OT: Leafs/NHL Thread

[kalel123]

Wish the best for the Leafs but listening to radio today, it sounded like they dug themselves a deep hole. No player worth a damn they could trade without the player's consent, meaning they have no leverage. Guess NTC is to the leafs what player options are to the Raptors, only way worse due to hard cap.

To be fair every team in the league gives NTC/NMC to many players they sign. Almost every star player and even OK players get NTC or NMC added to their contracts because players like being in control to some degree as to where they play. It sucks but its apart of doing business if you want to sign a player and it probably sucks more for Canadian teams because it seems like a fair amount of players often don't want to get traded to a Canadian team so they use their NTC/NMC to prevent a trade to a Canadian club.

I don’t understand how this is an issue in a league that’s full of Canadian players.

Yeah, thought he was talking about NBA for a moment. Though I guess I'd understand if players think coming to Toronto isn't worth all the pressure.

[GQStylin]

I don’t understand how this is an issue in a league that’s full of Canadian players.

The proof is in the pudding. Every summer when free agency rolls around how many big time star free agents have signed with Canadian teams? Extremely few even if they're born in Canada. How many times have players gotten trades cancelled because they had a NTC/NMC and they decided they didn't want to get traded to a Canadian team? Pretty often. How many players have Canadian teams on their no trade lists? Pretty often.

The reason why many players decide they don't want to play in a Canadian market? I think maybe a small portion might not like the spotlight and all the attention that they would get playing on a Canadian team, but I think more likely the bigger reasons are higher taxes, higher costs of living, really crappy weather and not great cities. Outside of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and maybe Ottawa, does anyone really want to live in Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary?

When you add all that up why not go and sign in Las Vegas or one of the teams in Florida or California or go to a nice city like New York? Plenty of places in the US that are just as good if not better than any Canadian city and you get to keep more of your paycheck too. Just look at teams like Tampa where all their best players are below 10 million a year and likely are making about as much as Matthews is after taxes.

[MiamiSPX]

I don’t understand how this is an issue in a league that’s full of Canadian players.

The proof is in the pudding. Every summer when free agency rolls around how many big time star free agents have signed with Canadian teams? Extremely few even if they're born in Canada. How many times have players gotten trades cancelled because they had a NTC/NMC and they decided they didn't want to get traded to a Canadian team? Pretty often. How many players have Canadian teams on their no trade lists? Pretty often.

The reason why many players decide they don't want to play in a Canadian market? I think maybe a small portion might not like the spotlight and all the attention that they would get playing on a Canadian team, but I think more likely the bigger reasons are higher taxes, higher costs of living, really crappy weather and not great cities. Outside of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and maybe Ottawa, does anyone really want to live in Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary?

When you add all that up why not go and sign in Las Vegas or one of the teams in Florida or California or go to a nice city like New York? Plenty of places in the US that are just as good if not better than any Canadian city and you get to keep more of your paycheck too. Just look at teams like Tampa where all their best players are below 10 million a year and likely are making about as much as Matthews is after taxes.

Last year I was at a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale and Matthew Tkachuk was there with Don Meehan. I was sitting facing them and not a single person knew who he was. Some guys love that. I remember Martin Brodeur, who at the time was unquestionably the best goalie in the world, saying he loved NJ because he can go out wherever he wants and nobody knows who he is.

That would never happen in Toronto. In fact, many people in Toronto would likely recognize Don Meehan and even approach him lol.

And yeah, no offense to fellow posters who may be from there but Edmonton is almost always on the no-trade list that players submit.

[bballsparkin]

^^^Don't forget the wives have input. Especially if they grew up south of the border where it's warmer. In this doc, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2801462/ (Special Ed), iirc, they guy who made it, his wife was from Paris. They met in Montreal. But when he decided to move back to the Peg and make the film she told him, "i love you. but not enough to live in Winnipeg". Hah, or something like that.

[Lord_Zedd]

Johnny Gaudreau - after saying all these nice things about Calgary, ended up leaving them for Columbus. Even took less money.

The hockey media here in Canada are ruthless. Would not shock me one bit if Marner ends up thriving elsewhere.

[MiamiSPX]

^^^Don't forget the wives have input. Especially if they grew up south of the border where it's warmer. In this doc, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2801462/ (Special Ed), iirc, they guy who made it, his wife was from Paris. They met in Montreal. But when he decided to move back to the Peg and make the film she told him, "i love you. but not enough to live in Winnipeg". Hah, or something like that.

Yeah, for NBA players I automatically assume they want no part of Toronto if they are married lol. Giannis' wife is from California and I bet that will play a part when he asks out or if/when he hits free agency.

[C_Money]

I don’t understand how this is an issue in a league that’s full of Canadian players.

The reason why many players decide they don't want to play in a Canadian market? I think maybe a small portion might not like the spotlight and all the attention that they would get playing on a Canadian team, but I think more likely the bigger reasons are higher taxes, higher costs of living, really crappy weather and not great cities. Outside of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and maybe Ottawa, does anyone really want to live in Winnipeg, Edmonton or Calgary?

Calgary is not comparable to those two and it’s a nicer city than Ottawa. Edmonton and Winnipeg are sh*t hole’s and I can understand players not wanting to play there.

[will]

Another classic leaves first round exit.

[6ixpessant]

Who would be the Kyle Lowry the Leafs could go get? They don't have one.

[xAIRNESSx]

Leafs have fired Keefe.

One thing I will say is that Leafs have usually been losing to the eventual cup finalist or winner so it’s not like they’ve been getting knocked out by just any team.

[Brinbe]

they should've fired keefe years ago. but the problems def extend beyond him. MLSE as a whole has been a joke since Timmy L bounced. would be even worse if Larry T weren't there to be a check on Rogers/Bell

[WuTang_OG]

shoulda never been hired in the first place

[MiamiSPX]

So Shanahan is going to sit there at the PC tomorrow and with a straight face, once again, not take any blame? Dude is living on easy street.

[ItsDanger]

Read on Twitter

[Lord_Zedd]

Elliot Friedman alluded to the possibility of MLSE getting rid of presidents within each organization.

Meaning if Shanahan is gone, they won't replace him with anyone. Which also has implications of Masai's future here too.

[MiamiSPX]

Elliot Friedman alluded to the possibility of MLSE getting rid of presidents within each organization.

Meaning if Shanahan is gone, they won't replace him with anyone. Which also has implications of Masai's future here too.

I saw the clip where he said that. He said someone within the organization has told him this idea has been floated but not everyone is onboard with it. Obviously we know it was Rogers' idea.

[Raptorfan2012]

Elliot Friedman alluded to the possibility of MLSE getting rid of presidents within each organization.

Meaning if Shanahan is gone, they won't replace him with anyone. Which also has implications of Masai's future here too.

Masai already foresaw this, that is why he is Vice-Chairman in addition to President.

[tecumseh18]

Pretty classy exit.

Read on Twitter

[shmoosicle]

Read on Twitter

As someone who barely watches hockey, can someone explain what these numbers mean?

[Tor_Raps]

Who would be the Kyle Lowry the Leafs could go get? They don't have one.

They had Zach Hyman but chose to let him go in favour of Tavaras.

He scored 50+ in the regular season and already has 9 goals in these playoffs, which might be more than Austin Matthews and Marners career playoff total lol