Good luck trying to get both players to take a paycut. After Matthews, Tavares and Nylander all took big money, no chance!

Neither Marner or Gardiner accept those garbage contract, Good luck getting Marner for any thing less then 5 x 11.6 and Gardiner for 6 x 6 Marner is will to sit out until he's either dealt or his demands are met. Nylander and Marner sitting out back to back seasons isn't good for Toronto's reputation.

Marner has the right to sign what any team....so he isn't limited to the Leafs offer. No team is going to trade for him no knowing what his contract is going to be. Do you really think another team is going to offer 11.6m X 5? Or is only the Leafs that have too? There is no team in the league that going to offer Gardiner 6 X 6. Right now there is market for him at that price Now I agree Gardiner is getting more than what was suggested,

Totally agree with what you're saying here, You're right no team will trade for Marner knowing what his asking price will be. They'll just thrown an offer sheet his way then. Gardiner is probably looking at 4 x 5 as of now i agree with you that no team is throwing big money at him right now.

This has been a strange offseason. Aho offer sheeted. And all the other big names RFA still not signed. Some UFA were expected bigger money, didn't such as Ferland. And Williams and Gardiner still not signed. Even a Marner offer that is about 10.6m, four first rounders, do any teams have the stomach for that? And few teams (if any) really have the cap space for Marner in 2020/21 without trading away pieces if any. It's complicated, that Clarkson acquisition which gives Leafs cap space for a delayed signed of Marner. Marner might have more Leaf leverage if he signs after the season starts as the his 2019/20 cap hit could 13m (remember 7m AAV Nylander had over 10m cap hit last year). Think there will be more Leaf drama in August, September, October...maybe longer.

Yup definitely has been a strange season so far, Especially with Gardiner still being unsigned and all. All i can think that it's possibly has to do with the Marner situation. Or a few teams he's interested in signing with need to clear some cap. Not really sure what's going on there with him. Or he's just pricing himself out of the market right now and teams aren't willing to meet his asking price.

Do you mean outside of the NHL or an offer sheet? Yes, he can do both but he won't play outside the NHL for the same reason he won't show up to training camp without a contract (to much risk for him getting injured). If a team would offer sheet him, I'm pretty sure they would trade for him (as it would likely cost less than the 4 unprotected 1st's they would have to sacrifice via the offer sheet). I agree about Gardiner, but I was trying to see how he would fit without making a trade to accommodate him. However, I think that Ceci would have to go or Gards would have to take a pay cut as shown above in order to bring Jake back and I'm not sure the leafs trade Ceci unless he's terrible in the preseason.

I agree with you about Ceci. Think the Leaf are married to him this season. Plus the Leaf do like the cap freedom,, 4.5m his expiring contract provides.
My Marner comments was based on some many....mostly anti Leafs fans suggesting he isn't signing for THAT. Marner has a whole world to sign with, but obviously his lack of signing kinda indicates to me the Leafs offer(s) are somewhat reasonable. Unless there is trade that knocks the Leaf socks off, I kinda think the Leafs would force an NHL team to make an offer sheet,,,the Leafs wouldn't do a trade.

I agree with you about Ceci although I can see him being traded at the trade deadline to Vancouver along with a conditional pick for Tanev (based on how many games Tanev plays and depending on whether or not he resigns also depending on how their seasons go of course lol). Sorry, I misunderstood you about the Marner comments, I agree, I think the Leafs offers have been fair and I like how Dubas has handled these negotiations. I also don't think Mitch gets traded unless something severe happens during the negotiations or Ferris tries to bluff (as he's been known to do) or as you mentioned the Leafs get their socks knocked off. I don't think an offer sheet is coming as it's hard to think of what another team can offer that the leafs can't. Montreal front-loaded Aho's contract hoping Carolina couldn't match and every team that resides in a state without state tax can't afford him as their all up against the cap also Mitch will make more from endorsement deals in Toronto than anywhere else.