11 Feb 2020 02:00:55
Leafs trade Matthews
Arizona trades Schmaltz, Hayton, Chychrun

It’s pretty obvious Matthews wants to go play for the team he idolized growing up. Similar to how Tavares gave up on the Islanders to come play for the Leafs, I think the precedent for Matthews leaving after his contract isniver has been set. Unless Leafs are going to make him the highest paid player in the league in five years, we don’t have a chance at re-signing him. His value it at a maximum right now. Time to cash in.

1.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 09:42:04
This would send us back to rebuild mode although I don’t disagree with you it’s going to be hard to resign him but I think a big factor will be where the leafs are at that point as in are they close to winning a cup or not as we can see Arizona made some progress this year but have seemed to fall on their face much like buffalo keep in mind Nylanders deal is up same time as Matthews so the leafs could easily use nylanders money to resign Matthews.

2.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 10:43:28
Hey LeafsGM, please tell Edm. to get rid of McDavid and send him to his hometown of Toronto before he demands too much in 6 years from now, makes about as much sense as this trade.

3.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 11:58:33
Um no, Matthews is not going anywhere. He is leading the league in goals with 40 right? And for you to suggest he is leaving is ludicrous at this point.

4.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 14:34:55
Got your panties up in a bunch there did I boys? Relax. It’s just a trade proposal. It’s not so ludicrous to think Matthews will jump teams in four years. It happens all the time. Is our current captain not a former Islanders superstar? I’m just suggesting Leafs trade him now while he is at maximum value. No need to cry about the thought of him getting traded. I suggested Reilly trade too and Reilly is my favourite Leaf. The trade itself is just the gateway for discussion about what to do with Matthews if he isn’t re-signed his final year of his contract before trade deadline. I thought that was obvious. If you don’t like the return you are free to suggest a different return. Would Hall, Keller, Schmaltz, Hayton, Chychrun, 2x1st be enough for you? Or is Matthews so special that he is worth more than an entire nhl team?

@16

McDavid signed a maximum term deal. Matthews didn’t. Matthews deal buys him 1 year of UFA. He will be a UFA at a much younger age than McDavid, Tavares, Stamkos. Actually, for a superstar, he will be UFA much younger than any other superstar I can think of. Name one superstar player that was UFA younger than Matthews. Go ahead. So the thought of Matthews leaving is not unreasonable. And neither is the thought of McDavid leaving Edmonton if they don’t become contenders soon. Prior to this season it was heavily rumoured he was going to ask for a trade soon. Or did you forget about those rumours? Or were you so busy fawning over Matthews you didn’t read them?

5.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 15:14:08
The Leafs will try to sign him in the summer before the year he becomes a UFA. If he has zero interest in signing, then I would deal him at that point. I just really don't see any of that happening, my guess is that he re-signs, but will command a raise based on the rising salaries over the next 5 year.

6.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 15:31:21
We also have to re-sign Marner the same year. The year before that is Reilly. And next year is Andersen. And that’s not including all the lesser guys on the team like Kapanen, Johnsson, Kerfoot, etc, if they are still on the team. I’m going to take a long shot view here and make the unpopular call that Matthews will get traded before his deal expires. He is not worth anything as a pending UFA (see Hall trade or Karlsson trade for example) . If we want a good return, we have to trade him earlier or risk getting a handful of b-prospects and 3rd/ 4th liners for him at best. We can’t afford to re-sign Reilly and Andersen with Matthews, Marner, Tavares sucking up so much of the cap space. We don’t need two superstar centres. It’s a luxury we can do without. We can replace Matthews with someone a tier or two lower than him that costs half as much. I would rather have a Kadri, for example, with his 30g, 60-70pts at $4.5M than Matthews at $11.5M. The $7M difference in salary is more than enough to cover re-signing Reilly and Andersen. Would you rather have Matthews or Reilly, Andersen, and a Kadri-risqué Type 2C?

7.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 15:56:58
I see where your going with this and I agree with some of the points. If I was GM I would look at trading him at rental+1 year. Same as Marner and Nylander if it looks like it's hard to resign them. I know we all say Mathews wants to leave but Marner take a discount? Nope. So he may well leave himself if he doesn't get an insane payday.

I guess for me it all comes down to the team at the time. If right now Mathews, Marner, Nylander and Reilly all had this year and next on there contracts I would start shopping them all and see what's offered. If in 3-4years we are top of the NHL I would take a run at a cup and pray I can resign them.

8.) 11 Feb 2020
11 Feb 2020 19:44:56
I think the reason Matthews Marner Nylander had asks so high with less term than the Leafs desired
was Babcock. Now that he's gone getting them to sign with term at a more friendly cap seems possible. I've been wrong before but that's what my gut feelingnis telling me.