Toronto Maple Leafs

[2014olympicgold]

Matthews goals will be replaced by a defenseman tonight.

Matthews career NHL goals per game - 0.542GPG
Holl career NHL goals per game - 1.000GPG

rest easy Leaf nation, it's Holl good.

Holl-Dermott the 3rd pairing, Marincin/Ozg healthy scratch.

[2014olympicgold]

Leafs finally getting the bounces their way, and when that happens with this team, it seems like they play harder.

Tick-Tock on the Nylander Clock. 26 days left. 615.5hrs.

[DusterDave]

TRADE WILLIAM NYLANDER!

I’m sorry but this has dragged on far too long. The more I think about t the more it makes sense. If he isn’t going to settle for $6.5M or less how are we going to afford him when next summer rolls around and we have to pay both Matthews + Marner? Remember how happy Leafs Nation was when both Marner and Matthews were drafted? We can’t screw those negotiations up like this one. Pay them both. And the whole promise to Tavares about keeping all three? Who cares. Promises get broken. Tavares is just another player, he isn’t the team. The closer it gets to December 1, the more vulnerable Dubas will appear to opposing GM’s. I wish we knew what trade offers have been made to Dubas, that would make for a great debate.

[2014olympicgold]

TRADE WILLIAM NYLANDER!

I’m sorry but this has dragged on far too long. The more I think about t the more it makes sense. If he isn’t going to settle for $6.5M or less how are we going to afford him when next summer rolls around and we have to pay both Matthews + Marner? Remember how happy Leafs Nation was when both Marner and Matthews were drafted? We can’t screw those negotiations up like this one. Pay them both. And the whole promise to Tavares about keeping all three? Who cares. Promises get broken. Tavares is just another player, he isn’t the team. The closer it gets to December 1, the more vulnerable Dubas will appear to opposing GM’s. I wish we knew what trade offers have been made to Dubas, that would make for a great debate.

It does suck seeing this go this far. But the small voice that says "The Leafs are too smart to let it get this far, it must be a way to lower his cap" is still in my head. But why would Nylander agree to this? So that must not be true.

However, I do think if Marner and Matthews signed their extensions before Nylander, this doesn't drag out. Dubas doesn't really know what Marner/Matthews want/can get so he's got to be REALLY strict on what he offers on this one. If it was the other way and Dubas can save $250k/contract he can give that extra $500k to Nylander to get that done.

23 days. 23. Would have been nice if he wore 23, and not 29 and maybe he signs today? argh

[ACC90]

I just imagine how the other GM is waiting Dubas's call with only 23 days left until December 1st.
They will pay for 75% of his real value if it's not less... We don't really know at this moment if Nylander can produce 60 points without Matthews

[2014olympicgold]

Leafs only have had 2 players reach the 100pt mark in their franchise history, and both were centers (Sittler, Gilmour). Marner has 19pts in 15games, a 104pt pace.

[DusterDave]

Twitter is still full of Nylander vs. Marner comparisons today and I have to say I’m on the side that they are not equal players, Marner is superior and deserves and will be paid more than Nylander.

Nylander has been attached to Matthews almost his whole NHL career and hasn’t shown us much without him. Marner was killing it playing alongside Kadri and continues to do so with Tavares. He drives the play. If the roles were reversed and Marner was holding out while Matthews was injured, would we see the same output from Nylander? I doubt it. Pay Matthews and Marner the big bucks, offer Nylander his $6M-$6.5M one last time. If he doesn’t accept, move on.

[2014olympicgold]

Twitter is still full of Nylander vs. Marner comparisons today and I have to say I’m on the side that they are not equal players, Marner is superior and deserves and will be paid more than Nylander.

Nylander has been attached to Matthews almost his whole NHL career and hasn’t shown us much without him. Marner was killing it playing alongside Kadri and continues to do so with Tavares. He drives the play. If the roles were reversed and Marner was holding out while Matthews was injured, would we see the same output from Nylander? I doubt it. Pay Matthews and Marner the big bucks, offer Nylander his $6M-$6.5M one last time. If he doesn’t accept, move on.

I dunno, it's so hard to compare Nylander/Marner when not with talent. Most of the time Nylander played center when he wasn't with Matthews and Nylander is not a center, or Nylander was playing with 4th liners. Marner shows he can play with Kadri and Tavares, he hasn't shown he can play with Matthews. There has been a few times Marner was with Matthews and they just can't get it done. You see the potential, but they don't click.

This whole thing of Nylander can only play with Matthews is a weak argument in my eyes. Just hasn't been enough evidence of Nylander on the wing with a top center compared to Marner's situation.

[Stalinism]

I think you have to look at the bigger picture here. If the Leafs move Nylander out, they will likely get a D in return. Doing that allows everyone to slot down one (aside from Reilly). They would look much better on the back end with this deal. There is also the possibility that they grab a guy like Tuch from Vegas along with Theodore for Nylander and something else going the other way. This would improve the Leafs team without a doubt.

[lucafen4]

Pesce seems like the most likely target, but who adds? I think that's where it gets tricky. I don't mind the idea of Muzzin coming in... but man - run from Pearson - I'd much rather have a prospect or a pick.

[2014olympicgold]

Nylander will not get you a D-man that slots in on the top pairing. Get that out of your head right now.

[DusterDave]

There is also the possibility that they grab a guy like Tuch from Vegas along with Theodore for Nylander and something else going the other way. This would improve the Leafs team without a doubt.

Has this been mentioned as a rumour or just something you thought up? The idea of getting two lesser players in a 2 for 1 deal is something I haven’t considered but it does sound intriguing. I’ve been wondering what type of deal they could get with a Nylander + Gardiner rental. Getting carried away a bit I know but would be interesting for sure.

[lucafen4]

Nylander will not get you a D-man that slots in on the top pairing. Get that out of your head right now.

slot him in with Gardiner on the 2nd pairing. boom - problem solved

[2014olympicgold]

slot him in with Gardiner on the 2nd pairing. boom - problem solved

Yes, He'll get you a 3rd D-man. People clamoring he'll get a top 2 D-man are not thinking straight.

Honestly, I wanna see Rielly play with someone mobile (maybe Gardiner, Zaitsev?), move Hainsey to the 3rd pair, have Gardiner+"New guy"/Zaits as the 2nd pairing.

But yeah, Nylander alone will not get you someone who is legit a No2 D-man. People thinking that just are too homer

[lucafen4]

Really though... just look around.

Dylan Larkin @ 6.1
David Pastrnak @ 6.67
Johnny Gaudreau @ 6.75
Logan Couture @ 8.00
Leon Draisaitl @ 8.5
Jonathan Huberdeau @ 5.9
Phil Kessel @ 8.00
Vlad Tarasenko @ 7.5
Ryan O'Rielly @ 7.5

He's def. more in the Larkin/Huberdeau level of player. I mean, to even give him a contract worth Pasta or Gaudreau seems a stretch. It's easy to see LD & LC are overpaid on this list. In comparison anything over 7m seems like a joke.