The free-agent apocalypse that was going to reach in Toronto subsequent summer season has apparently disappeared. Earlier than final summer season, Auston Matthews and William Nylander had been a season away from unrestricted free company, and John Tavares and Mitch Marner had been two years away. The latter two are nonetheless in that spot, however now each Nylander and Matthews are locked up, with the information right this moment that the Leafs inked Nylander to an eight-year, $92 million extension that kicks in subsequent season.
It will result in a number of focus and a number of barbs aimed toward THE BIG 4 come the spring, as they’ve collectively give you one playoff sequence win of their total time collectively. When a participant is paid essentially the most, they’re at all times within the highlight, that’s the way it goes. And when it goes unsuitable in April or Could, because it probably will as a result of it solely goes effectively for one crew, you may wager all of the scribes and radio hosts in The Six have their targets already picked, their monologues written, about how Matthews and his 70 objectives this 12 months isn’t a successful participant or that having stars is just not a solution to win a Cup, and a crew has to do it by a group of men nobody’s ever heard of as a result of “they need it extra.” It’s coming.
It’s additionally horsesh*t.
The Leafs issues aren’t as a result of they’ve too many top-tier gamers. And Nylander’s contract isn’t going to be any extra of a millstone than another gamers who’re making eight figures throughout the league, so long as they produce like these gamers. Nylander definitely has this season, regardless of his lack of earlier particular person accolades. Matthews might take a run at 70, however it’s Nylander who’s prime 5 in scoring whereas enjoying on the second line with Tavares and a if-he-only-had-a-brain Tyler Bertuzzi. Watch the Leafs any recreation and see who jumps off the display screen each shift. It’s Nylander.
Whereas the Leafs would be the solely crew with 4 $10+ million gamers, there are a pair elements to recollect. One, the wage cap will lastly go up after this season to offer somewhat extra respiratory room. Two, TJ Brodei’s dumpy ass will come off the books for $5 million of aid, and so will the unconscionable contracts to Bertuzzi and Max Domi for one more $8 million of house. That must be sufficient to do no matter must be finished.
And one want look no additional than contracts handed out to doofuses like Bertuzzi or Brodie or Domi to know why the Leafs by no means get to the enterprise finish of the playoffs. Positive, Matthews and Nylander and Marner haven’t produced common season numbers within the playoffs, or hardly ever have, however that’s how the playoffs go. Hardly ever do the celebrities produce for each recreation by 4 rounds. In some unspecified time in the future, the backing crew has to return by. The argument has at all times been that the Leafs are paying these 4 gamers an excessive amount of to get that kind of participant or a number of of them. However Bertuzzi is making $5 million. So is Brodie. Domi is making $3 million.There are many different gamers at these costs who can produce within the spring. The Leafs, whether or not it was Kyle Dubas as GM or now Brad Treliving, simply haven’t been capable of finding them.
It doesn’t matter what they’re paying Nylander now, he can’t make their protection sooner and the Leafs have at all times opted for plodding highway graters behind Morgan Rielly, who may not be a No.1 d-man anyway. The Knights boasted Shea Theodore on their second pairing. The Avalanche had like 4 puck-movers in 2022. The Lightning had Mikhail Sergachev behind Victor Hedman. It’s not a tough components to crack. And but the Leafs hold tossing the likes of Jake McCabe on the market with a straight face. Or perhaps they’ve the appropriate thought and the unsuitable resolution, just like the rotting corpse of John Klingberg, whom they needed to embalm 1 / 4 of the best way by this season.
The Leafs additionally haven’t been capable of produce anybody to contribute by their very own system, and cheaply, since that first wave of youngsters produced these stars that they’re now paying. Matthew Knies is about the one one. Even when they’re drafting within the 20s most years and given up picks for deadline pickups, a crew has to hit on a few of them. The Leafs haven’t.
The Leafs have what each different crew is searching for, and that’s actually good gamers. Groups tank for the appropriate to draft simply one of many 4 the Leafs have. Rebuilds are about amassing top-end picks to get extra of them. All the opposite questions don’t matter till a crew has the highest ranks stuffed out.
Nylander received’t be the Leafs’ drawback it doesn’t matter what occurs within the spring. No matter else they may do, the Leafs are proper in figuring that a lot out.
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