NHL Rumor Mill – May 20, 2025
The ongoing fallout from the Maple Leafs’ second-round elimination in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE SCORE: John Matisz believes change is coming for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he wonders how much.
Matisz doesn’t expect team president Brendan Shanahan or pending free-agent winger Mitch Marner will receive contract extensions. He doubts that general manager Brad Treliving or head coach Craig Berube will lose their jobs because they were hired within the last two years.
John Tavares is also due to become a free agent, but his situation isn’t so cut and dried. He could remain a Leaf if he accepts a significant pay cut and a reduced role. Meanwhile, restricted free-agent winger Matthews Knies must be signed sooner rather than later to avoid receiving an offer sheet from a rival club.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming Knies is open to signing an offer sheet. It could cost between $7.020 million and $9.36 million to sign him, meaning the Leafs would get a first, a second and a third-round pick in the 2026 draft as compensation. That combination could be too rich for most clubs. Remember, those draft picks have to belong to the team making the offer, it can’t be picks they acquired from another club.
Matisz thinks Treliving must acquire a top-six winger to replace Marner and perhaps a second-line center to replace Tavares. He must also address the club’s lack of production among its bottom-six forwards. They also need a middle-six puck-moving defenseman.
SPORTSNET: Justin Bourne believes the Maple Leafs should avoid signing Sam Bennett if the versatile Florida Panthers forward becomes a UFA on July 1. He’ll be 29 and seeking a seven-year contract that the Leafs could regret as his physical style begins to wear him down. Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets might be a more affordable option and would replace some of Marner’s offense.
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (NHL Images).
Bourne isn’t sure that bringing back Tavares on a discount would be a good thing since he’s been part of the Leafs’ recent postseason failures. He also singled out the declining play of defenseman Morgan Rielly, who carries an average annual value of $7.5 million that might be better spent elsewhere.
DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin also cited Rielly’s declining performance. He believes the Leafs’ offseason priority should be acquiring a puck-moving defenseman. Larkin noted the pickings are slim in this summer’s UFA market, and suggested checking into the trade market by kicking tires on a player like Noah Dobson of the New York Islanders.
If the Leafs are thinking short term, he suggested signing UFA forwards like Bennett and Florida teammate Brad Marchand.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The 37-year-old Marchand would definitely be short-term as he’ll likely get a two or three-year contract. Bennett would help them in the first two or three years, but I agree with Bourne that his deal would become burdensome in its final years.
Frank Seravalli wondered if the Maple Leafs’ purge might end at Mitch Marner. He also mentioned Tavares and Rielly, and even asked, “What about Auston Matthews?”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthews is in the first season of his four-year contract extension with full no-movement protection. However, we can’t dismiss the possibility that he might welcome a trade if the right opportunity presents itself.
TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran looked at the Leafs’ options for the offseason. They could use the cap saving from letting Marner go to free agency to put toward signing Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers or winger Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks. He also suggested waiting a year and trying to sign Connor McDavid when the Edmonton Oilers captain is UFA-eligible.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid won’t be available. The Oilers will sign him to an extension, making him the highest-paid player in the league.
McGran also mentioned Rielly’s deteriorating play and his $7.5 million AAV. He also has a no-movement clause, but McGran suggested the buyout route.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Forget about the buyout. Rielly has five years left on his contract, meaning the buyout would be on their books for the next 10 years. The cap hit for the first year is $1.633 million, rising to $3.633 million annually for the next four years, before dropping to $2.133 million annually for the remaining five years. Not even the deep-pocketed Leafs owners want a buyout on their books for that long.
TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan reminds us that Rielly’s NMC lasts for two more seasons, after which it becomes a 10-team no-trade list.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs will likely carry Rielly for at least two more seasons. They might have to retain part of his salary to facilitate a trade, but carrying some dead-cap space for three years is better than going the buyout route.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James wonders if the Flyers would make sense as a UFA destination for Marner. While signing the 28-year-old superstar winger would be expensive, James believes he’d be the perfect piece to lift the rebuilding Flyers into playoff contention and lead them into a Stanley Cup hunt in the near future.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before debating whether Marner would be a fit with the Flyers, it’s best to ask if they’re a good fit for Marner. He could prefer joining a team that’s closer to contention.
NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears suggests the Islanders have a window for a double dose of revenge against the Leafs for signing away John Tavares in 2018.
