Yeah, he doesn't deserve 8.
- bobbyisno1

No. Not yet.
The way our society runs he is worth what he can negotiate. However he isn’t free to do that with any employer he chooses the way most professions/workers can. (Not quite true. He can go to a league elsewhere). His rights to do that have been negotiated away by his association. So he is worth whatever he and his employer agree upon given the rules of the CBA. So I bear him no negative feelings for trying to get what he feels is his value, just as I expect the Leafs to usee their rights to get him at their price. And being a biased fan I hope that number is lower to help my team. I just find it strange how people make up their own rumours about the negotiations and blame players, yet they don’t blame anyone else for asking for a better salary or more $/hr at their jobs. Nylander is one of the top hundred or so at what he does on the planet (I highly doubt any of us on this thread can make that statement about what we do), and deserves whatever number they end up agreeing too; but I agree based on all the information available to us about his skills and comparables that number should be less than 8.

Either way, he must be asking for way more than hes worth for it to get to this point.
- systemtool

Yes. He likely is. Somewhat by definition. He is worth what the 2 sides end up agreeing on. Clearly whatever his ask truly is is more than the Leafs perceive him to be worth right now/going forward or this would be done. I don’t begrudge him asking for it. I’m glad they aren’t caving in. At some point they will find a solution or a price point to agree upon. As a biased fan hopefully sooner than later and at not too high a number.

As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.
- Monkeypunk

🤣that was a classic.

The roooomers, and I think it was TSN, said Dubas is offering $6m, and not coming up, and Nylander's camp wants $8m+ and are not coming down.

If you're the Leafs you don't move until they do, and you don't come over $6.75. Make Nylander come to you. Again, as I think you've pointed out - he has no leverage here. So it should be a good faith negotiation based on true Market value (not outliers like Draisaitl, McDavid, or Eichel).
- Monkeypunk

From all the speculation that seems about right.

And if I don't like the salary I get with company X, there's nothing stopping me from quitting and going to company Y for more money.

For this and a million other reasons, comparing the NHL to the real world doesn't work.
- Atomic Wedgie

Exactly. Very well paid, but also with very limited rights considering they are among the very best on the planet at what they do and so many of us are interested enough to pay money to watch them/buy merch/argue here about it.

Willy is not worth more than 6.75 mil yet...only had two half decent seasons and that's playing with Matthews....he should come down to earth and buy into the Leaf dynasty plan.....if it works he will be much happier for it down the road when he retires and if not better go bridge even though it won't matter unless he signs real soon as he will be traded if he doesn't sign real soon....leaving a bad taste
- Leafcup

While i agree 6.75 seems about right based on other wingers in similar situations, his seasons are way better than half decent. Two seasons over 60pts at ages 20/21. Look at the comparables who have done that and they are all elite players. So I can see why he is betting on himself and asking for the big bucks. The way the CBA is he won’t get his rumoured ask as he just doesn’t have all that much leverage.

🤣that was a classic.
- Dr. Leaf

And....now I have the theme song running through my head.

Maybe you and me were never meant to be...

Willy is better now but it is very possible Kap will be at least almost as good and we have to sign him next year
- Leafcup

No it really isn’t. Willy has done things at a young age Kap will likely never achieve. I’d love to be wrong on that, but all objective signs point to that. Kap should be good no doubt, but not that good.

And....now I have the theme song running through my head.

Maybe you and me were never meant to be...
- Atomic Wedgie

Great theme song. The end credits theme I never could make a word out.

Where are they getting the money to do that?
- AdamFrench

They have to spend to the cap floor anyway, may as well spend it on the hometown Matthews, don't you think?

Honest question,
Can you see Arizona offering and Mathews signing an offer sheet next year for 14 per?
Would you match or take the 5 first rounders? I assume you match.


...Arizona wont survive the next few years to make that happen..this franchise needs to move and soon

this is one of Bettmans many mistakes

#firebettman
- Koots 33

If that actually was a possibility, I'd think both sides would rather make a trade. The reason being, Arizona is still poop so they may give up 4 (pretty sure it's 4, not 5) really good, high picks to get Matthews that they would probably rather keep. That being said, the Leafs would firmly be in "win now" mode and would rather get legit players and prospects closer to the NHL than 2020+ draft picks.

If the Leafs get the sense that they can't keep Matthews at a reasonable price (less than McDavid) and they feel he'll get an offer sheet, I'd think they'd be better off trying to trade him (top-six C, top pair D, top four D etc.) than getting 1st round picks at this stage in the game.

If they got blind sided by an offer sheet, they might be better off letting him go than having to blow up the team to keep him. Between Tavares, Marner and Nylander (whom you'd keep if Matthews is leaving) they still have plenty of fire power and could use the Matthews compensation to balance the rest of the line-up, particularly the defense. It wouldn't be ideal but it wouldn't ruin the team either.

If that actually was a possibility, I'd think both sides would rather make a trade. The reason being, Arizona is still poop so they may give up 4 (pretty sure it's 4, not 5) really good, high picks to get Matthews that they would probably rather keep. That being said, the Leafs would firmly be in "win now" mode and would rather get legit players and prospects closer to the NHL than 2020+ draft picks.

If the Leafs get the sense that they can't keep Matthews at a reasonable price (less than McDavid) and they feel he'll get an offer sheet, I'd think they'd be better off trying to trade him (top-six C, top pair D, top four D etc.) than getting 1st round picks at this stage in the game.

If they got blind sided by an offer sheet, they might be better off letting him go than having to blow up the team to keep him. Between Tavares, Marner and Nylander (whom you'd keep if Matthews is leaving) they still have plenty of fire power and could use the Matthews compensation to balance the rest of the line-up, particularly the defense. It wouldn't be ideal but it wouldn't ruin the team either.
- Unholy_Goalie

too bad nobody answered or this could have gone on till 3am.

too bad nobody answered or this could have gone on till 3am.
- systemtool

We still have 9 hours.

Interesting take.

So would you take 50K working for a publication, even though your worth is much more so that, they can bring in a couple of Pulitzer prize winners at a higher 150k so your publication gets more awards? Or do you go looking for $$ elsewhere to try and get paid your value?

The NHL limits this, but the player does have the right to hold out.

From a fan perspective I get the frustration, but management should realize once they paid JT, other guys are gonna want to get paid. Why sign Patrick Marleau for that kind of money when you know you got young guys to pay in a couple of years.
Even if they didn't plan on signing JT, the recent RFA payout's should have been a warning on where these things were going.


Most of the recent cup winners paid their guys after they won the cup, when you start shelling out a bunch of money on RFA's before you win, really makes it hard to build depth. So I get what Toronto is trying to do, but to me they created part of their own issues when they signed Marleau to that deal.
- fsanford

I hated that 3rd year on Marleau's contract for a reason and called it as becoming a problem...

So give him a contract: 8 years X $7 million, and include a no movement clause.

BOOM!

Wedgie saves the day!
- Atomic Wedgie

I don't think he can get an NMC in his deak, only UFA years he can. I could be wrong but something restricts this under the CBA