Mess
Global Moderator
Ya and theres no way he would just sign for 1 single season and the price he would command would most likely really screw up our ability to sign all our young studs. Just imagine we signed Tavares for the term hes going to want and say Liljegren turns into a stud, how would we afford too pay for all these guys? You'd most likely be saying goodbye to one of Nylander or Marner in trade.
The solution is right there, its an either or scenario.
Leaf have the young assets to potentially acquire Tavares in trade and then sign him to big $$ extension thereafter.
The cost to acquire JT in trade would outrageous, but hypothetically if Leafs package Nylander + Marner etc then you wouldn't have any cap issues because the money at +$6 mil you would be giving Marner and Nylander each (+12 mil combined) would then go to JT essentially at 10-12 mil. Either/Or !!!
The question would be what would give the Leafs the better Stanley Cup odds of Matthews and Tavares down the middle or Matthews (with Marner & Nylander)? The cap costs of either would be relatively the same.