Sportsnet: Playing hardball with Franson will cost Leafs

[New Liskeard]

So, when a player leaves as a UFA thier former spot being filled by someone else means the Leafs did not loose an asset for nothing? Does not make a lot of sense.

They could have at least traded Kulemin for a draft pick, that would have been considered an exchange of assets.

If the Leafs are in playoff contention, they will not, and have not, traded an UFA for a pick if it hurts the team and makes making the playoffs less likely. Some posters here forget its a business, and its about making money, and playoff revenue. Too much computer games are clouding the judgement of todays youth.

 

[ACC1224]

If the Leafs are in playoff contention, they will not, and have not, traded an UFA for a pick if it hurts the team and makes making the playoffs less likely. Some posters here forget its a business, and its about making money, and playoff revenue. Too much computer games are clouding the judgement of todays youth.

I don't think this is exclusive to the Leafs.

 

[New Liskeard]

look at the bigger picture man.

I stand corrected, making money and a greater ROI. Excellent point.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Thing is they've missed the playoffs and let guys walk for noting for years. That's on management for mis-evaluating the team.

 

[New Liskeard]

I don't think this is exclusive to the Leafs.

Seems to be a concept thats very difficult for some to grasp.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

I stand corrected, making money and a greater ROI. Excellent point.

Making money and ROI.

I'm convinced

 

[thewave]

So he idea is make it to round 1 and make some extra money. That makes much more sense than oh I don't know, 2 rounds next year and maybe if lucky 3 the following year. The deeper rounds are worth more than the 1st btw. So even with the simplest of maths one could deduce a 2x2nd round appearances is worth more than 3x1st rounds. Not to mention nothing about trading Franson guarantees a non playoff appearance that year.

So yeah.

 

[ACC1224]

So he idea is make it to round 1 and make some extra money. That makes much more sense than oh I don't know, 2 rounds next year and maybe if lucky 3 the following year. The deeper rounds are worth more than the 1st btw. So even with the simplest of maths one could deduce a 2x2nd round appearances is worth more than 3x1st rounds. Not to mention nothing about trading Franson guarantees a non playoff appearance that year.

So yeah.

Bolded is correct.

 

[Pholus]

Last I checked a team has to make the playoffs first if they ever hope to win the cup.

And who was the last cup contending team that failed to make the playoffs? Btw, I wouldn't want the end goal of management to be 'assemble a team we hope can win the Cup', I want them to assemble a team they expect to win the Cup. There are 30 teams in the league that hope to win the Cup every year, but only a few of them are actual contenders.

Yup, you should tell the shareholders that their multi million dollar company should "weaken" their team and not strive for playoff revenue if they are not cup contenders? Im sure all the other 29 NHL owners would embrace your view and not want to generate additional revenue. Absolutely hilarious.

The Leafs have been striving to make the playoffs for the last 10 years, how much additional revenue has that approach generated?

The question Nonis needs to ask himself is if Franson is part of his long-term plan for the Leafs. If the answer is no, then he should be traded this year to maximize his value. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that Nonis actually has a long-term plan, because he likely needs results now if he wants to stick around with this organization.

 

[thewave]

And who was the last cup contending team that failed to make the playoffs? Btw, I wouldn't want the end goal of management to be 'assemble a team we hope can win the Cup', I want them to assemble a team they expect to win the Cup. There are 30 teams in the league that hope to win the Cup every year, but only a few of them are actual contenders.



The Leafs have been striving to make the playoffs for the last 10 years, how much additional revenue has that approach generated?

The question Nonis needs to ask himself is if Franson is part of his long-term plan for the Leafs. If the answer is no, then he should be traded this year to maximize his value. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that Nonis actually has a long-term plan, because he likely needs results now if he wants to stick around with this organization.

Exactly, no long term plan. Proof was signing Clarkson where he said I don't worry about year 6 and 7.

Clearly the owners don't understand basic social cues and the meanings behind words. If they did Nonis would not be our GM right now.

 

[tp71]

Exactly, no long term plan. Proof was signing Clarkson where he said I don't worry about year 6 and 7.

Clearly the owners don't understand basic social cues and the meanings behind words. If they did Nonis would not be our GM right now.

If you're close to winning it all, you shouldn't worry about 6 and 7 right now. You can worry about that later. There's only one small problem however.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Yup! Franson isn't going to determine how far the Leafs go in the playoffs ....if they even make it.

How many guys have walked for nothing over the last few years? I've lost track! Management year after year thinks they're good enough, and year after year, they're wrong. Yet who takes the fall? This is a business that FAILS to make all the money they can because their too short-sighted and continue to make the same mistakes over and over.

 

[TheCLAM]

He's toats a $1M dman brah.

I can't tell if you're serious, but if people are actually considering giving Franson 5 million.. I think it's time to re-assess anything they know about hockey, especially Franson being in a contract year and not showing this ability ever..

