It could work tho.. I don't understand why/how people think Tavares will get nothing less than $10M/per season.
- PatC80

Because he's John Tavares. I'm sure a team like the Devils will be happy to pay him that and more.

Skjei for Duchene?
- mrn22

apparently the salary cap went up to 80 million and nobody told anyone

Because he's John Tavares. I'm sure a team like the Devils will be happy to pay him that and more.
- willschulme

Wouldn't be surprised if he got what Stamkos got 8.5M per

apparently the salary cap went up to 80 million and nobody told anyone
- jimbro83

this seems less likely than the bozak to the rags rumors.

unless like ek says, the av's want nash.

How much better is your defense really? You lost Hamonic. Boychuk isn't getting younger. Sure you have some nice prospects, but as a whole are Leddy, Pullock and whoever really that much better than Zaitzev, Reilly, Gardiner, Liljegren, etc?
- willschulme

Hamonic was one of the worst statistical dmen in the league last 2 years very happy we got something for him. Leddy is top 3 defenseman in the Metro, Boychuk better than everyone on toronto as well as dehaan. Add in 100mph pp shot and 4 or 5 more nhl dmen to fill up last two spots. Gardiner stinks, Liljegren at least 2 years away. Zaitzev and Reilly form one of the worst first pairing combinations in the eastern confrence

apparently the salary cap went up to 80 million and nobody told anyone
- jimbro83

Chytil is going to be Duchene in 2 seasons no need for this silly talk

Who wants to be a Leaf?

Hamonic was one of the worst statistical dmen in the league last 2 years very happy we got something for him. Leddy is top 3 defenseman in the Metro, Boychuk better than everyone on toronto as well as dehaan. Add in 100mph pp shot and 4 or 5 more nhl dmen to fill up last two spots. Gardiner stinks, Liljegren at least 2 years away. Zaitzev and Reilly form one of the worst first pairing combinations in the eastern confrence
- 151509

have a snickers

boychuk - leddy - de hann

rielly - gardiner - zaitsev


yep, much much better
- Tumbleweed

Leddy and boychuk only top pairing defenseman there

Eklund: Does Tavares Want To Be Leaf? Can Brady Skjei Get the NYR Duchene? Buzz@1
- Eklund

I'll take "Click Bait" for $1000 Alex...

Don't mean to change the subject but does anyone else find EK's avatar kind of creepy?

Hamonic was one of the worst statistical dmen in the league last 2 years very happy we got something for him. Leddy is top 3 defenseman in the Metro, Boychuk better than everyone on toronto as well as dehaan. Add in 100mph pp shot and 4 or 5 more nhl dmen to fill up last two spots. Gardiner stinks, Liljegren at least 2 years away. Zaitzev and Reilly form one of the worst first pairing combinations in the eastern confrence
- 151509

wut

Leddy and boychuk only top pairing defenseman there
- 151509

dude, both teams are in need of a true #1.

this reminds me of this mid season kerfuffle of Malkin to leafs

dude, both teams are in need a true #1.
- Tumbleweed

Leddy is clearly a top pairing guy. At least a 2 if not a 1.

I'll take "Click Bait" for $1000 Alex...
- bcallaway

Ding, ding, ding...what do we have for em' Johnny?!

wut
- mrn22

Name 3 other defenseman in metro who play 25 minutes a night and get 40-50 points and play all situations?

this reminds me of this mid season kerfuffle of Malkin to leafs
- Alexzanki

All signs point towards the Leafs being a powerhouse in the East for the foreseeable future. I mean...Stamkos plays for them.

Ding, ding, ding...what do we have for em' Johnny?!
- RhinoFan

just the media stirring poop up... before Stamkos, it was Spezza, now it's Tavares' turn.

We no longer need to rely on free agency to get better.

with that said, it could happen if JT gets to UFA status

From a career standpoint he needs to leave the isles, if its the Leafs fine. There is only so much misery one guy can take. Good Luck to JT.
- Leniwm1



top 10 in wins over last three years, won a round last year, missed playoffs by a point this year and were top 5 in wins from after replacing the coach. Isles are actually a good team. Toronto hasnt done anything and beat out isles by one point in to get to playoffs


Easy bo'y....Leafs trump Isles & you know it!!! Isles will not sniff the Leafs asses

All signs point towards the Leafs being a powerhouse in the East for the foreseeable future. I mean...Stamkos plays for them.
- RhinoFan

It's just adorable how sour Buffalo fans are right now. A year ago everyone was being nice in saying the Sabres were a year ahead of Toronto on the build

No and probably not

Who wants to be a Leaf?


- RhinoFan

hahaha, from a Sabres fan..

That's rich

Name 3 other defenseman in metro who play 25 minutes a night and get 40-50 points and play all situations?
- 151509

not leddy

It could work tho.. I don't understand why/how people think Tavares will get nothing less than $10M/per season.
- PatC80

Matthews $10-$12M
Marner/Nylander $7-$9M x2 (which is optimistic)

Best case? $24M for 3 forwards. Worst? $30M.

Add Tavares then for $8.5M-$10M. (which is optimistic)

Best: $32.5M. Worst: $40M. 4 forwards.

It can't and won't work without getting rid of one of the 3 young guns, and still haven't address D.

What do you think Gardner gets on his next deal? $5M+ right off the bat, likely $6.5-$7M.

I used to be an overly optimistic Leafs fan too, and this was WAY BACK when there was no salary cap.

What makes Toronto different in 2-3 years when they (hopefully) have some success on par with a team like Chicago that had to blow up their roster because all the young stars they developed and wanted to keep came up for a new contract? And we're talking about adding Tavares?

If you want to get wild and crazy dreaming big on July 28 let's start talking OEL or Doughty...you know, actually address a NEED as opposed to stockpiling more depth in a surplus area.

I haven't even touched on guys like Bracco, Grundstrom, Johnnson, etc. that you know...MAY turn out to be good too and earn an NHL spot some day and where to put them. Some guy had the current roster signed to 8 year deals a couple pages back so you can shoe horn Tavares into the forward mix.

Call me grumpy, or a twat as it was so eloquently put earlier...but I've seen enough to know that this team will be exceptional without singing another single guy the next 2-3 years just through maturation and development, let alone landing the most coveted UFA in 30 years if Tavares does in fact get to free agency, which he won't.