News Article: Nylander, Advice for Matthews + Marner

[DarkKnight]

Nylander was asked who was it that closed the deal ... he responded by telling the reporters that it was him. When it was getting down to the wire, he said he told his agent to just call the leafs... his agent did, and a deal was made.

That doesn’t sound very good from a Lewis gross standpoint.

Sounds like the leafs were prepared to let him sit, had it not been for Nylanders group calling.

So, you actually think Willie called to negotiate? Hey Lewis I got this, half an hour before the deadline, are people serious?

OR, the Leafs made another offer earlier as reported. The Nylander camp sat on the offer and Willie told his agent let's make a deal and he called Dubas to accept. There is no way in hell Nylander is calling unless it's to accept the deal the Leafs made, he isn't haggling or negotiating anything with the clock winding down. The fact it was Willie who called tells you they simply accepted the Leafs final offer, we upped our terms and they said okay. That's how it went down and anything else is really just bs.

Lewis comes out of this negotiation spelling like a rose, his client got everything he wanted. The Leafs win too because we got Nylander signed, but no one will ever convince me that Lewis didn't deliver big time for his client. 7 mil a year, only 1 year of free agency, hits the market again at 28. No penalty for sitting out, massive up front money and a quasi promise not to trade him. Must have been real hard to make the call and accept our late offer.

 

[Spirit of 67]

So, you actually think Willie called to negotiate? Hey Lewis I got this, half an hour before the deadline, are people serious?

OR, the Leafs made another offer earlier as reported. The Nylander camp sat on the offer and Willie told his agent let's make a deal and he called Dubas to accept. There is no way in hell Nylander is calling unless it's to accept the deal the Leafs made, he isn't haggling or negotiating anything with the clock winding down. The fact it was Willie who called tells you they simply accepted the Leafs final offer, we upped our terms and they said okay. That's how it went down and anything else is really just bs.

Lewis comes out of this negotiation spelling like a rose, his client got everything he wanted. The Leafs win too because we got Nylander signed, but no one will ever convince me that Lewis didn't deliver big time for his client. 7 mil a year, only 1 year of free agency, hits the market again at 28. No penalty for sitting out, massive up front money and a quasi promise not to trade him. Must have been real hard to make the call and accept our late offer.

Finally, someone with insider info.

 

[ottomaddox]

A guy who literally just went through a contract negotiation is in no position to offer advice.

Very interesting take.

As a leaf fan:

1. I don't have to like the fact that he removed himself from playing for the team.

2. I don't have to like the amount he's paid in both signing bonus, and annual salary.

3. I don't have to like the six year term of Nylander's contract.

4. I don't have to like the way this deal came down to the last 30 min. before the deadline.

5. I don't have to like the way Nylander is playing since he was signed.

6. I don't have to like his fly-by's, perimeter playing, and light stick checking.

7. I don't need to mention his poor production...but I'm going to anyway. Especially for a player who many fans said is "an elite talent with the potential to be a PPG player".

 

[Spirit of 67]

As a leaf fan:

1. I don't have to like the fact that he removed himself from playing for the team.

2. I don't have to like the amount he's paid in both signing bonus, and annual salary.

3. I don't have to like the six year term of Nylander's contract.

4. I don't have to like the way this deal came down to the last 30 min. before the deadline.

5. I don't have to like the way Nylander is playing since he was signed.

6. I don't have to like his fly-by's, perimeter playing, and light stick checking.

7. I don't need to mention his poor production...but I'm going to anyway. Especially for a player who many fans said is "an elite talent with the potential to be a PPG player".

You are correct, you don't have to like any of those things.

Not sure what that has to do with what I said but whatever.

 

[DarkKnight]

Finally, someone with insider info.

Ya I'm way off. Lol.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Ya I'm way off. Lol.

We're you on the inside?

 

[Mess]

Lewis comes out of this negotiation smelling like a rose, his client got everything he wanted. The Leafs win too because we got Nylander signed, but no one will ever convince me that Lewis didn't deliver big time for his client. 7 mil a year, only 1 year of free agency, hits the market again at 28. No penalty for sitting out, massive up front money and a quasi promise not to trade him. Must have been real hard to make the call and accept our late offer.

Spot on !!

What Marner agent (Darren Ferris) and Matthews agent (Judd Moldaver) should take away from the Nylander negotiations is wait out Leafs management for your best price for your clients.

Matthews even switched agencies this past summer moving over to the Bobby Orr group that also represents Connor McDavid.



So with McDavid and Tavares the 2 highest AAV players in the NHL for both RFA and UFA players, and Sid the Kid perhaps the best player in the game on their client list you can already see where they want to take Matthews next contract even without Nylander's advice by aligning themselves in the McDavid camp.

With Paul Marner Mitch's dad getting involved already going public and playing the Michael Nylander role, that happened for Willy as family advice impacting negotiations we're also seeing signs of history repeating itself.

 

[DarkKnight]

We're you on the inside?

It's kind of amusing that you won't address my description of what happened. Cheers.

 

[hotpaws]

We're you on the inside?

he didn't have to be on the inside to realize how the events unfolded and anyone using common sense would realize the deal was negotiated and finalized between the team and Gross before Willie called a half hr before the deadline to say he accepted the terms

 

[DarkKnight]

he didn't have to be on the inside to realize how the events unfolded and anyone using common sense would realize the deal was negotiated and finalized between the team and Gross before Willie called a half hr before the deadline to say he accepted the terms

It's beyond obvious, given Willie made the call with minutes to spare.

