It's just a matter of identifying the elite players of the league who like -40 temperatures, no culture whatsoever, and giant mosquitos in the summer.
- Atomic Wedgie

I can testify to that.. those bad boys give the ones in Florida all they want and more.

I would love him on the Leafs👍
- mr.sir

Me too.

I would love him on the Leafs👍
- mr.sir

At 3M a year, sure. 5.5 for 7 years? yeesh…

I wouldn't absolve the Leafs entirely. Leafs had some legitimate injuries, including Hyman and Andersen. Both Stamkos and Kucherov were sitting at the end of the season allowing the Bolts to go $20M over the cap. Comparing these two situations is akin to comparing a fart to a nuclear bomb.
- winsix

I can't remember - but I thought the leafs were something like 4 million over. Could be wrong.

Also - I swear every time I hear about Tampa's "cap circumvention" the amount goes up. Last time I heard it was 17 million.

I can't remember - but I thought the leafs were something like 4 million over. Could be wrong.

Also - I swear every time I hear about Tampa's "cap circumvention" the amount goes up. Last time I heard it was 17 million.
- Leafs43

They had $99+ million of cap hit on the books at the end of the season so $17M isn't far off the mark, it was a bit more. Some consider it to be a masterpiece of cap managment (especially Bolts fans). In the end it was pretty blatant cheating the cap.

At 3M a year, sure. 5.5 for 7 years? yeesh…
- Steven_Seagull

Kerfoot makes 3.5

Josh should have asked for 8

They had $99+ million of cap hit on the books at the end of the season so $17M isn't far off the mark, it was a bit more. Some consider it to be a masterpiece of cap managment (especially Bolts fans). In the end it was pretty blatant cheating the cap.
- winsix

You guys have me going down a rabbit hole now.

I just added up - and I came to about 90.8 million for Tampa Bay for the players that played in the playoffs. I'm probably missing something, but it doesn't seem as bad as it is made out to be. I omitted Gaborik and Nilsson since they never played and teams have banished players to LTIR for years and no one really complained.

Anyway - the loophole should be fixed. I have said for a while that the aggregate cap hit of the lineup in the playoffs should be cap compliant.

He can't score for sh!t (okay)

He doesn't or won't hit (probably afraid of getting a neck injury)

FFS he's 6'5" and won't hit, I understand that 12" is neck but still the habs have 5'9" guys that hit.
- winsix

He hits a little, I agree he could more. But every little mistake and he has to sit out. Probably why he doesn’t hit and he could score more if he didn’t have Simmonds 🤮and no hands Mikey playing with him.

I think he’s more of a project and would only give him 1/2 of next year, so I don’t think he’s the next Matthews or anything. 🤷🏻‍♂️

I can testify to that.. those bad boys give the ones in Florida all they want and more.

- dozerD10

I've to Florida three times can't remember any mosquitoes.
But I've only been near the ocean, except when I saw the Leafs in Tampa.
Sure was a ton of those little no see ems though.

I would love him on the Leafs👍
- mr.sir

Not for 5.5M. That contract is (frank)ing horrific.

Not for 5.5M. That contract is (frank)ing horrific.
- mjones242

5.5 I think is fine, but not for that length, 3 or 4 years tops

And where is medical evidence that overrides what his own doctor’s determination that he couldn’t play. The CBA created an out bigger than Hutch”s 5-hole
- Canada Cup

I stand by my opinion that the team always knew he needed surgery but they waited it out to see if they could trade Tyler Johnson first. Whether they could have prolonged the surgery is another thing but when they couldn’t trade Johnson they always knew they had this in their back pocket as a backup and did the surgery when they knew they could align it with him being 100% for playoffs.

They played by the rules but you can’t tell me this wasn’t a calculated decision.

You guys have me going down a rabbit hole now.

I just added up - and I came to about 90.8 million for Tampa Bay for the players that played in the playoffs. I'm probably missing something, but it doesn't seem as bad as it is made out to be. I omitted Gaborik and Nilsson since they never played and teams have banished players to LTIR for years and no one really complained.

