TSN: Button Thinks Tavares To Leafs On One Year Deal Makes Sense

[shortfuze]

you are right its not all about money. But the premiere FA in his class, if he even makes it to FA, isn't going to take a 1 year deal its a pipe dream to even remotely think it was an option. ALL the risk would be on Tavares for 1 years worth of reward what if he got injured and cant play again? instead of a contract 7 years long to make sure he's comfortable he has $7.5/8M (after taxes). He could sign 7 year $3M a year contract and be more comfortable than a 1 year one at max money. This is button being stupid, it has no basis in reality

but it's not a pipe dream. Other players have done it. Like I said kariya, selanne and Hosea.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Sure players always strive for the Cup.
Basically this is what Button is saying-sign a mercenary to get what we all want. He believes we're close.

Depends if JT wants to do that, which I doubt.

Still say the NYI FA to pursue would be deHaan.

 

[Anthrax442]

So Hossa wasn't a good player when he signed a one year deal with the Red Wings as Button referenced in the video? I am not saying Button is right, but it has happened so you cannot say they don't do it.

1 guy. And after that he signed for an eternity. The only one I can think of before him was Paul Kariya,

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I don't see Tavares signing a one year deal.......and Leafs needs blueliners to take the next step.

Only way this happens is that Nylander gets traded after they sign John long term. Other than that I don't see it happening. Would also have to loose another salary as well.

Kadri would the guy to go in the long term and I would not care give me Tavares over Kadri all day

 

[Keato]

As absolutely disgusting it would make the Leafs down the middle, I don't think it will happen. Makes a fun headline in mid-August though.

 

[Kurtz]

1 guy. And after that he signed for an eternity. The only one I can think of before him was Paul Kariya,

Hey, you've mentioned Kariya, so how could you forget Selanne?!

 

[LeafFever]

Tavares leaving the Islanders makes sense. The Leafs? No. They don't need him and he needs 7 years.

 

[Anthrax442]

Hey, you've mentioned Kariya, so how could you forget Selanne?!

Oh yea, they signed together.Stupid brain.

 

[The CyNick]

In abstraction, sure.

In reality I dont see how they could make it work capwise. He also wouldn't take the risk - will want a 7/8 year deal and would have zero interest in that type of deal. He's a declining asset, time to focus on internal development of the Leafs star players for a change rather than try to repeat past mistakes.

Good luck finding someone else in the system as good as Tavares. You don't turn down a player like this if he wants to come here. Is a free asset. If it means you then trade someone like Kadri, great, you do that.

 

[Kiwi]

Good luck finding someone else in the system as good as Tavares. You don't turn down a player like this if he wants to come here. Is a free asset. If it means you then trade someone like Kadri, great, you do that.

He's not free
He's going to cost a fortune in cap space, one of if not the most important assets in the current NHL

Kadri makes 4.5M long term and scored 60 points playing tough matchups
Now you want to ditch him so we can get 10-15 points more, get worse defensive play and it's going to cost 10M+

It's like the salary cap doesn't exist around here

 

[weems]

He's not free
He's going to cost a fortune in cap space, one of if not the most important assets in the current NHL

Kadri makes 4.5M long term and scored 60 points playing tough matchups
Now you want to ditch him so we can get 10-15 points more, get worse defensive play and it's going to cost 10M+

It's like the salary cap doesn't exist around here

Great post!

 

[Anthrax442]

He's not free
He's going to cost a fortune in cap space, one of if not the most important assets in the current NHL

Kadri makes 4.5M long term and scored 60 points playing tough matchups
Now you want to ditch him so we can get 10-15 points more, get worse defensive play and it's going to cost 10M+

It's like the salary cap doesn't exist around here

If they could fit him long term and all it would cost them is losing Kadri, I could live with that. Kadri would bring back quite a haul.

 

[Hogan86]

I feel this is such a pipe dream. IF Tavares were to do this one year deal, we would have to find about 11-12 million to give him next year. I think if the Leafs want some realistic veteran forwards for one year deals next season they should take a run at the likes of Rick Nash or Daniel Sedin. Those guys would probably be more open to a short term deal. And even though Sedin is getting up there I think playing with some young superstars would rejuvenate him. Get him and Willy to flank Auston and that would be pretty great I'm sure.

 

[hullsy47]

Tavares leaving the Islanders makes sense. The Leafs? No. They don't need him and he needs 7 years.

u make room for him make him captain and make it work ....Mathews wil be captain one day hes young and in 7 years he can pick his team ,,, tavaras would be the face of the leafs ,,,, make no mistake

 

[LeafFever]

u make room for him make him captain and make it work ....Mathews wil be captain one day hes young and in 7 years he can pick his team ,,, tavaras would be the face of the leafs ,,,, make no mistake

Eh, I think Matthews is already better.
If you ask me, Tavares has been a bit of a disappointment.

