I think the original proposal was to buy out DiPi's 36 million dollar contract (24 of which would be paid out) in exchange for Ryan Strome.

This would be one of the single largest cash transactions in all of North American pro sports. The only comparables would be those deals that get made in European soccer where Team A gets a player from Team B for tens of millions of dollars.

If MLSE is spending Gretzky money, they'll be expecting the 1988 version of Gretzky. Not Ryan Strome, as good as he makes some people's NHL13 rosters look.
- Leeman4Gilmour

You know what owners love more then money? absolutely nothing. I'm trying to think how Ryan Strome is more valuable then $25 million to MLSE. I read your post on page one and I totally agree with you. The Isles will have to give up a ton of picks and prospects to make this happen, or they need to give up a Pork chop who's born and raised in Toronto who's on the brink of making their franchise relevant again. Makes me think this aint going to happen.

If something like this even managed to get through the NHL upper management, I think people aren't thinking clearly on two things:

- Not even a company as wealthy as MLSE/Bell/Rogers is just going to throw away $25 million to make one of their franchises marginally better.

- It would take a hell of a lot more than Strome to get it done.

I think we can all just agree this has an extremely low probability of happening.

If something like this even managed to get through the NHL upper management, I think people aren't thinking clearly on two things:

- Not even a company as wealthy as MLSE/Bell/Rogers is just going to throw away $25 million to make one of their franchises marginally better.

- It would take a hell of a lot more than Strome to get it done.

I think we can all just agree this has an extremely low probability of happening.
- abstrakt

25 million is a bit much so at least Komaserk and Liles have to go the other way. To get Franson they paid ~$6 mill.

25 million is a bit much so at least Komaserk and Liles have to go the other way. To get Franson they paid ~$6 mill.
- mmold

They also got the services of Lombardi.

And it was only for one year, as they were still able to trade him away for a draft pick.

As per usual Mike you don't know what your talking about. First you write well but your Hockey IQ is that of a armchair GM.


Komisarek's contract ends next year so why buy him out or trade him there's no value to that. But the nucks or insert your team may get him back in a multi-player deal.

As for MLSE having deep pockets your smoking some of that funky grass growing in love canal while they will pay for there mistakes they are not going to pay for someone else's colossal mistake unless Tavarez comes to the Leafs because why pay that much for another 3rd line player makes no sense and Nonis is too smart for that poop to happen.

The only big contract they'd take is a contract that's usable today from a team that has to make cap space and cheap as well.

Grabovski is a body, Liles is a body that may be in a trade to a team that has to hit the minimum room or they just keep them. While we think there's going to be a lot of talent it'll be third line center which they have in Grabo.

My guess is that the Leafs will do 2 buyouts but they will not be your usual suspects. Say a poopty 4 years left and return the Leafs get a prospect.

Maybe they get un upgrade to Bozak but just marginal.

Less is more in Leaf world.

They also got the services of Lombardi.

And it was only for one year, as they were still able to trade him away for a draft pick.
- Leeman4Gilmour

At the time of the deal they didn't expect Lombardi to play hence the 4th round pick going either way depending on whether he played or not. If they expected Lombardi to play they wouldn't have traded him and would not have had to give up Franson.

As per usual Mike you don't know what your talking about. First you write well but your Hockey IQ is that of a armchair GM.


Komisarek's contract ends next year so why buy him out or trade him there's no value to that. But the nucks or insert your team may get him back in a multi-player deal.

As for MLSE having deep pockets your smoking some of that funky grass growing in love canal while they will pay for there mistakes they are not going to pay for someone else's colossal mistake unless Tavarez comes to the Leafs because why pay that much for another 3rd line player makes no sense and Nonis is too smart for that poop to happen.

The only big contract they'd take is a contract that's usable today from a team that has to make cap space and cheap as well.

Grabovski is a body, Liles is a body that may be in a trade to a team that has to hit the minimum room or they just keep them. While we think there's going to be a lot of talent it'll be third line center which they have in Grabo.

My guess is that the Leafs will do 2 buyouts but they will not be your usual suspects. Say a poopty 4 years left and return the Leafs get a prospect.

Maybe they get un upgrade to Bozak but just marginal.

Less is more in Leaf world.
- puck-off

A little douchey today, are we?

Have you guys considered that maybe what you need to get Grabovski's line going is to flank him with two more small one-dimensional forwards who hold onto the puck for too long?

