Did he hurt his hand? That’s what it looked like
- RatedR80

in the shower!

Good god, they had their chances...Gifted SJ goals and couldn't bury their own glorious chances...story of the game

ah well, move on

Kane was tough until he saw Prout

in the shower!
- flashfire

Prout better have a word then

Looked to me like Kane wanted to fight Prout in that exchange in the first. Kane running around all night and cheap shots on both Monahan and Hamonic. Not sure why Prout is on this team if he's not going to fight.

Hopefully, this is the game that wakes them up. They've been getting by playing mediocre hockey for the last month. Gaudreau isn't going to bail them out of every game.

Looked to me like Kane wanted to fight Prout in that exchange in the first. Kane running around all night and cheap shots on both Monahan and Hamonic. Not sure why Prout is on this team if he's not going to fight.
- tincup

Agreed. That said, Prout actually looked like a decent hockey player tonight. Should have fought though. That trade off is a no-brainer.

We looked rusty until the third.

Looked to me like Kane wanted to fight Prout in that exchange in the first. Kane running around all night and cheap shots on both Monahan and Hamonic. Not sure why Prout is on this team if he's not going to fight.
- tincup

Pretty sure SJ had a penalty and Kane was trying to get Prout to take one to even it up.

Don't think Kane wants any part of Prout.

Stamkos and Kucherov were a year or less ago...
- rmull905

Kucherov took a team friendly deal.

Stamkos as well.

Point is that you're paying for what the guy WILL do, not what he's already done.

Pretty sure SJ had a penalty and Kane was trying to get Prout to take one to even it up.

Don't think Kane wants any part of Prout.
- DuranDuran

Was the other way around. Prout had taken a penalty for interfering on Kane.

Was the other way around. Prout had taken a penalty for interfering on Kane.
- tincup

Correct, my bad.

Kucherov took a team friendly deal.

Stamkos as well.

Point is that you're paying for what the guy WILL do, not what he's already done.
- BINGO!

You're making my point, those guys took less because they care about winning. Matthews made it blatantly obvious that what he cares about is getting paid, not about winning, and Dubas didn't have the balls to even try to negotiate with him. Look at the difference between the Nylander and Matthews negotiations and tell me something isn't amiss here...

Fair that you're paying for what he will do, I don't entirely disagree. Like it or not though, he's an RFA and the Leafs held all the cards here. Now what they've done is boxed themselves in, and decimated the opportunity to build depth on this team.
Hell, even if they'd forced an offer sheet scenario, which let's all just agree was not going to happen anyways, what was the worst case scenario? No GM is paying this guy more than McDavid, so at best, he saved $1M a year.

You're making my point, those guys took less because they care about winning. Matthews made it blatantly obvious that what he cares about is getting paid, not about winning, and Dubas didn't have the balls to even try to negotiate with him. Look at the difference between the Nylander and Matthews negotiations and tell me something isn't amiss here...

Fair that you're paying for what he will do, I don't entirely disagree. Like it or not though, he's an RFA and the Leafs held all the cards here. Now what they've done is boxed themselves in, and decimated the opportunity to build depth on this team.
- rmull905

If they didn't pay him that money somebody else would, and the LAST thing they want is anther situation like they had with Nylander.

Matthews is the most important player they've had in a decade. You think he was going to sign for less than Tavares?

The other thing is something Kucherov himself talked about when Nylander was negotiating: You HAVE to get as much of the pie you can when you have the opportunity to do so, especially as an RFA on a team with a bunch of players like that, because if you don't you'll quickly find that all the cap space is gone and there's nothing left for you.

If they didn't pay him that money somebody else would, and the LAST thing they want is anther situation like they had with Nylander.

Matthews is the most important player they've had in a decade. You think he was going to sign for less than Tavares?

The other thing is something Kucherov himself talked about when Nylander was negotiating: You HAVE to get as much of the pie you can when you have the opportunity to do so, especially as an RFA on a team with a bunch of players like that, because if you don't you'll quickly find that all the cap space is gone and there's nothing left for you.
- BINGO!

1) Yes. Yes he should. Tavares is being paid not only for what he's done with the Islanders, but also what he will continue to deliver upon for the next 7 years. Was also a highly coveted UFA and held all the cards
2) Matthews has restricted rights. Sure, he can go to market, and the Leafs could immediately match or take, at that rate, 4 first round draft picks - which if you think anyone is burning for Matthews, you're nuts
3) There are few teams who could fit him into their salary cap at that number
4) He will earn more in marketing deals simply be being in Toronto
5) You would have Tavares, Marner, Nylander and Kadri and 4 additional 1st rounders to build your team around.
6) Now one of Marner or Nylander is almost a lock to walk. Barring Marleau waiving his NMC, or worse, dumping Zaitsev
7) Gardiner will now walk in free agency, they have 3 NHL defencemen after this season including Zaitsev.

The Leafs are now going to have a massive issue with Marner. They've set an unrealistic internal cap and are going to lose someone very very good as a result. The sharks will be in the water, and their ability to recoup value for, say Nylander, is going to be limited by that fact.

Guys are free to negotiate for what they want, but it's very telling to me that Matthews didn't bridge so the Leafs could afford to win in the next few years. As a UFA, he would get a MONSTER deal anyways, and could choose where he goes.

1) Yes. Yes he should. Tavares is being paid not only for what he's done with the Islanders, but also what he will continue to deliver upon for the next 7 years. Was also a highly coveted UFA and held all the cards
2) Matthews has restricted rights. Sure, he can go to market, and the Leafs could immediately match or take, at that rate, 4 first round draft picks - which if you think anyone is burning for Matthews, you're nuts
3) There are few teams who could fit him into their salary cap at that number
4) He will earn more in marketing deals simply be being in Toronto
5) You would have Tavares, Marner, Nylander and Kadri and 4 additional 1st rounders to build your team around.
6) Now one of Marner or Nylander is almost a lock to walk. Barring Marleau waiving his NMC, or worse, dumping Zaitsev
7) Gardiner will now walk in free agency, they have 3 NHL defencemen after this season including Zaitsev.

The Leafs are now going to have a massive issue with Marner. They've set an unrealistic internal cap and are going to lose someone very very good as a result. The sharks will be in the water, and their ability to recoup value for, say Nylander, is going to be limited by that fact.

Guys are free to negotiate for what they want, but it's very telling to me that Matthews didn't bridge so the Leafs could afford to win in the next few years. As a UFA, he would get a MONSTER deal anyways, and could choose where he goes.
- rmull905

Zaitsev sucks anyway.

Hopefully, this is the game that wakes them up. They've been getting by playing mediocre hockey for the last month. Gaudreau isn't going to bail them out of every game.
- Hunkulese

Agreed!!

Zaitsev sucks anyway.
- BINGO!

Maybe not a 1/2, but he's NHL caliber. Go beyond Muzzin and Reilly next year and it's UGLY