Speculation: Could "Stamkos to Toronto" Have Financial Motivations?

[Suntouchable13]

True, it's funny he was my first thought of a player who produced well in to his mid 30's.

Same here. But I guess he might the exception?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Isn't Stammer a UFA because TB doesnt think he's worth signing at a reasonable rate ?

(1) didnt score in the playoffs last year.
(2) his injury may hamper his production now and in the future.
(3) his agent wants 11 AAV, TB willing to give 9 AAV ?

 

[RoadWarrior]

People on this board are nuts. LOL

getting Stamkos as a UFA is essentially the same thing as building through the draft.... we would be getting a 1st overall pick without having to tank for a year. What is the difference????

We have already been building through the draft for YEARS. JVR (Schenn), Rielly, Kadri, Nylander, Marner, 2016 1st...

Are we that afraid of a 26 year old deteriorating? Should we not sign Marner, or Nylander or any other good player when they hit UFA? This does nothing but accelerate the rebuild, we are losing no assets in the process.

No it's not the same under the cap.

You don't have to pay a rookie 11M which is the kind of money Stamkos will demand. When you sign a free agent of this magnitude it would mean dumping a number of contracts to free up cap space and there's no guarantee that's even possible or desirable.

Add to that the fact that Stamkos hasn't been the same player since his broken leg and appears to be on the downside of his career and it's completely understandable why Tampa is hesitating.

I wouldn't offer any more than Kessel type dollars.

 

[Suntouchable13]

I believe Stamkos will re-sign with Tampa. But if he does not, then I expect Shanny to get him. Just like he got Babcock.

 

[teeder333*]

I don't think Stamkos has any interest in resigning in Tampa.

 

[Grapes1]

I wasn't talking about who's had the better career thus far. If you're comparing the two players today and where they look to be headed it's Tavares all day. I'm sure 9/10 dentists would agree on that one as well. Stamkos just hasn't looked like the same player the last couple years.

Stamps scored 43 goals the year after he broke his leg lol. What more do you want. And is Tavares ripping it up this year? Stammer has been better than Tavares period. Maybe your crystal ball says Tavares will be better going forward but that means nothing. Also, for the record of Tavares was reaching free agency, I would be all over that too, same with most other first overall picks. But he's not.

 

[Grapes1]

No it's not the same under the cap.

You don't have to pay a rookie 11M which is the kind of money Stamkos will demand. When you sign a free agent of this magnitude it would mean dumping a number of contracts to free up cap space and there's no guarantee that's even possible or desirable.

Add to that the fact that Stamkos hasn't been the same player since his broken leg and appears to be on the downside of his career and it's completely understandable why Tampa is hesitating.

I wouldn't offer any more than Kessel type dollars.

He scored 43 goals the year after his injury. He is 25. Do you know Tampa is hesitating? Or is stamps hesitating?

 

[RoadWarrior]

He scored 43 goals the year after his injury. He is 25. Do you know Tampa is hesitating? Or is stamps hesitating?

His goal scoring/game is down for 4 years in a row and he wasn't lighting it up in the playoffs either.

He projects as a 30-40 goal scorer over his next contract so I think Tampa is hesitating to pay him Ovechkin numbers.

 

[Gabriel426]

See if NHL players are more like NBA or MLB players, people won't be second guessing why Stamkos and Kopitar will become UFA, why won't TB and LA resigns them....they must know something we don't....the must have problems.....or it could just be as simple as Stamkos and Kopitar want to explore options. Maybe they want max short terms deals, that way they can move around more often instead of stuck playing in where they are, maybe they just don't like their current management, or coaches, or whatever, or they just want to change teams. For Stamkos, maybe just maybe he wants to play and compete for a team that he dreams about since birth. And Kopitar could be the biggest Drake fan.
I think there are many reasons why players don't want to resign with their team. And honestly, I would love all players to test UFA bc it is exciting for fans and it is quite boring that certain players will always play on the same team.

