It really sucks that you have to try and defend the Sabres in an argument against the leafs. Leafs rebuild started later and they are still way ahead. Leafs got the better top centre. Leafs got an equal player at 4 as the Sabres got at 2. Leafs got the better Nylander. Babcock turned down buffalo to come coach the leafs. Tavares wouldn't even meet with buffalo and signed for less with the leafs than other teams offered. Leafs young guns have never missed the playoffs. Sabres young guys have never been in a playoff hunt coming down the stretch. Buffalo has 0 cups in team history and the leafs have the second most of any team in the league. But you keep fighting the good fight. Us leafs fans are so envious.
- HealthyScratch6

After reading this post, even I feel a bit sorry for Buffalo....and I really hate Buffalo.

It will be Matthews to the Rangers but the Leafs will match leaving Marner open to an offer sheet which the Rangers will give him and succeed. It's time for Dubas to step up and make some emergency moves. Marner will be a Canuck for Tanev and Leivo. Take THAT to the bank.
- fatty_mcmanboobs

Nobody wants to play for that butthole of a franchise with their crippled goalie who can’t even beat the Islanders when they stink

Well, getting rookie of the month that one time really cements things doesn't it.

In their rookie years, both Marner and Nylander won several rookie of the month awards, but they lost the Calder to another guy, name Auston Matthews. FACT!
- Thecakeisalie

When you're a Sabres fan you need to hold on to the small victories like dahlin winning rookie of the month and Eichel being 7th (9th?) in the league in scoring while being 17th in pts per game.

And yours is a dork momma’s boy who couldn’t hack it in the Big Apple so he lied and ran home so he could sleep in between his parents
- BringNYIhome

No actually he was YOUR teams best player. He's 3rd maybe 4th on the leafs at best.

It really sucks that you have to try and defend the Sabres in an argument against the leafs. Leafs rebuild started later and they are still way ahead. Leafs got the better top centre. Leafs got an equal player at 4 as the Sabres got at 2. Leafs got the better Nylander. Babcock turned down buffalo to come coach the leafs. Tavares wouldn't even meet with buffalo and signed for less with the leafs than other teams offered. Leafs young guns have never missed the playoffs. Sabres young guys have never been in a playoff hunt coming down the stretch. Buffalo has 0 cups in team history and the leafs have the second most of any team in the league. But you keep fighting the good fight. Us leafs fans are so envious.
- HealthyScratch6

So many FACTS! It's a glorious FACT-fest here.

We added an elite forward without giving up any assets. If we have to trade a player or two that's fine - we will get a return for those players. Their cap situation would've been totally doable if Marner wasn't kicking this much ass right now. In the summer I had him at 7.5-8.0 but the way he's going it'll be probably be 9 or more.

Right now I'm thinking of what kind of miracle Dubas can pull to move Zaitsev out. That and trading Marleau's last year of his contract will solve our problems.
- Njuice

Yeah but you overpaid for the James Harden of hockey. One dimensional defensive liability. Every Islander fan knew he wasn’t worth what Dubias paid for him

No actually he was YOUR teams best player. He's 3rd maybe 4th on the leafs at best.
- HealthyScratch6

Barzal was better in his rookie season. So....wrong

Barzal was better in his rookie season. So....wrong
- BringNYIhome

Oh really because getting second assists is way harder than scoring goals. Weird how Tavares is still scoring at the same pace and barzal seems to have fallen off. I wonder what changed?

Tavares 65 primary pts(goals and primary assists).
Barzal 57 primary pts.

Barzal was better in his rookie season. So....wrong
- BringNYIhome

Barzal is awesome...but he has a horrid NHL shot.
Watched him at Canlan York in the summer for a while and boy does his suck.
Good thing is that is fixable - everything else about his game is elite.

So many FACTS! It's a glorious FACT-fest here.
- Thecakeisalie

He's been a little quiet that last few minutes. I wonder what his retort will be? How many playoff series have the leafs won? What about their defense?

