I agree. I would think more players act like him from now on and take shorter deals.
- Aaron_85

And players know their earning abilities and understand how age/injuries impact that.

Matthews played it out about as far as (I think) a player normally would. Most guys tend to like hitting their big 8 year UFA deal around age 27-29 but he pushed it to age 30/31.

Marner will be 28 when the next deal starts. I don't see him signing for 2 years so I assume he's looking at this one as his big one. 8 years takes him to age 36. After that ...it's all gravy if you can stay healthy.

Cheechoo train without busting his knees and good for him.

Exactly. He’ll make a lot more than if he signed an 8 year deal. Same for Marner There’s no way that 8 years is automatically the best deal even if it gives the biggest number on signing. Ask Nate MacKinnon how much more he could have made if he didn’t lock in.
- Canada Cup

The math is different for Marner ...very different. Matthews was 26 ...8 years would have taken him to age 34 ..I don't see that as optimal. Marner will be 28 ..he's ready for the 8 yr special b/c it'll carry him to age 36. I can't imagine his agent recommending he sign for 3 or 4 and try for an 8 yr deal at age 32.

Players, even elite ones, are typically on the down turn at 28/29ish ...and some take a hard turn down by 31/32 ...too risky IMHO.

And I'm to believe all those people would have been fine then and would be fine with it now if the Leafs had agreed to give him 7 years at (slightly) more than double the salary the Leafs had paid based on his expiring deal?

Sorry I just can't believe that at all.

There was no reason to believe his game would improve so drastically, Oilers took a huge gamble and it paid off - it's that simple & it's awesome for him and the Oilers and sucks balls for Leafs and Leaf fans.

I liked Hyman a lot but was big time in the 'no way he is worth that much' camp - who knows if he would have become the player he is today if he stayed, maybe but maybe not.

He had 13 points in 5 playoffs with the Leafs (32 games)

He had 16 points in his first playoff season with the Oilers (16 games)

#McDavideffect


From the article (note the bolded parts):

The forward signed a seven-year $38.5 million contract with a cap hit of $5.5 million a season – a bargain in comparison to the numbers he’s produced upon his arrival. Having never scored more than 21 goals in a season, Hyman has risen to stardom scoring 54 goals in 80 games during the 2023-24 regular season, setting career-highs in goals in each of his first three seasons in Edmonton.

In six seasons with Toronto (2015-21), Hyman scored 91 goals and 107 assists for 198 points in 377 regular and postseason games. In comparison, he has already scored 145 goals and tallied 114 assists for 259 points in 281 regular and postseason games.
- Cush29

Yeah I absolutely love Hyman as a player, but I thought the Leafs would be buying high to resign him. So it goes.

They lowballed him and he told them to pound salt. Good on him.
- fifty__missions

If by lowball you mean they allegedly offered him a raise on the 2.25M he was making to 3.5M per year then sure.

To say they lowballed him is a bit of a stretch no?

He was offered a 1.25M raise x 8 years but got offered way more $ (5.5M is a hell of a lot more than 3.5) and 1 less year from the Oilers so he took that offer (who can blame him!). Have to wonder what the ask was from his camp to the Leafs but we will never know.

I stand by my assertation that way more Leaf fans would have been angry with the Leafs if they had given Hyman what the Oilers paid him, me included!

If by lowball you mean they allegedly offered him a raise on the 2.25M he was making to 3.5M per year then sure.

To say they lowballed him is a bit of a stretch no?

He was offered a 1.25M raise x 8 years but got offered way more $ (5.5M is a hell of a lot more than 3.5) and 1 less year from the Oilers so he took that offer (who can blame him!). Have to wonder what the ask was from his camp to the Leafs but we will never know.

I stand by my assertation that way more Leaf fans would have been angry with the Leafs if they had given Hyman what the Oilers paid him, me included!
- Cush29

At that time, it was considered a bad contract.. I recall many of us saying it will end up like the Josh Anderson deal..

Hyman proved everyone wrong.. Oilers got it right..

Yeah I absolutely love Hyman as a player, but I thought the Leafs would be buying high to resign him. So it goes.
- Zezel

It hurts, is frustrating etc. but I just have a hard time being upset about them not paying him what Edmonton did.

The reality is that contract could have been (another) anchor for Edmonton and had it been man would they be in a tough spot with the Nurse contract the Campbell contract and then had they had another one like that?

Trifecta of horrific contracts and they may not even be a playoff team but here we are and they are cup finalists!

Now looking back at the last time they made the final they then proceeded to miss the playoffs for a full 10 years - can you imagine!

At that time, it was considered a bad contract.. I recall many of us saying it will end up like the Josh Anderson deal..

Hyman proved everyone wrong.. Oilers got it right..
- PatC80

McDavid is just that (frank)ing good. Hyman is a good player in his own right, but this is another Jarri Kurri case. Riding wingman to a living hockey god is going to boost one's stats. You could throw Yarncock on McJesus' wing and he'd score 40 goals minimum.

