I've tried to stay away from these boards during this stressful time, but to all the trolls in here...how many wingers are making $10MM+?

These "Marner will get $10MM" arguments are absolutely idiotic.
- Pen15

What if Marner gets 100 points?

I say Willy plays first PP for a whole bunch of reasons. Summarized - he's really good.
- Woderwick

I agree He is really good. Management knew when they signed JT it would create a cap issue. I suppose Kadri could move to the second unit - but I'm not convinced of thaT. In the big picture the best thing Willy could have done was sign a reasonable deal - even a bridge deal - and go out and put up numbers like Mitch has. His numbers will not be as good playing with lesser players elsewhere - which is likely at this point.

Nylander simply used a flaw in the CBA where there is no arbitration for a player coming off an entry level contract. The JT signing has everything to do with this. He is no longer in the long range plan. Kapanen's emergence also hurts Nylander's long term plans to be a Leaf. He knows, he's going to be traded, he doesn't want to sign a sh!t deal only to go to some sh!thole franchise.
- winsix

Well that's 100% on Nylander's team. This hold-out gave Kapanen his chance. I was screaming last year Babs needed to get him off the 4th line and he needed to be a top 6 winger.

How awesome would it be for Dubas to sit Willie out, and the Leafs go on to win the Cup..

Well that's 100% on Nylander's team. This hold-out gave Kapanen his chance. I was screaming last year Babs needed to get him off the 4th line and he needed to be a top 6 winger.
- RogerRoeper

Part of it is timing for sure, but if Kapanen can be signed for a reasonable amount, he will fit under the cap much better than Willy at this point. And I don't think it's 100% on Nylander's team. His situation changed significantly when JT was signed.

The rich teams will start to get real pissed about this. The cap is not high enough with this massive change in RFAs' contracts.

They did this "Hard Cap" system to help the poorer teams, and then those teams turn around and give their players ridiculous deals (Florida giving Ekblad 7.5 million is another great example.) with the $ they get in revenue sharing and hurt everyone else.
- RogerRoeper

exactly.... teams like the Black Hawks and Penguins who are in their own form of CAP hell ... along with the Leafs after July2019 will demand some form of change in the CAP... either a "franchise player designation"... where something like 8M of whatever they pay Matthews counts against the CAP, or a blanket one or two player exception. Teams like Philly and Boston, who are always influential with the league are also in a tough spot.

He will definitely be 1st unit power play this year. Ak Bars Kazan has the 21st powerplay in the league this year, clicking at an unimpressive 14.3%
- Aetherial

Cool team name though...sounds masculine....just what Willy needs to get him ready for 2020 NHL.

I agree He is really good. Management knew when they signed JT it would create a cap issue. I suppose Kadri could move to the second unit - but I'm not convinced of thaT. In the big picture the best thing Willy could have done was sign a reasonable deal - even a bridge deal - and go out and put up numbers like Mitch has. His numbers will not be as good playing with lesser players elsewhere - which is likely at this point.
- winsix

Unless he is fine playing the KHL, I don't see how this gets him anywhere.

His value to the Leafs, or any other team, does not increase if he is not in the NHL. His trade value does not increase if he sits.

So, why would the Leafs trade him at all if he sits this year.

Besides, unless he signs long term in the K, he is taking a huge chance by walking away from 10's of millions. People get injured in the K too.

Part of it is timing for sure, but if Kapanen can be signed for a reasonable amount, he will fit under the cap much better than Willy at this point. And I don't think it's 100% on Nylander's team. His situation changed significantly when JT was signed.
- winsix

Do you honestly think though without JT signed they just hand-over 8 or 8.5 million per when Dylan Larkin just signed for 6.1 million? I think they still are in this situation without JT.

I’m really thinking he plays in the KHL this year.

I hope I am wrong.

It’s hard to stay rational about this - my emotions tell me that the Leafs haven’t been this close in 50 years, and this selfish little wiener can’t see that.
- Atomic Wedgie

Just sign a 1 or 2 year bridge and be done with it.

exactly.... teams like the Black Hawks and Penguins who are in their own form of CAP hell ... along with the Leafs after July2019 will demand some form of change in the CAP... either a "franchise player designation"... where something like 8M of whatever they pay Matthews counts against the CAP, or a blanket one or two player exception. Teams like Philly and Boston, who are always influential with the league are also in a tough spot.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Can't put the Pens in the same category as the Leafs. They are one bad season away from their 15th bankruptcy. Then they can suck $ out of teams like the Leafs and get another generational 1st overall. Cap sucks for financially successful teams and protects welfare teams like Carolina, Florida, Columbus, Arizona and the Pens.

Part of it is timing for sure, but if Kapanen can be signed for a reasonable amount, he will fit under the cap much better than Willy at this point. And I don't think it's 100% on Nylander's team. His situation changed significantly when JT was signed.
- winsix

I really don't get what Nylander is holding out for - makes no sense. If another team wanted him at 7.5M per year they would have offer sheeted him or threatened to get a deal to happen.

