Yeah I don't know, just saying roughly. Its not all doom and gloom like UG says.
- nbboy

Well we can certainly agree on the bolded part.

To sign just anybody, that's easy. To fill the blueline with high quality defense, that's not so easy.
- JohnFergusonJr

If they fail to win this year then it's a perfect excuse to make a 'big' change which probably means moving a high paid fwd to improve the blue line. IMO, Matthews and JT aren't going anywhere. Lets see how the season rolls out and how Willie and MM measure up to their contracts.

I'm just (frank)ing with you.
- UsernameUnknown

I'm the king of getting franked with.

LeBrun says Tampa's last offer to Point was only $5.7 million per.

Lol and the Habs went after Aho.
- BINGO!

Ya that’s brutal. Atleast the leafs were fair in their initial offer.

Not sure what Tb is expecting with that offer?

He'll be the first chip to go, obviously. They might be in tough as it may take a couple years but I don't see that happening. He'll bounce back enough to justify his cap hit.
- AngryWhiteMale

i doubt it. the time is now to move him, if he has a worse season than his last productive year it's going to be tough to move 7 million over the next 4-5 years. right now he has a built in excuse that he missed half of last season. even if his production returns to what it was, if the leafs don't win the cup or have a long run in the playoffs what are you really paying him 7 million for when you can use that money to upgrade the defense and other areas of need on the team. 7 million for 50-60 points is not worth it imo especially when you are essentially paying 3 players 11 million or more.

If they fail to win this year then it's a perfect excuse to make a 'big' change which probably means moving a high paid fwd to improve the blue line. IMO, Matthews and JT aren't going anywhere. Lets see how the season rolls out and how Willie and MM measure up to their contracts.
- The Law

Exactly. All of their young players are assets. Not aging vets on huge contracts.

Leafs are just entering that window with high end talent and 5-7 year contracts.

Bergervin should have just kept firing IMO
- Garnie

Yup. Like, what did he have to lose?

If they fail to win this year then it's a perfect excuse to make a 'big' change which probably means moving a high paid fwd to improve the blue line. IMO, Matthews and JT aren't going anywhere. Lets see how the season rolls out and how Willie and MM measure up to their contracts.
- The Law

They might beat Boston in the 1st round, especially if they get home ice, but I don't think they win the Cup though and it's because of that defense.

Nylander needs to have a very good year to get his value back up but he's the one to get moved if they do move a forward for defense.

Exactly. All of their young players are assets. Not aging vets on huge contracts.

Leafs are just entering that window with high end talent and 5-7 year contracts.
- bryant

That's mostly true but Andersen and Rielly have less time left on their deals. The next two years could be the prime time to put together the best possible roster. And that might necessitate making a big move.

i doubt it. the time is now to move him, if he has a worse season than his last productive year it's going to be tough to move 7 million over the next 4-5 years. right now he has a built in excuse that he missed half of last season. even if his production returns to what it was, if the leafs don't win the cup or have a long run in the playoffs what are you really paying him 7 million for when you can use that money to upgrade the defense and other areas of need on the team. 7 million for 50-60 points is not worth it imo especially when you are essentially paying 3 players 11 million or more.
- Phil_Oreskovich

7m today is 4.5 5 years ago.

At his age he'll move.

Plus Ceci will only be on the books for a year at most. If Lilly or Sandin can plug well and Ceci looks half-competent they'll find someone to take him mid-season. I doubt this because I live in Ottawa and have seen him play, but it's a contract year and he has lawyers to pay for, so I bet he does half-decent.

Yes! I said he'd be in the lineup. All the trolls can gack back a load of my goo.

7m today is 4.5 5 years ago.

At his age he'll move.

