Yeah of course. Like I said it’s not a big mystery what this team needs. Getting what it needs is where it becomes a bit sticky. I don’t see how that’s going to happen or what could be an even realistic way of improving our top six unless there’s something going on which none of us are aware of. It would be an awesome surprise but going with history just not likely. Hopefully you’re right believe me it’s not like I don’t want it to happen.
- Cptmjl

One thing working in their favor (and the favor of anyone else trying to exploit WPG) is that the Jets are going to be in absolute cap hell if they start the season with Laine/Connor unsigned. Nylander's situation last year is basically laying the road map for the Jets woes. If they sign either, or both, after day 1 of the season then the cap hit gets prorated and will be higher than the actual AAV of the contract. Nylander's true AAV is right under $7M, but last year his cap hit was over $10M because of when he signed.

The longer it takes to come to an agreement with those players, the higher their cap hits will be for this year, which could force WPG to make a move to either clear enough space to be cap-compliant or move someone else out to accommodate the inflated AAV's for Connor and/or Laine.

Everyone is focused on the Leafs and Marner, but I think the most interesting RFA situation is Winnipeg. As it stands now, they have around $15.5M in cap space and that may not even be enough to get those two signed.

One thing working in their favor (and the favor of anyone else trying to exploit WPG) is that the Jets are going to be in absolute cap hell if they start the season with Laine/Connor unsigned. Nylander's situation last year is basically laying the road map for the Jets woes. If they sign either, or both, after day 1 of the season then the cap hit gets prorated and will be higher than the actual AAV of the contract. Nylander's true AAV is right under $7M, but last year his cap hit was over $10M because of when he signed.

The longer it takes to come to an agreement with those players, the higher their cap hits will be for this year, which could force WPG to make a move to either clear enough space to be cap-compliant or move someone else out to accommodate the inflated AAV's for Connor and/or Laine.

Everyone is focused on the Leafs and Marner, but I think the most interesting RFA situation is Winnipeg. As it stands now, they have around $15.5M in cap space and that may not even be enough to get those two signed.
- eichiefs9

Heard this one before. I’m not denying there is a situation in Winnipeg but these teams always seem to find a way of wiggling out of these problems without jettisoning star players. I say that understanding they may have a player in Laine who doesn’t want to be there to begin with but having an idea what it would take and cap restrictions it seems pretty damn unlikely hence why I’m saying I’d be surprised if anything happened let alone Laine or Connolly but hey I would love it if it did.

One thing working in their favor (and the favor of anyone else trying to exploit WPG) is that the Jets are going to be in absolute cap hell if they start the season with Laine/Connor unsigned. Nylander's situation last year is basically laying the road map for the Jets woes. If they sign either, or both, after day 1 of the season then the cap hit gets prorated and will be higher than the actual AAV of the contract. Nylander's true AAV is right under $7M, but last year his cap hit was over $10M because of when he signed.

The longer it takes to come to an agreement with those players, the higher their cap hits will be for this year, which could force WPG to make a move to either clear enough space to be cap-compliant or move someone else out to accommodate the inflated AAV's for Connor and/or Laine.

Everyone is focused on the Leafs and Marner, but I think the most interesting RFA situation is Winnipeg. As it stands now, they have around $15.5M in cap space and that may not even be enough to get those two signed.
- eichiefs9

- nyisles7

I'm more impressed that this was actually an available picture, than anything

Heard this one before. I’m not denying there is a situation in Winnipeg but these teams always seem to find a way of wiggling out of these problems without jettisoning star players. I say that understanding they may have a player in Laine who doesn’t want to be there to begin with but having an idea what it would take and cap restrictions it seems pretty damn unlikely hence why I’m saying I’d be surprised if anything happened let alone Laine or Connolly but hey I would love it if it did.
- Cptmjl

I'm not saying it'll be either one of them. Maybe they move Ehlers, although I think he's significantly more valuable than Connor, or some combination of other guys to get where they need to be.

