TSN: Matthews promoted Toronto at ASG: 'I’m not shy about how much I enjoy playing here'

[LeafsNation75]

Could be because Marleau was a Shark for 20 year, no one expected him to leave.
Everyone knew Richards was going somewhere, he was rumoured to be a Leaf as well.

I do remember that, however the Rangers were always talked about his #1 choice due to John Tortorella.

 

[Legion34]

UFA isn't what it was, but I wouldn't doubt that we'll be able to attract some of them because of the ability to be teammates with Matthews (believe that was a consideration for Marleau). It's also important to be able to re-sign enough of your own core players prior to/when they hit that UFA stage, so it's great to "officially" know that such an important player really enjoys being a Leaf.

This is the first time in forever that big names are coming up to UFA while their teams suck. It could get more interesting.

 

[Ratboy]

How could you not love playing here? So long as you're winning.

That's just it.. We're building something special here and any player involved in bringing the cup home will be viewed as a god for life.

More UFAS will find signing here attractive the better we get.

 

[BayStreetBully]

That's just it.. We're building something special here and any player involved in bringing the cup home will be viewed as a god for life.

More UFAS will find signing here attractive the better we get.

You’d have to think that if Tavares is going to leave the Islanders to win, then Toronto would be among his top choices. If he wants the most chances to win the cup, he would look at teams already doing well, with a young core who either have yet to reach their peak, or who will remain in their primes over much of the next 7 years. When you consider that Toronto is nearly about to be as good as Tampa, but whose core is 5 years younger, that represents 5 more chances to win the cup.

Teams like Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton have the most attractive young cores for UFAs who want to win over the next 7 years. Luckily, our main competitors for teams with attractive young cores aren’t exactly located in attractive cities. And only one of them is Tavares’ hometown.

Of course, if he wants something other than winning, like good weather or the beach, then all bets are off.

 

[MapleLeafistan]

Tavares is going to Stamkos us...just accept it and move on. Let the team grow...patience please.

 

[ToneDog]

Tavares is going to Stamkos us...just accept it and move on. Let the team grow...patience please.

Nostradamus is that you ?? As long as he is not signed, there is a chance. Islanders are now splitting home games bewteen the Island and Brooklyn. That should make Johnny happy.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Nostradamus is that you ?? As long as he is not signed, there is a chance. Islanders are now splitting home games bewteen the Island and Brooklyn. That should make Johnny happy.

for 3 years.
and considering how pissed off he looked yesterday, ... it will be v. interesting to see how this susses out. It doesn't have to be us. but.. it could be Montreal (healthy Price and all of that).

 

[Brown Dog]

We couldn't be better positioned to attract Tavares. Just up to him now.

 

[ToneDog]

for 3 years.
and considering how pissed off he looked yesterday, ... it will be v. interesting to see how this susses out. It doesn't have to be us. but.. it could be Montreal (healthy Price and all of that).

Can't see how Habs can fit him under the Cap and be competitive given the Price and Weber contracts. Not to mention that Habs are further away from the Islanders in terms of winning.

 

[ToneDog]

We couldn't be better positioned to attract Tavares. Just up to him now.

Right on. What could be better than being one of the guys who helped bring the Cup back to Toronto and retiring as a Leaf legend (while making a boatload of money at the same time) ? I thought that is what Stammer wanted. What better to see Matthews and JT hoisting the Cup before Stammer ... at least twice and owning the centre of the hockey universe??

 

[Gary Nylund]

We couldn't be better positioned to attract Tavares. Just up to him now.

Hard to argue with that. We're poised to contend for the next decade, with Tavares and a bit of luck we could be the next dynasty.

 

[Slyfox]

Tampa is one of the best run teams in the nhl, has had prior success and has a great core. The islanders have none of that. Stamkos had the easier decision compared to Tavares.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Right on. What could be better than being one of the guys who helped bring the Cup back to Toronto and retiring as a Leaf legend (while making a boatload of money at the same time) ? I thought that is what Stammer wanted. What better to see Matthews and JT hoisting the Cup before Stammer ... at least twice and owning the centre of the hockey universe??