 

[Spirit of 67]

It's kind of amusing that you won't address my description of what happened. Cheers.

You presented a story. Is it true? Maybe. Maybe not. Unless you are an insider, you don't know what happened.

It's hard for me to rebut your assessment when I have no insider info.

 

[DarkKnight]

You presented a story. Is it true? Maybe. Maybe not. Unless you are an insider, you don't know what happened.

It's hard for me to rebut your assessment when I have no insider info.

So you've got nothing. Agreed.

 

[Spirit of 67]

he didn't have to be on the inside to realize how the events unfolded and anyone using common sense would realize the deal was negotiated and finalized between the team and Gross before Willie called a half hr before the deadline to say he accepted the terms

Duby said Willy called with about a half hour left and asked "you wanna make a deal?"

Not, "I accept your deal."

 

[Spirit of 67]

So you've got nothing. Agreed.

I don't post opinions as facts.

Sorry.

 

[DarkKnight]

I don't post opinions as facts.

Sorry.

You haven't posted anything dude, you're just being obtuse for the sake of. Your party, I'm out.

 

[hotpaws]

It's beyond obvious, given Willie made the call with minutes to spare.

i agree it is beyond obvious but people will ignore the obvious to try to spin this as a win for Dubas

 

[DarkKnight]

i agree it is beyond obvious but people will ignore the obvious to try to spin this as a win for Dubas

Bingo!

I go back to my line, Nylander won but the Leafs didn't lose.

 

[Spirit of 67]

I go back to my line, Nylander won but the Leafs didn't lose.

LOL.

Oddly enough, that's my take too.

 

[DarkKnight]

LOL.

Oddly enough, that's my take too.

Amen.

 

[hotpaws]

Duby said Willy called with about a half hour left and asked "you wanna make a deal?"

Not, "I accept your deal."

you can take that different ways , i took it as some humor on Willies part since there was no way there was enough time to do any negotiations as well as write up the contract and submit it to the league in a half an hr

 

[Bluelines]

Do you think we'd ever see a cap on how much rfa's get paid?

That could be one extreme possibility, they cap the players ELC, why not cap the next one too? If more RFA's do what Nylander did I think we could see a day where the owners ask for the first contract to be be 5 years vs the current I think it is 3 years or the UFA age go to 30 years old or they could go the route of MLB where other teams have to offer up draft compensation for players that are classified in different groups of UFA status. They could ask for more compensation on offer sheets, like for example the top offer sheet compensation is the teams next 4 first rounders, they could change it to ask for the teams next 6 first rounders. Maybe they make it so an offer sheet RFA 3 to 4 million contract offer = compensation to the next 3 first rounders

The owners could make the exchange of players between teams so toxic, teams wouldn't want to get involved in picking up RFA/UFA. At the end of the day the big stick the players carry is that they could leave at a certain point, if the league makes it extremely difficult for the players to leave, their leverage is all but gone. This would reduce player salaries, it would essentially create an environment similar to owner collusion, without owners actually colluding together.

The NHLPA and the NHL both know they have some pretty big bombs to lob at each other and IMO it seems like they both are walking softly right now.

 

[Spirit of 67]

you can take that different ways , i took it as some humor on Willies part since there was no way there was enough time to do any negotiations as well as write up the contract and submit it to the league in a half an hr

Well Bill Watters has stated that the deal Willy signed was on the table in the summer.
So,if that's indeed true, then there was really nothing to negotiate anyway.
It would boil down to Willy realizing he could take that deal or sit out. The 2 months of sitting on the side line, trying for more was a waste of time.

And, if this is all true, likely what he told AM and Mitch.

 

[HogTown06]

Maybe he's speaking out of experience, as in it was not a good decision for him to sit out this long to make a little more money. He's not up to speed with his peers and his careers stats will take a hit (if that matters to him at all).

I think the situation with Marner and Matthews will be different, these are players you know you have to pay anyways.

 

[Bluelines]

Duby said Willy called with about a half hour left and asked "you wanna make a deal?"

Not, "I accept your deal."

Splitting hairs, there is more than one way to word a phrase meaning the same thing in the English language.

It could mean do you want to make a deal on my terms or do you want to make a deal on your terms. It's really an ambiguous statement.

 

[Bluelines]

Well Bill Watters has stated that the deal Willy signed was on the table in the summer.
So,if that's indeed true, then there was really nothing to negotiate anyway.
It would boil down to Willy realizing he could take that deal or sit out. The 2 months of sitting on the side line, trying for more was a waste of time.

And, if this is all true, likely what he told AM and Mitch.

He could be saying to his teammates the best offer you will get is before the season begins. He could also be saying that to miss 2 months of season is not good for your on ice performance.

You could take his statement as no less hypocritical than Shanny's statement to him. You could also take it as a guy begin apologetic admitting that what he did was a mistake and giving advice from a guy who just lived the same scenario.

He said a lot but left out a lot in his statement, I wish reporters were better in today's age. They take the first thing that the person says and don't do follow up questions. Like for example, Are you implying it was a mistake to hold out? Was there any benefit in holding out so long?