 

[LeafFever]

I feel this is such a pipe dream. IF Tavares were to do this one year deal, we would have to find about 11-12 million to give him next year. I think if the Leafs want some realistic veteran forwards for one year deals next season they should take a run at the likes of Rick Nash or Daniel Sedin. Those guys would probably be more open to a short term deal. And even though Sedin is getting up there I think playing with some young superstars would rejuvenate him. Get him and Willy to flank Auston and that would be pretty great I'm sure.

Sedin is kind of a pie dream. He isn't leaving his bro.
And Nash has looked very mediocre the past 2 years.

 

[Kiwi]

If they could fit him long term and all it would cost them is losing Kadri, I could live with that. Kadri would bring back quite a haul.

To work cap wise it would need to be Kadri traded as well as one of Nylander or Marner

I can't see how it's possible to pay the big three and Tavares and make the cap work still
Those 4 alone would be close to 35M you add another 15M for Andersen Rielly Zaitsev and that's 50M for 7 players

You've spent 50M with 9 forward spots to fill and 5 defense spots to fill plus a backup goaltender with about 25-30M in cap space

 

[Al14]

u make room for him make him captain and make it work ....Mathews wil be captain one day hes young and in 7 years he can pick his team ,,, tavaras would be the face of the leafs ,,,, make no mistake

Tavares has not been that great with the Islanders. How would he, all of a sudden, become the face of the Leafs? Is there a switch on the back of his neck you would just have to flick on?

Matthews is the face of the Leafs already IMHO.

I'm not saying I wouldn't want Tavares, however, we have our own young guns now that will need to be paid sooner, rather than later.

Which one would you sacrifice losing to sign Tavares?

Now, if the Islanders were willing to trade us Tavares for say JvR, Bozak, Kadri, plus whatever... that would clear enough cap space for us to sign him long term. Snow might be cold and wet, but, he's not that stupid. Is he? LOL

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Media has been spoiled for a long time with this big hole on the Leafs. Fans just dying for that big marquee player in the mold of Crosby, Stamkos, Richards, Tavares. It's allowed for endless discussion around trade scenarios and rumours, UFA deals that might make sense, click bait articles galore and Leafs fans just eat it right up.

Now we find ourselves in an awkward situation where that's all these journalists have been doing during UFA for a long time, and we know something could only potentially happen for the next year or 2 because Leafs have found their marquee players of the future. So we get these completely ridiculous suggestions of crap that makes no sense.

It will be interesting to see how this all shapes up when the big 3 are getting paid and we can't nor shouldn't bring in a big name like Tavares on UFA whatsoever. I guess they could focus on a big name D.

 

[BayStreetBully]

I wasn't interested in Stamkos (especially pre-Matthews), but I would absolutely sign Tavares for 7 years if he's willing to go $9 million or less. He's too good to pass up even with Matthews, Marner and Nylander. If we gotta trade Kadri or Marleau, or anyone else, we'd have to do it. And while our defence needs help, we shouldn't use that as an excuse to pass on a free Tavares. We can still work around that.

 

[Gabriel426]

If JT extend with the Islanders for 9mil/8yrs, let's face it, he hasn't won any Cups or scoring titles, 9mil is fair.
That would be 72mil total.
Let's say he signs for the Leafs for a yr at 15mil, then extend for 8 more yrs for 7mil. His total income will be 71mil. Only 1mil differences but he gets to play in his home town and with Matthews, Marner and Willie.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Tavares would have made sense in lieu of the Marleau signing next summer.

But we could theoretically make room if we somehow got rid of Bozak, JVR and *maybe* Kadri, replaced them with Tavares and 2 cheap ELCs like Grundstrom and Korshkov for example.

Question is do we even need to do that?

All things equal, I spend that money on Doughty.

So would I. But that's a year later, and there's no guarantee he signs here, so you risk ending up with neither without having even tried.

My thinking is if you have a chance to grab a Tavares, you'd have to do it. If Tavares wants to sign here, do it, because it helps your team. No one ever said you could only have 3 star forwards.

If Tavares doesn't sign here, go after Doughty the following year. If Doughty doesn't sign here, try for Seguin immediately after.

 

[cupcrazyman]

TSN has posted the same topic in multiple posts on Facebook.This is gettng old very quickly.

 

[baton elevated]

He'll sign with the Rangers. They all do. By all accounts JT and his girlfriend like the area, this keeps him there. He goes to a high profile team and keeps his anonymity. Something all Toronto area boys love. TO is only a bargaining chip that all the local boys use to get the big pay day from other Teams. Nash, Stamkos and now JT. Doughty will be the next to use this tactic.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

He'll sign with the Rangers. They all do. By all accounts JT and his girlfriend like the area, this keeps him there. He goes to a high profile team and keeps his anonymity. Something all Toronto area boys love. TO is only a bargaining chip that all the local boys use to get the big pay day from other Teams. Nash, Stamkos and now JT. Doughty will be the next to use this tactic.

I think if there is 1 guy that might actually sign it might be Doughty, his team is quite clearly on the way down and he would put Toronto over the top.

If there is one UFA I think we have a fair shot to land it's Doughty