Speculation: John Tavares' Pending Unrestricted Free Agency

[Critical13]

'Alright, everybody outta here! '

'Why?'

'I gotta go on HF for the next 6 hours and bask in the glory'

*UFA John Tavares has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs!*

"I'll be in my bunk..."

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Just like last year with Stamkos, I think if available, the Leafs should do everything in their powers to sign Tavares. Players of his calibre are near impossible to get as is, even through the draft, so to have one hit the free market and only cost money, you have to be all over that.

And if he stays in Long Island, I'll be extremely disappointed as fan, but won't hold any resentment towards the player.

 

[Gary Nylund]

And if he stays in Long Island, I'll be extremely disappointed as fan, but won't hold any resentment towards the player.

Yeah some people are apparently pissed at Stamkos for not coming here which to me is just childish. Guy's gotta do what he thinks is best for him and his family, that's it. The idea that he owes Leaf fans something makes no sense at all.

If Tavares stays in NYI, good for him. I just hope he doesn't regret it too much when we win the cup in the not too distant future when he's on the golf course.

 

[Daisy Jane]

One angle I'd like to see the Leafs come in from is what Brendan Shanahan has to say about growing up as a Leafs fan in Toronto, starring in the NHL, winning multiple championships, and still coming home to run the Toronto Maple Leafs. Absolutely loving the role Shanahan has played in bringing this franchise back to life, but having done it all, does he wish he could have put on the blue and white himself like Roberts, Joseph, Nieuwendyk, Lindros and other GTA guys were able to do?

he always said he would have - but it never fit.
that's why he doesn't consider himself a Leaf. he feels he hasn't earned that right and privilege.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

John Tavares' uncle, also named John Tavares, is good friends with Brian Shanahan.

Anyone want to guess whose brother Brian Shanahan is?

 

[egd27]

I went through the same exercise with Steven Stamkos when the numbers were a little lower, and my thought process is if you can have something like UFA Star + Matthews + ELC/AHL grad in a top 9 productive role making a ratio of $11 million, $10 million and $1 million at all times, it's the equivalent of sinking $7.3 million for 3 forwards. Not the most unaffordable arrangement in the world. Basically just means having to be disciplined and shrinking the middle class and cutting down on inflationary 2nd and 3rd contracts. This might mean we lose Kadri, or some combination of Nylander for a defenseman who could make $8 million one day, but also means we would likely want to shed that third Marleau year.

Forward 1 $11 million
Forward 2 $10 million
Forward 3 $7.5 million
Forward 4 $6 million
Forward 5 $4 million
Forward 6 $3 million
Forward 7 $3 million
Forward 8 $2 million
Forward 9 $1 million/ELC
Forward 10 $1 million/ELC
Forward 11 $1 million/ELC
Forward 12 $1 million/ELC

Defenseman 1 $8 million
Defenseman 2 $5 million
Defenseman 3 $4 million
Defenseman 4 $4 million
Defenseman 5 $ 1 million
Defenseman 6 $ 1 million
Defenseman 7 $1 million

Goalie $7 million
Goalie $1 million

That works out to $82.5 million but you could definitely tighten it and there's some rounding up of ELC's and you could have a couple of league minimum contracts in there too. Not counting the Kessel retention.

You're missing 2 of the players that do press box duty on the 23 man roster so you need at least another $2M

 

[Daisy Jane]

John Tavares' uncle, also named John Tavares, is good friends with Brian Shanahan.

Anyone want to guess whose brother Brian Shanahan is?

Shaun Shanahan?

 

[inthe6ix]

John Tavares' uncle, also named John Tavares, is good friends with Brian Shanahan.

Anyone want to guess whose brother Brian Shanahan is?

And should he re-up with the Isles, they will still be good friends - not sure why you're implying any of that makes a lick of difference, but JT is in the driver's seat here, not his uncle and his buddy.

 

[Smif]

Sure he could get Insurance but I still don't see what the Players motivation for such a deal is.

