I don't think I would agree on this point, I think the 3 are quite different. Imo:
Maple Leafs: Generally attractive Free agent destination
Raptors: Generally unattractive Free agent destination
Blue Jays: Somewhere in between. I don't think you can ignore the fact that the Jays have been able to attract a number of very high profile free agents, even if we haven't really done it recently.
i disagree. The Leafs were pre cap when they could pay players a lot when the game was much different. But even then the top guys avoided Toronto. I only really remember Cujo, he was a good goalie with the Blues, wasnt great with Edmonton but hit his stride here then left for a better team in Detroit. Belfour came at the end of his career when we had no choice after Cujo left - it was Belfour or Byron Dafoe. Only real big name i remember was Mogilny when you look at modern day free agency.
But after the lock out and before Tavares we couldnt land players. And the players we did land werent good Clarkson, Kubina, Gill and Jason Blake or past their prime; Lindros, Allison, Marchment, Connolly. Got a meeting with Brad Richards but he went elsewhere. Some cases hurt the team more than helped.
Jays might be in between but it still remains to be seen. In the WS year they were successful but remember only 4 teams made the playoffs, so if you want to play for a championship you had very little options. It was the Jays and maybe 5 other teams. In the early 90s it was quite easy for the Jays to land free agents because they were one of few true contenders. The moment they werent, players didnt want to come. And back then traveling was much easier, no security and you could fly with or without id (my dad would tell me that you could buy a ticket without a passport and in most cases a drivers license - need to be at the airport 30 minutes before a flight) and the exchange rate was closer to par.
And believe what you want but i remember Clemens wanting to stick it to Boston when they said he was done. Clemens wanted to stay in the division to get back at Boston so his options were limited. He really didnt want to stay because it was report before the deal was finalized that he could request a trade at any time, something Beeston agreed to. It was a handshake deal. It was great to get him and get the deal done but i dont see a lot of confidence in the team that you just signed with when you worked in an out clause to force a trade, even before you got here. That was Clemen's doing not the Jays being creative. Kind of like ill take your offer of the most money but i want an exit strategy - maybe this is where the opt out clause came from.
Now, as playoff teams expand more and more free agents are looking at more than just the contenders and Yankees and Red Sox now.
In the NHL and NBA you have 16 teams that make the playoffs so player had more options if they wanted to contend.