Teams certainly are able to wiggle out of these issues for sure and I assume they will do the same. But I do think their situation is infinitely more interesting than Toronto so far, even though Toronto gets the lion's share of the coverage.

Heard this one before. I’m not denying there is a situation in Winnipeg but these teams always seem to find a way of wiggling out of these problems without jettisoning star players. I say that understanding they may have a player in Laine who doesn’t want to be there to begin with but having an idea what it would take and cap restrictions it seems pretty damn unlikely hence why I’m saying I’d be surprised if anything happened let alone Laine or Connolly but hey I would love it if it did.
- Cptmjl

I think you bring up a good point. I was talking about this today with respect to Marner. If Dreger is correct and Marner turned down 11 per for 8 years, he just turned down a guaranteed 88 million. To me thats just plain stupid. Injuries happen. The difference between 88 million and say 100 million is nothing. You're still living that life. Marners getting bad advice to turn that kind of guarentted money down.

I think you bring up a good point. I was talking about this today with respect to Marner. If Dreger is correct and Marner turned down 11 per for 8 years, he just turned down a guaranteed 88 million. To me thats just plain stupid. Injuries happen. The difference between 88 million and say 100 million is nothing. You're still living that life. Marners getting bad advice to turn that kind of guarentted money down.
- kindlyrick

I’m with you I can’t see taking less money for hopefully more money in the future while turning down a guaranteed large payout. That’s the trend these days with these kids betting on themselves which is a positive but if I were them I would be taking the guaranteed cash for the reasons you mentioned.

I'm more impressed that this was actually an available picture, than anything
- eichiefs9

Was thinking the same thing😂😂😂

I'm more impressed that this was actually an available picture, than anything
- eichiefs9

When I found it ( Amazed ) I thought you were creating a web site and this was your logo.

When I found it ( Amazed ) I thought you were creating a web site and this was your logo.
- nyisles7

Didn't really fit the design I had for SluttySilverbacks.com

Color scheme was off

I’m with you I can’t see taking less money for hopefully more money in the future while turning down a guaranteed large payout. That’s the trend these days with these kids betting on themselves which is a positive but if I were them I would be taking the guaranteed cash for the reasons you mentioned.
- Cptmjl

At this point his agent (his dad) needs to let a professional take over. His ego is risking his sons future.
What a mess it would be if Marner goes over to Switzerland and blows out a knee

Didn't really fit the design I had for SluttySilverbacks.com

Color scheme was off
- eichiefs9

At this point his agent (his dad) needs to let a professional take over. His ego is risking his sons future.
What a mess it would be if Marner goes over to Switzerland and blows out a knee
- kindlyrick

His agent is Darren Ferris not his Dad.

At the end of the day if Mitch wants to play hockey for the Leafs and for what compensation its ultimately up to him. i think he will be signed before camp. my opinion of course.

His agent is Darren Ferris not his Dad.

At the end of the day if Mitch wants to play hockey for the Leafs and for what compensation its ultimately up to him. i think he will be signed before camp. my opinion of course.
- nyisles7

Is it possible Darren Ferris is actually Mitch's dad and Paul Marner is actually his agent?

His agent is Darren Ferris not his Dad.

At the end of the day if Mitch wants to play hockey for the Leafs and for what compensation its ultimately up to him. i think he will be signed before camp. my opinion of course.
- nyisles7

If you’ve ever heard his dad and or the comments he makes regarding his son you’d understand what i mean. He’s a real beauty Paul Marner. He’s abolutely the problem.


Let’s start by saying that Paul Marner doesn’t totally buy all that.

He thinks Mitch, the second of his two sons, has been overlooked his entire hockey-playing life. Yes, Mitch liked to have fun around the rink, liked to laugh, even dance, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t driven to reach incredible heights or that he wasn’t, in fact, a star already.

And it’s about time the media in Toronto realized it.

