I have no problem with a player doing some hard bargaining.

But if indeed Nylander is asking for $8 million X 8 years, he's just being greedy and stupid. He's simply not worth that much.

So yeah, if I do see him on the platform...

Speaking of bumping into Leafs, I was going through the metal detectors on Monday night at (whatever we call the arena now), and Tomas Kaberle was in front of me.

He still looked 18 years old.
- Atomic Wedgie

Other people do. Just trying to be a voice of reason.

As I said in the other guy's thread, what guarantees does Nylander have that any money he leaves on the table will go to shore up any weaknesses in the team and not just pay Matthews or Marner a little extra?
- BetterCallSaul

Exactly. What if he takes a 2 year bridge for less money, and then after Marner and Matthews get their new deals it comes time for Nylander to negotiate a new one and, once again, there's no space for him to get his big payday?

Why would he take that risk?

Ass kisser.
- bixll

I did call him a despot.

As I said in the other guy's thread, what guarantees does Nylander have that any money he leaves on the table will go to shore up any weaknesses in the team and not just pay Matthews or Marner a little extra?
- BetterCallSaul

None, but they are worth the extra, is Nylander.
And maybe the extra needs to be there just in case.

I'd send Willie a seat cushion.
- bixll

I truly do hope they spend the money wisely.

I guess the underlying point that I'm trying to get across is that if anybody wants to push Nylander onto the subway tracks at Union Station because he's in a contract stalemate with the team, they're probably being a tad irrational.
- TheMussel

No one has said that or that they want to kill him any other way.
You are being a tad irrational.

:p

Exactly. What if he takes a 2 year bridge for less money, and then after Marner and Matthews get their new deals it comes time for Nylander to negotiate a new one and, once again, there's no space for him to get his big payday?

Why would he take that risk?
- BINGO!

I see no reason for him to barring any evidence of illegally early contracts the Leafs have with Matthews and Marner that shows they are willing to do the same.

No one has said that or that they want to kill him any other way.
You are being a tad irrational.

:p
- Fakepartofme

I'm not being irrational, I'm being hyperbolic.

Exactly. What if he takes a 2 year bridge for less money, and then after Marner and Matthews get their new deals it comes time for Nylander to negotiate a new one and, once again, there's no space for him to get his big payday?

Why would he take that risk?
- BINGO!

Maybe Nylander should try being a better player.

Because right now, he can't carry Matthews' and Marner's jockstraps.

I keep coming back to one simple fact: $8 million is simply too much for this guy.

Willie wanting more than 7million/per on a 6+year makes no sense. (just non realistic salary demands looking at comparables). --> 0 respect.

Willie not wanting to sign a new contract since he's counting on being traded soon (latest next off-season) since Leafs can't keep him and Gardiner + rest of UFAs/RFAs under salary cap --> I could understand that reason, and would respect him holding out because of it (semi-forcing a trade to a team he could be ok with).

I did call him a despot.
- Scabeh

You wild man.

Maybe Nylander should try being a better player.

Because right now, he can't carry Matthews' and Marner's jockstraps.

I keep coming back to one simple fact: $8 million is simply too much for this guy.
- Atomic Wedgie

If there's any legitimacy to that number.

I'm not being irrational, I'm being hyperbolic.
- TheMussel

Any chance you could stand next to Willy on the Union Station platform?

Exactly. What if he takes a 2 year bridge for less money, and then after Marner and Matthews get their new deals it comes time for Nylander to negotiate a new one and, once again, there's no space for him to get his big payday?

Why would he take that risk?
- BINGO!

First, he has to earn the big pay day.
If he does, he'll get it. Either with the leafs or elsewhere.

But earn it first.

Any chance you could stand next to Willy on the Union Station platform?
- Atomic Wedgie

Love you too wedgie

It's crazy to say the Nylander contract has anything to do with shaving money off him to boost the bottom line. It's cap management, pure and simple.

It would be crazy if he was our best player and this was happening, but that's also not the case. He's as high a 4th and as low as 6th on the depth chart depending who you ask. His slice of the pie simply isn't 8 or more on this team.
- leafsfann

The problem is that it's not Nylander's fault he is the 4th to 6th best player on this team. He is playing the business side of this. On another team he is maybe in the top one or two players and gets paid the 8+ mil if that's what he's asking and thus his slice of the pie is bigger elsewhere. If the Leafs are unable to pay him his slice of the pie, then trade him for pieces that will help now in their limited window of success. We see from teams like Chicago and LA that the window does not stay open for very long. Letting him sit is not an option. In any other profession besides professional sports I don't know many people who would take a pay cut to stay with a company to do the same job.

Maybe Nylander should try being a better player.

Because right now, he can't carry Matthews' and Marner's jockstraps.

I keep coming back to one simple fact: $8 million is simply too much for this guy.
- Atomic Wedgie

All true except we dont know that he's asked for 8MM for certain. His asking number could in fact be quite a bit lower. All the numbers being thrown around are all speculation.

And Nylander, as a driving force of that profit over the last couple of years wants a piece of the pie.

Standing up for oneself is seen as a virtue until it's not convenient.
- TheMussel

They could dress you and I and this profit would still be there.....it was there long before Mr Nylander and it will continue to be there long after I would think and hope.

If there's any legitimacy to that number.
- BetterCallSaul

Max has verified all of the numbers.

Maybe Nylander should try being a better player.

Because right now, he can't carry Matthews' and Marner's jockstraps.

I keep coming back to one simple fact: $8 million is simply too much for this guy.
- Atomic Wedgie

Exactly

Max has verified all of the numbers.
- bixll

Oh, I had no idea. I apologize.

Oh, I had no idea. I apologize.
- BetterCallSaul

If there's any legitimacy to that number.
- BetterCallSaul

If there absolutely wasnt, nylanders camp would have outright denied the report eventually.

If there absolutely wasnt, nylanders camp would have outright denied the report eventually.
- Fakepartofme

Would you believe them if they did? I'd wager most people would shrug that off as something they need to say.

He wasn't in the same situation.

The difference was that Tampa didn't have any cap space and couldn't pay him more at that time without trading somebody.

The Leafs DO have the space right now. He's gotta get what he can get before there's nothing left for him.
- BINGO!

If you don't look ahead 8 mths they have the cap space, that would be a very bad thing to do IMO. That would get Dubas fired.