John Tavares a Leaf in 2018?

[herman]

LOL.  Yes, but does someone born 30+ years ago in East York say they aren't technically born in Toronto?

I wouldn't know, because I was born in Toronto (WCH)  :P

[Highlander]

LOL.  Yes, but does someone born 30+ years ago in East York say they aren't technically born in Toronto?

I wouldn't know, because I was born in Toronto (WCH)  :P

Me to Herman, I was born in a room that was fixed up for a visit from Princess Margeret. She was in it the day before my carcass arrived.

[Kaberle15]

He decided to listen to 5 teams before make a decision to hit or not free agency.

Leafs are one of this teams, with 23mi on cap space.

Will he pull a Stamkos and stay with the Isles (now with Lou and Trotz) ?

Anyway... 7 days.

[azzurri63]

You know I'm not holding my breath for Tavares to sign with us. I think the one thing that hurts us in this situation is the media and amount of it that athletes on the Habs or the Leafs have to deal with. You're being watched every single minute of the day. Interviews galore, scrutiny the list goes on. What I will say is that if I were an athlete as in Tavares and I had a situation to come to a good young team with a chance to bring Lord Stanley to Toronto. I wouldn't hesitate at that opportunity. I just couldn't imagine that possible feeling of hoisting a Cup possibly at the ACC or if not just bringing the Cup to Toronto. The city would go absolutely nuts. That in itself and the drought of 50+ years would be enough incentive for me as a free agent to sign in Toronto. Tavares to me I don't think would like the spotlight. Let's home I'm wrong and he signs with us. We'd have the best center corps in the league.

[Zee]

I hope he signs, but I'm not expecting him to.  Will be really shocked if he's a Leaf next week.

[Bill_Berg_is_pissed_off]

It's hard to know what people if you're not on the inside. My best guess at odds of him signing in Toronto are I dunno. He may be thinking 0, 50/50, or 100. Or anywhere in between. And they may change by the 1st.

[Zee]

It's hard to know what people if you're not on the inside. My best guess at odds of him signing in Toronto are I dunno. He may be thinking 0, 50/50, or 100. Or anywhere in between. And they may change by the 1st.

Just going by past experience with huge stars they rarely switch teams in UFA.  Not sure why, especially considering how bad the Islanders have been during his 8-9 seasons.  Kind of like when Nash was a UFA in Columbus, team was bad but he still stayed. Stamkos at least you could understand because Tampa was and is a contender.

[hockeyfan1]

If money is not the issue for Tavares, but rather,  winning a championship and finishing his career a winner, then he would give  serious consideration to a potential contender on the cusp of greatness such as the Leafs.

Now with Lamoriello and Trotz at the Islanders helm, and promising to build a success on the Island, it may just be enticing for Tavares to want to be a part of that, stay put, put down some roots, and enjoy the rest of his hockey years there.

I'm only hedging my bets that Johnny T. signing with the Leafs is 50/50 at best. A part of me wants to say it's sure fire, but hindsight doesn't jibe with it.

[Joe]

A part of me wants to say it's sure fire, but hindsight doesn't jibe with it.

This is the greatest quote. I want this on my tombstone

[Nik]

Just going by past experience with huge stars they rarely switch teams in UFA.  Not sure why, especially considering how bad the Islanders have been during his 8-9 seasons.  Kind of like when Nash was a UFA in Columbus, team was bad but he still stayed. Stamkos at least you could understand because Tampa was and is a contender.

I guess the key to understanding this is getting that there are lots of factors that go into these decisions as opposed to thinking that how good the team you're signing with is the only factor.

[Kaberle15]

Eklund (I know it did surprised me too), came up with a decent idea.

Leafs can sign him for a 1 year deal with tons of money and right after they can start to work on a deal to resign him for 8 years.

Sure they will have to deal with our Big 3 next season too but that could work. Nylander this season and they will work the magic for next season on a cup winning hangover.

If Lou was still the Leafs GM I would be confident that they would pull a move like that. Let's see what Divas Learned...

[princedpw]

Eklund (I know it did surprised me too), came up with a decent idea.

Leafs can sign him for a 1 year deal with tons of money and right after they can start to work on a deal to resign him for 8 years.

Sure they will have to deal with our Big 3 next season too but that could work. Nylander this season and they will work the magic for next season on a cup winning hangover.

If Lou was still the Leafs GM I would be confident that they would pull a move like that. Let's see what Divas Learned...

He can't sign the 2nd deal until Jan 1. Very few players want to take the risk of long term injury, so this is a very rare thing to do (Hossa being the only exception I know of).

[Zee]

Eklund (I know it did surprised me too), came up with a decent idea.

Leafs can sign him for a 1 year deal with tons of money and right after they can start to work on a deal to resign him for 8 years.

Sure they will have to deal with our Big 3 next season too but that could work. Nylander this season and they will work the magic for next season on a cup winning hangover.

If Lou was still the Leafs GM I would be confident that they would pull a move like that. Let's see what Divas Learned...

I believe Frank Seravalli proposed this kind of approach, Eklund is "borrowing". Also you can't talk about the deal like that or it's cap circumventing. You can sign him to a1 year deal but can't offer the standing 8 deal saying "don't worry Jan 1, we'll sign you *wink wink*

[bustaheims]

A) Eklund didn't come up with that idea. It's something that's been floated around for multiple players by multiple sources.

B) The possibility of it actually happening has been thoroughly discussed in this forum on a number of occasions - and it's widely accepted that it's extremely unlikely a player of Tavares' stature would go for the risk that comes with a one year deal.

[bustaheims]

He can't sign the 2nd deal until Jan 1. Very few players want to take the risk of long term injury, so this is a very rare thing to do (Hossa being the only exception I know of).

Hossa also only did it because he thought he would win a Cup in Detroit, and then sign a long-term deal somewhere he wanted to be long-term. It wasn't a backdoor deal like is being suggested here.