Sears suggested the Isles hire Brendan Shanahan when he becomes available as their new president of hockey operations and/or general manager. He also proposed signing Mitch Marner if the Islanders could find a way to clear some cap space.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Man, that Tavares signing still burns deep in the psyche of some Islanders’ fans.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the Isles search for a new general manager has reportedly boiled down to former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche.
Leafs just cannot get it done with the current roster. I remember last year, all the leaf broadcasters were obsessed with whether Matthew’s would get to 70 goals as they kept talking about when he might reach that total. They were so arrogant with their comments insinuating that Matthews was the greatest player ever to grace the league and how the Leafs were so special.
When this team loses in the first/second round annually, it’s so good to shut up the people at TSN/Sportsnet and CBC who talk and talk about the Leafs ad nauseam. In a way, it’s good to see them flop just so the broadcasters at TSN/Sportsnet/CBC and other hockey writers can stop being so arrogant and annoying. I used to be a loyal Leaf fan, but just got tired of the annual hype and losing
It’s crazy that a network based in Toronto would ever have the audacity to talk, ad nauseam about this team that’s been crap, or better yet yet, the crap if crap, for over half a century when they finally look like they MIGHT have a special team or players.
Last time I checked, there are other sources, knobs and buttons a fan like yourself can click or turn to not hear them fanning over every little nuance about this team.
I find people that have issues like this, lead to this negative woke mindset. As a fan of this team, yes you’re right, there is a times too much talk about this team that’s isn’t warranted and just as annoying to the team’s fan base as it is to non fans and it would be nice to have more depth coverage with other teams…but we fans have learned to ignore a lot of it and not get caught up with the soap opera writers and talking heads want it to be…after all, we are talking about how these media types stay employed.
Ron. As a leafs fan when are you all gonna do something about this losing streak? Until leafs owners see empty seats they can continue to put out the same old product. Time to fan up guys! Stay home!
Chris there isn’t a fan who wishes he can have an effect on their team. It’s quite absurd to think any fan base, let alone one of the largest, have any effect on how a team performs or what the team does on or off the ice.
When a fan is malcontent, I guess they become like others who feel disenfranchised and start cheering for a new or second team. I don’t know about you, but that’s just not in my DNA nor would I ever think to blame fans for any of it. That’s a pretty desperate statement and take.
Fans, in mass, can absolutely affect a team. You don’t stop cheering for the team. 🤮. You never cheer for or adopt a second team. You send a message. Stop going. It’s pretty common with fan bases around the sporting world. Until leafs fans do more than throw a sweater on the ice tantrum there is literally no reason for ownership to do better.
its funny you say that bc us Leaf fans think they beat on the leafs ad nauseum- all perspective
maybe 70 goals actually was a really big deal?
If he`s talking about Jim Ralph and Joe Bowen on the radio broadcasts then he`s full of s**t. I listen to them all the time. They criticise players on the team all the time. Every home broadcast team always favours their team as far as detail and the amount of time they spend talking about them. That`s what they get paid to do. As far as Sportsnet, CBC and TSN, just look at who sponsors the shows, that`s who controls the content. Nobody forces you to watch or listen to the Leafs, plenty of other games on the tube. I like it when people complain that Joe Bowen is a homer and don`t realize he`s an American
Good luck if you chose Marky Bargain-bin. He had maybe had 3 or 4 really good trades sprinkled with mostly AHL deals
I don’t blame the Leafs. I blame Tavares for lying about his intentions the whole time. He’s a snake and is serenaded wonderfully whenever he comes back to long island. I hope he retires having not won a single NHL award or Stanley Cup. Sadly he’ll get into the Hall based on his points and international achievements.
Dark G: Tavares was sincere about staying with the Islanders. However, the Leafs management swooped in with that mega offer leading up to July 1 and he couldn’t resist the opportunity to return to his hometown where, at the time, they seemed to have a better opportunity to win a Cup than the Isles did.
Lyle, I truly don’t believe that Tavares was sincere. Actions speak louder than words. The Isles offered a huge deal well before July 1. If he had been sincere, he’d have signed it long before becoming a UFA.
Howard believe whatever you want and never let reality stop you. Go girl!
Ron, your pompous attitude to the contrary, I wrote the facts. Facts don’t lie and neither do actions. I’m not the one with the reality problem. Are you denying that the Isles made a strong effort to re-sign Tavares well before his contract expired?