At that time, it was considered a bad contract.. I recall many of us saying it will end up like the Josh Anderson deal..

Hyman proved everyone wrong.. Oilers got it right..
- PatC80

Oilers got lucky IMO and probably figured they HAD to overpay to get Hyman to leave Toronto and come to Edmonton. It worked out for them for sure.

It hurts, is frustrating etc. but I just have a hard time being upset about them not paying him what Edmonton did.

The reality is that contract could have been (another) anchor for Edmonton and had it been man would they be in a tough spot with the Nurse contract the Campbell contract and then had they had another one like that?

Trifecta of horrific contracts and they may not even be a playoff team but here we are and they are cup finalists!

Now looking back at the last time they made the final they then proceeded to miss the playoffs for a full 10 years - can you imagine!
- Cush29

Campbell, Nurse and Ceci all have bad contracts. This would have been much, much worse

At that time, it was considered a bad contract.. I recall many of us saying it will end up like the Josh Anderson deal..

Hyman proved everyone wrong.. Oilers got it right..
- PatC80

Add to it… Leafs have spent the last 3 yrs trying to find the next Hyman…

They most likely have in Knies … which to me makes Domi & Bert redundant and too expensive to boot.

Find that complementary D and reliable goalie - with that money

McDavid is just that (frank)ing good. Hyman is a good player in his own right, but this is another Jarri Kurri case. Riding wingman to a living hockey god is going to boost one's stats. You could throw Yarncock on McJesus' wing and he'd score 40 goals minimum.
- GalacticStone

I believe this and it's a combination of how good McJesus is but also how teams focus on him defensively and that leaves a guy like Hyman wide open, and with way more time and space than he should ever get. Must be sweet to be him!

How much more per year are you suggesting?

You might be right about making up that 8th year but it'll be his age 35 year. It's all a part of the negotiation but the point stands ....always better to have it in your pocket if you can ..and if everything else makes sense.
- The Law

I'm looking (conservatively) at...

11.5 (same as Marner) x 8
vs
12.5 x 7

92 vs 87.5

The 4.5 difference will easily be made up with a new contract signed after 7 years. Can't see him making less than 5m on his next contract.

Plus he will pocket cash faster with the 12.5 deal.

Add to it… Leafs have spent the last 3 yrs trying to find the next Hyman…

They most likely have in Knies … which to me makes Domi & Bert redundant and too expensive to boot.

Find that complementary D and reliable goalie - with that money
- dozerD10

need Domi if Marner leaves

I believe this and it's a combination of how good McJesus is but also how teams focus on him defensively and that leaves a guy like Hyman wide open, and with way more time and space than he should ever get. Must be sweet to be him!
- Cush29

Hyman is also very savvy and knows where to go on the ice -

Leafs just can’t make the mistake of thinking Bert or Domi are anywhere near Hyman -

Hyman is also very savvy and knows where to go on the ice -

Leafs just can’t make the mistake of thinking Bert or Domi are anywhere near Hyman -
- dozerD10

his shooting percentage is almost Iron Dome level

his shooting percentage is almost Iron Dome level
- drexel

There is that…

McDavid is just that (frank)ing good. Hyman is a good player in his own right, but this is another Jarri Kurri case. Riding wingman to a living hockey god is going to boost one's stats. You could throw Yarncock on McJesus' wing and he'd score 40 goals minimum.
- GalacticStone

Umm...you might want to google Jari Kurri before you (frank)ing besmirch his name like this.

McDavid is just that (frank)ing good. Hyman is a good player in his own right, but this is another Jarri Kurri case. Riding wingman to a living hockey god is going to boost one's stats. You could throw Yarncock on McJesus' wing and he'd score 40 goals minimum.
- GalacticStone

Look at how good McJesus made Maroon look. And that was before McJ went into god mode.
Just needs a guy that goes to the net.

his shooting percentage is almost Iron Dome level
- drexel

A trained macaque monkey could score 20 goals on McDavid's wing.

his shooting percentage is almost Iron Dome level
- drexel

Because most of his shots are 5 feet from the net.

Umm...you might want to google Jari Kurri before you (frank)ing besmirch his name like this.
- AdamFrench

Ok, maybe not the best example, but you get my point.

Drake places a $500,000 bet on the oilers to win the Stanley cup.


Add another reason to the list to root for Florida.

Drake places a $500,000 bet on the oilers to win the Stanley cup.


Add another reason to the list to root for Florida.
- TurdFergeson

Drake Bell the child actor from Home Improvement?

Good for him.

Umm...you might want to google Jari Kurri before you (frank)ing besmirch his name like this.
- AdamFrench

I had to chuckle at that bit of ignorance 😳😳😳😳