#pettyalert.
this is so my dream. I want us to win before Stamkos because while i get why he chose tampa, etc, i truly think he was "Toronto-ing" us, and that irks me.

 

[Buds17]

Tampa is one of the best run teams in the nhl, has had prior success and has a great core. The islanders have none of that. Stamkos had the easier decision compared to Tavares.

We also are in a much better spot as a team now than we were when Stamkos became a UFA.

 

[Menzinger]

Tavares is going to Stamkos us...just accept it and move on. Let the team grow...patience please.

As much as I do want to be optimistic I just don’t see it happening

The fact is, familiarity + the fact his current team can offer an 8 year deal vs 7 in UFA to an external team deal is likely going to keep him in New York

 

[LeafsNation75]

#pettyalert.
this is so my dream. I want us to win before Stamkos because while i get why he chose tampa, etc, i truly think he was "Toronto-ing" us, and that irks me.

I always thought Stamkos just wanted to experience the UFA talks because why would he eventually re-sign for the same contract that Yzerman offered him months before?

I also do agree if the Leafs wanted Tavares and if he is interested in playing in Toronto, they are in better shape to sign him compared to when they talked with Stamkos.

 

[BayStreetBully]

As much as I do want to be optimistic I just don’t see it happening

The fact is, familiarity + the fact his current team can offer an 8 year deal vs 7 in UFA to an external team deal is likely going to keep him in New York

The 8 v 7 years doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps if things were equal, but Toronto can offer him a different experience than NYI. And Tavares still gets money in his 8th year if he’s still around, he just has to wait. He may just feel like he needs a change of scenery from the familiar but stale NYI scene.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I always thought Stamkos just wanted to experience the UFA talks because why would he eventually re-sign for the same contract that Yzerman offered him months before?

I also do agree if the Leafs wanted Tavares and if he is interested in playing in Toronto, they are in better shape to sign him compared to when they talked with Stamkos.

i think most people did. I think had the Leafs had offered him more money (from every report i heard the leafs's offer was the same as yzerman's offer), he would have come. and I remember hearing on the radio, that Stamkos was heading for the unknown. Matthews wasn't McDavid, where you'd assume he'd totally take over the league by storm, we didn't know what Matty was like or the other younger ones, so it's like eehhhh no.

now, the leafs have two years under the belt, and we're trending upwards, so (esp. if we win the first round and make a real good effort in the 2nd), you can argue you know we are doing much better - vs. Isles who are gonna miss the playoffs again for all intents and purposes and their goaltending is pants. (though they have a super rookie coming up).

 

[LeafsNation75]

i think most people did. I think had the Leafs had offered him more money (from every report i heard the leafs's offer was the same as yzerman's offer), he would have come. and I remember hearing on the radio, that Stamkos was heading for the unknown. Matthews wasn't McDavid, where you'd assume he'd totally take over the league by storm, we didn't know what Matty was like or the other younger ones, so it's like eehhhh no.

now, the leafs have two years under the belt, and we're trending upwards, so (esp. if we win the first round and make a real good effort in the 2nd), you can argue you know we are doing much better - vs. Isles who are gonna miss the playoffs again for all intents and purposes and their goaltending is pants. (though they have a super rookie coming up).

The one difference is when Stamkos had re-signed with Tampa the Leafs had just drafted Matthews 1st overall. I do understand what you mean that no one at the time knew how good Matthews would become or the team itself the following season. However it's not like the Leafs weren't being talked about as having a great future.

I also want to use the example of when Milan Lucic signed with Edmonton. Forgetting about his contract for a moment he still signed the same year Stamkos choose to go back to Tampa. However the Oilers were coming off finishing 2nd last and only 1 point ahead of the Leafs. Now I know they had Connor McDavid and he was a major factor in Lucic decision. Still they were almost just like the Leafs when you factor all that together.

