I’m getting a restraining order…
- Santo_44

From the tweeter

"In a recent study, the #Leafs are the No. 1 most-viewed NHL team on TikTok, Not surprising. But of the 'Big 4' Sports (NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL), #Leafs are 62nd. Ranking that low says more about the NHL falling behind in marketing to younger fans. "
- Fakepartofme

When it comes to the Leafs there’s a lot of hate watching. Ironically it’s great for the team.

From the tweeter....and I agree

"It's pathetic that it's taken Toronto over 50 years to try to figure it out while the Vegas Golden Knights just got here and they're going to win the Stanley Cup."

Apparently Gavrikov wants $6M+, too.

Crazy for a guy that should be 3rd pairing.

From the tweeter....and I agree

"It's pathetic that it's taken Toronto over 50 years to try to figure it out while the Vegas Golden Knights just got here and they're going to win the Stanley Cup."
- Fakepartofme

It’s the pain and suffering that unites us all.

I agree with you on the defensive end. On the offensive side though, a healthy Karlsson is a whole different level. He has the ability like few others to freeze opposing defences. He's like Marner, but plays from the back end. Which I think would actually suit our style, as long as you get a Schenn type to play with him.

Wait a minute.... If we get him to play on De....

Nevermind.
We already have one.
- oldstyle

To be fair if you read all my posts I openly admit Karlsson is the best offensive guy but that’s not what the leafs need at all, and I’ll take Rielly over him since even though he’s no Schenn he still hits and blocks a lot more than Karlsson. At $4 million less I’d rather the leafs stick with Rielly as their primary PMD.

From the tweeter....and I agree

"It's pathetic that it's taken Toronto over 50 years to try to figure it out while the Vegas Golden Knights just got here and they're going to win the Stanley Cup."
- Fakepartofme

To be fair it’s not just the Leafs.

https://twitter.com/TheFo...tatus/1666185190031630336

Think it's just a Leafs name drop or actually maybe something that could happen?
- GreatGigInTheSky

Depends on what the new GM thinks of Samsonov.

He isn't attached to any of these players, if he feels there is an upgrade he likely makes it.

Also a little concerning but I could see Tree living interested in Risto.

He traded for Zadorov's rights for a 3rd then signed him to 3.75Mx2. You get Philly to retain a M and you get a guy I think is his type of player.

I don't think I would do it...but I think we see a shift in philosophy here on the backend.

To be fair it’s not just the Leafs.
- shack67

What other high profile, cornerstone, "center of the hockey universe" nhl team hasnt won a cup or really even truly contended outside of a year or two in the past 50 plus years?

From the tweeter

"In a recent study, the #Leafs are the No. 1 most-viewed NHL team on TikTok, Not surprising. But of the 'Big 4' Sports (NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL), #Leafs are 62nd. Ranking that low says more about the NHL falling behind in marketing to younger fans. "
- Fakepartofme

Sad because thats the future right there.

What other high profile, cornerstone, "center of the hockey universe" nhl team hasnt wona cup or really even truly contended outside of a year or two in the past 50 plus years?
- Fakepartofme

If we’re only talking about center of the universe then it’s just the Leafs. If not then there are other 50 year teams, a couple that have never won. Almost 50 for the Flyers. The Ballard years set us back so far that it took many years to recover.

We’re a contender now and closer than we’ve been since 67

From the tweeter....and I agree

"It's pathetic that it's taken Toronto over 50 years to try to figure it out while the Vegas Golden Knights just got here and they're going to win the Stanley Cup."
- Fakepartofme

Since the cap was put into place only 3 Canadian teams have made the final in 18 years, and year one and year two (2006 & 2007) before teams really began changing were two of them.

The more I read about this the more I’m finding that teams in Canada have to use more of their cap space to sign their stars. Marner for instance takes home $600K less than Tkachuk even though he makes $1,406,000 a year more before taxes.

Guys like Matthews only get paid $750K a year while in Toronto which is 53.53% and receive the rest as a signing bonus on July 1 while living in Arizona under their taxation which is 39.98%.

Canadian teams have to pay out more due to this hence why 5 of the top 10 paid players in the league are on Canadian teams.

Since the cap was put into place only 3 Canadian teams have made the final in 18 years, and year one and year two (2006 & 2007) before teams really began changing were two of them.

The more I read about this the more I’m finding that teams in Canada have to use more of their cap space to sign their stars. Marner for instance takes home $600K less than Tkachuk even though he makes $1,406,000 a year more before taxes.

Guys like Matthews only get paid $750K a year while in Toronto which is 53.53% and receive the rest as a signing bonus on July 1 while living in Arizona under their taxation which is 39.98%.

Canadian teams have to pay out more due to this hence why 5 of the top 10 paid players in the league are on Canadian teams.
- Dozzer

It makes it difficult to round out the lineup when your top players are so expensive. But it will make it all the more sweeter when we win.

Since the cap was put into place only 3 Canadian teams have made the final in 18 years, and year one and year two (2006 & 2007) before teams really began changing were two of them.

The more I read about this the more I’m finding that teams in Canada have to use more of their cap space to sign their stars. Marner for instance takes home $600K less than Tkachuk even though he makes $1,406,000 a year more before taxes.

Guys like Matthews only get paid $750K a year while in Toronto which is 53.53% and receive the rest as a signing bonus on July 1 while living in Arizona under their taxation which is 39.98%.

Canadian teams have to pay out more due to this hence why 5 of the top 10 paid players in the league are on Canadian teams.
- Dozzer

I'm not sure I buy this as being the reason. If it truly were the NHLPA would probably be all over some sort of salary adjustment for players on Canadian teams.

