Rumor: Stamkos Ask from Toronto was 14M AAV

[Brown Dog]

I'm disappointed he didn't choose to come back to Toronto after so much speculation over the past couple of seasons when we had nothing to look forward to. He always had that future Leaf vibe about him like some star Ontarians. But at the end of the day, I can't help but think the version of Stamkos I really wanted to see here was that 19-23 year old version who lit the league on fire and looked like he was closing the gap on Sidney Crosby before the leg injury. I'm not sure that player exists anymore, and I'm a bit relieved its not Toronto's money on the line.

Agreed.

I also hope Stamkos never wins a Cup. Bitter? Childish? Maybe, but I'm a Leaf fan and everybody else can burn in hell.

 

[Stephen]

no - but i mean, you sounded hostile, like saying he could suffer a career ending injury and you couldn't even care. that just sounds rough.

and i was seriously wondering why do you care if he gives Tavares advise? I mean McDavid did the same thing regarding Matthews. it just seems that's what most players do, especially when linked to Toronto because everything gets blown up here.


i just mean, he didn't want to be here. so why focus on that sad? I mean you don't have to, but we've got a lot of exciting things coming up and hopefully (my wish) we show people who DON'T want to be here (Stamkos included) what they miss by not signing here. i'm sorry that you find that hostile, but i don't know why you just singled me out - and someone else asked you the exact same thing.

I think changing the narrative on Stamkos from one of daydreams to bitterness is part of the fun actually. It's gone from "we need a hero to save us!" to a "screw it, we'll build a team to beat the Lightning." It's going to be part of the fun in watching this team get better.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I think changing the narrative on Stamkos from one of daydreams to bitterness is part of the fun actually. It's gone from "we need a hero to save us!" to a "screw it, we'll build a team to beat the Lightning." It's going to be part of the fun in watching this team get better.

that's true

 

[The Beyonder]

I'm sure this was Lou's reaction to the $14M/yr demand.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

At the end of the day, he got cold feet and stayed where he was comfortable. No shame in that and I hope he's happy with that decision in the long run. With that said, I hope he fails miserably and regrets every second of his decision... c'est la vie.

pretty much. like I said - if he wants to stay in Tampa, and be closer to win a cup and all of that jazz, and be where he wants to be comfortable, that's his choice, and whatever.

but i'm with you. like. I hope Toronto wins a cup before Tampa does. and then there's that eternal "what if." doubt. and I hope whomever is in charge bypasses him if he's ever available for whatever reason. Toronto is no longer the place to fulfil your childhood dream after you've gone and done whatever you accomplished. if you can't help us when you're good, we don't want you when you're a dried ole husk of your former self.

Not pointing at anyone & just a general observation, but there's still a pretty salty mood in here.

He took a long time to make his decision. Maybe he was just waiting to see if there was a really big offer out there?

And, if there wasn't, he could have felt that staying where he was gave him best chance at a championship? Lots of players never get the chance to win a championship, and the window can close down pretty quickly, particularly as a player gets older.

I'm not salty over this. I never thought he was coming here in the first place.

To help us get over our Stamkos remorse, we could start a Tavares thread.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

I think changing the narrative on Stamkos from one of daydreams to bitterness is part of the fun actually. It's gone from "we need a hero to save us!" to a "screw it, we'll build a team to beat the Lightning." It's going to be part of the fun in watching this team get better.

Some people thought that was the best plan all along.

And, most teams have no choice but to use the build versus buy strategy.

Although the playing field has leveled somewhat, our deep pockets still gives the advantage of having the financial capacity to take on cap dumps in exchange for picks/prospects. It acted as a big erasure to get us out of some big mistakes. Getting out of the Clarkson contract was big and is a good example. And that was just one of several.

 

[Mad Brills*]

It certainly seemed like he wanted to stay all along and was only going to leave if someone beat the 8.5 offer by at least a million a year.

 

[Damisoph]

I can't imagine this being the case.

on a side note, Marek really chapped my ass with his antics during the draft...telling Matthews to "enjoy the circus" meanwhile every other Canadian draft pick is like, enjoy McDavid, the jersey looks great on you, smooch smooch. Petty? Yes, but idgaf. /rant

 

[TLeafsFan]

If all he cared about was $, he should have met with Buffalo. He would have got his 14 mil AAV.

