Yes.

But if they had given him money up front, they would be insuring against the possibility of suckage.
- Atomic Wedgie

just thinking about why they wouldn't do this.

they paid out around $59M of signing bonuses on july 1 and have another ~11M to go with marner.

maybe dubas maxed out his bonus budget?

just thinking about why they wouldn't do this.

they paid out around $59M of signing bonuses on july 1 and have another ~11M to go with marner.

maybe dubas maxed out his bonus budget?
- Tumbleweed

Very possible.

If you are going to use bonuses use it to get an AAV down on a term deal.

Maybe they draw the line on one year deals.

I don't understand.
- spatso

Trust me, we know.

I just remembered Chad Kilger existed.

Is it strategic that Dubas has left around 9 mil in cap space (horton on ltir)...for a certain player.

like...his hands are tied...thats all we have left

Is it strategic that Dubas has left around 9 mil in cap space (horton on ltir)...for a certain player.

like...his hand are tied...thats all we have left
- senstroll

9x5 sounds right to me.

Is it strategic that Dubas has left around 9 mil in cap space (horton on ltir)...for a certain player.

like...his hands are tied...thats all we have left
- senstroll

I've already bought my Connor jersey

9x5 sounds right to me.
- Tumbleweed

it does
they could squeeze another 700k from a demotion i think

but based on Aho ...and I assume Point signing for 8.5 also
Marner gets 9.5 max

the only problem with x5 is you have 3 players all expiring at the same time

Well when someone has a negative narrative towards your team 100% of the time, I'd say the conversation simply cannot be an enjoyable one.

I mean, I get it, I want the Leafs to fail as well but I can admit it when they're doing something right or good.
- Scabeh

That is the crux of the issue.

I expect you to hate the Leafs and I hate the Habs... but when I am on the Habs thread, I legitimately try to talk hockey (like some potential Laine trades) and you won't find me running back here laughing at their takes and I don't see you doing that either.

Some people whine about wanting to talk hockey and you find them back on their own thread laughing about what was said.

I mean hey, that's cool, they can do whatever they want, but don't expect to be taken seriously or treated with any kind of respects when you pull that crap.

Nope.

In fact, his qualifying offer was$4.3 million.

He signed for $4.5 million.

Quit trying to defend Dubas, jerk.
- Atomic Wedgie

The only explanation I can think of Wedgie was that the Leafs were determined to actually keep Ceci. They may have been concerned about arbitration giving him more than the 4.3?

Ceci was going to get more than 4.5 in arbitration. Players rarely sign the offer.

That knockout was (frank)ing insane.

I commented about it right when it happened, but no one responded. I'm glad someone else saw that. I was in shock when I watched it.
- GreatGigInTheSky

Askren is right near the top of my most disliked UFC fighters for me, so I was LMAO when I saw it.

That is the crux of the issue.

I expect you to hate the Leafs and I hate the Habs... but when I am on the Habs thread, I legitimately try to talk hockey (like some potential Laine trades) and you won't find me running back here laughing at their takes and I don't see you doing that either.

Some people whine about wanting to talk hockey and you find them back on their own thread laughing about what was said.

I mean hey, that's cool, they can do whatever they want, but don't expect to be taken seriously or treated with any kind of respects when you pull that crap.
- Aetherial

I'd go and laugh at you all in the Bruins thread, but I'd basically be talking to myself.

I can't wait to see the Ceci hate in here in 3 months time

He is so bad
- RickJames77

Meh,

You don't think this fanbase is used to piling hate on a defenseman?

There will be nothing new and exciting here for you to see I'm afraid.

We should all ask the Mouth of Sauron his opinions on Mordor.

I'd go and laugh at you all in the Bruins thread, but I'd basically be talking to myself.



- RickJames77

Surprisingly few legit Bruins fans on here. They are not an unpopular team.

That is the crux of the issue.

I expect you to hate the Leafs and I hate the Habs... but when I am on the Habs thread, I legitimately try to talk hockey (like some potential Laine trades) and you won't find me running back here laughing at their takes and I don't see you doing that either.

Some people whine about wanting to talk hockey and you find them back on their own thread laughing about what was said.

