If the Leafs sign Tavares, does he become captain?

[A1LeafNation]

Last two seasons. Which is Kadri, which is Tavares?

Player A
5v5 G/60 0.85
5v5 P/60 1.93
PP G/60 2.09
PP P/60 5.41

Player B
5v5 G/60 0.95
5v5 P/60 1.93
PP G/60 4.22
PP P/60 6.33

Rather than spending 10+ million/year on a center we don't need, we should spend it on a defenseman we do need.

Tavares gets more attention than Kadri.

There is no one worth in UFA for dmen.

Having crazy forward depth takes alot of pressure off developing dmen from within.

 

[Spirit of 67]

If we sign J.T. it would be clear that he would be the team leader as there is no way he signs unless he was the teams leader. As well J.T. would be the highest paid player and not Mathews.

I am not sold on signing J.T. but rest assured we will be in the hunt if he reaches free agency and he has always been the one Toronto area born player who wanted to play for Toronto.

I think his signing would mean that We would make another move or two as well.

We do have the cap space moving forward but a top player would have to move to upgrade our D.

I really don't see it that way. Quite the opposite.

 

[Trapper]

If we sign J.T. it would be clear that he would be the team leader as there is no way he signs unless he was the teams leader. As well J.T. would be the highest paid player and not Mathews.

I am not sold on signing J.T. but rest assured we will be in the hunt if he reaches free agency and he has always been the one Toronto area born player who wanted to play for Toronto.

I think his signing would mean that We would make another move or two as well.

We do have the cap space moving forward but a top player would have to move to upgrade our D.

Signing Tavares is most likely wishful thinking (don't count on it) but I am all for it.
What that does is actually give us a vet who is a core player, not complimentary/necessity due to lack of whatever else.
People seem to expect that Matthews/Nylander already play like Bergeron/Marchand in the playoffs when they only have 13 games experience. Guys like Pastrnak/Debrusk/Point/Sergechev have Bergeron/Marchand/Stamkos/Hedman in that 27-32 range.
No offense to Bozak/JVR but what exactly are they teaching Matthews about being the star center for the team? How come the own rentals aren't taking the heat and Babcock flying to NJ to have an indepth discussion with JVR?
If we can do it, do it.

 

[TimPeel]

He should be a priority. Only signing I would make and than plug all of our other holes internally.

 

[Dash86]

The Leafs should definitely try to sign Tavares if he hits free agency. He’s a legit top 10 center in the league. If Matthews had played a full season I’d put him on that top 10 list as well. A 1-2 of those guys would be a nightmare for their teams to match up against. Also signing Tavares opens up the option of possibly moving one of Kadri or Nylander for help on the top pairing. As for makings Tavares captain I would not do that. This is and will be Matthews team for a long time to come. As good as Tavares is I fully expect Matthews to be far superior when he hits his prime.

 

[Stephen]

I don't think it's necessary to make him the captain if we signed him. That's a bit of a Toronto Sun move.

 

[BigBlu]

He is not playing past this year as he will not be playing for a salary of 1m. His contract will be trade to a team looking to get to the floor as his cap hit is 6.5.

I remember when that team was NO DOUBT going to be LVGK....

(You can't count on this)

 

[diceman934]

I remember when that team was NO DOUBT going to be LVGK....

(You can't count on this)

I can because he is not going to play for 1 million for the year when he just got 9m per year the 2 years previous. Time will see if I am right but it sure looks like an easy call. If we can not trade his contract we will be stuck with 6.5million in dead cap space.

 

[diceman934]

I really don't see it that way. Quite the opposite.

So do you really think that J.T. would sign here and not be the highest paid on the team? Or agree to play second fiddle to Mathews?

He would not sign here otherwise. Remember I said if he signed with us.

 

[Drytoast]

Vegas is teaching me that you dont need a taveres. Ya just need an entire team buy into the coaches system and play a full 60 minutes night in night out.

 

[34]

Toronto 100% has to be all in on Tavares. He is only one who can save this team. We are in big trouble moving forward with Matthews if we think he is going to be Captain and a franchise player.

Tavares in, throw the "C" on his sweater and get on with it.

 

[Dash86]

Toronto 100% has to be all in on Tavares. He is only one who can save this team. We are in big trouble moving forward with Matthews if we think he is going to be Captain and a franchise player.

Tavares in, throw the "C" on his sweater and get on with it.