Or our motivation. I don't want to have a huge cap hit until he's 37 years old, those kinds of deals can cripple a franchise. 7 years takes him to 35, that's plenty long enough.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

And should he re-up with the Isles, they will still be good friends - not sure why you're implying any of that makes a lick of difference, but JT is in the driver's seat here, not his uncle and his buddy.

Nobody said it made a huge difference, in terms of what JT decides to do.

But the personal connection is there. When Shanahan walks in during a meeting next week, JT likely has a history with him and there is a trust factor there.

 

[1specter]

And should he re-up with the Isles, they will still be good friends - not sure why you're implying any of that makes a lick of difference, but JT is in the driver's seat here, not his uncle and his buddy.

No, Brian threatened to end the friendship if John does not come here

 

[Trapper]

Yeah some people are apparently pissed at Stamkos for not coming here which to me is just childish. Guy's gotta do what he thinks is best for him and his family, that's it. The idea that he owes Leaf fans something makes no sense at all.

If Tavares stays in NYI, good for him. I just hope he doesn't regret it too much when we win the cup in the not too distant future when he's on the golf course.

Will the day come that Matthews wants to go home?
People need to think about that as well before getting upset at Stamkos/Tavares. So far 1 of 2 stayed with their original team. If Matthews views the situation the same, why would Arizona fans be mad at him for staying in Toronto? It's just life. Sometimes loyalty, sometimes best fit.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Will the day come that Matthews wants to go home?
People need to think about that as well before getting upset at Stamkos/Tavares. So far 1 of 2 stayed with their original team. If Matthews views the situation the same, why would Arizona fans be mad at him for staying in Toronto? It's just life. Sometimes loyalty, sometimes best fit.

if matthews yanks arizona's chains for years.. yeup. i fully expect all five of them to be cranky.

 

[Goonface2k14]

Will the day come that Matthews wants to go home?
People need to think about that as well before getting upset at Stamkos/Tavares. So far 1 of 2 stayed with their original team. If Matthews views the situation the same, why would Arizona fans be mad at him for staying in Toronto? It's just life. Sometimes loyalty, sometimes best fit.

Great point.

Ask any player what "home" is, and you'll likely hear varying answers, not just simply the place where they grew up. People move, and establish themselves in new cities, and that eventually becomes a place they feel most comfortable. People find new homes, people have several homes. Pro athletes are no different.

In this case, JT probably has a network built over his past nine years in Long Island. Friends, teammates, places. Just like Stamkos has in Tampa.

I think what people mean by "come home" is "play in the city you grew up in", because maybe it was a childhood dream, or maybe you want to play where your family can see you play in person more often. Regardless, it's tough to leave a place where you've been for so long, and put so much effort into trying to win there. I have no issue with any player wishing to stay in that same city when they are faced with that decision, and I would expect the same feelings from Matthews or any other Leaf player in the same situation down the road.

 

[dougieg93]

John Tavares' uncle, also named John Tavares, is good friends with Brian Shanahan.

Anyone want to guess whose brother Brian Shanahan is?

I'm kind of annoyed at him as he racks up points in Beer league hockey playing a few levels below he should be

 

[LeafsNation75]

Great point.

Ask any player what "home" is, and you'll likely hear varying answers, not just simply the place where they grew up. People move, and establish themselves in new cities, and that eventually becomes a place they feel most comfortable. People find new homes, people have several homes. Pro athletes are no different.

In this case, JT probably has a network built over his past nine years in Long Island. Friends, teammates, places. Just like Stamkos has in Tampa.

I think what people mean by "come home" is "play in the city you grew up in", because maybe it was a childhood dream, or maybe you want to play where your family can see you play in person more often. Regardless, it's tough to leave a place where you've been for so long, and put so much effort into trying to win there. I have no issue with any player wishing to stay in that same city when they are faced with that decision, and I would expect the same feelings from Matthews or any other Leaf player in the same situation down the road.

