Quoting: palhal
First, I think the Leafs overpaid to to sign their own RFAs, Nylander and Matthews. So the Leafs just may be on the silly path of overpaying their other top end RFAs. One big issue with other teams overpaying for someone's elses RFAs...such as Marner, so that these teams have their own RFAs to sign. Imagine being a "star" on your own team and then being told, you have to take a discount because we have overpaid by acquiring Marner.
If any team offer sheets Marner or any Leaf RFA, they will have to deal with Leafs doing to the same to their team fo decades. Even lower end RFAs which cost just minimal picks will be offered sheet by the Leafs which will boost the cost for years. Or the Leafs will make offer sheets with maximum front loaded contracts which some other teams (owners) would actually hate.
This is the nuclear option, and while I doubt it happens, it would be entertaining, set a precedent, and create a sh*t storm throughout the leauge. I agree, Pal, the leafs might be on a silly path of overpaying their rfas, and i think the team would be weaker for it... so, as a a tactic that dubas could deploy, with some real risk, call Mitch's agents bluff..
Step 1 - tell Mitch that Kucherov money is on the table, at say a term of 7 yrs. And not one penny more..
Step 2 - Sign Kappy, Johnsson, Sparks and Oz at fair contracts without squeezing their heads too much..
Step 3 - Explore the trades necessary to sign Marner at 9.5M. Tell him they're ready to pull the trigger on the trades as soon as Mitch signs. If that means trading Nylander for a rhd at a better cap hit, so be it
Step 4 - if Mitch wont sign, tell him hes sitting for the year or sign those offer sheets.. match anything up to 10M to get those 4 firsts..if he declines, stick to your guns, tell him you always loved him like a son but there just isnt enough quid to go around for your brothers, but we'll always have the ballet..
Step 5 - if Mitch signs an OS, don t trade Nylander and go sign Duchene for less than 9.5M..
Step 6 - brace for the collective backlash of leaf nation...