I don't give a flying (frank) what any of you say, John Tavares is a Toronto Maple Leaf. That's all I care about. You can't pretend I didn't want him. I just didn't think he was crazy enough to do what nobody else has ever done. This team might actually be a contender now. The defense is still going to need work but they have all the assets they need to fix that in the form of moving Nylander.

(frank) it, go big and get Karlsson. I hope he tests the waters and becomes a UFA. Get Salming and Sundin in a video package. Keep this snowball rolling.
- Unholy_Goalie

Leafs can't afford karlsson

This is the third of three spectacular things I thought I'd never see.

The first was drafting Mitch Marner.

Then, winning the lottery and getting Austen Matthews.

Now, the first true star player to leave his original team, during his prime, to take less money, accept more pressure and play for his home town team. Not even Niedermayer did what Tavares is doing as he had already won his Cups.

For this, I will forever be a fan of Tavares just for actually being crazy enough to do this.

(frank)ing yes...finally. Thank you Johnny T.
- Unholy_Goalie

So what you're saying then is taxes really don't matter?

Bob McKenzie
‏Verified account @TSNBobMcKenzie
3m3 minutes ago

BUF gets 1st in 19, 2nd in 21, Tage Thompson, Vladimir Sobotka,Patrick Betglund for Ryan O’Reilly. No salary retained. STL pays ROR signing bonus.

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So (frank)ing happy Buffalo didn't get Robert Thomas.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Great return for an overpaid 2nd line centre

Leafs can't afford karlsson
- HealthyScratch6

Get rid of Gardiner and/or Zaitsev. Get rid of Marleau. Trade Nylander for an ELC top-4 prospect. Problem solved.

If Karlsson makes the same as Doughty (which would be overpaying Karlsson), they can fit him in.

I don't give a flying (frank) what any of you say, John Tavares is a Toronto Maple Leaf. That's all I care about. You can't pretend I didn't want him. I just didn't think he was crazy enough to do what nobody else has ever done. This team might actually be a contender now. The defense is still going to need work but they have all the assets they need to fix that in the form of moving Nylander.

(frank) it, go big and get Karlsson. I hope he tests the waters and becomes a UFA. Get Salming and Sundin in a video package. Keep this snowball rolling.
- Unholy_Goalie

Karlsson won't sign here because of taxes. You may not know this, but some states in the US have lower tax rates. Other states (in fact there's a crossover of said states occasionally) have really good weather.

Get rid of Gardiner and/or Zaitsev. Get rid of Marleau. Trade Nylander for an ELC top-4 prospect. Problem solved.

If Karlsson makes the same as Doughty (which would be overpaying Karlsson), they can fit him in.
- Unholy_Goalie

He'll probably get more than doughty on the open market which would be an overpayment.

Holy poop, that’s about $1.50 after taxes.
- Steven_Seagull

I have you guys that exaggerate (and complain) so much about taxes in Canada. You're exaggerating by at LEAST 2 decimal places. $150.00 AND he gets free health Care, highschool, etc.

Karlsson won't sign here because of taxes. You may not know this, but some states in the US have lower tax rates. Other states (in fact there's a crossover of said states occasionally) have really good weather.
- walshyleafsfan

He's already lived in Ottawa, he won't know the difference.

Plus, there's probably a picture of him wearing a piece of Leafs merchandise somewhere, that's usually enough to make the decision final.

Bob McKenzie
‏Verified account @TSNBobMcKenzie
3m3 minutes ago

BUF gets 1st in 19, 2nd in 21, Tage Thompson, Vladimir Sobotka,Patrick Betglund for Ryan O’Reilly. No salary retained. STL pays ROR signing bonus.

-------------------------------------------

So (frank)ing happy Buffalo didn't get Robert Thomas.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Buffalo won that trade.

He'll probably get more than doughty on the open market which would be an overpayment.
- HealthyScratch6

Doughty is more accomplished than Karlsson and actually plays defense. Him getting 11 million is an open market overpayment as it is.

Anyone know if this ozhiganov is any good defensively?

Did they sign Tavares yet?

So what you're saying then is taxes really don't matter?
- TrashPanda

99 times out of 100, they have been. Tavares was crazy enough to not care and I love him for it.

