just off the top of my head. Clarkson was the big UFA and picked the Leafs...because that was his team. i am pretty sure its known that Gretzky wanted to play for the Leafs... its happens.

Its about the perception of who is in a good position to contend for a cup.
Vesey picked the Rangers because he thought thet were a good bet to win..Schultz picked edmonton because they looked like an up an coming team.

where you think they are a contender or not and if that matters i dont care
- senstroll

And Clarkson (frank)ing sucked. He cashing in because nobody else was dumb enough to overpay him except the Leafs. Look how that turned out. Tavares is actually very good and has multiple options. He's not throwing that all away just because he so desperately needs to play for the Leafs.

Gretzky wanted to play for the Leafs for a certain price. He didn't want to come for free. And ownership of the Leafs at the time didn't want to pay him, that's why he didn't come. These guys aren't (frank)ing 10 year old idiots. They're not coming to Toronto JUST BECAUSE it's Toronto.

just off the top of my head. Clarkson was the big UFA and picked the Leafs...because that was his team. i am pretty sure its known that Gretzky wanted to play for the Leafs... its happens.

Its about the perception of who is in a good position to contend for a cup.
Vesey picked the Rangers because he thought thet were a good bet to win..Schultz picked edmonton because they looked like an up an coming team.

whether you think they are a contender or not and if that matters i dont care
- senstroll

"My parents were so excited when they knew that I was considering coming back home," Parise said. "When I made the decision they were real excited as well. That played a big part. I grew up here, I love coming back here in the summers and I thought ‘We enjoy it here so much it would be great to be here year round."’

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...n-ryan-suter-zach-parise/

Also Lindros did everything he could to get traded to the Leafs.
- shack67

A lot of brain damage there.

Bob McKenzie: "I've been lead to believe that the Leafs have creative proposals to present to Tavares if he reaches free agency"

Dubas/Pridham got this

And Clarkson (frank)ing sucked. He cashing in because nobody else was dumb enough to overpay him except the Leafs. Look how that turned out. Tavares is actually very good and has multiple options. He's not throwing that all away just because he so desperately needs to play for the Leafs.

Gretzky wanted to play for the Leafs for a certain price. He didn't want to come for free. And ownership of the Leafs at the time didn't want to pay him, that's why he didn't come. These guys aren't (frank)ing 10 year old idiots. They're not coming to Toronto JUST BECAUSE it's Toronto.
- Unholy_Goalie

Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting

"My parents were so excited when they knew that I was considering coming back home," Parise said. "When I made the decision they were real excited as well. That played a big part. I grew up here, I love coming back here in the summers and I thought ‘We enjoy it here so much it would be great to be here year round."’

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...n-ryan-suter-zach-parise/
- Atomic Wedgie

24 million in the first two years and a 13 year deal.

But I'm sure that "coming home" was what really made him happy.

A lot of brain damage there.
- Unholy_Goalie

Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting

Yes, but i'm taking my ball.

-UG


- Garnie

Can you ask her for some juice boxes, preferably grape.?

They aren't.

Young, up and coming but zero defense and still losing in the 1st round.

They played one of the best teams in the league this year, and didnt have home ice. Thats more reflective how stupid the NHL playoff format is. They were a top 6 team in the NHL, and to state otherwise is well, just factually wrong..

Who would that be exactly? Matthews and Marner? Among the best in the league? Right now? That's not exactly true either. Maybe in the future but as of right now there are several better scorers and passers. They definitely have the potential to get there but they aren't there right now.

Yes, Matthews is easily one of the best goal scorers in the league. To state otherwise is just plain dumb, I guess you could argue against Marner, but I think its pretty obvious he is an elite passer.

Babcock isn't the only coach in the NHL to win a Cup. He's got 1. He's got a certain style that everybody knows about. Doesn't exactly rub everybody the right way. Peter Laviolette has a Cup too and coaches a better team. Hard to say Babcock wins over a UFA. He's not Scotty Bowman.

I said he is one of the best coaches in the league, i can see you have zero argument against that.

- Unholy_Goalie

To say he has no other reasons to come to the Leafs is absurd, and a stupid comment.

The odds of Tavares having the decision making skills of a 10 year old are slim to none.
- Unholy_Goalie

This is one stupid statement.

24 million in the first two years and a 13 year deal.

But I'm sure that "coming home" was what really made him happy.
- Unholy_Goalie

I'm sorry, I forgot that Toronto can't offer him more than $4 million a year.

That's totally on me.

Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
Not the point stop deflecting
- senstroll

You said he was a big name UFA. That was false. A 1 time 30 goal scorer who got overhyped and overrated by the Toronto media because he was the first idiot in 10 years to "come home" even though he was really coming in for a massive pay day he didn't deserve or end up earning. Let me know when a Stamkos signs with the Leafs because he wants to come home and sign big endorsement deals. Then we'll have some apples to compare to apples.

Dubas/Pridham got this
- senstroll

I still think Tavares has more or less made up his mind and probably has for the past 6 months.

