Quoting: TopLineTom43
Off topic but kind of related...look up the signing on July 1 2016 my god they are terrible. I think the leafs have a ton of talented players and that’s never an issue. They are just signed for More money than I personally think they are worth. Again this is where we disagree but imagine this team with guys signed for this
Matthews 10m x8
Marner 9m X 8
Nylander 7m x8
Tavares was a UFA and you had to pay him. He’s also been great for them.
Matthews is better than Eichel, Eichel makes 10.5 for 8 years. Matthews was going to get more, he accomplished more and his ceiling is higher. So Matthews was getting over Tavares, no question. To get him to 8 years it was going to be for the same cap percentage that McDavid signed for which at the time Matthews signed, that was going to be over 13.5. So the team came up with a contract that worked for both sides. That is the market we live in. That one is fine.
Nylander is a bargain, his contract is the best on the team. I don't care what anyone says, he has elite talent and so much untapped potential that his contract will only look better as he progresses.
Marner on the other hand isn't very good. There is no one on this planet that is going to convince me that Marner is worth over 5 million dollars more a year than Nylander. Marner should be 8 years x9 at the very most.
If the Leafs end up having to move a piece to balance their roster (I really don't think it'll ever come to that), Marner is the one I'd trade, he'd bring the biggest return and likely save money.