 

[BayStreetBully]

The one difference is when Stamkos had re-signed with Tampa the Leafs had just drafted Matthews 1st overall. I do understand what you mean that no one at the time knew how good Matthews would become or the team itself the following season. However it's not like the Leafs weren't being talked about as having a great future.

I also want to use the example of when Milan Lucic signed with Edmonton. Forgetting about his contract for a moment he still signed the same year Stamkos choose to go back to Tampa. However the Oilers were coming off finishing 2nd last and only 1 point ahead of the Leafs. Now I know they had Connor McDavid and he was a major factor in Lucic decision. Still they were almost just like the Leafs when you factor all that together.

McDavid was a more proven commodity in 2016 after his great rookie season, and already had a higher pedigree than Matthews.

People thought Matthews and the Leafs would eventually be good, but no one thought we’d be good this fast. And no one knew if Marner or Nylander were the real deal. Stamkos didn’t want to wait 3 years to wait for us to become a playoff team, and he still met with us (the only team he’d meet with, other than Tampa). Had Stamkos known we’d be in our position now, he probably would’ve signed with us.

 

[Daisy Jane]

The one difference is when Stamkos had re-signed with Tampa the Leafs had just drafted Matthews 1st overall. I do understand what you mean that no one at the time knew how good Matthews would become or the team itself the following season. However it's not like the Leafs weren't being talked about as having a great future.

I also want to use the example of when Milan Lucic signed with Edmonton. Forgetting about his contract for a moment he still signed the same year Stamkos choose to go back to Tampa. However the Oilers were coming off finishing 2nd last and only 1 point ahead of the Leafs. Now I know they had Connor McDavid and he was a major factor in Lucic decision. Still they were almost just like the Leafs when you factor all that together.

he also knew Chia. (who was dumb enough to give him that stupid contract)

 

[LeafsNation75]

McDavid was a more proven commodity in 2016 after his great rookie season, and already had a higher pedigree than Matthews.

People thought Matthews and the Leafs would eventually be good, but no one thought we’d be good this fast. And no one knew if Marner or Nylander were the real deal. Stamkos didn’t want to wait 3 years to wait for us to become a playoff team, and he still met with us (the only team he’d meet with, other than Tampa). Had Stamkos known we’d be in our position now, he probably would’ve signed with us.

I realize it was only by 1 point however it's still funny that Tampa missed the playoffs by that amount last season and Toronto was the team who got in ahead of them. Although since Stamkos was injured and didn't come back I'm sure that played a factor in it. Still who would have thought that would be the case going into last season and everything that happened in the summer of 2016.

 

[Menzinger]

The 8 v 7 years doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps if things were equal, but Toronto can offer him a different experience than NYI. And Tavares still gets money in his 8th year if he’s still around, he just has to wait. He may just feel like he needs a change of scenery from the familiar but stale NYI scene.

THat extra year is likely in the 10-12ish million dollar range, so I think it’s going to be a pretty big factor. It’s guaranteed money too - no need to worry about an injury getting in the way of that next contract.

The Leafs (or any other Team that wants him as a UFA) is going to need to compensate for that - meaning a higher AAV than what the Islanders will offer.

 

[LeafsNation75]

THat extra year is likely in the 10-12ish million dollar range, so I think it’s going to be a pretty big factor. It’s guaranteed money too - no need to worry about an injury getting in the way of that next contract.

The Leafs (or any other Team that wants him as a UFA) is going to need to compensate for that - meaning a higher AAV than what the Islanders will offer.

This isn't likely to happen but there always the outside chance of a sign a trade if Tavares wants to sign with another team. That way he can still get an 8 year contract.

 

[IBeL34f]

This isn't likely to happen but there always the outside chance of a sign a trade if Tavares wants to sign with another team. That way he can still get an 8 year contract.

Do you think Tavares would want to screw over his new organization by making them spend assets on acquiring him, all so he can have an 8th year tacked onto his contract?