Nick Hansen
Registered User
- Sep 28, 2017
- 3,122
- 2,652
The mistake was to not capitalize on Melander's high reputation before the whole contract situation came into play.
I think it's pretty simple: In a cap era, if you're spending to the cap, good players vs bad players don't really matter. Good players for the price is what matters. The leafs have many amazing players, fewer amazing players for the price.
Are they really amazing though? Matthews hasn’t even broken 80 points yet the Eastern Canadian media labelled him 1A to McDavid.
I guess that’s just how it works in Toronto. Everything is given and nothing is earned.
Did signing Tavares lead to the Leafs' downfall?
I don't really get the millennial fans' obsession with player salaries. I don't really care what players are earning; I just care how they perform.
.
The mistake for Toronto was thinking they could keep 4 forwards for $40+ million. Center depth is huge. But signing Tavares meant somebody had to go. Dubas doubled down on he could keep them all and build a contender and it was unrealistic, especially given these guys were taking no discounts. He can still fix things by trading one of them. But the Leafs are in a bad situation. Panic moves and poor decisions are/have been made with teams in similar situations. There’s also a lot more holes outside of that. Welcome to pretender status Toronto.
I can assure you a guy like Panarin is not "enticed" by a winning product, he is enticed by the nightlife and maybe going out on a boatIf Tavares had taken a hometown discount (say 10) and stayed with the Islanders, coupled with Ladd getting Insurance retirement and the 4/5 Mil they have in cap space, I'm wondering if that would have enticed Panarin to join them instead of the Rags. Then you would of had that great Trotz coached defensive team with Barzal, Tavares, & Panarin. I'm pretty sure that would have been a recipe for a true "Cup Contender". They may of had to let Leddy and/or do another move, but I think it would have been possible.
I don't expect it will happen, but this thread will definitely make a delicious bump if the Leafs somehow make the playoffs this year.
I’m sorry if they make the playoffs hahahahaha? The bar is that low for this future dynasty now??????
Ah we finally have the answer. Its not the salary cap, its millennials. Obviously!I don't really get the millennial fans' obsession with player salaries. I don't really care what players are earning; I just care how they perform.
Anyway...
It's still mid-November. The Leafs have had a rough stretch for, what, a week or two? Everyone chill.
Please see threads from November / December last year: "Was signing Ryan O'Reilly the Blues' downfall?"
Nine out of ten experts on this forum concluded that it was.
This is really all that needs to be said about it.Hard to not sign a guy like Tavares when you have the opportunity. But Leafs didn’t really need him and I’m sure they could have used the money smarter even if it wouldn’t have been as flashy on paper.