The wrath of Leafs Nation will probably be painful now when he visits the ACC.

 

[Jerkini]

There have been big name free agents in the past, but i never thought we had a chance. But Stamkos? I was so sure it was going to happen. That one stung a bit, won't lie.

 

[TLeafsFan]

"Hometown hero becomes hometown zero"

MIRite?

 

[Finnish your Czech]

No, it isn't that bad.

There is a calculator here.

$8.5m after tax is $5.2m in Tampa.

To get the same $5.2m in Toronto, he'd have to get paid $11m.

Don't players only pay half of the taxes for their home team's jurisdiction and then the other half is paid based on where they play away games?

 

[Daisy Jane]

Not pointing at anyone & just a general observation, but there's still a pretty salty mood in here.

He took a long time to make his decision. Maybe he was just waiting to see if there was a really big offer out there?

And, if there wasn't, he could have felt that staying where he was gave him best chance at a championship? Lots of players never get the chance to win a championship, and the window can close down pretty quickly, particularly as a player gets older.

I'm not salty over this. I never thought he was coming here in the first place.

To help us get over our Stamkos remorse, we could start a Tavares thread.

i'm not salty.
I get that. and good for him.

However from what we know - we did make him an offer, and I am sure that Stamkos had some feeling of playing here. (or he wouldn't have talked to Lamoriello etc And he made the best decision for his career. that's fine.

That doesn't mean i am going to be all happy clappy and hope he wins a cup soon. he's not on my team. I don't want Tampa to win yet another cup before the Leafs.I don't want Florida to win a cup before the Leafs. Or Arizona or anyone else. Like i said if people don't want to be Leafs and help us be great - that's fine, but I hope when we DO become great we can show everyone what they missed out on.

and we don't need a Tavares thread.
A: we don't need him
B: he flat out said THIS WEEK he's not really going to entertain any of that nonsense. he wants to be an Islander for life.

 

[TLeafsFan]

i'm not salty.
I get that. and good for him.

However from what we know - we did make him an offer, and I am sure that Stamkos had some feeling of playing here. (or he wouldn't have talked to Lamoriello etc And he made the best decision for his career. that's fine.

That doesn't mean i am going to be all happy clappy and hope he wins a cup soon. he's not on my team. I don't want Tampa to win yet another cup before the Leafs.I don't want Florida to win a cup before the Leafs. Or Arizona or anyone else. Like i said if people don't want to be Leafs and help us be great - that's fine, but I hope when we DO become great we can show everyone what they missed out on.

and we don't need a Tavares thread.
A: we don't need him
B: he flat out said THIS WEEK he's not really going to entertain any of that nonsense. he wants to be an Islander for life.

Well said Daisy. And you're right. No Tavares threads necessary. Maybe a Seguin one so we can right a wrong that happened six years ago.

 

[Menzinger]

Big names free agents simply aren't an effective way to build a contender in the new NHL. With its hard capped system

Don't players only pay half of the taxes for their home team's jurisdiction and then the other half is paid based on where they play away games?

Even if that is the case he's still saving a huge amount of money residing in Florida.

 

[Cleetus]

There have been big name free agents in the past, but i never thought we had a chance. But Stamkos? I was so sure it was going to happen. That one stung a bit, won't lie.

Yes I felt the same, I had it in my mind that he was coming home but oh well time to move on

 

[HabsRockBruinsChoke]

Lol.

No wonder Stamkos was asking for $14,000,000. It is for the same reason why other high caliber players don't come to Toronto.

He would've been taxed at 53% in Ontario.... so he would've been paid LESS than $7mil... if you don't believe me, enter $14m yourself: http://www.ey.com/CA/en/Services/Tax/Tax-Calculators-2016-Personal-Tax

Meanwhile TB has 39% tax rate tops.

53% is too much dude.

 

[LolungoReboundo]

Lol.

No wonder Stamkos was asking for $14,000,000. It is for the same reason why other high caliber players don't come to Toronto.

