[Discussion] Do we have a shot at Stamkos?

[oldnews]

1 hour ago, CanuckGAME said:

He did no such thing.

You evidently buy the "it was a mistake" line.

 

Both times though?

 

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/lightning/steven-stamkos-likes-then-dislikes-toronto-tweet/2257106

 

 

"But this isn't a first "TwitterGate" for Stamkos. Two summers ago, back in 2014, Stamkos favorited a tweet of a story from The Hockey News that pondered if a young NHL star would follow the lead of the NBA's LeBron James and go back to his hometown team. Stamkos claimed then it was an accident.

"You talk about having a pocket dial, that was a pocket favorite of a tweet," Stamkos said in September 2014. "You press the favorite button by accident and an hour later Twitter blew up. But you live and learn and I’ll be more careful on the favorite button the next time around."

 

 

Stamkos hasn't really indicated that he's going to Toronto - but I wouldn't be surprised.

[aGENT]

46 minutes ago, Where's Wellwood said:

We don't have the cap space going forward. We need to re-sign Markstrom, Beartschi, and other RFA's. Once Horvat, Hutton, come off their ELC we'll have to pay them more as well as Virt and McCann. Stamkos will cost at least 10 million per season. We can't afford to handcuff the team when we aren't contending now.

We have ~$40m+ per year coming off the books in the next few years. More than enough to sign Stamkos and a few key RFA's per year.

[HOFsedins]

45 minutes ago, Where's Wellwood said:

We don't have the cap space going forward. We need to re-sign Markstrom, Beartschi, and other RFA's. Once Horvat, Hutton, come off their ELC we'll have to pay them more as well as Virt and McCann. Stamkos will cost at least 10 million per season. We can't afford to handcuff the team when we aren't contending now.

Ive said this in another post. If Stamkos would be willing to sign here you do it in a heartbeat regardless how much money he wants. All those players you named will not be earning near as much as Stamkos or ever in the future because they are simply not Stamkos. Talk about a young dangerous franchise centre. And you would pass up on him? Oh my!

 

[ehdee]

51 minutes ago, sonoman said:

Not sure if accurate, but doesn't look like it, can't post link.  Le Monde du sport tweet.  Georges Laraque from Montreal radio station says all but done with the Laffs 

 

Wouldn't that mean the Leafs have been tampering? 

[tas]

in what world is georges laraque a source?

 

with matthews, nylander and kadri, where does stamkos fit in toronto? 

 

i'm going to guess that the rumours about toronto will stay hot until near the end, but when all is said and done, if he leaves tampa, it'll be between montreal, ottawa and vancouver. 

[Jiggs50]

I wouldn't pursue him. Blood clots can be career ending. Never know when his medical condition comes in the way of his career. Let Toronto pay 10 mill over 10 years. 

[Nucker 67]

Oh how I'd love to stick it to TOR by signing Stamkos. Not sure how possible it is, but I'm sure Benning will try.

[You Mad Bro?]

He's not worth the money he's after. Toews. Kane. Kopitar. They have earned the 10 million. They win at everything and have 8 cups between them. Stamkos should have took his 8.5 offer from Tampa and stayed there. He will probably get his 11 million. I hope it's not from us tho. 

[VegasCanuck]

If he wants to play in Canada, yes we have a shot.

 

Yes, we are rebuilding, but if he's healthy and he can take over 1st line duties for Henrik, that immediately makes us competitive.

 

I would think that as long as Canada is a possible destination for him, he'd be interested in teams that are willing to ALWAYS spend to the Cap limit in an attempt to be competitive.

 

Vancouver is not that far from being a competitive team again. We were doing pretty well this last year until we got decimated by injuries.

[aGENT]

30 minutes ago, Jiggs50 said:

I wouldn't pursue him. Blood clots can be career ending. Never know when his medical condition comes in the way of his career. Let Toronto pay 10 mill over 10 years. 

 

Nobody can pay him for 10 years (at least on one contract). Tampa can pay him for 8 years, everyone else would be 7 years max.

 

If blood clots cause him to retire before those 7 years, his cap hit (and salary) comes off the books. 

[geoffcourtnall]

18 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

If he wants to play in Canada, yes we have a shot.

 

Yes, we are rebuilding, but if he's healthy and he can take over 1st line duties for Henrik, that immediately makes us competitive.

 

I would think that as long as Canada is a possible destination for him, he'd be interested in teams that are willing to ALWAYS spend to the Cap limit in an attempt to be competitive.

 

Vancouver is not that far from being a competitive team again. We were doing pretty well this last year until we got decimated by injuries.