1) doesn't seem like sufficient churn or rumor about any teams actually willing to pay him more than 7M
2) Leafs obviously don't value him (and they shouldn't) more than Patrnak
3) Leafs have Marleau's contract coming of the books after 2019/20 season
4) only way to fit Nylander in "reasonably" in the short term is a 2-3 bridge around 4-5million - which is similar to what Kucherov did in Tampa
5) he can't avoid being traded contractually - so his only wany to "prevent" the Leafs from dealing him is to be cheap enough until Marleau's CAP hit goes away

time for Will boy to chose between seemingly
i) unrealistic self-evaluation(you are not as good as Kucherov/Pastrnak),
ii) whatever your agent and/or father are telling you isn't realistic or correct
iii) make your own decision
iv) realize you aren't getting inflated dollars because simply put the Leafs are doing fine without you
v) you aren't getting Marner money

there really isn't any mystery at all.

exactly.... teams like the Black Hawks and Penguins who are in their own form of CAP hell ... along with the Leafs after July2019 will demand some form of change in the CAP... either a "franchise player designation"... where something like 8M of whatever they pay Matthews counts against the CAP, or a blanket one or two player exception. Teams like Philly and Boston, who are always influential with the league are also in a tough spot.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Yup. You would never be forced to overpay for an UFA if you did not want to, but teams have to keep their young RFAs they drafted high. Now these guys are paid like UFAs. And that cap only goes up significantly now due to expansion which obviously can't happen much more.

There have to be more wiggle-room here. And why the hell can Arizona "Cheat" to NOT actually pay the cap floor yearly (They get "Free" cap hits with retired and LTIR players). That needs to be treated the same as a team trying to cheat to exceed the cap max.

The Leafs are punished because they hit a home run 3 straight draft years with top 10 picks (Nylander/Marner/Matthews). Most teams with high picks like that screwed up 1 or 2.

Can't put the Pens in the same category as the Leafs. They are one bad season away from their 15th bankruptcy. Then they can suck $ out of teams like the Leafs and get another generational 1st overall. Cap sucks for financially successful teams and protects welfare teams like Carolina, Florida, Columbus, Arizona and the Pens.
- winsix

Pens are viable now.... my point was more at what point do the well to do teams simply say they need more room?

Just sign a 1 or 2 year bridge and be done with it.
- HealthyScratch6

Clever people in that Leafs front office...who really knows what's going on?
We'll find out in a few hours....thank goodness.

Can't put the Pens in the same category as the Leafs. They are one bad season away from their 15th bankruptcy. Then they can suck $ out of teams like the Leafs and get another generational 1st overall. Cap sucks for financially successful teams and protects welfare teams like Carolina, Florida, Columbus, Arizona and the Pens.
- winsix

I am so sick of teams like Arizona and Florida. They just take and take from the league and don't give back.
And yes I am aware of what state Matthews is from.

I actually think there's 0% chance he gets moved. It's sign or sit. And I think he'll sign.

Great quote from Babs:

“We’re not begging anyone to be a Leaf. That’s not what we’re doing at all. It’s a privilege to be here – for me and for everybody else."

Can't put the Pens in the same category as the Leafs. They are one bad season away from their 15th bankruptcy. Then they can suck $ out of teams like the Leafs and get another generational 1st overall. Cap sucks for financially successful teams and protects welfare teams like Carolina, Florida, Columbus, Arizona and the Pens.
- winsix

The Pens are a welfare team??

Do you honestly think though without JT signed they just hand-over 8 or 8.5 million per when Dylan Larkin just signed for 6.1 million? I think they still are in this situation without JT.
- RogerRoeper

JT signing for $11 million has the greatest impact on next season when the leafs are faced with Auston, Mitch, Kapenen, Johnsson as RFA's and Gardiner as a UFA. The crunch will be partly because Marleau (who is not going anywhere IMO) has one more year left. I would think that the first salary cap casualty will be Zaitsev - who can probably be moved unless he starts to really light it up. Nylander is much better than Larkin. That said we are not privy to negotiations. The Leafs knowing these facts are probably digging in over a few hundred thousand dollars. My guess is he's asking about $7.2 long term and Leafs are offering $6.9 long term - take it or leave it.

What are we gonna do when Matthews, Marner and Nylander are older and slowing down, but won't let the Leafs trade them as rentals to a playoff contender, then they leave the following year for nothing and sign for $43M each with the Guangzhou Shippers and win the Stanrey Cup?

Nylander day female doges!

The Pens are a welfare team??
- bixll

n 1975 the Penguins filed for bankruptcy after the IRS padlocked their offices. The team was then seized and sold to other owners, but citing the Penguins progress with other creditors, namely Mario Lemieux and Fox Sports, the league suggested that this won't happen.

In January 1998, the Penguins defaulted on Lemieux's playing contract. Without assurances that he would receive his more than $26 million, Lemieux declined to make further concessions. Marino had had enough, having thrown $42 million at the Penguins in a year's time. The team filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 13, 1998.

Filed twice - more than any other NHL team - they are doing ok right now about 10th in revenue. Let's see how they do if they miss a coulple of playoffs.

I actually think there's 0% chance he gets moved. It's sign or sit. And I think he'll sign.

Great quote from Babs:

“We’re not begging anyone to be a Leaf. That’s not what we’re doing at all. It’s a privilege to be here – for me and for everybody else."
- walshyleafsfan

Yes.

JT signing for $11 million has the greatest impact on next season when the leafs are faced with Auston, Mitch, Kapenen, Johnsson as RFA's and Gardiner as a UFA. The crunch will be partly because Marleau (who is not going anywhere IMO) has one more year left. I would think that the first salary cap casualty will be Zaitsev - who can probably be moved unless he starts to really light it up. Nylander is much better than Larkin. That said we are not privy to negotiations. The Leafs knowing these facts are probably digging in over a few hundred thousand dollars. My guess is he's asking about $7.2 long term and Leafs are offering $6.9 long term - take it or leave it.
- winsix

Don't agree. It is a moveable contract after they pay that big bonus.

I heard the same about Clarkson and Phaneuf deals. Those were harder to move imo.

Don't agree.
- RogerRoeper

Babs loves him. I don't think they do anything with him unless they absolutely have to for cap reasons.