Howard you`re a joke. You have no clue what so ever about what Tavares or anybody else was or is thinking at any given time. Until Dubas was hired, Toronto showed absolutely no interest in Tavares, so how did Tavares know Dubas was going to get hired and have an interest in signing him. Another thing Howard you don`t have a clue what the Isle offered Tavares. Did you or any of the Islander whiners actually see the offer, no of course not. You just go by what somebody else told you. Just like Marner a lot of guess work and speculation, but nobody knows what`s happening. The truth is out there, but it`s not coming from all the spectators. Another thing, even if Tavares intended to jump ship 7 years ago he couldn`t tell anybody where he wanted to go anyways, it`s called tampering
Yogi, I don’t reply to your posts as you modus operandi is too often witless insults. All too common on social media where people like you can make obnoxious comments that you wouldn’t dare make to anyone’s face.
Today a one off exception of a reply to the buffoonery in your comment to Howard:
“Another thing Howard you don`t have a clue what the Isle offered Tavares. Did you or any of the Islander whiners actually see the offer, no of course not. You just go by what somebody else told you.”
Had you bothered to think before insulting you would have found numerous reports about what the Isles offered Tavares:
https://www.lighthousehockey.com/2018/6/24/17499614/john-tavares-free-agency-88-million-offer-islanders-sharks-stars#:~:text=The%20New%20York%20Islanders%20have,of%20%2411%20million%20per%20year.
https://eyesonisles.com/2018/06/24/new-york-islanders-offered-john-tavares-88-million-report/
https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/islanders-did-everything-to-keep-john-tavares-lou-lamoriello-says/article_aa6bbe97-3f10-5159-a843-f6d92d37c6b4.html
Who’s the joke, I wonder?
That is a bit of a wow LJ, according to the Star article Tavares did sign for considerably less money to come to Toronto. $11.25 x 8 is $90M. He signed for $11 x 7 and left $13M on the table. I had heard that, but it’s quite a bit of dough.
He’ll sign another deal for the upcoming season but I would bet it won’t be for $13M for next season, and at the time he didn’t know for sure if he would even be playing next season. Injuries happen.
Just a word to the he is being insincere or a snake crowd. He didn’t sign an extension, which means he had not decided if he would stay or not. Nothing else really matters. The GM’s know it, especially an experienced guy like Lou, and the player/agents know it if it is reversed. Would he have signed a year earlier if the deal Lou offered at the end was available the previous summer or was it less?
While I may have said it differently that Yogi, he’s right, no one on this site was part of those talks and doesn’t really know what was said. And like Lyle said, it may have been his initial intention to stay and the situation changed.
Ray, my reply was on the comment that no one knew what the Isles offered.
Lj you just proved my point all your links are to media reports. Not one shred of an actual offer. Everybody laughs about the Toronto media and the insiders because they throw shit against the wall and hopes something sticks. When you don`t like what somebody in the media says you dismiss it as hogwash. Now you offer media reports and say they`re believable. You provided no actual proof LJ of any tactual contract offer.and you`re another joke because you`re the one that twists things around and says I only deal in facts. Remember that LJ, your words. There were numerous reports of teams offering better contracts. Boston San Jose supposedly offered 13 million per year. Nothing based on facts, no proof just media reports just like you offered. Howard said he knew what Tavares was thinking, that`s the joke. Good thing LJ you`re not a lawyer, you`d get laughed out of court with what you offered as evidence. But Hey LJ thanks for proving my point that nobody really knew what the Isles offer Tavares
I totally agree could not happen to a nicer guy. He had a year to sign and said please don’t trade me I want to be here. He lied like a rug.If he were like Nelson and said I can’t commit to being here then fine trade him and we would respect him.I blame the owners and him for all of this. I hope he never wins anything, and he deserves to be booed. I could care less that he left but honestly would be best served.Now he has 2 franchises that he did not win anything.Snake…
This.
I don’t wish him ill will just a career that ends with nothing accomplished for a corporately owned franchise who run their team to ensure year-over-year interest, but not success.
I won’t be convinced he was sincere.
He had an excellent season this year. He’s still a very difficult person to pay against.
Pete are you saying the Isles were going to trade their impending UFA star center but because he begged them not to they didn’t? Oh man that’s hilarious! 😂
I would also bolt the first chance I got. Besides everyone here not knowing anything that happened between closed doors, I would have to say your comments about this matter are moot. The fact that he spent most of his young career dragging barely NHL quality players with no sign of that changing anytime soon just sounds like he made a good decision in leaving a team who is again going to pick the first overall again!
