Leafs '22/'23 Thread

maurice93

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Mar 29, 2006
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In fairness, there aren't a lot of players who make that kind of money. For example here are the players that currently make $10 million or over per season

Connor McDavid $12,500,000
Artemi Panarin $11,642,857
Auston Matthews $11,640,250
John Tavares $11,000,000
Mitchell Marner $10,903,000
Aleksander Barkov $10,000,000

In 2023-24 Nathan MacKinnon will become the new highest paid player in the league with an AAV of $12,600,000. He was making $6,300,000 per season when they won the Cup.

Tampa Bay has 3 players that make $9,500,000 per season - Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Two others make $8,500,000 - Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev. That's $45,500,000 tied up in 5 players.
I think the $10m number is a bit arbitrary, and the theory has worked out of more randomness (in part due to lack of players as you state). A .number of teams heavily commit to the core - the uniqueness of the Leafs is the lack of diversity positionally amongst that core.

Regarding the Leafs.
Nylander's contract is fine.
Matthews $amount is fine -- the awful part was the term that Dubas gave him.... just terrible negotiation on that by Dubas.
Marner is a very good winger -- but as a winger he is overpaid by a $1-2m

The big issue was Tavares contract. Tavares is a good player, but you can spend it more wisely on diverse players. Leafs could have been stronger team with using the Tavares cap space another way, and would have been able to win with a $10m player.
 

chrispalen

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Apr 14, 2007
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Glad to hear Kyle Dubas is not returning to the Leafs. Wondering who will take his place. Hopefully not his $3million a year Special Assistant Spezza.

CP
 

superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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TSN(Pierre Lebrun) reporting Spezza resigned before Shanahan's press conference.
It was probably just a make a job for taking the low salary during his last few years as a player.
 

superstar_88

The Chiseler
Jan 4, 2008
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I think the $10m number is a bit arbitrary, and the theory has worked out of more randomness (in part due to lack of players as you state). A .number of teams heavily commit to the core - the uniqueness of the Leafs is the lack of diversity positionally amongst that core.

Regarding the Leafs.
Nylander's contract is fine.
Matthews $amount is fine -- the awful part was the term that Dubas gave him.... just terrible negotiation on that by Dubas.
Marner is a very good winger -- but as a winger he is overpaid by a $1-2m

The big issue was Tavares contract. Tavares is a good player, but you can spend it more wisely on diverse players. Leafs could have been stronger team with using the Tavares cap space another way, and would have been able to win with a $10m player.
Concur on MNM assessment. It was unfortunate they turfed Kadri after back to back playoff suspensions. He could easily have performed well enough as second line center with money left over. Kadri also has grit, edge, and nastiness. Precisely what Florida has in Bennett, Gudas, and Tkatchuk.
 
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HumbleJoe

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Dec 1, 2021
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In fairness, there aren't a lot of players who make that kind of money. For example here are the players that currently make $10 million or over per season

Connor McDavid $12,500,000
Artemi Panarin $11,642,857
Auston Matthews $11,640,250
John Tavares $11,000,000
Mitchell Marner $10,903,000
Aleksander Barkov $10,000,000

In 2023-24 Nathan MacKinnon will become the new highest paid player in the league with an AAV of $12,600,000. He was making $6,300,000 per season when they won the Cup.

Tampa Bay has 3 players that make $9,500,000 per season - Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Two others make $8,500,000 - Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev. That's $45,500,000 tied up in 5 players.
Too lazy to look, but you're missing some players. Doughty - $11MM, Price - $10.5MM, Kopitar - $10MM just off the top of my head.
Regardless, point I was trying to make is that top-heavy teams have a tough time in the playoffs.
 

chrispalen

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Apr 14, 2007
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TSN(Pierre Lebrun) reporting Spezza resigned before Shanahan's press conference.
Never understand why does a highly paid GM needs a $3million a year special assistant. Why is Sheldon Keefe still around? May be they are waiting for the new GM to do the dirty job of firing.

CP
 

The Oracle

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On the slopes of Mount Parnassus, Greece

The next coach of the Leafs?
 
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smuddan

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Mar 7, 2007
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I‘d say whoever they trade out of the core 3 will largely depend on what they’re offered. I can see a team which is already a playoff team may want Nylander the most because he has shown that he has better playoff numbers than the other two. That team may be willing to take his inconsistency in the regular season.

Whereas a team trying to get into the playoffs may want either Matthews or Marner because both have shown that either can help them to get into the playoffs.

I would be willing to listen offers for any one of the three. As for Tavares, we’re stuck with the remainder of his awful contract, thanks to Dubas.
 
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mitchell76

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Aug 10, 2010
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Almost 100 points/year and the cap going up. His agent would hang up the phone if they offered a pay cut.
Yes, but Marner has been continually useless in the playoffs. The Leafs have to trade Marner ASAP, while he still has two yrs, remaining on his contract. Hopefully, the Leafs can trade Marner by July 1/2023, before Marner's no-move clause, kicks in.
 
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