Proposal: Tavares and the Hawks make sense

[dj Mahoney]

I'm sure we'll find out soon enough if tml brass asked jt or marner to waive nmc.

to chicago ; why not ? They will probably turn things around sooner than we think .

they can probably offer him one last generous contract (7 mil x 5 years for example)

Davidson isn't that vacant .

 

[Drumman44]

Davidson isn't that vacant .

 

[dj Mahoney]

View attachment 870548

Lol incognito

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I wouldn't take Tavares for free. That's a huge cap hit for a veteran that doesn't move the needle. For a team intending on winning hockey games next year that cap space is valuable. It's meaningless for Chicago. Real dollars are meaningless for Chicago. We're spending a lot on culture. It's market mismanagement to not make teams pay for the cap space.

I can get this from a "we can milk them for more, especially if Tavares is only willing to waive for Chicago among the teams with cap space" perspective. But Tavares for free in a vacuum I think makes sense for Chicago, given how much space they have, the need for offensive skill, and the possibility he can moved at the deadline as a rental for futures. Essentially why Taylor Hall for free made sense also.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

No they wouldnt. The player is the enticement. If they can get a 1 year deal for a a 2C that only cost a 910k in real money. (We dont care about his cap hit next year) we take that every time.

Hes not nothing. He had 29 goals 65 points last year. There are 5 free agents this year with more points. How many are going to sign for 1 year.

Reinhart-No
Stamkos-No
Guenztel-No
Marchessault-No
Pavelski-Maybe

It all depends on if he gives a list of teams or has 1 team. Most likely he says nope I am stayin. If he says Im only going to Chicago then you can see how much its worth to Toronto to get that cap.

I think you're overrating how much production Tavares would bring to the table at this point in Chicago. He scored 29 goals and 65 points while having either Marner or Nylander on his wing most of the season, and while getting to play on the PP with a 69 goal scoring Matthews.

Those guys inflated his totals big time, especially Nylander when Nylander started the season red hot.

If he doesn't play on a line with Bedard (which he shouldn't unless the Hawks decide Bedard is moving to the wing full time), I'd bet any money that Tavares struggles to score 60 points this year with what's available in Chicago.

 

[BHawk21]

I think you're overrating how much production Tavares would bring to the table at this point in Chicago. He scored 29 goals and 65 points while having either Marner or Nylander on his wing most of the season, and while getting to play on the PP with a 69 goal scoring Matthews.

Those guys inflated his totals big time, especially Nylander when Nylander started the season red hot.

If he doesn't play on a line with Bedard (which he shouldn't unless the Hawks decide Bedard is moving to the wing full time), I'd bet any money that Tavares struggles to score 60 points this year with what's available in Chicago.

We are playing Jason Dickinson at 2nd line center. We have young guys that will be coming into the lineup. They all cant play with Bedard. Tavares can go 20 and 30 and its a win.

Either something like this or we go an overpay for too long of term for a UFA who is coming to a bottom team because of the money.

Wennberg
Monahan
Roslovic

Id rather have Tavares for the year and reevaluate where the team is with Nazar Moore and Greene. The opportunity to send Tavares to a playoff team at the deadline is there too.

 

[T_Cage]

I won't pay to trade JT, as he still has value (just not 11m worth) and its not the end of the world to keep him 1 more year, but if he said he wanted to go to ___ (be it chicago or otherwise), I'd have no problem moving him for a future 7th just for the capspace

 

[HabsQC]

If I'm the Hawks I aim for a Monahan-deal type. Tavares + 1st for future considerations. Even have them retain a few millis if they're desperate enough

 

[dj Mahoney]

At worst I could see a similar type deal as the Mrazek transaction . Leafs trade #23 and Tavares for Blackhawks #34 . Not many teams are lining up for an 11 million dollar cap hit .

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

We are playing Jason Dickinson at 2nd line center. We have young guys that will be coming into the lineup. They all cant play with Bedard. Tavares can go 20 and 30 and its a win.

Either something like this or we go an overpay for too long of term for a UFA who is coming to a bottom team because of the money.

Wennberg
Monahan
Roslovic

Id rather have Tavares for the year and reevaluate where the team is with Nazar Moore and Greene. The opportunity to send Tavares to a playoff team at the deadline is there too.

I didn't say it was something the Hawks shouldn't pursue, I was simply commenting on you categorizing it as adding someone who can score 30-ish goals and 65-ish points for the Hawks. He barely hit those totals in Toronto even when he played with wingers like Marner and Nylander all season, and on a PP with a 69 goal scorer.

Tavares, at this point in his career on the Hawks, is probably closer to a 20-ish goal, 50-ish point player. Only way he comes close to matching his Toronto totals is if Bedard has a massive breakout season (ie. 50+ goals and 100+ points) AND the two of them are glued together every shift. If Bedard doesn't do that, or if Tavares plays on a separate line, then Tavares won't sniff those numbers, IMO.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Why is Tavares waiving for Chicago? lol

 

[ABCUser]

Still have no idea how anyone doesn't understand going home to Toronto wasn't just his decision.

? Who's decision was it then? His wife? He's the one that chose the pajamas, now he must sleep in them!

 

[dj Mahoney]

Why is Tavares waiving for Chicago? lol

His life is a living hell playing in the middle of this three ring circus.