Hemsky + Omark for Franson
- Morris

Enough of the Omark offers.

Nice alliteration

There are probably 20 teams that can afford to do the deal for Dipietro if Strome is included in the package. Teams can also share and take back some of the salary they are dealing. So, even a team like Florida might be interested in Dipietro if it helps them get to the cap minimum and Wang pays some of the salary.

This story is much like the Weber RFA offer of last summer where people did not think Nashville could afford to match. Most sports reporters do not understand how sports teams are financed and specifically how they are capitalized. Wang needs to recapitalize the team as part of the move to Brooklyn. Getting Dipietro off the books allows the Islanders to add more talent. Make no mistake this team will spend big money and wants to challenge the Rangers on the NY sports scene.

I believe the Islanders would love to move Dipietro but they will never, ever think of giving up Strome who is slotted as the #2 behind Tavares.

So what's the topic today?


MLSE cash >>> Strome



Gonna be a long summer

There are probably 20 teams that can afford to do the deal for Dipietro if Strome is included in the package. Teams can also share and take back some of the salary they are dealing. So, even a team like Florida might be interested in Dipietro if it helps them get to the cap minimum and Wang pays some of the salary.

This story is much like the Weber RFA offer of last summer where people did not think Nashville could afford to match. Most sports reporters do not understand how sports teams are financed and specifically how they are capitalized. Wang needs to recapitalize the team as part of the move to Brooklyn. Getting Dipietro off the books allows the Islanders to add more talent. Make no mistake this team will spend big money and wants to challenge the Rangers on the NY sports scene.

I believe the Islanders would love to move Dipietro but they will never, ever think of giving up Strome who is slotted as the #2 behind Tavares.
- spatso

There are so many contradictions and logical fallacies in this post I don't even know where to start.

For starters, there are absolutely NOT 20 teams that would line up to take Strome for 25M... but yet half the league is 10M under the cap right now, why? Because the league is by and large subsidized by the top 20% (probably closer to 10%) revenue-generating teams in the league. You'll see how many teams actually exercise their buyout rights because they don't want to eat the remaining salary that's a tenth of what DiPietro's going to cost them. And Florida? 25M is roughly half of their current payroll for next year; there's no way in hell that's going to happen.

it'll take an awful lot to make that happen. Im not sure nyi is willing to pay the cost. Sure they are willing (maybe) to pay someone to take that contract, but I don't know if they are willing to pay enough to get it done.

There are probably 20 teams that can afford to do the deal for Dipietro if Strome is included in the package. Teams can also share and take back some of the salary they are dealing. So, even a team like Florida might be interested in Dipietro if it helps them get to the cap minimum and Wang pays some of the salary.

This story is much like the Weber RFA offer of last summer where people did not think Nashville could afford to match. Most sports reporters do not understand how sports teams are financed and specifically how they are capitalized. Wang needs to recapitalize the team as part of the move to Brooklyn. Getting Dipietro off the books allows the Islanders to add more talent. Make no mistake this team will spend big money and wants to challenge the Rangers on the NY sports scene.

I believe the Islanders would love to move Dipietro but they will never, ever think of giving up Strome who is slotted as the #2 behind Tavares.
- spatso

20 teams??? FLA???

There are so many contradictions and logical fallacies in this post I don't even know where to start.

For starters, there are absolutely NOT 20 teams that would line up to take Strome for 25M... but yet half the league is 10M under the cap right now, why? Because the league is by and large subsidized by the top 20% (probably closer to 10%) revenue-generating teams in the league. You'll see how many teams actually exercise their buyout rights because they don't want to eat the remaining salary that's a tenth of what DiPietro's going to cost them. And Florida? 25M is roughly half of their current payroll for next year; there's no way in hell that's going to happen.
- gravyface

That was ridiculous. Yeah 20 teams can afford 25M throwaway. Yeah right. We just went through TWO lockouts in the last 8 years because the owners are swimming is cash. 3 quarters of the league is losing money but 2 thirds of the league has 25mil sitting around to spare!!


And he said people don't understand.....

it'll take an awful lot to make that happen. Im not sure nyi is willing to pay the cost. Sure they are willing (maybe) to pay someone to take that contract, but I don't know if they are willing to pay enough to get it done.
- burn

They may not have a choice, depending on what shape they're in financially, but for that kind of cash, there's only going to be a handful of teams with pockets that deep, even if spread across 16 years at 1.5M per.