 

[Gabriel426]

His goal scoring/game is down for 4 years in a row and he wasn't lighting it up in the playoffs either.

He projects as a 30-40 goal scorer over his next contract so I think Tampa is hesitating to pay him Ovechkin numbers.

Ovie had a couple of down yrs too. Think the different has more to do with TB thinks they have better options in other players.

 

[Grapes1]

His goal scoring/game is down for 4 years in a row and he wasn't lighting it up in the playoffs either.

He projects as a 30-40 goal scorer over his next contract so I think Tampa is hesitating to pay him Ovechkin numbers.

He was 2nd in goals last year, and on pace for 40 again when goals, Pts are down league wide. Sign me up

 

[colchar]

Isn't Stammer a UFA because TB doesnt think he's worth signing at a reasonable rate ?

(1) didnt score in the playoffs last year.
(2) his injury may hamper his production now and in the future.
(3) his agent wants 11 AAV, TB willing to give 9 AAV ?

Did you ever consider that he would hit UFA because he chose not to sign?

 

[colchar]

No it's not the same under the cap.

You don't have to pay a rookie 11M which is the kind of money Stamkos will demand. When you sign a free agent of this magnitude it would mean dumping a number of contracts to free up cap space and there's no guarantee that's even possible or desirable.

Add to that the fact that Stamkos hasn't been the same player since his broken leg and appears to be on the downside of his career and it's completely understandable why Tampa is hesitating.

I wouldn't offer any more than Kessel type dollars.

He appears to be on the downside of his career?!?!

Man, I would love to have some of whatever it is you folks are drinking.

I cannot understand you people who would turn down a franchise center, something the team has lacked for years now.

Seriously, what is wrong with you people? Or is this just another example of that segment of Leafs' Nation that will crap on anything?

 

[colchar]

His goal scoring/game is down for 4 years in a row and he wasn't lighting it up in the playoffs either.

Isn't scoring down across the league?

He projects as a 30-40 goal scorer over his next contract so I think Tampa is hesitating to pay him Ovechkin numbers.

You don't have the slightest idea what Tampa is doing or why they are doing it, so stop pretending that you do.

 

[rdawg1234]

Very possible Stammer just doesnt want to sign until the off-season, some players really want to test the market even if they plan on resigning with their team.

If he doesnt re-sign during the season, it's gonna be Tampa vs. Toronto 100%, there's no other team he will go to, he's talked highly of both, and Tampa is really not doing too well right now so he may want to take his chances at home for the rest of his career(although clearly Tampa is light years ahead of us at the moment).

 

[indigobuffalo]

If we sign Stamkos and then Tavares decides to try and sign here too, we have the option of trading Stamkos or having both, which is feasible as CHI has Toews and Kane.

You can all go on with your lives.

 

[Gary Nylund]

He appears to be on the downside of his career?!?!

Man, I would love to have some of whatever it is you folks are drinking.

I cannot understand you people who would turn down a franchise center, something the team has lacked for years now.

Seriously, what is wrong with you people? Or is this just another example of that segment of Leafs' Nation that will crap on anything?

It's been stated many times that we'd all love to have him. The only concern some have is the cost. Since you don't even mention cost in your post, I'll assume you're in the camp that is willing to pay him the max allowable for max term which is over 14m per year for 7 years.

I could ask "seriously, what is wrong with you"? I'll be more polite though as I prefer intelligent discussion to trading insults and just say that I disagree with you, no way in hell would I give him that kind of deal.

 

[Pookie]

So, if we are going for Stamkos and expect immediate improvement….. are we all agreed that we are keeping Dion & Bozak?

 

[Joey Hoser]

So, if we are going for Stamkos and expect immediate improvement….. are we all agreed that we are keeping Dion & Bozak?

No!

You didn't answer me last time I asked you, why can't the rebuild continue as is, just with Stamkos?

Considering the low-return expected for both of them, I'm not certain they were both going to be traded anyway, but that's kinda beside the point.

 

[Dragao6]

No!