Doughty is more accomplished than Karlsson and actually plays defense. Him getting 11 million is an open market overpayment as it is.
- Unholy_Goalie

Sets the bar though. If the reports are true san Jose offered tavares 13m a year which is a huge overpayment for what he's done. If karlsson makes it to free agency he'll be the highest paid dman in the league.

Did they sign Tavares yet?
- AdamFrench

Stuck with the Islanders after all that.

Buffalo won that trade.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

How?

St. Louis dumped Sobotka and Bergland, got O'Reilly who is pretty damn good, and they didn't give up any of their top 2 or 3 prospects or Parayko.

That's pretty amazing.

i think Johnsson will sign a 2y deal for a bit over 1mln/year caphit.
a contract like Carrick for example (1.3mln)

if you give Tavares and Matthews lines 18mins per game, and Kadri line 14mins / game... leaves 8 minutes for the 4th line players.

Seems that Johnsson and Kapanen will start on the 4th line, with alot of defensive zone starts, and will be the top PK forwards.
Brown and Hyman will get quite a bit of PK time as well.

I wouldn't be surprised if Leafs would sign Nick Shore to a deal for just under a million, to center that line and be key part of the Toronto penalty kill.

Hyman - Tavares - Marner
Marleau - Matthews - Nylander
??? - Kadri - Brown
Johnsson - Shore - Kapanen
13th FW: Martin (have to keep Tavares and Marner happy ).

In my opinion, Leafs still need a 2nd/3rd line LW.

Trade for a guy like (in order of my preference) would be great, in particular if not too many assets need to be given up:
A. Cogliano
Zucker
Lowry
McCann

with two additions like that, Leafs FW group would be in terrific shape.

Stuck with the Islanders after all that.
- walshyleafsfan

I was out at a BBQ and checked TSN Saw

"CHILDHOOD DREAM" with Tavares shopped in a Leafs jersey. Had a good laugh for the Sens and Habs fans female genitalias in the yard.

Watching the easports nhl world championship. Curious to see how I would stack up.

How?

St. Louis dumped Sobotka and Bergland, got O'Reilly who is pretty damn good, and they didn't give up any of their top 2 or 3 prospects or Parayko.

That's pretty amazing.
- GreatGigInTheSky

He's better than you think.

Buffalo did really good in that trade, getting a 1st, 2nd and then Sobotka is really a good add for them.

O'Rielly to play LW on Bozak's line

Sets the bar though. If the reports are true san Jose offered tavares 13m a year which is a huge overpayment for what he's done. If karlsson makes it to free agency he'll be the highest paid dman in the league.
- HealthyScratch6

Doughty set the bar. He has won two Cups, a Norris and is consistently considered the best two-way defenseman in the league. I don't think he took much less to stay in LA. They paid him pretty fairly considering what Carlson and OEL got paid. Doughty clearly deserved more than them and got significantly more too.

If Karlsson plays this year, wins the Norris and even a Cup and/or Conn Smythe (obviously not on Ottawa), then his value would become inflated and he might get more than Doughty. But if he signs right now either with Ottawa or whatever team acquires him, I think 11 million would already be an overpayment and that's what he'd max out at on the open market anyway.

He's better than you think.

Buffalo did really good in that trade, getting a 1st, 2nd and then Sobotka is really a good add for them.

O'Rielly to play LW on Bozak's line
- MaximusAurelius

Sobotka is playing in Europe no?

Sobotka is playing in Europe no?
- HealthyScratch6

Came back.

I was out at a BBQ and checked TSN Saw

"CHILDHOOD DREAM" with Tavares shopped in a Leafs jersey. Had a good laugh for the Sens and Habs fans female genitalias in the yard.
- AdamFrench

Some drunk bloke told me the Leafs signed JT in the pub as we were there for the World Cup. Thought he was lying. He went on to say Montreal, Ottawa and Edmonton did nothing, but Vancouver signed loads of scrubs he's never heard of for 4 or 5 years. I believed him at that point.

He's better than you think.

Buffalo did really good in that trade, getting a 1st, 2nd and then Sobotka is really a good add for them.

O'Rielly to play LW on Bozak's line
- MaximusAurelius

Before he went back to the KHL he was. But that was years ago. He's not as good anymore.