I have to agree.  I think Vancouver should be an attractive city for a hockey player.  Sure the travel is worse, but it's not such a big deal, not like they fly coach.  I mean c'mon, this is supposed to be one of the world's best cities!  And ownership, despite their flaws, want to win and are willing to spend.  The team isn't as far off as some claim.  Injuries ARE an excuse, when they are as frequent as they were for us last year.   Stamkos would change everything here... immediately. 

 

And one other thing - sorry if this topic has come up, but there were no threads with Stamkos in the title.  If you expect me to read every single post in every thread before starting a top, give your head a shake, complainers!      Especially since you decided to go in and read!!  Not like the topic was a surprise.

[HOFsedins]

29 minutes ago, You Mad Bro? said:

He's not worth the money he's after. Toews. Kane. Kopitar. They have earned the 10 million. They win at everything and have 8 cups between them. Stamkos should have took his 8.5 offer from Tampa and stayed there. He will probably get his 11 million. I hope it's not from us tho. 

I agree Toews Kane and Kopitar are elite but you cant tell me Stamkos doesnt deserve that money. Yes they have many cups between them with their respected teams but you can also ask yourself do ANY of them have 4 40+ plus goal seasons? 1 60 goal season? You might want to reconsider your thought that he is not worth the money.

[HOFsedins]

19 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

If he wants to play in Canada, yes we have a shot.

 

Yes, we are rebuilding, but if he's healthy and he can take over 1st line duties for Henrik, that immediately makes us competitive.

 

I would think that as long as Canada is a possible destination for him, he'd be interested in teams that are willing to ALWAYS spend to the Cap limit in an attempt to be competitive.

 

Vancouver is not that far from being a competitive team again. We were doing pretty well this last year until we got decimated by injuries.

Agree 100%

[Nucker 67]

That's what some fail to understand, the Canucks have a decent team, and they might of even made the playoffs last year if it wasn't for those long-term injuries to key players. We should be happy we got a top 5 pick in the draft, we could've ended up with the 20th pick, for example. In a way, those injuries were a blessing. We'll have a competitive team next year. And if we do land Stamkos, well, that's a game-changer.

 

Some say, why would Stamkos want to play in Canada on a losing team? Then I ask, why would there even be a discussion of Stamkos signing in TOR? They're the worst team in the league. If Benning shows him the money, you never know.  

[aGENT]

My one concern with Stamkos signing here would be this fanbase and his recovery from the rib/shoulder/clot issue.

 

He's likely to have a slow start next year as he gets back in to shape and re-trains that shoulder. This fanbase would crucify him and JB when he gets off to that inevitable slow start.

[VegasCanuck]

Imagine if next year, Henrik and Daniel could be our second line! Not a major jump down in minutes...say Stamkos (1st line) playing 18 - 19 min per night and Henrik and Daniel playing 15 - 17 min per night and still being relatively rested when we roll into the playoffs.

 

Would immediately fix our 1st line center problem for the next 5 - 6 years.

 

[VegasCanuck]

15 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Nobody can pay him for 10 years (at least on one contract). Tampa can pay him for 8 years, everyone else would be 7 years max.

 

If blood clots cause him to retire before those 7 years, his cap hit (and salary) comes off the books. 

This!

[billabong]

As cool as it would be I don't think there's a natural good fit here for stamkos as a natural C and prefers to play C rather than wing.

 

i would be totally satisfied if they signed the home town kid brouwer and another piece either in the top 6 F or top 4 D

 

brouwer would come at a cheaper and shorter term deal than say a Ladd, boedker, Ericsson or okposo

 

 

[Nucker 67]

6 minutes ago, HOFsedins said:

I agree Toews Kane and Kopitar are elite but you cant tell me Stamkos doesnt deserve that money. Yes they have many cups between them with their respected teams but you can also ask yourself do ANY of them have 4 40+ plus goal seasons? 1 60 goal season? You might want to reconsider your thought that he is not worth the money.

Stanley Cups are also a team accomplishment. Toews, Kane and Kopitar didn't win the Cup, the Blackhawks and Kings did while they played on those teams.  Have any of those players won a Rocket Richard? No, in fact, no Blackhawks or Kings players have won it. Stamkos won it twice.

[We Are All Cynics]

No chance.

 

I'm not sure where this notion that Vancouver has been an attractive market for FA's but I'd really like it to stop. Our history says otherwise and the reason is travel, travel, travel!!! We have the worse travel in the league and it does matter to players when they look to sign somewhere.

 

The only way we can land a FA of Stamkos' caliber is by overpaying them and in this case Toronto would win, again because they have a better travel schedule than us and they'll be able to outspend us. Quite frankly I don't want him here if it's just a cash grab for him and he's just going to float his time here.