No idiot
- Xizord

Ya clearly I'm the idiot.

Matthews will sign for less than McDavid. Not because he deserves less but because hes thinking win. The leaf brass know exactly what they are doing when it comes to signing their talent. These posts by ek are a reach. Yes I prefer Matthews over McDavid. My opinion but I dont think it's all about the money for him. Gonna be hard to build a team around guys who just go for the cap max. That's the reality in a salary cap era
- matthewsscores

So was today, Tanner's day to write as Eklund?
- Aetherial

Everyone find your "safe" place!

that not even a question... Only leafs fan would disagree with that (true) statement !
- Xizord

Ah sorry. .your wrong! .. ..nice try tho

Lol did JT not just leave money on the table to sign with the leafs? Was he not offered close to $13M from San Jose?
- matthewsscores

So then Matthews will sign an offer sheet with the Coyotes because he's from Arizona?

So then Matthews will sign an offer sheet with the Coyotes because he's from Arizona?
- mattmoulson

Lol what?? I was trying to prove a point that some players will sign for less because they want to win. Not sure wtf your talking about.

Kucherov's contract once again shows how asinine Chiarelli was to give McDavid that contract so unnecessarily early, and how McDavid has completely hamstrung himself and the team on getting additional talent to play with.

8y / 10m is now the max that Auston will make. Book it.
- mcleafs

Good luck with that ....

While both will likely put up similar points over the course of their career, McDavid will probably be a more prolific goal-scorer, but Matthews just seems like more of a leader and as EK pointed out, makes others around him better.

Now, this is purely the impression I get from watching them play and seeing them in interviews... just a personal opinion. McDavid seems like he's in it a little too much for McDavid and not enough for the Oilers. I'm not saying he's a super selfish player, but he just strikes me as a little more than the average player.

Matthews seems more humble and willing to sacrifice personal accomplishment for the better of the team.

Go ahead, flame away. I won't be able to read any of this until to tonight, so have fun.
- Rinosaur

Wat a stupid thought. Really he is better leader because wat he made playoffs with a better team. He was also a no show when it mattered the most. Didn’t play penalty kill and was on second power play. But he was good leader??? Bs. Also he will not be taking a discount to play for leafs and will sign for more then mcdavid because cap is going up and that is wat players do.

Matthews is an excellent top-notch player, and I suspect will be remembered as one of the best players of his time, as well as one of the best Leafs, once his career is done.

But I would straight-up trade him for McDavid in a heartbeat if given the chance.

Yzerman is a shrewd GM... very impressed.
- Little Ricky

This whole thing just exposes the huge flaw in the Cap system. How is it fair that you have a no tax state offering less to a player equalling a higher price anywhere else. Defeats the cap principle. They need to fix this. Florida and anywhere else with no tax or less tax are getting an unfair advantage over other teams. As well, lets not forget the nightmare the Canadian teams have to deal with exchange rate and really high taxes. Canadian cup drought....wonder why. Develop your players...have one or two years window to win and then you lose these guys because of money. Remember contracts are in US$.
****Kucherovs contract is 11mil(equivalent) if he were anywhere else

Lol what?? I was trying to prove a point that some players will sign for less because they want to win. Not sure wtf your talking about.
- matthewsscores

Tavares is the 2nd highest paid player in the league and you're talking about him taking less money

Lol did JT not just leave money on the table to sign with the leafs? Was he not offered close to $13M from San Jose?
- matthewsscores

Yes he did..offers from the islanders(94mil 8 years). .San Jose. .and apparently Boston? ..Montreal was also apparently given a chance via phone call on the morning of July 1st. .by all reports he left money

Matthews ego won't allow that
- Little Ricky

I agree

Do you seriously not follow? If Tampa were to have traded Kucherov to NYR to get Karlsson lets say last week. Do you think Kucherov would have got $9.5m from NYR or $11m from NYR? UFA/RFA who cares, what would Kucherov have gotten when negotiating his next deal with someone else? I think probably closer to that $11m which was my point. Tampa got a reasonable deal AND/OR the team who would trade for Kucherov got a reasonable deal.
- Kucherovski

I completely follow. If you think the Rangers would have offered him close to $11 mln then yes Tampa AND/OR the team who would trade for Kuch definitely got a reasonable deal.