You didn't answer me last time I asked you, why can't the rebuild continue as is, just with Stamkos?

Exactly, Its all about drafting well even if our 1st round pick is mid round, its about getting quality with all picks like last year.

 

[Cor]

The reason Tampa is thinking hard about this, is because they have Bishop, Hedman, Kucherov, Palat, and Johnson all due for extensions, and then Drouin in a couple years.

Do you want to keep Stamkos, and likely lose 2, maybe 3 of those pieces?

Or do you want to maybe move on from Stamkos, and keep all of those pieces.


I think Tampa Bay deals him at the deadline, adds some real nice pieces for him. Then, Stamkos will likely test FA, because at that point, why not, and Shanahan will make it happen.

 

[Pinto]

He appears to be on the downside of his career?!?!

Man, I would love to have some of whatever it is you folks are drinking.

I cannot understand you people who would turn down a franchise center, something the team has lacked for years now.

Seriously, what is wrong with you people? Or is this just another example of that segment of Leafs' Nation that will crap on anything?

One who is still in his mid-20's to boot.

People don't seriously think he's getting 14 million do they?

 

[Pookie]

No!

You didn't answer me last time I asked you, why can't the rebuild continue as is, just with Stamkos?

Considering the low-return expected for both of them, I'm not certain they were both going to be traded anyway, but that's kinda beside the point.

Answer is pages back.

Stated simply, if you are cap maxing a player for immediate returns you need players that are also peaking.

Bozak is playing well. Phaneuf has a couple of years left.

There are consequences to signing Stamkos and accelerating the rebuild. Not trading Phaneuf and Bozak for picks are but a couple.

Can't have it both ways.

 

[deprw]

I don't get it. What's so hard with this? I trust our management team and if board isn't harassing I think they'll do the right decision. What I'll think they do if Stamkos is UFA. They'll try to sign him to reasonable contract. What's top for me is 9.5mil/yr. Would like 9.1mil/year more. 7 years or if we wan't to go creative sign him 1 year with max deal and then 8 more with 8mil/cap hit or something like that. We have more brain trust in our front office than any other NHL team and old crook Lamoriello is in charge.

I don't think that signing Stamkos would affect plan anyway. We're building perennial contender. We keep drafting well, maximing our assets, maybe after Stamkos we can trade Kadri for futures. I think we'll get rid of old regime. Bozak, Phaneuf and Lupul have better value now than year ago.

We won't draft Matthews. It's impossible. We don't finish last and we're not winning that lottery. I'm hoping that we get lucky and get 3rd pick or finish fifth last and draft in top7. Babcock won't lose on purpose. We're probably better next season so we won't get two top2 picks. They changed the odds and it was bad for us, but at least we have Babcock and our top notch front office.

If Don Meehan want's 11mil he can want it. I don't think that we would cave in or Tampa. There isn't that many teams that could afford him and would he like to play in Arizona in example? Nashville might have cap room but they have internal cap.

Would Stamkos like to sign here with huge contract that would halter our rebuild and kill our cap? Would he like to get that enormous pressure put on him to produce, because his eating 15% of our cap? Would he like to get run out of town by angry people that hate him, because he came here just because of money and can't produce?

Fans will get torches ready if he fails and have biggest contract in the NHL.

What's biggest upside for him to come here? He can play in his hometown for his childhood team. What's the biggest bonus playing here? Winning the cup. If he does that his financial opportunities are limitless and he'll be remembered as legend forever. Doing that with your childhood favourite team in most hockey hungry city in the world. Isn't that the dream?

Would you halter that with unreasonable contract and maybe ruining your hockey legacy forever? I don't he'd get a chance for that or would be stupid enough to do that here. If he want's 10.5mil/year he can play somewhere else and forget winning the cup.

 

[Crysis]

I wouldn't pay more than 6mill/year for any one dimensional player. I'm sure I will get flamed for that but IMO you build a team with stars who play both ends of the rink then you add pieces to put the team over the top. Would much rather throw money at Kopitar.