He would've been taxed at 53% in Ontario.... so he would've been paid LESS than $7mil... if you don't believe me, enter $14m yourself: http://www.ey.com/CA/en/Services/Tax/Tax-Calculators-2016-Personal-Tax

Meanwhile TB has 39% tax rate tops.

53% is too much dude.

You know that that is not how tax works for people earning income in more than one jurisdiction?

Canada taxes the worldwide income and gives tax credits to applicable earnings that have been taxed by other entities.

But also you do know that Tax isn't an issue like its made out to be for athletes. They have special rules in tax treaties especially in North America from cross border games. Celebrities have this too, because guess what they earn not only in the US but as soon as they're being paid to perform in Canada it is Canadian domain income.

*working on becoming a tax analyst

 

[Leafs87]

That's probably a lie TBH.

But we should boo him regardless

 

[LoneWolf]

Don't pro athletes have to pay taxes to each city they play in? I know basketball players do. I don't think its as simple as 53% vs 39%.

 

[Auston Matthews]

Can't help but notice Stamkos lost a step. He was poor out there last night. I predict Tampa will be looking to unload him in a season or two similar to Lecavalier.

 

[TLeafsFan]

That's probably a lie TBH.

But we should boo him regardless

In a Lightning jersey.... absofrigginloutely!

In a Canada jersey... NEVER!

 

[HoweHullOrr]

I am. I honestly thought he would come home. At least 3 times he liked tweets suggesting he sign in Toronto. And his lame excuse is he accidentally liked them. So much BS in that. I am now convinced he had no intention to play here and only did what he did in an attempt to extort more from Tampa.
Now he's giving advice to John Tavares?

He could suffer a career ending injury/illness and I couldn't give a ****. Not that I'm hoping for that to happen, but this all tells me he's a piece of ****.

Agreed.

I also hope Stamkos never wins a Cup. Bitter? Childish? Maybe, but I'm a Leaf fan and everybody else can burn in hell.

"Hometown hero becomes hometown zero"

i'm not salty.
I get that. and good for him.

and we don't need a Tavares thread.
A: we don't need him
B: he flat out said THIS WEEK he's not really going to entertain any of that nonsense. he wants to be an Islander for life.

As I said in my post, it was a general comment not aimed at anyone specifically. Sure seems like people (some people) are pretty salty over this. I copied a few examples of this above. Hard to buy that "non-salty" theory when plenty of evidence to the contrary exists.

The idea of Tavares thread isn't far fetched. Lots of people (here) like to chase the big fish and the next star free agent that comes up, particularly if they have connections to, or were born in the GTA. Stamkos said he wanted to stay with TB too, but we still had (and have) a running Stamkos thread with thousands of posts nevertheless. It wasn't that long ago, so its hard to forget the "he's coming" and "Stamkos will be a Leaf, book it" type threads and the arguing that went on here.

Not sure why I should buy what's being sold here.

 

[LeafFever]

I really am having a hard time believing this story. Yes, Marek has some credibility, but I'm still not buying it. 14 per is just way too high.

 

[LeafsRReady]

As I said in my post, it was a general comment not aimed at anyone specifically. Sure seems like people (some people) are pretty salty over this. I copied a few examples of this above. Hard to buy that "non-salty" theory when plenty of evidence to the contrary exists.

The idea of Tavares thread isn't far fetched. Lots of people (here) like to chase the big fish and the next star free agent that comes up, particularly if they have connections to, or were born in the GTA. Stamkos said he wanted to stay with TB too, but we still had (and have) a running Stamkos thread with thousands of posts nevertheless. It wasn't that long ago, so its hard to forget the "he's coming" and "Stamkos will be a Leaf, book it" type threads and the arguing that went on here.

Not sure why I should buy what's being sold here.

Buy what? What's the big deal? Stamkos' situation is somewhat unique. He is/was a quasi-superstar with home town roots who wanted to be wooed by the Leafs and then chose to stay in Tampa. He earned his right to do that. It's normal to root against opposition players in normal circumstances. All the more so in these unique circumstances. It just plain makes sense; it has nothing to do with being salty.