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Jarvis got rocked

Did Paul Maurice just say the players run the bench?? One can only dream!!

See above.

Buffalo has one thing going for it: it's close to Marner's family. He just had his first child and he may want to stay near his folks. Remember this is the same reason Jeff Skinner waived his NMC to come to Buffalo. I'm just sayin'. I got a laugh listening to the recent Instigators podcast, after ragging on the Sabres for not spending to the cap, they pivot to "you know, Buffalo doesn't have enough cap to sign Marner AND their RFA's." 🤣

So painfully true.

Well, in fairness to you, after watching the Sabres remain at least $8MM below the cap and sometimes signifcantly lower than that, it's easy to forget that cap space CAN be an asset. (Especially when you plan to use it on a player that might make your team better, it really is a huge asset.)

I get what you mean now with the cap space, I was thinking what player in free agency or a trade could they possibly get that will be better than Marner? I get it now, I'm Polish so it takes me awhile sometimes 😀

I don't think there's much of a chance of Shanahan wanting to come here, or the Sabres wanting him. But it would be interesting. I don't think he'd be the type of guy to come in and just keep things the same...there WOULD be changes. And as for his shortcomings or 'failings' in Toronto...sometimes when a guy is 'good' but not 'great' in their first chance in a role...they learn from that and get better the 2nd time around.

He’s another left handed guy but Niko Mikkola would look nice next to Owen Power Holding down 20 minutes per night with positive xGA% and a positive +/- (by double digits) over the past few years, he’s also 6’6” and big. Little bit of everything for all the different fans personal preference

Agreed.... Its not about getting a better player than Marner. 1) is what you can get with that cap space better than Marner in the playoffs (Marner has been good in the playoffs, but not $10m+ good, let alone $13m good). 2) Its also how are you improving yourself and to what degree. Suppose the player who takes Marner's minutes gives you 30% less production....but the 2nd player you get by splitting his cap hit among 2 players is 50% better than the bottom 6 guy or the 3rd pair D-man? You aren't getting the 'better player', but you are getting a better fit for your team. Now...Marner has been really productive in the regular season so you may have a net drop off in the regular season...but it isn't inconceivable that you can get a better fit in the playoffs with 2 less paid guys fitting in with the team well than you can with a "single" Marner that has not performed well recently in the post season. For example...suppose instead of paying Marner $13m per year, they can get Sam Bennett for $9m. Is Bennett as good as Marner overall? No, but in the playoffs he has peformed and played a lot better. That alone may or may not be an improvement. But what do you do with those extra $4m you are saving? Its not just signing a $4m player. It can be more than that. Lets say right now Toronto plans on paying a 2nd pair D-man $3 per year if they keep Marner. Now, you can take that $3m and ADD to $4m to it and have up to $7 free to trade or sign someone. In this theoretical example, come playoff time Toronto may be a LOT better with Bennett and a $7m D-man than they would be in the playoffs with Marner and a $3m D-man. However they do it, they have more options without Marner than they would with him and tying up all that cap space.

It was a little sneaky by Aho, I hope his smug face gets caved in.

They are notgetting direct compensation from another team, but they are not getting 'nothing', again, they are getting cap space. When you are a 'cap team', as the Leafs usually are, that can at times be even more valuable than a player return in a trade, if that new player is taking up cap space that limits your other options.

Samson out after a hit to the knee. I'd call it a dirty hit but at this point it's difficult to call any hit on a Panther "dirty".

If Mitch Marner signs with another team then the Leafs will have let him walk without receiving any compensation. I just don't see that happening (although there may be nothing they can do about it if he doesn't want to be there). I would highly disagree that the Leafs think they're better off or equal without Marner in the lineup plus Matthews has been equally as bad in the playoffs.

Yes, but those usually are late July / early August. By the time they roll around, Byram will likely have been traded.

Its not really "for nothing". What would it take to re-sign him? $13m per year? maybe a bit less or more. If you let him 'walk away', you aren't getting nothing, you are getting that $13m per year to work with that you didn't have before. As good as he has been in the regular season, they may think they don't need him in the regular season to get to the playoffs, and for that $13m, either via free agency or trade, they can get maybe 2 good-to-very-good pieces (think a $6m guy and a $7m guy)....that they think will be better suited to help the team than Marner has been.

Correct call

Typically a 1 year deal at that point would be the result of an arbitration hearing or a contract to avoid arbitration.

That is an incredible camera angle.

Overall I agree with this except for the Sabres' part. I think the colors are right for our sweaters; always liked the original color combo. It is curious that the Sabres took basically the same exact color scheme as the Blues three years later.

It'll be quite the party atmosphere in Sunrise.

I think the Maple Leafs will let Tavres sign elsewhere and re-sign Marner, I just don't see how you let a talent like that walk for absolutely nothing. Either way I think he would use us to get a better deal somewhere else, why in the world would he come here if he can get the same money elsewhere on a better team? The only plus I see is that he's Canadian and maybe being that we'd be closer to his home may be the only positve and literally the only positive.

Yes Selke nominated Marner doesn’t fall under “forwards who can defend” also, no more instantly disqualifying take nowadays than, “the Buffalo Sabres have enough scoring” Verging on parody - - - there is no argument re: “should” we add a player better than anyone else on our team. Whether we will, well obv prob not

Wow, Carolina with zero chance... And they're at home

Panthers are a grinding team. They beat you up. sabres have how many willing to grind?