That’s one team and one GM. How he handled the situation shouldn’t dictate how others sign their players. The market for a winger has been set around 9.5m this year. Why should the Leafs deviate from that?

Sad to hear that you find reality to be naive!

You are correct that did happen in Chicago, except they both signed at 9.42 percent of the cap the first time, second time they had 2 cups and the winger had 2 scoring titles under his belt so though your point makes sense it also argues that Marner is worth 7.8/8.2 AAV not 11, and Matthews is a much better player offensively than Toews ever was or ever will be.

You just said the franchise center always gets more than the franchise winger. Except, you know, the last time this situation happened, when they didn’t.

Weird that leaf players aren’t constantly taking pay cuts then, like they do in tax friendly markets. Or maybe, you just don’t quite get how it works.

Okay, other than that one time. Way to cherry pick. Point is that centres get paid more than wingers.

Point of the trade is to prove a point MM is not worth 11 anywhere, you do a similar trade with better assets with the other 30 teams, Aves was just an example

You’re the one that used the term always, not me. Given how it’s the most similar situation to the one the leafs are in, I don’t think it’s cherry picking

Brutally bad trade for the Leafs. I can't believe folks are this site are such bad negotiators. (like Dubas). So what, if Marner wants Matthews money? Leafs don't have to pay it, and unless some team in the KHL. SHL or any other NHL offers 11.7...Marners isn't getting 11.7m, unless the Leafs offer it.
Not many teams have cap space for 11.7m Marner. Even fewer teams want to upset their salary structure by overpaying an incoming RFA. Some teams don't have four draft choices. Some teams that might even offer Marner more than Leafs, Marner might want remain a Leaf for less money. So really Marner...top end salary ambitions isn't with 31 teams, might only be five teams that fits Marner desires.

When you start paying taxes, you'll get the point.

Player salaries are much lower than just taxes deducted. Certainly makes a difference, maybe just not to the extent that most people think.

Fine, poor choice of words on the always bit. Yes, they are on the same team and they are RFAs the same year and Chicago chose to give their guys matching contracts in This situation. They should still be evaluated as individuals and paid according to the market.

Toews didn't get his big 10.5, till he had completed his ELC and his five year 6.5m RFA contract. Same with Kane. Didn't 't get 10.5m till year nine. Now admitting Matthew got his overpaid contract starting in year four, but the Leafs don't have to continue their overpay their RFAs. They just have to pay what an offer sheet will pay if they chose, certainly not "what Marner wants" which seemed to be theme of the original post..

But you can understand Marner's argument for why he should get paid like Matthews. In his eyes and many others, the leafs already dicked him around when they sent him to London when he wasn't AHL eligible, but clearly ready for the jump

I understand Marner might pout about Matthews contract but so what? It's like comparables that are used in arbitration or even offer sheets. Aho, Point and Rantanan have similar production to Marner which is true comparable. Can't believe we have some many bad negotiators as ACGMs....it really doesn't matter "what a player wants", it should be about talent, and leverage to a deal.
What is Marner to do....wait for an overpaid offer sheet? Play in Europe? Not sign and play ball hockey on his parents driveway? Marner isn't going to have 31 teams willing to overpay him. Other teams have their own cap problems, or not the draft picks for compensation, or don't want set their own teams precedent by overpaying an incoming RFA. Plus Marner may not want to play for some teams that might offer him a little more than the Leafs. See Marner's "offer sheet"scenario is limited.
Oh yes, I do understand Marner's argument and he will use it. Just that the Leafs don't have buy into it if they don't want to.

So, honest question. What do you think the market would yield for Marner. If I was a gm with cap space, draft picks to spend, and a desire for Marner, I would be offering him 1 year at 1 dollar less than the 4 first pick compensation. So 10.5ish.

I agree with you. With rfa negotiations it shouldn’t really be about what the player wants. The problem is, with few exceptions, the players always seem to get what they want. A lot of the highest paid players in the league signed their deals out of rfa. I’m with you that it shouldn’t be that way, but it is

I’m not even sure. It’s hard to say. I’d imagine an offer sheet would look exactly like that. Perhaps longer term but the amount fits. If a team were to do that then I’d match. It definitely throws a monkey wrench in negotiations. If someone offered him a cap hit that’d give up four firsts then I’d let him walk.

Thank you. A voice of clarity on all this Marner =12M nonsense

And yes, I agree, it is coming off as pouting.


And I'll take it a step further and say if it all plays out with Marner's camp refusing to move off AM money then most fans will see this for what it is... despite how Dreger and the rest of the media knuckleheads try to spin it..

That said, Marner's camp has every right to peddle their Marner =12M narrative, that's the game that they're playing. But it just might mean he's selling that story in Arizona, or Ottawa, or the KHL, or any place other than Toronto if that's what the leafs determine to be in their best interest..

Kane only has 1 scoring title... And he didn't get that until the 1st season of the 10.5 deal. Your argument lacks fact.