I'm not sure I buy this as being the reason. If it truly were the NHLPA would probably be all over some sort of salary adjustment for players on Canadian teams.
- greenyone

How could it not be a detriment? I don’t get what you mean by a salary adjustment.

I’m getting a restraining order…
- Santo_44

What if the judge decides he will have... The last word... 🫢

It makes it difficult to round out the lineup when your top players are so expensive. But it will make it all the more sweeter when we win.
- shack67

I just wish the cap went to “take home” amounts.

I'm not sure I buy this as being the reason. If it truly were the NHLPA would probably be all over some sort of salary adjustment for players on Canadian teams.
- greenyone

Why would the NHLPA care? Those players are getting their money. It's not they're paid in Canadian dollars and it's unfair. They are just being paid more American dollars in order to compensate for an uneven taxation structure because Canada has higher income tax percentages than many of the US states.

If the NHL itself as a governing body truly considered the salary cap as a "fair" element, then it would consider local taxation laws into some type of format - whether an escrow-style bucket or a daily percentage based exception based on local taxation rules or some other calculation that compensated for the loss.

It's not the players getting screwed, it's the teams that exist in higher taxed areas.

I just wish the cap went to “take home” amounts.
- Dozzer

Yes it would make sense.

I'm not sure I buy this as being the reason. If it truly were the NHLPA would probably be all over some sort of salary adjustment for players on Canadian teams.
- greenyone

Thought that at first as well but nope, the NHL and NHLPA don’t control taxation amounts, the governments do. The NHLPA isn’t saying anything because if the popularity doesn’t grow in the states neither will the cap.

Canadians tend to forget the goal of the league, the players, and owners is to become more popular in the US. Canadian players just go to the states to get taxed less and American players can be in Canada, make the league minimum, and get the rest while living in the states as a signing bonus on July 1 every year.

American teams don’t spend to the cap as much as Canadian teams tho, and advertising likely still pays more in Canada. There’s a lot of weird little hiccups.

To be fair it’s not just the Leafs.
- shack67

When Ottawa, San Jose and Tampa Bay joined the league, all teams were allowed to protect 2 goalies and 14 position players. They all had to expose one goalie, but that goalie was only required to have appeared in one NHL game in the previous season.

Compare that with the recent expansion drafts which occurred in a Salary Cap world where all teams struggle to have 4 top defensemen on their roster. It's often 3 good D, a questionable one or two and at least one guy that no one likes (see: Holl, Justin).

Vegas and Seattle picked a full team of top-4 defensemen. Maybe they weren't the best the other teams had to offer, but the D they loaded up with was better from top-to-bottom than most any other team could assemble.

In terms of forwards they had their choice of a large number of middle-6 forwards available - so rarely were they presented elite talent, obviously, but they were able to compose 4 lines that were consistently deeper than most any other team could boast.

It's not a wonder that they are doing well. The largest surprise was how poorly Seattle fared in its first season with these opportunities presented to them.

Since the cap was put into place only 3 Canadian teams have made the final in 18 years, and year one and year two (2006 & 2007) before teams really began changing were two of them.

The more I read about this the more I’m finding that teams in Canada have to use more of their cap space to sign their stars. Marner for instance takes home $600K less than Tkachuk even though he makes $1,406,000 a year more before taxes.

Guys like Matthews only get paid $750K a year while in Toronto which is 53.53% and receive the rest as a signing bonus on July 1 while living in Arizona under their taxation which is 39.98%.

Canadian teams have to pay out more due to this hence why 5 of the top 10 paid players in the league are on Canadian teams.
- Dozzer

Absolutely man! Canadian teams are an unbelievable disadvantage in the cap era for exactly those reasons. A heck of a lot easier to pay players less (say on Tbay) when they actually get to take home almost all their pile.

When Ottawa, San Jose and Tampa Bay joined the league, all teams were allowed to protect 2 goalies and 14 position players. They all had to expose one goalie, but that goalie was only required to have appeared in one NHL game in the previous season.

Compare that with the recent expansion drafts which occurred in a Salary Cap world where all teams struggle to have 4 top defensemen on their roster. It's often 3 good D, a questionable one or two and at least one guy that no one likes (see: Holl, Justin).

Vegas and Seattle picked a full team of top-4 defensemen. Maybe they weren't the best the other teams had to offer, but the D they loaded up with was better from top-to-bottom than most any other team could assemble.

In terms of forwards they had their choice of a large number of middle-6 forwards available - so rarely were they presented elite talent, obviously, but they were able to compose 4 lines that were consistently deeper than most any other team could boast.

It's not a wonder that they are doing well. The largest surprise was how poorly Seattle fared in its first season with these opportunities presented to them.
- Monkeypunk

No argument from me on anything you said. But I don’t agree with singling out the Leafs as failures because Vegas might win the cup. Social media is so negative about the Leafs it’s a joke to me, I skip past it instead of worrying about it. To be honest I like the way they expand now instead of letting them be a doormat for years.

Absolutely man! Canadian teams are an unbelievable disadvantage in the cap era for exactly those reasons. A heck of a lot easier to pay players less (say on Tbay) when they actually get to take home almost all their pile.
- Big23Questions

Well not quite that lol

Florida doesn’t have an income tax but the 37% federal tax still applies there.

16.53% less than Canada.

What other high profile, cornerstone, "center of the hockey universe" nhl team hasnt won a cup or really even truly contended outside of a year or two in the past 50 plus years?
- Fakepartofme

By definition there can only be one centre of the hockey universe