2018 Free Agent and Trade Thread - News? Hello? Please give us news

[BlueForever75]

You pay your elite talent, trade the secondary talent and replace them with cheaper and younger alternatives.

They have almost 25M tied to Callahan, Johnson, Miller, Killorn and Palat. Trade a couple of them for picks and prospects, you're basically recycling your depth over and over. This is exactly what the Hawks did for so long and did it almost perfectly.

To me Callahan and Johnson need to be traded. Which weakens the team. I would take the Leafs lineup over TB minus those 2 players any day of the week.

 

[Stand Witness]

Kucherov is a winger so thats more a Marner comparison but if Kucherov got 13M then Matthews has leverage on that.

McDavid and Eichel will ALWAYS be the comparisons used by Matthews. It makes sense for both parties to use it. McDavid is the high end, Eichel is the low end.

I think it makes the most sense to give him 10.5/11 over 8 years. Keeps everyone happy and about what you would have expected for Matthews anyways.

 

[Trapper]

You pay your elite talent, trade the secondary talent and replace them with cheaper and younger alternatives.

They have almost 25M tied to Callahan, Johnson, Miller, Killorn and Palat. Trade a couple of them for picks and prospects, you're basically recycling your depth over and over. This is exactly what the Hawks did for so long and did it almost perfectly.

Totally agree.
Identify your core to pay.
Your core also can't be 14 players.
So listing off Rielly,Dermott,Gardiner,Hainsey,keep going, keep going isn't feasible.
From most of what we have seen, you focus on about 5 players.

 

[justafan22]

Regardless. Don't bridge Marner or Nylander unless you want to pay them 8+ million in 2-3 years.

 

[AlmightyPO]

Kucherov gets 9.5M. I think this sets the ceiling for Marner.

 

[Trapper]

Kucherov is a winger so thats more a Marner comparison but if Kucherov got 13M then Matthews has leverage on that.

McDavid and Eichel will ALWAYS be the comparisons used by Matthews. It makes sense for both parties to use it. McDavid is the high end, Eichel is the low end.

I think it makes the most sense to give him 10.5/11 over 8 years. Keeps everyone happy and about what you would have expected for Matthews anyways.

Matthews is a center. Center always has premium IMO. And Matthews was on a PPG pace.
Kucherov is a 100 point winger.
Nylander 61,61
Marner: 61,69

 

[ULF_55]

Kucherov gets 9.5M. I think this sets the ceiling for Marner.

We can't ignore Kucherov was coming off a bridge deal, and so they are buying more UFA seasons.
However, we also must factor in net take home pay difference between Florida and Ontario.

Kucherov wasn't coming off his entry contract so he had more leverage than someone like Marner will have.

Kucherov was 3rd. in even strength points, Marner was 68th.

 

[SprDaVE]

To me Callahan and Johnson need to be traded. Which weakens the team. I would take the Leafs lineup over TB minus those 2 players any day of the week.

They will be, but then they still have Point on the cheap for a little while, they have a Cirelli, Katchouk, Raddysh and Volkov as young cheap depth coming up.

They will 100% lose really good secondary players and they might stumble a little bit, but the Leafs will as well. They won't be able to retain guys like Brown and Hyman in the near future, and that's why the Leafs need to be sure they have good young players coming up like Johnsson, Engvall, Grundstrom, Korshkov, Moore, etc.

This is how you survive after you've rebuilt your core. There's really no way around that.

 

[AlmightyPO]

We can't ignore Kucherov was coming off a bridge deal, and so they are buying more UFA seasons.
However, we also must factor in net take home pay difference between Florida and Ontario.

Kucherov wasn't coming off his entry contract so he had more leverage than someone like Marner will have.

Kucherov was 3rd. in even strength points, Marner was 68th.

I think Kucherov's contract will shut-up those who keep saying Marner is looking for 10M+. No way he gets that now when Kucherov doesn't get it coming off a bridge deal, and after two 40 goal, 85+ point seasons. Marner may come to the table at 9.5M but no way he is getting more.

If I'm management I bridge Nylander and try to lock up Marner and Matthews to 8 year deals. When its all said and done I'm expecting it to look like:

Matthews 10.5-11M x 8
Marner 7.5-9M x 8 (If I had to bet it would be on 7.5M if he signs this season/8.5M next season)
Nylander 6-6.5M x 2-3

 

[Eat The Rich]

Honestly, I think the income tax thing is overblown.

Especially when dealing with Canadian teams. If the Canadian dollar keeps tanking, these guys will end up getting paid more to play in Ontario than they would to play in Florida, once you factor in exchange rate. All salaries are paid in USD.

 

[Stand Witness]

Honestly, I think the income tax thing is overblown.

Especially when dealing with Canadian teams. If the Canadian dollar keeps tanking, these guys will end up getting paid more to play in Ontario than they would to play in Florida, once you factor in exchange rate. All salaries are paid in USD.

It is. There is a ton of tax strategy planning. There are also huge advantages to people who earn a majority of their income in a short period of time (aka Athletes) were they can put a good portion into a fund and eventually be taxed on it at reduced rates when they bring it out.