This is why I say having your hatred for any given team or player makes you blind to a host of real facts and opinions based on that, not to mention how stupid it makes you sound.
Lyle, why bother the New York Post with the real world. Their motto is basically taken from a song lyric from one of my favorite early 2000s bands, Matchbox 20. “I wish the real world would just stop hassling me”.
Shanahan to the Isles has some intrigue. Apparently he has ties to the guy leading the GM search. But he’s still under contract to the Leafs for several more weeks and may not want to make any move so quickly. The Isies can’t and won’t wait that long.
Tavares to the Isles makes even less sense for both the team and the player. JT would want to go to a team with a realistic chance of winning over the next 4 or so years, the Isies are best off trading some veterans and rebuilding. That’s why Darche makes the most sense as the new GM.
Forgot about Marner. For the reasons stated, he makes even less sense for the Isles.
The word you want is paramnesia, Howard.
Thank you LJ. They’ll be our new word of the day.
Per merriam webster 🙂
Nine years ago the future looked bright. First round loss to a veteran Washington team. Good stuff. We have young players that will gather experience from this and get much better. Today, the future is passing us by with the same outcome as the promising loss nine years ago. At this point, why not blow it all up. I mean what’s the worst thing that could happen. Leafs don’t make the playoffs and spare the diehard fans another PAINFUL loosing memory. Two of the core four are out. Let’s see what they can get for Matthews or Willie Styles. The return would be very good and the cap money would be plentiful. A Leafs team lead by Knies, Benny Bombs and a couple of vets like Tanev. This would be a new exciting journey, good or bad. A least there would be a lot of “heart” on the team. Most refreshing would be never hearing the term “core four” ever, ever again.
Cheers!
Yes guy, yesterday when Leafs4ever posted a suggestion that Matthews be dealt to Utah for 3 of their best young players, I posted a response to the effect that, since he’s advocating such a trade ostensibly because Matthews consistently fails to produce when it counts (i.e., in the playoffs), and costs $13 mil + off the cap, why does he believe the return should be so good?
Here again – out of understandable frustration I suspect – you’re posting that he should perhaps be dealt following repeated playoff non-production, and that the return would “be very good.”
And again I ask, why would another team expect anything to be different with him in their playoff experiences, and at a hefty cap cost, while relinquishing valuable assets? Seems to me the off-chance that “a change of scenery might be what he needs to make things different in playoff hockey” is not worth giving up “a very good return.”
I believe on a team that has strong leadership in place, Matthews can succeed in the playoffs. IMO this has been the one big thing missing on the Leafs teams.
Two other things a team would need is to be a desired destination for Matthews to waive his NMC and have the assets to acquire him.
Why would another GM give up assets to get Matthews George. July 1st and TDL is a prime examples of how far GM`s will go. Sometimes a teams early success hurts them more than helps. Toronto`s strong showing in that Washington series led to a few trades and changes that the team wasn`t ready for at the time. I was never a fan of Lou, but Shanny dumping Lou and hiring Dubas was the biggest mistake they made in my opinion
Maybe you’re right, Kevjam … but if you were wrong that’s an expensive gamble to find out. Not just the cap … but whatever assets you gave up to find out he’s the same in your playoffs. Then what? Try and find another sucker?
Seems like the Bruins might be thinking about moving Swayman in print teams are calling them about his availability … he’s a can’t move unless he agrees after this next season … they signed goalie Simon Zajicek to a contract have two goalies in minors that are going to need a contract if they keep them and they still have Korpisalo who wants to play a lot more next season … at least a couple of these goalies will be on the move
Yesterday’s NHL Rumor Mill – 44 comments and NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – 55 comments – WOW!
Let rumors begin. Reading an article Mitch Marner top three suggested landing spots: Flyers, Rangers, and Penguins with other suggested landing spots: remain with Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Mammoth, Blackhawks, Ducks, and Hurricanes. Which of these teams are realistic landing Mitch Marner? Is Mitch Marner really worth at least 13 million per season?
Leafs need to keep Kneis, resign Tavares at lower cap hit, let Marner leave and trade Reilly, who wasn’t even always playing on the top PP unit.