But if you think that the Rangers would have offered him close to $11 mln owing to the Tavares contract as a comparable (as you CLEARLY stated in your original post) then yes, that's poopty logic.

Tavares is the 2nd highest paid player in the league and you're talking about him taking less money
- mattmoulson

Alot of Tampa players have as well ..maybe not by much ..but less

This whole thing just exposes the huge flaw in the Cap system. How is it fair that you have a no tax state offering less to a player equalling a higher price anywhere else. Defeats the cap principle. They need to fix this. Florida and anywhere else with no tax or less tax are getting an unfair advantage over other teams. As well, lets not forget the nightmare the Canadian teams have to deal with exchange rate and really high taxes. Canadian cup drought....wonder why. Develop your players...have one or two years window to win and then you lose these guys because of money. Remember contracts are in US$.
****Kucherovs contract is 11mil(equivalent) if he were anywhere else
- KANADIAN

Half of the games Kucherov plays is tax free, they pay the jock tax when they are in other states playing so it's not a huge deal. I am not sure about the exchange rate, that would be interesting. I would think the ticket prices are what combats the exchange rate argument, meaning sitting in the club level of Toronto would cost you $100 USD more than sitting in the club level in Tampa. I could be wrong though

Tavares is the 2nd highest paid player in the league and you're talking about him taking less money
- mattmoulson

Yes he took less money than he could have got. What is so hard to comprehend? Had he signed with another team he would have been paid more

Although I am a Matthews fan I would take McDavid 11 times outta 10. This guy (Ek)is so out to lunch that although everyone knows this is click bait he just destroyed all respect anyone had for him...complete idiot

Auston will get paid the same as Tavares. No way he gets paid more after a few seasons then what Tavares is now getting for all that he has accomplished.

This whole thing just exposes the huge flaw in the Cap system. How is it fair that you have a no tax state offering less to a player equalling a higher price anywhere else. Defeats the cap principle. They need to fix this. Florida and anywhere else with no tax or less tax are getting an unfair advantage over other teams. As well, lets not forget the nightmare the Canadian teams have to deal with exchange rate and really high taxes. Canadian cup drought....wonder why. Develop your players...have one or two years window to win and then you lose these guys because of money. Remember contracts are in US$.
****Kucherovs contract is 11mil(equivalent) if he were anywhere else
- KANADIAN

Good points

I completely follow. If you think the Rangers would have offered him close to $11 mln then yes Tampa AND/OR the team who would trade for Kuch definitely got a reasonable deal.

But if you think that the Rangers would have offered him close to $11 mln owing to the Tavares contract as a comparable (as you CLEARLY stated in your original post) then yes, that's poopty logic.
- poopstash

See I think the UFA/RFA drives up more the 2nd and 3rd line guys, like Tyler Johnson and Palat in Tampa. I think the top guys get top money no matter if they are RFA or UFA so I do think its comparable. I think they look at the guys making the most money and putting up the most points and want that money or more.

This whole thing just exposes the huge flaw in the Cap system. How is it fair that you have a no tax state offering less to a player equalling a higher price anywhere else. Defeats the cap principle. They need to fix this. Florida and anywhere else with no tax or less tax are getting an unfair advantage over other teams. As well, lets not forget the nightmare the Canadian teams have to deal with exchange rate and really high taxes. Canadian cup drought....wonder why. Develop your players...have one or two years window to win and then you lose these guys because of money. Remember contracts are in US$.
****Kucherovs contract is 11mil(equivalent) if he were anywhere else
- KANADIAN

Then why do players sign in LA and NY...same high taces. Im from NY trust me our taxes suck. Someone posted the tavares tax chart and ny and tpronto were close so its not like its just canada

Matthews is an excellent top-notch player, and I suspect will be remembered as one of the best players of his time, as well as one of the best Leafs, once his career is done.

But I would straight-up trade him for McDavid in a heartbeat if given the chance.
- --Lamp--

So would everyone else.

This is a troll blog.

Yes he took less money than he could have got. What is so hard to comprehend? Had he signed with another team he would have been paid more
- matthewsscores

I suppose you're right but if he really wanted to win shouldn't he have taken less than $11 million per year, because you know, he wants to win. As opposed to all the other hockey players that don't care either way

Everyone find your "safe" place!
- MnGump

..I've got mine! 🍻