Anyway - the loophole should be fixed. I have said for a while that the aggregate cap hit of the lineup in the playoffs should be cap compliant.
- Leafs43

From the Bleacher Report:

The defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning have a star-studded lineup few clubs can rival. They paid a final cap hit of $98.8 million for 2020-21. They exceeded the $81.5 million cap ceiling a hefty price to compile that roster, withbecause general manager Julien BriseBois used the long-term IR to his advantage.

I looked at Cap friendly at the end of the season, can't remember if they had any buyouts or hits from traded players etc. but the number was $99.+ Million on Cap Friendly.

That's exactly what he is worth.

Good signing.

But why not put it in a drawer until after the expansion draft?

It's like Dubas doesn't want to cheat.

We need to cheat.

There's no punishment for cheating.
- Atomic Wedgie

exactly.

I'm assuming for the forthcoming season Stamkos will either retire or go on LITR. of course he will have a miraculous recovery and begin skating immediately after the trade deadline - and return to the team either the first or second game of the playoffs.

This season it was Kutcherov getting the vacation for the regular season ... next season Stamkos turn.

wait for it.

Tarasenko, Thomas and Dunn
for
Marner
- mr.sir

slight variation

Tarasenko (who will go on the LITR anyway), Parayko, Kostin, Barbashev

Marner, Dermott, Kerfoot

exactly.

I'm assuming for the forthcoming season Stamkos will either retire or go on LITR. of course he will have a miraculous recovery and begin skating immediately after the trade deadline - and return to the team either the first or second game of the playoffs.

This season it was Kutcherov getting the vacation for the regular season ... next season Stamkos turn.

wait for it.
- BorjeFan4Ever

It'll be Hedman. Knee surgery.

exactly.

I'm assuming for the forthcoming season Stamkos will either retire or go on LITR. of course he will have a miraculous recovery and begin skating immediately after the trade deadline - and return to the team either the first or second game of the playoffs.

This season it was Kutcherov getting the vacation for the regular season ... next season Stamkos turn.

wait for it.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Hedman is having knee surgery

Leafs trade for guys on LTIR so they can add players...not sure we can complain too much...plus we got beat by da fkn Hab.

exactly.

I'm assuming for the forthcoming season Stamkos will either retire or go on LITR. of course he will have a miraculous recovery and begin skating immediately after the trade deadline - and return to the team either the first or second game of the playoffs.

This season it was Kutcherov getting the vacation for the regular season ... next season Stamkos turn.

wait for it.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Doubtful, this really only worked this season so well because it was shortened and the playoffs ended recently the year before for the Bolts. Any other 82 game season this can't work, a full season is too long to take off. Smart move by Tampa in recognizing it and having the talent to act on it.

[quote=winsix]
Would be interesting to see how much over the cap the Habs and Leafs were as well. Doubt they're anywhere close to the Lightning but it's definitely over the 81.5.

5.5 I think is fine, but not for that length, 3 or 4 years tops
- bobbyisno1

It's really am overpayment. Maybe 4-4.25, but 5.5 is to much

Leafs trade for guys on LTIR so they can add players...not sure we can complain too much...plus we got beat by da fkn Hab.
- Garnie

Horton and Clarkson. Little Mitchy gets signed. Dubas and Pridham were called creative geniuses on here. Brisebois does it and it's not fair. I know, I know. Horton and Clarkson were never playing again so it isn't the same.

Horton and Clarkson. Little Mitchy gets signed. Dubas and Pridham were called creative geniuses on here. Brisebois does it and it's not fair. I know, I know. Horton and Clarkson were never playing again so it isn't the same.
- gergeswillems

Yeah not the same at all.

Yeah not the same at all.
- 13sundin13

It's ok for my team to do it. Any other team does it and it's not fair.

It's ok for my team to do it. Any other team does it and it's not fair.
- gergeswillems

I think it was a smart move by Tampa.