Vancouver doesn't really make sense because sure, they'd save a couple of years of buyout payments compared with buying out Luongo, but that's a big PR/black mark against them in the eyes of players I would think; especially since Luongo has actually been a very good goalie for Vancouver where DiPietro has barely played.

I think they'd need to take back some short-term salary, include Strome and a good roster player (Moulson) going the other way.

Morning Leafers, how are we all doing today?

Morning Leafers, how are we all doing today?
- Tsyolin

Tired. Dog woke me up at 5:30, couldn't go back to sleep.

Tired. Dog woke me up at 5:30, couldn't go back to sleep.
- gravyface

At least it was an option for you to sleep at that point. 5:15 for me, then on the road to the most lovely (not really) job in the world.

I'm sure there's a way to make this work but it will take a lot of players being moved both ways. Leafs will want to shed some contracts so Liles and Komi will both have to be in the deal and as to what would come back with Dipietro, I really have no idea. If it were Komi for Dipietro and Strome, MLSE would want to make that $25 mil back pretty quick and I dont think I want that as a Leaf fan. Imagine the implications, maybe they dont re-sign Kessel and/or Phaneuf, they dont add any salary this year so no ufa's, they might jack up ticket prices. This is MLSE we're talking about, we all know what they are capable of.
- coolehmon41

Remember that the Leafs only lose $1.5M per year over the next 16 years. The Maple Leafs can probably make most of that back in merchandise alone. If they win one playoff round they would have made back the $24M. This move is not a make or break for the Leafs.

Also even if you want to assume that Toronto will find a way to save the money they are losing in another way, they only have to spend $1.5M less per year, no different than having a buyout on the cap hit. They wont decide to let Kessel walk for an extra $1.5M in spending.

I doubt the Leafs will do this deal if it were available do to the selfishness of owners but I don't think there would be a huge downside to it like you think.

That was ridiculous. Yeah 20 teams can afford 25M throwaway. Yeah right. We just went through TWO lockouts in the last 8 years because the owners are swimming is cash. 3 quarters of the league is losing money but 2 thirds of the league has 25mil sitting around to spare!!


And he said people don't understand.....
- burn

The way the new deal is structured a team like Florida can take on a big cap hit and get financial assistance from the sending team. So, for example, the Flyers might be able to offer up Briere and his $6m cap hit to Phoenix. They split the actual salary dollars 50/50 and the Desert Dogs get a $6m cap hit to help them get to the minimum.

Dipietro is a bit more complex because he cannot play in the NHL or anywhere else for that matter. My point is that it is ludicrous to assume that Wang who is in the process of moving to Brooklyn and recapitalizing the team would offer up Strome as an incentive for a deal. He already has the Yashin experience, he does not need another long term buy out on the books. The Islanders are going to be big players on the NY scene.

My point was simply if they say Strome is available 20 teams would be interested and under the new CBA just about everybody can figure out a way to do it except for those teams already in cap trouble. Now if you want to talk of a lesser talent than Strome, the story and options change.

Remember that the Leafs only lose $1.5M per year over the next 16 years. The Maple Leafs can probably make most of that back in merchandise alone. If they win one playoff round they would have made back the $24M. This move is not a make or break for the Leafs.

Also even if you want to assume that Toronto will find a way to save the money they are losing in another way, they only have to spend $1.5M less per year, no different than having a buyout on the cap hit. They wont decide to let Kessel walk for an extra $1.5M in spending.

I doubt the Leafs will do this deal if it were available do to the selfishness of owners but I don't think there would be a huge downside to it like you think.
- Steven_Dean

Depends on how you look at it.

Let's say we get Strome; let's say he's a Kadri-ish player and we sign him to a 5-year extension after his ELC runs out in 3 years for a total of 8 years (2.75Mish for ELC plus 5 years at 4.5M) costing us ~25M over those 8 years. Now tack on another 12M in DiPietro tax just for those 8 years of service (assuming he bolts his UFA year), and you're looking at over 6M a year while he's still wearing blue and white; now if he bolts after 8 years, you're looking at another 12M we're still paying over 8 years, which would effectively put Strome at 7.5M per year, which is superstar territory.

Is he going to be that kind of player? Unlikely, still a possibility, but a hell of a gamble of you ask me.

Guys


we're not getting DP and we're not getting Strome.

Guys


we're not getting DP and we're not getting Strome.
- AdamFrench

A Leafs fan trapped in the body of a Yotes blogger.