) Before we signed JT, (Am, Marner and JT) should have been gathered in a room and agreed to each of their cap hits before the next season started to ensure we could build around him;
4.) The Kadri trade should have been for players that we didn’t have in our system or roster

Look I believe no other team was hit as hard by the cap as we were but this should be a lesson for all the players up for new contracts. They are got paid, with upfront signing bonuses if they truly want to remain TML players they all need to take a little less like Rielly did so we can finally build a winner.

If you are gonna roll it back but add to this team with the cap jumping this is where I think the cap hits should be roughly:
Nylander 8-8.5
Marner 11
AM 14

by the time those deals come into play we are looking at 90 plus million with the cap jump a huge amount each year.

I'm a Sens fan, so just throwing that out there as I'm sure I'm coming in with my biases, and completely understand any Leaf fan dismissing a rival fan opinion right now.

With that out of the way, I think Matthews resigns, but it will be at a price point significantly higher than what we've seen top players sign at.

There's been rumblings that agents want to see top salary levels rise in the NHL, most notably by a comment from Kypreos. It's Kypreos, so it deserves some skepticism. But, his sources has usually been the player agent community, so, it's an area where he could have insight. If that sentiment exists, Matthews is the next big player up for a contract.

If Matthews is looking to set the new standard, Toronto is probably the team that is most likely to pay him. Owned by two media conglomerates, any GM or team president that says they can't make the salary work would get fired. A board of directors would see it as a simple decision to take the biggest name they've had on the Leafs and give him what he wants. Especially since the discussion will be happening around the same time that an extension for Pascal Siakam is being discussed, and that's trending towards a Supermax extension that'll make Matthews demands seem quaint (note: as a Raptors fan, MLSE should absolutely give Siakam what he's due).

The different league economics and team competitive concerns will be moot at that point. MLSE will want to keep the guy who makes them a lot of money.

I think a contract at the 20% max will happen. I think the term may not be as long though, to allow for reups as the cap goes up, but, NHLers tend to value security, so hard to judge that.

If he wants 20% you trade him and every other selfish player on this roster and start fresh.