Acrimony of the Fanbase

[PrinceLH]

As a person that was around to see the Leafs win their last Stanley Cup, at the ripe old age of 9 years old, I get frustrated with the Management. It seems that they prefer to promote the Star players, instead of winning at all cost. We herald Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander, thinking that they’re the greatest Leaf players of all time. The team throws gobs of money at them, as they act like tinytown mercenaries towards the fanbase. The Leafs management seems to focus on the names on the back of the Jersey, instead of the crest on the front. Anything to promote jersey sales and merchandising. They have a captive audience that pays a ridiculous amount of money for their home team tickets. Parking is more expensive than a ticket at another hockey venue’s game. The concession prices are outlandish. We watch the profits being siphoned off in revenue sharing, to prop up about a dozen other NHL teams, that can’t keep up to the strains of the salary cap. The league turns a blind eye to the tax situations, giving many of the U.S. Southern States an advantage in the realm of the Salary Cap, thanks to little or no taxation on players wages. It’s a rigged game and most of the Canadian teams can’t compete. It’s been 32 years since the League has seen a Canadian Stanley Cup parade. But what of the Leafs?

Time to stop groveling at the feet of the elite talent that has won nothing up until now. If the players don’t like the situation, leave! Drop your no-movement clauses and play elsewhere. The Leafs need character and talent, not a bunch of prima-donna’s thinking that they’re the top of the food chain. They aren’t. They’re just mercenaries that would like to win, but the dollars mean more. Some teams like the Bruins, often get the hometown discounts from their star players, and they fall in line because of a winning pedigree. Leaf have none of that. In their history, they’ve never won 3 rounds in the playoffs. The last time they won, was in a 6 team league. It was Canada’s 100th Birthday, the Beatles released Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart’s Club Band a month later. The games were televised in Black & White and George Armstrong was the Captain. Over the years, there were good competitive runs in the playoffs, but still no 3rd round victories. We went through the Stafford Smythe years, then Ballard years. We saw many ownership changes, but no Clarence Campbell, or Prince of Wales Trophies. I turm 68 this summer. This team is a disgrace and all of the astro-turfing that the team and it’s bootlicker press continue to peddle can no longer keep the stench from the noses of the fanbase. Marner can leave, so can Tavares. You’ve won nothing, nor did you advance this team to the 3rd round in the last 9 year. Will we ever see another Championship in my lifetime? Enough of the Primadonna attitude. You’ve earned nothing to warrant the salaries that you opine for. Either shut-up and take a hometown discount, or get the hell out.

JWH

[Cush29]

I get it but sadly asking players to waive NM / NT clauses they have in their contracts is not something many of them will do.

In addition as fans we own SOME of this blame – the rink sells out every game, seasons tickets have a 10 year or more wait list and despite the insane prices on just about everything Maple Leafs from popcorn at the rink to a jersey we pay it and the Leafs are the most profitable or at least the most valuable franchise in the league. The Leafs were worth 4 Billion last year, half a billion more than the closest team (Rangers) while the ‘average’ team is valued at 1.9 Billion.

I wish the Leafs could instill that culture of taking a bit less so the team can use that saved $ cumulatively to get more of what it needed to win but that needs to start with one big star player and quite honestly we just haven’t seen it from the Leafs yet. Some will argue JT took less to come home (and he reportedly did) but he still got 11M on max term on a team that has way too much invested in talent.

We can only hope they can get that cultural to eventually be something that happens but it’s going to take time I fear and the other thing which many of us just don’t have much left of – patience.

Marner could do it now, but we all know he won’t.

Matthews and Willy and Reilly all could have done it in past years but they didn’t.

Maybe one day but then again if this team just keeps making the most money in the NHL and remains the most valuable franchise the real ? is is MLSE / Rogers even motivated to?

[Unholy_Goalie]

You’ve earned nothing to warrant the salaries that you opine for. Either shut-up and take a hometown discount, or get the hell out.

Basic math says that anything less than 16.5 AAV for Marner would actually be a home town discount.

It’s very easy to do. Try it yourself.

https://puckpedia.com/tax-calculator

Marner would take home the same amount in Vegas at 12 AAV as he would in Toronto at 16.5 AAV.

So if he’s asking for the same as Matthews, that actually is a hometown discount. The problem is, absolutely nobody seems to be sharp enough to realize that he’s losing a lot of money by staying in Toronto at that price.

[PrinceLH]

They can use stats all they want, but just points and goals isn’t an indicator of the worth of the marquee stars on the Leafs. McDavid is worth it. Matthews, not so sure. Marner, definitely not. The Leafs are really down to their last couple of year of having an open window to win a Championship. Once their core players hit 30, their skill will wane. Quick thinking by management could mitigate what is to come. They must find a way to move a core piece, receiving what they need to succeed in the playoffs. The current structure does not work and someone needs to be sacrificed for the benefit of moving forward. The young Turks from Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo and Detroit will soon enough surface as playoff teams, meaning time is short to make this work. Does Leafs management have the stomach to take this issue on this season?

[PrinceLH]

Further to my lament, why can’t the Leafs get the best and brightest scouts to find those diamonds in the rough? They make more profit than any other NHL team, so they can afford to have the best scouting staff in the NHL. It doesn’t count against the Cap, just like coaches. Teams like Florida, Tampa, LA, plus others always seem to out-draft the Leafs. This shouldn’t be happening. When will this become a real priority, instead of lip service?

[senstrolltwo]

Further to my lament, why can’t the Leafs get the best and brightest scouts to find those diamonds in the rough? They make more profit than any other NHL team, so they can afford to have the best scouting staff in the NHL. It doesn’t count against the Cap, just like coaches. Teams like Florida, Tampa, LA, plus others always seem to out-draft the Leafs. This shouldn’t be happening. When will this become a real priority, instead of lip service?

I dont see that they outdraft the leafs, I guess if you only really look at the Leafs then they look poor because the hit rates are not great, but thats every team.

If you compare TB and the Leafs since 2018, the Leafs have a much much better record at drafting.
Leafs reg NHL players Holmberg, Durzi, Sandin, Robertson, Knies
TB – Cole Koepke ..I think thats it. also who is is guy?

if you look at Florida, really only 1 player stands out drafted since 2018, Lundell .. also Devon Levi and spencer knight. but they have done a lot

The Kings for sure have drafted well, but they havent been good most of that time and havent won anything..the results are not there yet

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