Players always run the risk of being benched when they don't perform, that is how it goes. And this year when he accepts what the coach is selling, does what he is told and he succeeds and goes into UFA with a good year behind him? You speak like for sure Stewart is definitely is going to have another bad year under Hitchcock guaranteed. Plenty of players have had a hard time with new coaches only to listen finally and turn it around.
- shinebox

Stewart was singled out. He wasn't just benched because he wasn't performing. Hitchcock put him on the 3rd line and told him to be a 3rd liner. Then said he wasn't working hard enough. As a guy who wants to "cash in as a UFA" playing on the 3rd line and getting benched won't do a damn thing for his pocket book.

And again, you say that he'll "accept it and listen to the coach". If that were the case, why didn't he do that last year so he could get a good contract this year? What's going to change? Nothing.

The Leafs won't give him an offer sheet because Burke is an idiot with offer sheets. But if they did, they would be offering him a way out of the ultra defensive dog house he is in, 12 million dollars in guaranteed money and guaranteed top-six minutes because Burke has been hollering about a "big top-six forward" for four years.

Sounds a lot better to a player than a cheap, 1 year deal, in a defensive system with a coach who puts you on the 3rd line or the press box.

Stewart was singled out. He wasn't just benched because he wasn't performing. Hitchcock put him on the 3rd line and told him to be a 3rd liner. Then said he wasn't working hard enough. As a guy who wants to "cash in as a UFA" playing on the 3rd line and getting benched won't do a damn thing for his pocket book.

And again, you say that he'll "accept it and listen to the coach". If that were the case, why didn't he do that last year so he could get a good contract this year? What's going to change? Nothing.

The Leafs won't give him an offer sheet because Burke is an idiot with offer sheets. But if they did, they would be offering him a way out of the ultra defensive dog house he is in, 12 million dollars in guaranteed money and guaranteed top-six minutes because Burke has been hollering about a "big top-six forward" for four years.

Sounds a lot better to a player than a cheap, 1 year deal, in a defensive system with a coach who puts you on the 3rd line or the press box.
- Unholy_Goalie

The one that gets him to UFA and holding all the cards? Even if he has a mediocre year in St Louis this year like you have promised, his value still wont drop badly enough that he signs long term for 3 million. He will wait a year and sign long term to the team of his choice and not the dismal leafs.

The one that gets him to UFA and holding all the cards? Even if he has a mediocre year in St Louis this year like you have promised, his value still wont drop badly enough that he signs long term for 3 million. He will wait a year and sign long term to the team of his choice and not the dismal leafs.
- shinebox

And again, back to the illogical "UFA who holds all the cards" bit.

Being a UFA with two dismal offensive seasons and a questionable attitude is like holding off suit 2, 7. He's hold cards alright but they're really crappy.

I haven't promised a poor season. You keep saying you are looking at it from the players perspective. Fact is, last year he got benched and when he did play, he played on the 3rd line and ended up with 30 points.

For a PLAYER, guaranteed money, top-six ice time and a new opportunity to raise his value is the better option. Time for you to accept it. Believe it or not, Prock had a better argument did you did which is that somebody else might roll the dice on him and give him an offer sheet of guaranteed money that the Blues won't match.

It's okay to accept it. Burke won't give him an offer sheet and he won't be a Maple Leaf. So you don't have to worry your little Hab head about it.

And again, back to the illogical "UFA who holds all the cards" bit.

Being a UFA with two dismal offensive seasons and a questionable attitude is like holding off suit 2, 7. He's hold cards alright but they're really crappy.

I haven't promised a poor season. You keep saying you are looking at it from the players perspective. Fact is, last year he got benched and when he did play, he played on the 3rd line and ended up with 30 points.

For a PLAYER, guaranteed money, top-six ice time and a new opportunity to raise his value is the better option. Time for you to accept it.

It's okay to accept it. Burke won't give him an offer sheet and he won't be a Maple Leaf. So you don't have to worry your little Hab head about it.
- Unholy_Goalie

On a dismal team going nowhere anytime soon? His bad season is going to affect him being a potential top 6 powerforward again how? Schenn has a few poopy seasons and he is still great, but Stewart as a Powerforward ( who take long to develop as well i might add) is done and must just accept a poopy 3 million dollar long term deal with the dismal leafs rather than just listening to his coach and earning his ice time?

On a dismal team going nowhere anytime soon? His bad season is going to affect him being a potential top 6 powerforward again how?
- shinebox

His 30 points and questionable attitude is going to get him a big pay day how?

Schenn has a few poopy seasons and he is still great, but Stewart as a Powerforward ( who take long to develop as well i might add) is done and must just accept a poopy 3 million dollar long term deal with the dismal leafs rather than just listening to his coach and earning his ice time?

Nobody said Schenn is great. You're just pulling that out of your ass now. Also has absolutely nothing to do with Stewart.

If Stewart was going to just listen to his coach, he would have done it by now considering he's an RFA now and could have cashed in on that if he "just listened" last season.

You're about 9 million short on that contract by the way. I know you have to grasp at straws here but it's 12 million in guaranteed money. Not 3 million.

His 30 points and questionable attitude is going to get him a big pay day how?



Nobody said Schenn is great. You're just pulling that out of your ass now. Also has absolutely nothing to do with Stewart.

If Stewart was going to just listen to his coach, he would have done it by now considering he's an RFA now and could have cashed in on that if he "just listened" last season.

You're about 9 million short on that contract by the way. I know you have to grasp at straws here but it's 12 million in guaranteed money. Not 3 million.
- Unholy_Goalie

You said 3 million at 4 years did you not? Which no matter how you look at it is a pretty poopy contract for a young powerforward with his potential, now that pretty much is the be all and end all of this debate. He signs a deal like this, he is either too dumb to know any better or should fire his agent.

You said 3 million at 4 years did you not? Which no matter how you look at it is a pretty poopy contract for a young powerforward with his potential, now that pretty much is the be all and end all of this debate. He signs a deal like this, he is either too dumb to know any better or should fire his agent.
- shinebox

The offer is 12.4 million dollars over four years.

Lucic got 12.25 million over three years.

Crappy contract for a young power forward? Nope.

If he signs a deal like that, the team that is signing him is taking a big leap of faith and giving him guaranteed money that he didn't earn last year.

This whole scenario is an overpayment. It's designed to be. The point is to give him more money than he's worth so he A) accepts the deal and B) the Blues don't match it.