Flyers need a top center, top dman and better goalies. Marner isn’t going to solve any of those, while taking up a lot of cap space
I think the contenders for Marner are Carolina (tried for him at the deadline), Islanders (if they hire a GM in time), Seattle, Vancouver, and Columbus (to replace talent lost from Johnny hockey)
Looking to trade Auston Matthews is sheer insanity. You just don’t trade a top two way centre, one year removed from 69 goals and despite injury still a very good past season. Reality is you just named him your captain, Treliving isn’t doing that lol.
Marner leaving is more of timing as his contract is up and his style is redundant for this team, if Nylander was the guy same thing would be discussed.
I would entertain bringing back JT at a very very low cap hit- 4 -5 mill, short term and to play 3rd line centre or the wing on the 2nd line.
Marner will get 13 mill somewhere because he helps you get to the playoffs, but no contending GM is paying him that after watching him in the playoffs last few seasons…Chicago Utah, Anaheim San Jose. Count Pitt bc Dubas just wants to be involved and doesn’t know when to stop..
Losing Marner can be mitigated (Marner fans I said mitigated not replaced) by a short term deal for Patrick Kane and then shoot for a Sam Bennett and or Marchand on a short term deal. This team isnt rebuilding – they lost to a really good deep team with playoff players. Nylander and Marner arent playoff players. I would add Matthews but her clearly adjusted his style- just the production wasnt there.
I would entertain trading Nylander if he waived bc there are no assets to trade and try to get back some grittier players.
Rielly needs to go (if he waived) that 7.5 can be used elsewhere
This team had glimpses og dedication to playoff hockey and then full out blowouts to show the opposite- changing the mix – (see Washington) could be very impactful
I’m sorry, but Matthews isn’t a two way center. Especially in the playoffs. Like I said earlier, there is a lot of video evidence of Matthews being weak on the puck along the boards or in the right spot in the defensive zone.
Without a top end playmaker, which Marner is, it will be hard for Matthews to duplicate the 69 goals again. He will still get his 40 to 50 goals a season, but without a top end playmaker it will be very difficult to break the 60 mark again.
In these playoffs the only two players that showed any heart or dedication to playoff hockey were Pacioretty and Tanev. In order for this team to get some playoff success is to get some strong leadership in place, Matthews isn’t it. This season is the first time he has warn the “C” on any of his teams from junior to now.
Matthews has 400 career goals – j Marner has primary assists on 149 of them… somehow Matthews scored 250 without him- I thinkhe will be just fine.
That isnt the issue anyway- the playoffs are- they arent good together so it literally cant get any worse in the playoffs without marner
If you watched this playoff and didnt think matthews was a pillar defensively than your disdain is clouding you. He was extremely good defensively – the offense left him. I havent seen one video proving your point- every pundit unanimously said he was strong … so thats news to me.
I disagree
So Marner has the primary assist on over a third of Matthews goals. Well that is proof supporting my comment.
TSN’s Brian Hayes, who’s a Leafs guy, had a great montage of Matthews defensive blunders, but one only needs to look at Matthews advanced stats to show is lack of defence. All are 5on5 – Corsi% 44.41, Fenwick% 48.57, and Scoring Chances for % 44.64. The only stat that is positive was the High Danger Chances % 54.41.
Usually your best forward leads all forwards in TOI, but Matthews didn’t. Marner lead all forwards with 202:25, then Nylander, Tavares, Knies, and then Matthews at 188:37. That is a big tell.
lol kevjam thank you for perfectly illustrating my previous point.
Mitch Marner targeted 13 million per season is over 2.5 times average contract per season for either Penguins wingers Bryan Rust or Rikard Rakell. Penguins also have young wingers with potential. With available cap space Penguins priorities find good defensemen and chance another center as Malkin’s numbers declining and who may retire soon. Can’t see Penguins signing Marner unless somehow they trade Karlsson? Rumor – Dubas open extending offer to restricted free agent?
Lol it doesnt support it at all. Wouldnt any winger be in on goals scored by his centre .. come on thats a reach. They arent all end to end rushes lol
Time on ice is because he was injured and you know that lol but clearly Berube values all those guys more – geez lol
i get it you are a Marner fan- I wont change your mind- not trying too. I i will take the generational scorer over the small winger – who makes a living off passing to his centre.
You probably beleive Marner made Matthews, the 1st overall pick, what he is… Same Marner fans that think he made John tavares when he arrived as a 40 goal scorer.
Interesting -Marner lead all forwards in ice time and yet- wait for it, he registered 1 shot total in games 3-4-5-6.. .How inept offensively do you have to be to not to get more than one shot in 4 games!!!