He's been a little quiet that last few minutes. I wonder what his retort will be? How many playoff series have the leafs won? What about their defense?
- HealthyScratch6

He probably got sent to bed.

He probably got sent to bed.
- Thecakeisalie

My guess is he is popping his whiteheads.

My guess is he is popping his whiteheads.
- Cooshie

Again with the insults. We are clearly losing this argument.

My guess is he is popping his whiteheads.
- Cooshie

Come on now. Are you seriously suggesting he's actually Eichel?

Come on now. Are you seriously suggesting he's actually Eichel?
- Thecakeisalie

So he's getting 28.5 mill a year from Arizona? Go take a nap bro. You're tired.

Where's Waldo Boy Wonder Boy GM "we can and we will" & Shanaplan "take an oath of poverty for the team, do as I say not as I do" both should have thought of this before signing pyjama boy.

People your talking to must be from mars cause marner is not the issue its WILMA AND HER CONTRACT.

marner and Matthews will stay

Wilma
Marleau
Horton can easily all.be moved or off the books

Only issue is you need to find a new career

Where's Waldo Boy Wonder Boy GM "we can and we will" & Shanaplan "take an oath of poverty for the team, do as I say not as I do" both should have thought of this before signing pyjama boy.
- ricroc

Gonna suck when Laine holds out for Matthews money even though he's not half the player. Who you guys gonna give up? Scheiffele? Wheeler?Buff? Conor and trouba are gone for sure.

Gonna suck when Laine holds out for Matthews money even though he's not half the player. Who you guys gonna give up? Scheiffele? Wheeler?Buff? Conor and trouba are gone for sure.
- HealthyScratch6

Laine won't get Matthews money. Matthews was number 1 and is a center, Saint Patrick was number 2. Schieffle has the best contract in the league 6 million for 8 yrs. Wheelhouse just signed for 5 yrs, Buff is in about yr 3 of 5. Connor will sign for about what Wee Willy Nylander held out for. Trouba wants to sign for a US team and will go. The Leafs mgmt don't know how to add or they wouldn't have signed pyjama boy.

Laine won't get Matthews money. Matthews was number 1 and is a center, Saint Patrick was number 2. Schieffle has the best contract in the league 6 million for 8 yrs. Wheelhouse just signed for 5 yrs, Buff is in about yr 3 of 5. Connor will sign for about what Wee Willy Nylander held out for. Trouba wants to sign for a US team and will go. The Leafs mgmt don't know how to add or they wouldn't have signed pyjama boy.
- ricroc

Tell that to Laine and his ego. You're right he won't get Matthews money but I doubt he signs for a penny less that Eichel so you're looking at 10+ inflation. Now you have less than 13m for Myers trouba Conor and few others. Loosing two top 4 D will hurt and then you have to sign Morrissey who is your best D next and will want to be paid like it. Winnipegs window is this year. Only down hill after this.

Eklund: Offer Sheet to Matthews? Remember, Auston Has Some Say....Marner...
- Eklund

EK has been reading our forums lmfaooooo

I say this is another example of 31 other teams and their fanbases being way to used to treating the Toronto market like Santa Claus while finding it quite distasteful that all those Leaf fans might ACTUALLY be allowed any hope. NO..can't have that. Just shut the hell up Leaf Nation. Pump enough money into the league to keep four horrible expansion teams afloat while everyone else spits in your face. Where was the talk of offer sheets for Crosby, Malkin, McDavid, Gaudreau, Laine etc?

Barzal was better in his rookie season. So....wrong
- BringNYIhome

What's he gonna score, 60 points this year?

I say this is another example of 31 other teams and their fanbases being way to used to treating the Toronto market like Santa Claus while finding it quite distasteful that all those Leaf fans might ACTUALLY be allowed any hope. NO..can't have that. Just shut the hell up Leaf Nation. Pump enough money into the league to keep four horrible expansion teams afloat while everyone else spits in your face. Where was the talk of offer sheets for Crosby, Malkin, McDavid, Gaudreau, Laine etc?
- Kayakjack

It is tiresome that the Leafs pour so much $ into the league and get crapped on non-stop.