The thing I go back to is this. At the time when Stamkos re-signed the Leafs were not close enough to being a contender and no one expecting them to make the playoffs the following season. So far in his career with the Islanders Tavares has made the playoffs 3 times and reached the 2nd round just once in 2016. Today most people would say based on potential success, Toronto has a better chance to win than the Islanders.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Will the day come that Matthews wants to go home?
People need to think about that as well before getting upset at Stamkos/Tavares. So far 1 of 2 stayed with their original team. If Matthews views the situation the same, why would Arizona fans be mad at him for staying in Toronto? It's just life. Sometimes loyalty, sometimes best fit.

If you have to ask the difference between Arizona hockey fans and Toronto hockey fans...

 

[JayDog17]

*UFA John Tavares has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs!*

"I'll be in my bunk..."

The Hero of Canton

 

[ACC1224]

I'm blaming Drake if Tavares doesn't sign here.

 

[Goonface2k14]

The thing I go back to is this. At the time when Stamkos re-signed the Leafs were not close enough to being a contender and no one expecting them to make the playoffs the following season. So far in his career with the Islanders Tavares has made the playoffs 3 times and reached the 2nd round just once in 2016. Today most people would say based on potential success, Toronto has a better chance to win than the Islanders.

It was certainly a lot easier to see why Stamkos would remain in TB and not sign elsewhere, but I doubt team success was the only material factor that he based his decision on.
A team’s potential for success is one factor on a list of many that a player takes into consideration, and it’s also likely the one that’s most up for debate.
To play devil’s advocate, someone could easily point out that the Islanders are on the rise, with a young phenom like Barzal and not too shabby support from guys like Lee, Beauvillier, Eberle and Bailey. Not quite a young core like Matthews, Marner and Nylander, but not all that far off either if you include Tavares in that group. If the Isles can find a decent goalie, maybe they can compete for the playoffs and build from there? It’s amazing how much difference one or two players and one or two seasons can make.
And then at the same time, the Leafs still have a lot to prove with their defense core. For me, that means way less minutes for Gardiner (because he simply makes too many costly mistakes) and Hainsey (because he seemed to really wear down as the season went on), and hope that Zaitsev can improve (no guarantees there), and Dermott can handle a regular top-four role for a full season. So while I think there’s options there to give us hope, they still have a lot of uncertainty on the back end as well.
At the end of the day, it's easy to see it from either side, and there is a lot more that goes into this that we might think, especially loyalty to your original team.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Yeah some people are apparently pissed at Stamkos for not coming here which to me is just childish. Guy's gotta do what he thinks is best for him and his family, that's it. The idea that he owes Leaf fans something makes no sense at all.

If Tavares stays in NYI, good for him. I just hope he doesn't regret it too much when we win the cup in the not too distant future when he's on the golf course.

Yup he's earned the right to call his own shots. Whatever s best for him and his family.
Who knows what kind of connections they have in their current community

 

[nuck]

Will the day come that Matthews wants to go home?
People need to think about that as well before getting upset at Stamkos/Tavares. So far 1 of 2 stayed with their original team. If Matthews views the situation the same, why would Arizona fans be mad at him for staying in Toronto? It's just life. Sometimes loyalty, sometimes best fit.

By that time there probably won't be a club in AZ

 

[DarkKnight]

Don't like the Stamkos analogy, he went back to a stable, powerhouse club.

 

[Kelly]

Arthur Staple reporting Tavares will hit the negotiation period, and Leafs will be one of the few teams he will entertain offers from.

Told myself last year that I wasn't going to get my hopes up, and there wasn't a chance in hell Tavares was going to sign with the Leafs and I shouldn't even fret about it, but here I am fretting about it with sky high hopes. f***.

Please come home Johnny.

 

[Gary Nylund]

if matthews yanks arizona's chains for years.. yeup. i fully expect all five of them to be cranky.

It sounds like you're implying that Stamkos was yanking Toronto's chain for years? I hope I'm wrong as I don't see any basis for this. I could be wrong I suppose as I was never following it that closely, all I'm aware of is that he once liked a tweet linking him to Toronto and then soon after removed that like (or something like that). If that's really all there was to it then I think people would have to be incredibly sensitive to be upset by this (or incredibly naive to read so much into one mouse click).