Not only that but I am willing to bet 90% of guys are set up as a business and are taking advantage of agents as expenses and all that as well. They aren't being taxed like you and I are.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Thanks Kuch - that should help give the Leafs some leverage in a cheaper “discount” deal for Matthews and Marner

 

[dangomon]

Honestly, I think the income tax thing is overblown.

Especially when dealing with Canadian teams. If the Canadian dollar keeps tanking, these guys will end up getting paid more to play in Ontario than they would to play in Florida, once you factor in exchange rate. All salaries are paid in USD.

With the current exchange rate, Tavares is making 14.5M before tax (Canadian $). Canada definitely has it's benefits too.

 

[Stand Witness]

With the current exchange rate, Tavares is making 14.5M before tax (Canadian $). Canada definitely has it's benefits too.

Which is yet another think to take into account. Holding that Canadian cash alone could be a solid investment as the $ will fluctuate.

 

[dirk41]

Honestly, I think the income tax thing is overblown.

Especially when dealing with Canadian teams. If the Canadian dollar keeps tanking, these guys will end up getting paid more to play in Ontario than they would to play in Florida, once you factor in exchange rate. All salaries are paid in USD.

Most of their securities, stocks, luxury items, secondary houses are paid for in USD.

And in what world could Marner justify $10 million a year coming off an ELC?

 

[LeafsNation75]

I think Kucherov's contract will shut-up those who keep saying Marner is looking for 10M+. No way he gets that now when Kucherov doesn't get it coming off a bridge deal, and after two 40 goal, 85+ point seasons. Marner may come to the table at 9.5M but no way he is getting more.

If I'm management I bridge Nylander and try to lock up Marner and Matthews to 8 year deals. When its all said and done I'm expecting it to look like:

Matthews 10.5-11M x 8
Marner 7.5-9M x 8 (If I had to bet it would be on 7.5M if he signs this season/8.5M next season)
Nylander 6-6.5M x 2-3

I said this on some other threads and I will say it on here. With Kucherov signing and Tampa already having Stamkos, Headman and McDonagh signed long term, it should also shut up those people who said Dubas won't be able to sign Matthews, Marner and Nylander because he signed Tavares.

 

[BlueForever75]

Matthews 8 years 10 million a season
Marner 8 years 6.75 million a season
Nylander 8 years 6.75 million a season

 

[Rob Brown]

Thanks Kuch - that should help give the Leafs some leverage in a cheaper “discount” deal for Matthews and Marner

It definitely does. I can't see us giving Matthews over 10M if Kucherov is getting less. I know they are different positions but Kucherov is a top player in the league and still very young.

 

[SprDaVE]

Matthews 8 years 10 million a season
Marner 8 years 6.75 million a season
Nylander 8 years 6.75 million a season

This would be exceptional to say the least.

 

[LeafsNation75]

It definitely does. I can't see us giving Matthews over 10M if Kucherov is getting less. I know they are different positions but Kucherov is a top player in the league and still very young.

The other difference is Kucherov is coming off a bridge contract, where as Matthews best comparisons in McDavid and Eichel signed for 8 years at $12.5 million AAV and 8 years at $10 million AAV prior to their ELC being finished.

 

[BlueForever75]

This would be exceptional to say the least.

I would go as far to say Matthews probably gets less then what Kucherov just got and closer to what Stamkos got. Yes Kucherov is playing a different position then Matthews, but we are talking one of the top talents in the league. Matthews isn't at McDavid's level (yet!!!), but he's definitely not at Kucherov's level. Kucherov deal is doing it for the team, taking less for the cap. This is what Matthews will be sold on. Wouldn't surprise me if its less then 10 million and not on an 8 year deal. Possibly a 5 year deal with a chance to make more later when cap goes up and other contracts are off the books. Become a free agent just like Tavares did as a 27-28 year old.

 

[Stand Witness]

For those concerned about tax situations:

John Tavares Could Save Nearly $12 Million In Taxes On His New Contract

Just some stuff that most people wouldn't be familiar with and showing how truly difficult tax planning can be if you aren't a part of it.

 

[Cor]

Either sign Gards to an extension, trade him or risk losing him for nothing next July 1st. The last option will piss off many posters on this board.

Option 1 should be keeping him.

People tend to underrate him because he’s a high event player, meaning when he makes mistakes, they tend to be more obvious, then when say, a Roman Polak made a mistake, despite Polak making them constantly.

Gardiner does way more good than bad.

 

[Morgs]

How about we start the season with him, hope his value to the team increases. Try to sign to an extension, if it doesn't work then deal him at deadline. In the end I think that Zaitsev should be shopped prior to him as his cap hit for the next 6 seasons can be put towards other priorities. If there is a way to rid yourself of Zaitsev I would aim for that first and then attempt to resign Gardiner.

This is the only thing I don't want to do. Compare it to the Donaldson situation:

Either trade the guy prior to the season starting (not forced to keep him for a run, not forced to trade him for a discount at the deadline), or sign him to an extension.

Personally I look at the latter first, and really exhaust all extension options. If we can't get anything done, he's had a great career in blue & white and it's time for him to go. Great team's don't lose premium assets for nothing (JVR/Bozak).

 

[Budsfan]

This the reason a hard cap should be Prorated