You cant make it up- not shots that were saved – he couldnt even create a shot! So as a franchise how the hell do you win a game when one of your “elite players” cant even register more than one shot in 4 games…
please lol – go and blame Matthews for that I’m sure.
You would expect a winger to be in on majority of goals the center score, except that Marner isn’t always Matthews winger. There were past seasons where Marner spent the majority of time on Tavares’s line.
I am shocked that you will give a pass to a player who has scored 69 goals in one season but only one goal in two second round appearances. But will string up the playmaker for not shotting the puck.
Playing injured isn’t an excuse! Majority of players in the playoffs are playing injured. Draisaitl had one of his best series after he was taken down by Mikey Anderson that gave him a high ankle sprain.
I just don’t get how Leafs fans hold Marner to a different level than Matthews.
Marner has made more money than he can spend in three life times if I’m him I take a cap friendly deal on a team where he wants to live. Can’t see a fit in either Florida teams but maybe Calgary or Vegas would work for him but not sure I see him as a Vegas type player but they are always are in the mix.
Would be happy to have Tavares in Montreal, great fit for him, big upside to Habs letting Beck and Kapanen percolate in Laval.
I can see Tavares flourish in the Habs system and culture just like Sean Monahan did when he came over while centering Demidov and Laine.
Would be a nice bookend to a career, playing with a young team on the rise that has a winning culture and stable ownership/management.
I agree HabFan. Would be good to have JT with the Habs. Would fit in well and would be a good mentor for the younger players. A deal of 4 years at $7-7.5m. AAV might work.
For those thinking that he might want to go to a contender, the Habs may very well be a contender by the end of such a contract. Nobody knows for sure who will contend in three years, Tavares went to the Leafs 7 years ago because he felt they were close to Cup contention, among other factors. How’d that work out?
That being said, I don’t see it happening.
Oh, please: Tavares is a character guy and I would love to have him on the Habs. But I am with Howard, not likely, unless the Habs offer a minimum of three years and $5 million or so per.
Would take more than that LJ. Three years might do it but would have to be at least $7-7.5m. AAV. That’s his worth in the market.
LJ
It will take more than 3×5, probably more like Howard’s 4×7.75 and while it’s quite a drop in pay it very much fits the role he’d be assuming.
He’d fill secondary scoring and feed off a strong young leadership group that loves playing, learning and growing not to mention having two heart and soul vets like Anderson and Gallagher feed the kids the right way too.
The 4 years doesn’t concern me because by then Beck, Kapanen, Davidson ,Hage will have proven themselves.
LJ, HF30, Howard. I have learned in life that you never say never but last time Tavares was a UFA, he didn’t even agree to an interview with the Habs. He was born and raised as a Leaf fan and therefore likely hated the Habs. It would likely take too much money over too long a term for him to even consider Montreal. 2x$7.5 should be the max if management believes Beck, Kapanen, Hage can contribute in that role. Can’t imagine that Beck/Kapenen would be happy knowing they have to wait 4 years before they get a legitimate chance to get a shot at second line centre. Also JT is 34 years old and unlikely the last 2 years of a 4 year contract would age well.
Well, gents, an off season of intrigue awaits Habs fans.
And a lot of other teams, so this may just be one of the most exciting off seasons in memory.
I’m counting on it, LJ.
A summer of heated hockey debate and discussion will – I hope – make up for a crappy Spring (at least so far) … and I’m not just talking about the weather. To many Canada-based teams shunted to the sidelines ,,, again.
George gotta disagree with you. We saw two young and talented teams surprisingly get a taste of the playoffs and weren’t swept like they didn’t belong…you know, there were 16 other teams and fan bases that would trade positions in a heart beat. Both the Jets and the Leafs still haven’t figured it out, be it personnel or experience or luck, I don’t know as both are head scratchers.
All this does, as you said, make for some interesting chats regarding all these teams including the nucks who seem hell bent on self imploding and the flames looking to grow into a fearful western team bringing back the battle to Alberta.
Plus the mindless dribble from the echo chambers will embolden all the greatest hockey minds!. Good times.