I mean hey, that's cool, they can do whatever they want, but don't expect to be taken seriously or treated with any kind of respects when you pull that crap.
- Aetherial

It's a weird thing to want to draw negative attention to oneself on the internet. I'll never quite understand it. If I want to talk poop about a team, I'll do it here. If I have a take on another team, I'll certainly go poke my head in their thread but that's a case where I'm more interested in what fans have to say about it than just making sure I'm heard.

Ahhh the internet.

Meh.
He saved us from Z and from Z's contract.
Hes a hero.

I don't expect anything from him other than he'll be gone next year.
- Fakepartofme

Exactly. The trade served a pretty clear purpose.

I don't expect Barrie to be here either. That trade was also for good reasons. Kerfoot almost replaces Kadri, and is younger so maybe he ultimately does. Barrie is likely a rental.

I am not disappointed with either situation. The Leafs couldn't ice like 3 rookies on defense. A couple of them will get some time this season, and then 1 or 2 will be brought up in 2020-21. Probably Muzzin gets re-signed (maybe not), and they round out the defense with FA's again.

It's a weird thing to want to draw negative attention to oneself on the internet. I'll never quite understand it. If I want to talk poop about a team, I'll do it here. If I have a take on another team, I'll certainly go poke my head in their thread but that's a case where I'm more interested in what fans have to say about it than just making sure I'm heard.

Ahhh the internet.
- TheMussel

Once in a while I will talk poop on another team's thread. It is invariably in response to some stupid comment about the Leafs or the fanbase.

That is no excuse of course. It is, after all, THEIR thread ... but what the F, sometimes I just feel like it.

Is it strategic that Dubas has left around 9 mil in cap space (horton on ltir)...for a certain player.

like...his hands are tied...thats all we have left
- senstroll

They have 3.8, plus Hortons 5.3, a forward and a defenseman have to be sent down. Another 1.4 to 1.9 depending on who gets sent down.
And there's Hymans and Dermottts relief as well.

Exactly. The trade served a pretty clear purpose.

I don't expect Barrie to be here either. That trade was also for good reasons. Kerfoot almost replaces Kadri, and is younger so maybe he ultimately does. Barrie is likely a rental.

I am not disappointed with either situation. The Leafs couldn't ice like 3 rookies on defense. A couple of them will get some time this season, and then 1 or 2 will be brought up in 2020-21. Probably Muzzin gets re-signed (maybe not), and they round out the defense with FA's again.
- Aetherial

the other thing is Dermot is out for a while, so they need to cover him.
and provides a buffer for Sandin/Lil

Ceci cant be totally awful right?
Right????

the other thing is Dermot is out for a while, so they need to cover him.
and provides a buffer for Sandin/Lil

Ceci cant be totally awful right?
Right????
- senstroll

Ceci was going to get more than 4.5 in arbitration. Players rarely sign the offer.
- RogerRoeper

He would have. But we could have walked away.

I've been on the fence about whether signing just about ANY other eligible UFA defenseman would have been an improvement over Ceci.

There is nothing about Ceci's game that I can find to be optimistic about. Zaitsev over the last 2 years was equally awful to our team, but just 'cos you throw garbage out doesn't mean we needed to accept the garbage in.

I will be completely shocked if Ceci is anything other than awful.

- AdamFrench

right????!!???

I still cannot understand why they didn't put $4 million in signing bonus.

Yeah, sure, maybe he was misused in Ottawa. Maybe he can actually play. Maybe there's a fancy graph that Dubas has that proves he can make meaningful contributions to the Leafs this year.

But if that graph is wrong, wouldn't it be nice to have the insurance of knowing you can flip him to another team, knowing the other team would only have to pay $500,000 in salary?

Dubas franked up big time on this one.
- Atomic Wedgie

Unless there actually is a limit to what MLSE will pay out in cash, OR he was determined that Ceci was being given a full year.

But yeah, if he could, he should have made that a big bonus payment, just in case they need to ditch him if they want to match a ridiculous Marner offer.

Also... isn't there some sort of limit on how much you can pay out in bonuses?