 

[realgoodleafs]

If the Leafs are in playoff contention, they will not, and have not, traded an UFA for a pick if it hurts the team and makes making the playoffs less likely. Some posters here forget its a business, and its about making money, and playoff revenue. Too much computer games are clouding the judgement of todays youth.

I think you are forgetting that the business will exist beyond this year. I agree that the Leafs only look at the current year though which explains a lot.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

The low balling him may have a negative effect. They know it's a dream of his to play for the Leafs and they push him into short term bargain prices. He improves every year. Hopefully they can come up with a longer term deal before free agency.

 

[TheCLAM]

The low balling him may have a negative effect. They know it's a dream of his to play for the Leafs and they push him into short term bargain prices. He improves every year. Hopefully they can come up with a longer term deal before free agency.

Low balling? He was terrible last season and still got paid 3 million

 

[RLF]

Low balling? He was terrible last season and still got paid 3 million

Even his terrible still lead the Leafs D in points. They lowballed him every year and this year and he got $3.3 mil because he filed for arbitration this time and he would have likely got more awarded there. They also tried to trade him to Montreal before signing him and gave him the money to try and avoid him from getting to arbitration. Considering they had already tried to trade him, it was pretty good of Cody to take the 1 year $3.3 over letting it go to arbitration. The fact Cody signed instead of choosing arbitration after they tried to move him, kind of shows that he isn't the problem in contract talks and wants to be here...he could have went to arbitration hoping to get more and screw the Leafs because of cap issues, but he took the high road instead.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris 2m2 minutes ago

Alec Martinez gets the going rate for middle-of-the-road defencemen -- a $4M AAV on a six-year extension.

 

[Rielly4]

Fransons worth 5.5 mil.. im not sure we can pay him this...But we might have too. He provides offense from the blueline, and size on the blueline.. I would sign him up to a 5.5 for 4 years but no higher.

He was pretty bad last year but is looking good on the top pair with Dion. If we can get a different top pair RD with some size then im all for it but i dont know if its possible.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Fransons worth 5.5 mil.. im not sure we can pay him this...But we might have too. He provides offense from the blueline, and size on the blueline.. I would sign him up to a 5.5 for 4 years but no higher.

He was pretty bad last year but is looking good on the top pair with Dion. If we can get a different top pair RD with some size then im all for it but i dont know if its possible.

I'm loving Franson's game this year. It scares me because he was so bad last year but has been playing so well this year. It really comes down to Gardiner vs Franson

 

[The Man with a Plan]

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris 2m2 minutes ago

Alec Martinez gets the going rate for middle-of-the-road defencemen -- a $4M AAV on a six-year extension.

If 22 points gets you 4 x 6 then sadly Franny will be priced out of TO then.

Some team is going to sign him and be very happy for what he offers with his skillset.

It'll be interesting to see if the franson haters get a bit of egg on their faces once he is traded in the new year. Percy can take his minutes and won't be a cap issue.

 

[mcleex]

4 years 4.8 million. Done everyone sign the dotted line

 

[The Man with a Plan]

4 years 4.8 million. Done everyone sign the dotted line

That kind of money comes with a huge hurt elsewhere as we won't have the space to sign kadri bernier santo and winnik then.

I like Franny and think he has potential that has not yet been tapped but those other 4 players are more key to our big picture then franson by himself is.

 

[thewave]

It's so hard to pick out of these guys not knowing what goes on behind the scenes.

At face value Franson looked like a 1 dimensional scoring D that hit who couldn't play his position defensively. This year he plays well defensively and is on the top D line playing well in all respects. He looks legit.

Last year Gardiner looked pretty damn good but seemed to have flaws we ignored. In the end we sign him and he has gone to trash. Yes, trash. He is stinking and hurts the team more than any other defender. Will this happen to Franson as well?

It's so complicated not know the kind of people they are. I only know that in questioning Franson seems mature and well spoken. I only really recall Jake sitting in the pressbox uninterested in the game playing with his phone.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Franson easily gets 5+ million for 5+ years .. Look at Niskanen's contract as a comparable ($5.75 mill over 7 years) - had a career year offensively and was playing on Pittsburgh's top pairing because of injuries

Now Franson is playing on the top pair without any big injuries to the team, is on a better scoring pace than Niskanen and has a more established history of being able to keep up this production .. I wouldn't be surprised to see a contract for $6 - $6.5 mill over 6/7 years from a team

The only way the Leafs get him for under $5 is if he take a "hometown" discount - but why would he? He's been nearly going to arbitration every season and even held out last year's camp for more money a better contract, he's always been a hard sign .. The Leafs will have to pay him what he'd get in free agency otherwise he'll walk and go somewhere else.

And it's not like it makes sense for Franson to sign a contract now unless the Leafs are willing to overpay a bit because he is having a career year so far .. It's a tough spot to be in if you're Leafs brass