Plus Ceci will only be on the books for a year at most. If Lilly or Sandin can plug well and Ceci looks half-competent they'll find someone to take him mid-season. I doubt this because I live in Ottawa and have seen him play, but it's a contract year and he has lawyers to pay for, so I bet he does half-decent.
- AngryWhiteMale

Come to think of it I can't really see why Dubas extended a qualifying offer to Ceci. Just be happy you dumped Zaitsev and move on.

Come to think of it I can't really see why Dubas extended a qualifying offer to Ceci. Just be happy you dumped Zaitsev and move on.
- AngryWhiteMale

Get him going and flip him.

That's mostly true but Andersen and Rielly have less time left on their deals. The next two years could be the prime time to put together the best possible roster. And that might necessitate making a big move.
- JohnFergusonJr

That’s 2 years down the road. To many variables between lockout, expansion, salary cap...

People said the leafs could never sign all 3 of their stars. They did that plus added a Tavares and Barrie.

Come to think of it I can't really see why Dubas extended a qualifying offer to Ceci. Just be happy you dumped Zaitsev and move on.
- AngryWhiteMale

I don't think any of us really understand it lol. The only explanation is that he thinks he's actually a better player than what he showed in Ottawa and he thinks he can contribute to the team or that they can pump and dump him. I just don't know. I just hope Dubas knows something we don't.

That’s 2 years down the road. To many variables between lockout, expansion, salary cap...

People said the leafs the leafs could never sign all 3 of their stars. They did that plus added a Tavares and Barrie.
- bryant

Yup, Dubas is useless.

Leafs will finish top 5 in the league, yet posters will complain all yr long. Just glad to have an exciting team to watch.

Yes! I said he'd be in the lineup. All the trolls can gack back a load of my goo.
- Zezel

All of the trolls? They're as numerous as the Persians at Thermopylae! If you can actually back that up, that's amazing!

Yes! I said he'd be in the lineup. All the trolls can gack back a load of my goo.
- Zezel

lucky them

So teams can still offer sheet him, right? Some how another team is going to screw Toronto for the humour of the other fanbases scattered across the league, right?

I get why they had to do it, but man, it's gonna be rough to try to win after this season again for a couple years.
- BINGO!

Won't it be rough for literally every team in the league to win in a couple of years? Every team will be facing this dilemma soon enough.

They might beat Boston in the 1st round, especially if they get home ice, but I don't think they win the Cup though and it's because of that defense.

Nylander needs to have a very good year to get his value back up but he's the one to get moved if they do move a forward for defense.
- JohnFergusonJr

Maybe. I like the D the way it's set up. Hopefully they can wiggle enough cap flexibility to add a Muzzin level guy at the deadline again. If so that's a pretty deep blue line for a run.

And I'm not pre-judging the Willie v. Mitch dynamic. We'll see at year end but that extra 4 Milly is going to be judged.

Won't it be rough for literally every team in the league to win in a couple of years? Every team will be facing this dilemma soon enough.
- mjones242

Not all ...only the good ones.

Except TBay who keep getting players signed on the cheap. (frank).

Maybe. I like the D the way it's set up. Hopefully they can wiggle enough cap flexibility to add a Muzzin level guy at the deadline again. If so that's a pretty deep blue line for a run.

And I'm not pre-judging the Willie v. Mitch dynamic. We'll see at year end but that extra 4 Milly is going to be judged.
- The Law

The D has the right number of LHD and RHD but the quality isn't there. They have guys who can score points but actually play defense and kill penalties, I'm not convinced, especially for the playoffs.

Marner plays well in all zones. I'm not worried about him living up to his deal. He's not missing camp or real games. He also has more natural talent and skills overall.

So teams can still offer sheet him, right? Some how another team is going to screw Toronto for the humour of the other fanbases scattered across the league, right?
- BetterCallSaul

Yep. I have heard from sources that there are several teams that are prepared to give up assets so they can move out salary just so they can try to send him an offersheet that they know he won't sign. Then they can explain to their owner why they gave up assets to have extra cap space that they don't need.

Laine to Habs





Jk