Sorry but Leafs aren't letting AM34 walk

Free Agency is the player's choice. This is based on the real possibility that AM34 says he wants to play in the USA with the next greatest player in the league.

It's possible but I don't see it happening

But crazier things have happened

He has been eligible for an extension for over five weeks now so…

Extensions take time

Just having a little fun at the expense of Leafs fans insecurities.

Fair enough, I mean it is a possibility but I just doubt it.

I'm not insecure because at the end of the day he can walk, it's his choice I just won't be happy about it

I’m pretty sure you aren’t able to win it in back to back years

IF the hawks win the #1 OA again...I'd strongly consider trading back. Obviously depending on what's available.

They can, but then they'd then be out of the lottery for the next 3 years. Technically it also goes for the #2 pick too. So If they win the #2 pick...they still won the lottery. I'm not 100% certain on the exact details of that 2nd part, but I'm pretty sure that's what I read long ago.

"Teams cannot win the lottery more than twice in a five-year period. Wins in the lottery prior to 2022 will not be counted toward this total."

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-draft-lottery-changes-announced-for-2021/c-322838154

This would be an insane team to watch. But that roster would also get very expensive very quickly.

22 mil of cap space still in the piggy bank with the cap sure to rise in years to come as well.

The biggest increases to the cap will come in the 24/25 and 25/26 seasons, coming out of the COVID-19 bubble escrow payments. Once they hit that $92.5M mark the cap increases will be back to a more normal 1 or 2 million per season. Which certainly helps, but you'd be surprised how quickly all that cap space will be eaten up once these guys are coming out of their ELC's.

I never knew the Leafs (or any team) had that much control over players who are unrestricted free agents.

I just meant they will try hard to get him to extend, I didn't mean they wouldn't actually let him walk

I know, I was being an ass. But many of this site always thinks it's management fault when a player leaves via UFA....."They didn't do enough to resign him."
Fans think it's great when a UFA signs with THEIR team. "Oh, he loves our team, he loves our city." But when a UFA leaves THEIR team, the player is a traitor."

I couldn't remember so I had to look it up.. all I see is that you can not win more than 2 times in a 5 year period.

You should be able to get 1OA back to back.

I didn't see what happens with your pick if you win a 3rd time in those 5 years.. I assume you drop 1 spot ?

I would not go after Mathews . Hawks will have to hand out some very big contracts if there prospects pan out . Giving Mathews 14 mil at this point in the rebuild would hurt the team longterm cap wise like the idiotic decision to sign Tavares was . Ever since that signing the Leafs have had to dump all sorts of depth players and pics . Bedard ,Korchinski ,Nazer , Reichel , Seth Jones ( no elc ) , Moore , all these guys ELC's will end within the same two or three year period . And then Hawks are back in cap hell . The Leafs had to dump Kadri after signing Mathews ( double kadri salary ) were the Leafs better of after this signing ???

I think this post is 100% correct. Matthews is obviously an exceptional talent but due to the salary cap restraints you can only have two or three of these guys very most before it really ties your hands with the remainder of the roster building.

I disagree Matthews is the proven superstar in the league and the Hawks can afford him this offseason. The prospects we drafted are not guaranteed to come anywhere close to the talent level of Matthews. If you pass on Matthews because you are saving money to pay a prospect who might not ascend to that level its even worse.

Best-Worst problem is you pay Matthews and your talent level booms and demands big pay days thats good problems to have.

What if the Hawks had passed on Hossa said, no we need to budget for the future of all these young guys in the pipeline. We don't win 3 Cups. Sure the cap pain hurt but the Hawks cried into 3 cups in that time.

First this offseason the cap is anticipated to rise about $5 mil. The Hawks at the moment have the 2nd most cap space in the league. They can absolutely afford to pay Matthews a proven superstar in the league. Even after they sign him they will have an outrageous amount of cap space they can save for the furture. However if you pass on Matthews when you can afford him just to expect to pay out a bunch of money for players who might not pop the team suffers even more. You don't pass on superstar talent when you can afford it.