Maple Leafs Window Closed...

[Arzak]

I'm not buying the "We need that one missing piece of the puzzle" argument, but nothing is closed either. Two extreme options, can't vote in this one. I don't consider Leafs true contender as of yet, that being said it's so hard to predict what winning series could do for this team, it's Play off, teams win a series , players gets hot. I cheer for Leafs and Bruins for years now. Bruins are in general considered contender, yet what I saw twice was series that could go either way. Reading some of these posts it looks like Bruins won 4-0 with 20-0 goal diff.

I do think that you need to get rid of both JT and Marner, mostly due to their cap hit. Trading two players as painful as it is is imho the only way how you can shake the team effort level . You won't shake the team enough trading one core player. Without veterans like Chara,Marchand,Bergy and Krejci (twice the most points in SC, play off beast this year once again), it's way harder for young stars to focus on their game if they need to somehow mature 10-15 years to do themselves mentoring lacking out of JT . Not to mention JT's cap hit won't look better anytime soon, despite being good in playoffs, JT was never great and his style of play rarely makes your bench jump..

Nylander might be soft, figure skater and I understand argument for his trade, but he got skills to score and create scoring chances, plus reasonable contract. If there is chance he can work even better on slightly different Leafs team, you keep him.

 

[Coachcorner]

Clifford/Spezza/Simmons?

If y'alls ain't taking Joe Thornton on Spezza, then I would approve this line of yours selected above :thumb: That that Thugga line. Hard guys and heavy, Simmonds would be a real fan favourite. Clifford only stays if he's under 1 million salary. We need our Lucic, our Gallaghers and Marchands. Even Lucic would be enough. Evander Kane would be THE BIGGEST SOULJA IN THE WORLD in Toronto.

 

[Commander Clueless]

We need a "hasn't opened yet" option.

Or at least a "hasn't been open for 20 years" option.

 

[rumman]

Lol @ ppl thinking Matthews is gonna leave when this contracts up

what makes you think he'll stay other than wishful thinking?

 

[Byron Bitz]

what makes you think he'll stay other than wishful thinking?

Because very few superstars have left the team that drafted them by age 26

 

[Byron Bitz]

The window argument is invalid. As leiscester taught us your window is always open there are just different odds year to year. Some years your chances are astronomical, some years they are average or really good and so on.

 

[hoglund]

We need a "hasn't opened yet" option.

Or at least a "hasn't been open for 20 years"
Their window was open 16 years ago when they had Sundin, Neiwendyk, Nolan with McCabe, Kaberle on defense and cujo in net. For 2 consecutive seasons they went to the conference finals. They haven't had a complete team since.

 

[Menzinger]

what makes you think he'll stay other than wishful thinking?

Only a couple stars in the league have ever left their drafted team while they were still in their 20s, one of which even decided to come to Toronto.

It's fair to say the future can't be determined but playing the odds, it seems to suggest he'd still be a Leaf on his next contract.

 

[rumman]

Only a couple stars in the league have ever left their drafted team while they were still in their 20s, one of which even decided to come to Toronto.

It's fair to say the future can't be determined but playing the odds, it seems to suggest he'd still be a Leaf on his next contract.

perhaps the reason why not many star players leave is because they're locked into maximum term contracts unlike AM................

 

[Spargon]

perhaps the reason why not many star players leave is because they're locked into maximum term contracts unlike AM................

Actually its been shown time and again numerous stars signed 5 year deals out of their ELC and then re-signed for 8 years with the same team after. But people love this fantasy of Matthews leaving so you ignore it

 

[Menzinger]

perhaps the reason why not many star players leave is because they're locked into maximum term contracts unlike AM................

Most of those guys have gotten those 8 year deals on their 3rd contracts.

Matthews will be similarly likely looking for that term on his next deal.

 

[NewEraGM]

From a talent perspective it’s obviously not closed. The young players are still young and will either get better or at least stay the same...i think the part where the window closed is more the salary cap perspective. It’s not closed but it’s a lot harder now that those 4-5 guys are locked in for big money.