Short answer to why the Leafs can't get this done? Dubas is a mouth breather who is completely and totally out of his element. Once he wooed Tavares with $11 million (in a completely and totally unnecessary move) he set a precedent to pay the rest of his team like this. Without Tavares he could've bridged Matthews and Marner at about $8 million each and no one would've batted an eyelash because Leon Draisaitl got the Stamkos deal after basically 1 year of great production. But those guys? It's totally worth it. Nylander would've been $5 million at most and now suddenly you're not only NOT fondling Carolina's junk to take Marleau off your hands, you've got another $11 million not committed to Tavares in your back pocket that you haven't even used yet on top of what... about 5-7 million saved between Marner, Nylander and Matthews??
This has nothing to do with players not wanting to take discounts. Dubas had to go flex his nuts by getting Tavares for big boy money and now he's gotta pay better players the exact same way. Absolutely the stupidest thing he could've done because Tavares was never the make or break for a winning formula. It was a better defense and goaltending because God knows the only way the Leafs ever get the puck back from getting hammered in their zone is "Save by Anderssen" and one of their guys mercifully gets the puck before he can dump it back the other way
I don’t think acquiring Tavares set Matthews price. Eichel and McDavid set the table for him. Combine our completely out of control market driving forces and you have a perfect storm for any GM coming in to navigate “reasonable” competitive strategies.
Dubas hired Pridham. A name lost in the incessant Leafs blame game. Dubas (And Shanahan) seems to have deferred to their capologist in terms of ongoing structure, valuation etc. Interviews certainly suggest that’s the case.
But I can’t help but wonder if much of the disproportionate focus on Dubas isn’t symptomatic of the very thing that deforms Toronto’s market in the first place?
Tampa’s a fortunate market place. And maybe the culture created there has much more to do with players willingness to put the team ahead of dollars? There certainly seems to be a causal relationship. Is it the organization alone? The fans? The smaller more amenable (no idea) media?
As it stands, Tavares has been a great addition. His contract in isolated consideration isn’t the problem. It’s this new wave of second contracts. Money - you’re completely right - should be there to address other obvious needs.
But I’d love to know, from Dubas and Pridham, if they were blindsided by the “big three” in negotiations. It may have been a collective savings of 5-6M had lesser contracts been signed, but your point stands.
Congratulations on Point’s contract. What a boost to the morale of that club and it’s fanbase that must be.
Reciprocated faith. What a novel concept.