Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnyB
They bowed out against a Panthers team playing great hockey, but they had their moments. Mathews was huge in the first round and probably saved the series for them by leading the comeback for them in a big game. Tavares had a series-winning OT goal. They didn’t get it done in round two, but could easily be back with another strong season next year.
I don't see their big contracts as that bad. For a sad comparison to Tavares, Huberdeau is getting paid 500k less and is signed for six years more. Tavares' contract ends at 34. Huberdeau will be going until he's 38. Would anyone turn that down in a one-for-one trade?
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The problem the Leafs will have, as every good team has is that having multiple good seasons means keeping the team together will be hard enough let alone improving.
The only "big" contract they lose is Kerfoot but they also lose O'Reilly, Bunting, Accarri, Schenn, Kampf and have Samsonov as an RFA who will get more then the 1.8 million he made last season. Those aren't big pieces but what are the chances they bring in better or even equal players for equal money to what they made last season?
You are right none of their big contracts are boat anchors but it means they have to get the low contract bottom 6/depth guys right because they don't have the flexibility to overpay for a need with the money spent on Marner, Nylander, Tavares, Rielly, Matthews.
I don't think they will fall off and suck but it is getting tough to see how they make improvements to get past the repeated play-offs failures they have had.