“I’ll just be honest with you,” Mitch’s dad said. “It drives our family nuts when we hear you guys all talk about who should be the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch never hardly gets any consideration. It’s because he’s like this happy-go-lucky little kid. But he championed the London Knights to the Memorial Cup with that same happy (personality). I watched a guy like Doug Gilmour who had a lot of joy on and off the ice but was a real competitor.

“And that’s Mitch.

“Mitch has (always) had the killer instinct when the puck drops, but I’ve also told (him) and his mom’s told him, ‘One of the things that make you who you are is the love you show of the game and never stop having fun playing the game. Because when you do, that’s going to take away something that’s made you who you are.'”

As Paul notes, Mitch was leading the Leafs in scoring before he injured his shoulder as a rookie in spite of ice-time the family considered, well, a little underwhelming. Mitch then topped the team with 69 points as a sophomore — again, despite ranking sixth among Toronto forwards in minutes — and he added another nine points in a dominant playoff series with Boston.

Today, he’s again leading the Leafs in scoring — with 43 points in 33 games following a two-goal outing in Florida — and on pace for a career-high 107 points.

But he’s only becoming a star now?


Mitch Marner is on pace for 107 points. (Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports)
It’s always been that way with Mitch, Paul would argue. Take the year he was drafted into the NHL. It was 2015 and it was all about Connor and when it wasn’t Connor, it was Jack.

But what about Mitch?

He burned the OHL with 126 points that season — more than McDavid (120) managed in Erie and more than John Tavares (104), Steven Stamkos (105), Taylor Hall (106) and Tyler Seguin (106) mustered in their draft years.

Paul still remembers one night during the OHL playoffs — March 31, 2015 — when Mitch hit the scoreboard six times in a big win over Kitchener. McDavid had only a single assist against Sarnia. But guess who Sportsnet was talking about afterward?

“And in any other draft, if Connor’s not there, you would’ve been talking about Mitch as first overall pick,” Paul Marner says.

His agent is Darren Ferris not his Dad.

At the end of the day if Mitch wants to play hockey for the Leafs and for what compensation its ultimately up to him. i think he will be signed before camp. my opinion of course.
- nyisles7

There’s also a story about Lou Lam having to pull Mitch and his dad aside after he was drafted to tone down the selling of all things Mitch online. Lou said if he didn’t put the team first he wouldn’t be on the team.

There’s also a story about Lou Lam having to pull Mitch and his dad aside after he was drafted to tone down the selling of all things Mitch online. Lou said if he didn’t put the team first he wouldn’t be on the team.
- kindlyrick

Sounds like Lou.
I know that the ELC Mitch signed Lou would only agree to the A bonus structure which Marner agreed to which was a team first type thing and probs wants the Club to give a little more this time.

Again I just don't see him not signing with the Leafs and playing in Europe.

Is it possible Darren Ferris is actually Mitch's dad and Paul Marner is actually his agent?
- eichiefs9

And Darren Paul is Ferris Marner's Cousin?

Sounds like Lou.
I know that the ELC Mitch signed Lou would only agree to the A bonus structure which Marner agreed to which was a team first type thing and probs wants the Club to give a little more this time.

Again I just don't see him not signing with the Leafs and playing in Europe.
- nyisles7

They’re going to sign him.

And Darren Paul is Ferris Marner's Cousin?
- nyisles7

I'm a mog half man half dog

I hope marner holds out as long as nylander did cause (frank) the leafs

I hope marner holds out as long as nylander did cause (frank) the leafs
- Upstate_isles

I’ll also add that I hope if he does come back two months into the season that he plays just as good as Nylander.

And Darren Paul is Ferris Marner's Cousin?
- nyisles7

Ferris Marner has the day off

Ferris Marner has the day off
- eichiefs9

Daryl has so much pull !

Ferris Marner has the day off
- eichiefs9

Botch job on this one.