Boston signs GM to a 2 year extension! WHY! No one wants to coach here because he turfs coaches to early. Cassidy and Montgomery are latest examples. Had 5-7 years to replace Bergeron and Krecji,has not done so yet.Trades Ullmark before being forced to sign Swayman losing all leverage in the negotiations.Instead of trading players like Carlo,Frederic,Coyle ,Marchand over a 2-3 year period,waits till this year and trades them all at once creating a major retool situation. His 2 free agent signings last year were bombs. Let’s JDB and Torrey Krug walk into free agency without getting nothing for them. Need I say more?
“Instead of trading players like Carlo,Frederic,Coyle ,Marchand over a 2-3 year period,waits till this year and trades them all at once creating a major retool situation.” Or maybe he has his sights on McKenna?
https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=261969
Sweeney built the best team ever it wasn’t him who lost to Florida it was the players it was close but that only counts in horse shoes. Sweeney in my opinion is a top GM and a true Bruin I trust him and ownership to always try and win.
Obe best regular season team ever! The second season is another story.Look what happened to Winnepeg. President Trophy Winn ears Don t fare to well in the second season.
How about starting to talk to Eichel,he’s in Boston the entire off-season.
I do t see Eichel leaving Vegas. Besides he’s not a Bruins’ type player anyhow. I don’t see it.
He’s pretty Bruin like Toronto St Pats, how he plays is anyway.
200′ foot guy which was evidenced early in the Oiler series when Cassidy get line matching him against McDavid and Draisaitl as Knoblach had them on the same line after their success against LA. The purpose was to try and shut them down. You don’t do that if the guy isn’t your best defensive C.
Then Knoblach split them up again. Nice option to have I suppose.
Hi Lyle
Question could the leafs trade Marner’s rights even though he has a no move clause or does Marner have to approve that as well? If Marner is ok with that, which teams do you think would be willing to go done that road and what round of draft pick would be reasonable?
Hi, Jeff! Marner’s NMC means he has to approve any trade, even trading his rights before his UFA eligibility on July 1.
Regarding which teams would want to acquire his rights in hopes of signing him before July 1, it’s too early to tell right now.
As for the return, Jake Guentzel fetched a 2025 third-rounder from the Hurricanes when they shipped him to the Lighting last June. Marner is a better player so it might cost a second-rounder, but beggars can’t be choosers by that point, so a third might be the best they could find.
Cheers!
I would find it funny if Marner decided to sign a one year deal with one of the current final 4 teams next year.
Would it absolutely burn LeafNation if they were to see MM raise the Stanley Cup in another uniform? Just to show its not him and that he can be a part of a championship team.
I dont think anyone doubts he can be part of a cup team lol. Phil Kessel left and won a cup as a role player as well. I think what is being contested is that he can be paid 14 mill and be a major part of a cup winning team.
Phil won two cups. And in the 2015-2016 playoffs he was the Pens top scorer. Some said he should have won the Conn Smythe instead of Sid. Nice “role player” 😀
It would be even funnier if Marner did that and flopped, his value would drop like a rock and he could`ve done that this year by saying yes to the trade to Carolina
Juss76- he had a great playoff was paid as a role player- he played with Nick Bonino- didnt even play with Crosby. So he wasn’t the franchise player- is my point.
Huberdeau 2.0?
@Sam:
He wasn’t their franchise player but he was paid around $8mil (the Leafs retained some salary in the trade). That is not money you pay a role player. But i got your point 😀
It would be real funny if he signed with Carolina after turning down a trade for Rantanen.
Oh, good, a whole summer about what superstar the Leafs will sign. There just aren’t too many David Clarksons hanging around anymore
I disagree about McDavid. I think there’s a good chance he signs with Toronto.
Sure, Edmonton is willing to give him a blank check, but so would Toronto. It’ll all depend on where his heart is, and on how these playoffs and next season go.
He has shown disappointment with his team in the past, and he likely wore Leafs PJs, like Tavares, so I believe either outcome is possible.
If he does sign with Toronto, it’ll be interesting to see if Oilers fans handle it better than the scorned Isles fans.
If Mcdavid signs anywhere else it will be south of the border in the US.To many cities to play in with beautiful weather and tax advantages also.Remember where Gretzky and Messier ended up.
WestBrantKid, everyone entitled to dream. Heard agreement between Draisaitl and McDavid both resigning with the Oilers.
Lots of discussion today. Panthers early 2 – 0 lead.
In what world does John Taveres accept a “Lesser Role”? Dude was 12th in the league in goals with 38 and had 74 points, which was 34th in the league. That guy hits UFA someone is giving him 8+ million on a 2-3 year deal.