Big trouble if we believe Matthews is a franchise player? This has to be a troll post. Matthews is going to be a franchise player and will go down as one of the greatest Leafs ever. The kid is ridiculously talented. He has one bad playoff series and people are calling him a bust. They quickly forget that the previous playoffs he was our best player and it was Marner who was invisible. Make no mistake this is Matthews team and signing Tavares does not change that.

 

[saffronleaf]

Just let Matthews play with Marner so that he'll stop whining about it.

Nylander can play with Tavares, who will probably be more appreciative of Nylander.

 

[Spirit of 67]

So do you really think that J.T. would sign here and not be the highest paid on the team? Or agree to play second fiddle to Mathews?

He would not sign here otherwise. Remember I said if he signed with us.

Do I think he would? Yes. He doesn't strike me as a big ego guy who has to be The Man. However, I do not know him personally so I don't know.
If he is and this is a deal breaker, well, there are plenty of other teams where he can go and be that. In fact, he doesn't even have to change his address for that.

 

[Rob Brown]

You think the Leafs are strong at centre? Um ok. How about the rest of the renters in the system? Are we still strong?

No, when you can get a guy like Tavares to lead you to a cup, YOU DO IT!!

Sometimes you have to forget your cap and term for anyone and go for it. I would trade 5 years of cap grief for one more cup in my lifetime. Anyone older than 30 here would.

Why do you ask for people's thoughts and then jump down their throat for giving said thought?

 

[Rob Brown]

You realize we're losing an entire line to free agency right? That's over 50 goals walking right out the door. How do we have an "abundance of scoring"?

Do you think the players that take their spots will score 0 goals? Or that we're going to run three lines instead?

 

[member 300185]

Why do you ask for people's thoughts and then jump down their throat for giving said thought?

Is that what you call jumping down someones throat? I was just engaging in conversation. Take a chill pill.

 

[The Podium]

If Tavares is signed for 7 years, Matthews will be 27 at the time when JTs contract is up (or the same age as JT is now). If you give the C to Tavares, Matthews will be next in succession. Similar to the passing of the torch from Gilmour to Sundin.

 

[Atomos2]

I think the players that take their spot won’t be near as offensively prolific. Jvr had 4 more to go til he was a 40 goal scorer and he was on the 3rd line. Leafs won’t be nearly that deep next season.

 

[Rob Brown]

Is that what you call jumping down someones throat? I was just engaging in conversation. Take a chill pill.

I'm totally calm, thanks though. You seemed annoyed. Glad I read the situation wrong.

 

[34]

Big trouble if we believe Matthews is a franchise player? This has to be a troll post. Matthews is going to be a franchise player and will go down as one of the greatest Leafs ever. The kid is ridiculously talented. He has one bad playoff series and people are calling him a bust. They quickly forget that the previous playoffs he was our best player and it was Marner who was invisible. Make no mistake this is Matthews team and signing Tavares does not change that.

Matthews is not a franchise player. I think he showed his true colours in the Boston series. I do not believe this is Matthews' team at all.

Toronto needs to be all in on Tavares. He is a real Captain and leader.

 

[Liminality]

Matthews is not a franchise player. I think he showed his true colours in the Boston series. I do not believe this is Matthews' team at all.

Toronto needs to be all in on Tavares. He is a real Captain and leader.

What about the Washington series? Does that make Matthews a franchise player? You can't point to one series and declare someone is or isn't something.

Even the best players in the world have a bad series. Crosby has had a couple that's for sure.

 

[Menzinger]

Matthews is not a franchise player. I think he showed his true colours in the Boston series. I do not believe this is Matthews' team at all.

Toronto needs to be all in on Tavares. He is a real Captain and leader.

Tavares has only played in like 10 more career playoff games than matthews, so I’m not sure we can say he’s any more of a leader than Matthews if that’s the standard we’re looking at.

 

[Al14]

I wish we could stop talking about Tavares becoming a Leaf.

It is his decision whether or not he becomes a HOMETOWN HERO. It is his decision whether or not he becomes a HOMETOWN ZERO!

If he signs with our Leafs, he automatically becomes somewhat of a hero. If he brings home a Stanley Cup with our Leafs, he not only becomes a HOMETOWN HERO, but also a LEGEND, a bronze statue level LEGEND! FOREVER IMMORTALIZED!

The question is, does he want it enough, and, I'm not talking about the Captaincy!

 

[colchar]

As I said in another thread - if they sign Tavares he becomes captain. If not, they won't name one this year because they will wait to see what they can land in free agency next year. If some of the big fish make it to free agency and they land one (ie. Doughty) then he becomes captain. If they don't land anyone, once the dust settles from free agency they will name someone internally (Matthews or Reilly, likely Matthews).