 

[Space umpire]

His life is a living hell playing in the middle of this three ring circus.

I think you would be surprised how little of it players take home with them.
It’s the fans that live and die with their team. Players today (for the most part) play the game and leave it at the rink. It’s a job and not much more.
Notice how upset Leaf fans get with their stars at post loss pressers. Fans lament for weeks, players clean out the lockers and live their lives.

 

[dj Mahoney]

I think you would be surprised how little of it players take home with them.
It’s the fans that live and die with their team. Players today (for the most part) play the game and leave it at the rink. It’s a job and not much more.
Notice how upset Leaf fans get with their stars at post loss pressers. Fans lament for weeks, players clean out the lockers and live their lives.

And all that bread doesn't hurt $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ The Toronto media is stifling.

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

I can see the Hawks offering to take him off TO's hands for a sweetener. But the Leafs have no 2nd round picks for like a decade...

JT plays out his contract with Toronto.

No sweetener is needed. Chicago gets to have a good player that makes virtually zero actual money which is huge for a rebuilding team. They can then flip him 50% at the deadline for a 1st easily (if they get smoeone to double retain).

 

[Drake1588]

You make a compelling case, OP, at least to the Leafs and to Chicago. Not to Tavares, whose certain veto is all that matters, of course.

He wants to be in Toronto and to take another swing there at a title. He leaves now for the Blackhawks, and he might never land on a contender again. He stays, and he could have a strong resurgent year, help them to better playoff fortunes in Spring 2025, and earn another contract from a contender - if not Toronto, then someone else. He can't do that on a cellar dweller.

Why voluntarily leave a good team for a bad team? Why do that when you don't have to, and he doesn't have to... it doesn't make sense for the player.

If you flip this around and ignore the teams' wishes, it does not take long to figure out that you don't need to find a bad team. You need to find an off ramp to a good team, with as good or better chance to win as Toronto.

JT isn't waiving to go to a worse team, and has an $11M AAV. That's why by far the likeliest outcome is that he remains a Maple Leaf.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Tavares gets 900k for the whole season.
Why should he want to move anywhere if it isn‘t a warm place, a competing team or at least a team that wants to sign him longterm?

 

[Leaf Fans]

Why is Tavares waiving for Chicago? lol

Why not? Chicago is a good city. It has its problems as do all cities.

 

[Drumman44]

Why not? Chicago is a good city. It has its problems as do all cities.

We even have a Great Lake!

 

[Leaf Fans]

We even have a Great Lake!

Yup.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Basically the Leafs management flat out tell him: "we do not want you here anymore, I'm sorry. We need to blow up this team while still keeping it a playoff team, and that includes moving you somewhere else as well as trading Marner somewhere else. If you refuse to waive your clause, you aren't going to be a captain or assistant captain. We know you have a legal right to force us to keep you, but the team DOES NOT WANT YOU HERE anymore."

I assume that the majority of players would give the GM 1 or 2 or 3 teams that he's willing to go to at that point. Maybe some players say "F you I'm not waiving". For me, it would feel kind of weird to play somewhere that the team management had no interest in me being there and had a zero percent chance of giving me a new contract. I'd prefer to go somewhere that actually wanted me. Everybody's different, though.

It’s already happened in Toronto with the Muskoka 5.

 

[Leafs87]

I believe he will be staying this year

 

[Fatass]

No sweetener is needed. Chicago gets to have a good player that makes virtually zero actual money which is huge for a rebuilding team. They can then flip him 50% at the deadline for a 1st easily (if they get smoeone to double retain).

Marner to Chicago makes a lot more sense and is a Leaf the Hawks would actually be interested in. He’d be the ideal winger for Bedard. Marner helped Matthews score a lot of goals. He’d do the same for Bedard. Plus Marner is only 27, so has many years left of high end play. Tavares is cooked. Hawks woukd have zero interest in that.

 

[BHawk21]

You make a compelling case, OP, at least to the Leafs and to Chicago. Not to Tavares, whose certain veto is all that matters, of course.

He wants to be in Toronto and to take another swing there at a title. He leaves now for the Blackhawks, and he might never land on a contender again. He stays, and he could have a strong resurgent year, help them to better playoff fortunes in Spring 2025, and earn another contract from a contender - if not Toronto, then someone else. He can't do that on a cellar dweller.

Why voluntarily leave a good team for a bad team? Why do that when you don't have to, and he doesn't have to... it doesn't make sense for the player.

If you flip this around and ignore the teams' wishes, it does not take long to figure out that you don't need to find a bad team. You need to find an off ramp to a good team, with as good or better chance to win as Toronto.

JT isn't waiving to go to a worse team, and has an $11M AAV. That's why by far the likeliest outcome is that he remains a Maple Leaf.

Hes probably staying because thats where he decided to go in the first place but lets not pretend like he cant go to Chicago and pick where he goes at the deadline.

Its not like Toronto is close to winning the cup. They have won 1 round in like 20 years.

If he has a decent 50 games he can basically pick who he thinks will win the cup and go there. At 2.75 million.

Tavares gets 900k for the whole season.
Why should he want to move anywhere if it isn‘t a warm place, a competing team or at least a team that wants to sign him longterm?

He can get out a place where they dont want him. Play pressure free hockey for half the season. If he likes it can possibly sign an extension if he wants to take a run at a cup pick where he wants to go.