We'll find out soon enough and then we can all move on and wait for the Doughty hype train next year.

Thankfully UG will be here to explain reality to us, so that we don't get too carried away talking about it when there is nothing (public) going on in the NHL.

Money is a very big thing. These guys are risking their brain and physical health every game they play. And they only have a short window of opportunity to earn a living playing hockey. You can't play 12 million a year playing hockey when you're 50. Even if he becomes the best coach of GM after he retires, he's making less than half of what he would make as a player.
- Unholy_Goalie

What are you doing spending all your time and knowledge in here for then?

Pretty sure JT could live off the $33million gross he's already made (over the last 6 years )....his great great grand children will be able to live off the $80m the Leafs pay him over the next 7 years....but I'm pretty sure you can figure this out on your own...

They WERE lower. Not by much. BUT WITH TRUMP'S TAX CHANGES, THEY WILL NOW BE HIGHER not as they are in Nashville or Dallas or Vegas or Florida, but they're still lower. He could always live in a different state in the New York area and find a lower tax rate.

Doesn't matter where they play, they'll get the commercial deals just the same. The endorsement bullpoop is bullpoop. Hasn't landed a single UFA for the Leafs yet.
- Unholy_Goalie

fixed that for ya

You said he was a big name UFA. That was false. A 1 time 30 goal scorer who got overhyped and overrated by the Toronto media because he was the first idiot in 10 years to "come home" even though he was really coming in for a massive pay day he didn't deserve or end up earning. Let me know when a Stamkos signs with the Leafs because he wants to come home and sign big endorsement deals. Then we'll have some apples to compare to apples.
- Unholy_Goalie

he was the most coveted UFA that off season..thats really the point.
there were reports that other teams (maybe Edm or Calgary) offered him the same or maybe more.. pretty sure Ottawa wanted him.

there are loads of examples of players choosing to play in cities they liked or grew up liking.

move on you lose

Yes, he's a good player. Would be a good addition for the right price. Definitely worth signing as a bottom pairing D.
- Unholy_Goalie

Thanks.

Money is a very big thing. These guys are risking their brain and physical health every game they play. And they only have a short window of opportunity to earn a living playing hockey. You can't play 12 million a year playing hockey when you're 50. Even if he becomes the best coach of GM after he retires, he's making less than half of what he would make as a player.
- Unholy_Goalie

If he was staying with the Islanders we would know by now. A guy like Taveras doesn't need to 'test the waters' with free agency, he can get whatever he wants from any team. He knows this.

He also knows his salary isn't everything, there are many other intangibles he can get from playing in the right market. Endorsements, paid appearances and investment opportunities to name a few. He can become far wealthier (if that's what he wants) in a market like Toronto then he could practically anywhere else.

he was the most coveted UFA that off season..thats really the point.
there were reports that other teams (maybe Edm or Calgary) offered him the same or maybe more.. pretty sure Ottawa wanted him.

there are loads of examples of players choosing to play in cities they liked or grew up liking.

move on you lose
- senstroll

Edmonton offered him more.

But don't worry - they made up for it with the Lucic deal.

I still think Tavares has more or less made up his mind and probably has for the past 6 months.

We'll find out soon enough and then we can all move on and wait for the Doughty hype train next year.

Thankfully UG will be here to explain reality to us, so that we don't get too carried away talking about it when there is nothing (public) going on in the NHL.
- Aetherial

I'd say if he hasnt made up his mind, he'd be heavily leaning in one direction. The funny thing is no one is even saying he is coming to the Leafs, but the argument from UG stating there is no reason why he would come is laughable

You said he was a big name UFA. That was false. A 1 time 30 goal scorer who got overhyped and overrated by the Toronto media because he was the first idiot in 10 years to "come home" even though he was really coming in for a massive pay day he didn't deserve or end up earning. Let me know when a Stamkos signs with the Leafs because he wants to come home and sign big endorsement deals. Then we'll have some apples to compare to apples.
- Unholy_Goalie

How often do Stamkos-level players become available as UFA's?

If I recall correctly, didn't Edmonton offer David Clarkson more money than the Leafs did?

I still think Tavares has more or less made up his mind and probably has for the past 6 months.

We'll find out soon enough and then we can all move on and wait for the Doughty hype train next year.

Thankfully UG will be here to explain reality to us, so that we don't get too carried away talking about it when there is nothing (public) going on in the NHL.
- Aetherial

Why would Tavares make up his mind before he can talk to other teams? How does that make any sense at all?

100% chance he comes to Toronto because Leafs.
- Unholy_Goalie

This statement is true, only because you inserted the word chance.

he was the most coveted UFA that off season..thats really the point.
there were reports that other teams (maybe Edm or Calgary) offered him the same or maybe more.. pretty sure Ottawa wanted him.


- senstroll

there are loads of examples of players choosing to play in cities they liked or grew up liking.

move on you lose

Except actual great players that came to Toronto in their prime for less money, on a worse team just because it's the Leafs.

Why argue with Eugene? It's what he always wants.