Speculation: John Tavares' Pending Unrestricted Free Agency

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SeaOfBlue

The Passion That Unites Us All
Aug 1, 2013
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Woah, is Greg Brady reliable? Wonder if Lou would do us a solid here? :naughty:


I find that hard to believe, and I seriously doubt we'd try to acquire his rights. They would keep Weight just to be able to sign Tavares, so either there is no connection or he was not going to sign there regardless of what they did with Weight.
 

MapleLeafs9

Registered User
Sep 22, 2011
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I find that hard to believe, and I seriously doubt we'd try to acquire his rights. I do not think the Leafs care about giving him 8 years.
Isles fans on the main board are saying Tavares is very close to Weight, even used to live with him for a while early in his career. I can believe this news.
 

SeaOfBlue

The Passion That Unites Us All
Aug 1, 2013
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Isles fans on the main board are saying Tavares is very close to Weight, even used to live with him for a while early in his career. I can believe this news.

Then why would they get rid of Weight? I get the Islanders did not do great last year, but he's only been coach for a year and a half and if nothing else, you have to keep him so you do not lose your franchise player for nothing (besides his rights, which I seriously doubt get them much in return). Like I said, unless Tavares already made the decision not to return regardless of the fate of Weight, that alone should be worth giving him another shot, especially since there do not seem to be many clear cut replacements right now anyways.
 

Menzinger

Kessel4LadyByng
Apr 24, 2014
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It’s not surprising at all really, JT would be dumb to not even test for the agency.

That said it is equally dumb for any team to trade any significant asset for his rights. If anything when it comes to UFA locking them up for seven years is almost better than eight given how players decline as they get into their 30s. Not to mention there’s no guarantee that he would sign a new contract anyway.
 

MapleLeafs9

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Sep 22, 2011
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Then why would they get rid of Weight? I get the Islanders did not do great last year, but he's only been coach for a year and a half and if nothing else, you have to keep him so you do not lose your franchise player for nothing (besides his rights, which I seriously doubt get them much in return). Like I said, unless Tavares already made the decision not to return regardless of the fate of Weight, that alone should be worth giving him another shot, especially since there do not seem to be many clear cut replacements right now anyways.
I'd assume they're looking at the organization as a whole, not just what they can do for Tavares. They did just have a 20 year old rookie score 85 points this year too. Maybe Lamoriello felt a culture change with Snow and Weight gone was very important.
 

Kurtz

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Jul 17, 2005
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It’s not surprising at all really, JT would be dumb to not even test for the agency.

That said it is equally dumb for any team to trade any significant asset for his rights. If anything when it comes to UFA locking them up for seven years is almost better than eight given how players decline as they get into their 30s. Not to mention there’s no guarantee that he would sign a new contract anyway.

Perhaps you send them a 3rd that turns into a 2nd if he resigns with you. That's a low enough cost where you get an edge on him but don't go broke if he signs elsewhere.
 

Stephen

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Feb 28, 2002
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Then why would they get rid of Weight? I get the Islanders did not do great last year, but he's only been coach for a year and a half and if nothing else, you have to keep him so you do not lose your franchise player for nothing (besides his rights, which I seriously doubt get them much in return). Like I said, unless Tavares already made the decision not to return regardless of the fate of Weight, that alone should be worth giving him another shot, especially since there do not seem to be many clear cut replacements right now anyways.

Because it's the Lou Lamoriello show now. He's going to run that organization his way, and while it sounds like an upgrade on Snow, it's going in a direction that won't be held hostage by John Tavares, for example.
 
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LeafsNation75

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Jan 15, 2010
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I'd assume they're looking at the organization as a whole, not just what they can do for Tavares. They did just have a 20 year old rookie score 85 points this year too. Maybe Lamoriello felt a culture change with Snow and Weight gone was very important.
Look at all times Lou fired a coach in New Jersey. That's something he never got to do while he was with the Leafs, so I guess he missed doing that.
 

Buds17

Registered User
Nov 29, 2015
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Not sure what a reaffirmed commitment entails, but if Tavares is signing for max term, it's not easy to predict for how long Weight would've remained as coach anyway. Wasn't head coach for long at all, though he's been in the organization for some time (and apparently will continue to be).

Guess the end result is Tavares looks to be going on the trade or free agent market, and we'll find out soon enough who his next team will be.
 

htpwn

Registered User
Nov 4, 2009
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Toronto
Reads as speculation to me.

Also, while Tavares & him were reportedly close, Doug Weight was also objectively the worst coach in the NHL last year. Lou did good in his first moves for the Isles.
 

Deebo

Registered User
Jan 28, 2005
8,327
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Toronto
It’s not surprising at all really, JT would be dumb to not even test for the agency.

That said it is equally dumb for any team to trade any significant asset for his rights. If anything when it comes to UFA locking them up for seven years is almost better than eight given how players decline as they get into their 30s. Not to mention there’s no guarantee that he would sign a new contract anyway.

A team that trades for his rights at this point can't sign him to an 8 year deal:

From Article 50.8 of the CBA:

(b) The following practices also shall not be permitted under this Agreement and may not be included in any SPC, nor otherwise agreed to by any Club, any person or any entity:

(iv) An SPC with a term of greater than seven (7) years, provided, however, that a Club may sign a Player to an SPC with a term of up to eight (8) years if that Player was on such Club's Reserve List as of and since the most recent Trade Deadline. With respect to potential Unrestricted Free Agents only, the ability to re-sign a Player to an SPC of eight (8) years expires when the Player becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent.
 

lifelonghockeyfan

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Dec 18, 2015
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Look at all times Lou fired a coach in New Jersey. That's something he never got to do while he was with the Leafs, so I guess he missed doing that.

Gee, and I'm one person that would be pleased if Babcock was "fired". IMO his game management is terrible, and costs the Leafs game and especially game 7,
 
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