TSN: Darren Dreger and Ray Ferraro talk about Toronto Maple Leafs pending UFA ahead John Tavares, and what his subsequent contract may seem like.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dreger: “So it additionally appears like he has a couple of good years left, proper? He’s 34, simply turned 34 not that way back. You possibly can’t insult him with a proposal, however you additionally acknowledge you’ll be able to’t pay him anyplace close to $11 million.
So what’s truthful, primarily based on every little thing that you already know about John Tavares proper now. What do you assume is a good, non-insulting contract time period, cash for Tavares?”
Ferraro: “Effectively, if, since I’m the GM.”
Dreger: “Sure you might be.”
Ferraro: “I say, nicely, we’re not going to speak till June, as a result of we don’t must. What if, like, and there’s zero indication of this, what if John scores three targets within the second half of the yr. Like at at age you begin to, I might begin to consider it.”
Dreger: “Okay.”
Ferraro: “And I suppose, I, there’s a pair issues at play right here. One is, he’s not a free agent, per se, as a result of they’re already paying him $11 million a yr. It’s not like they’ve to seek out cash to pay him. They’re really going to save cash on the cap by no matter they’re going to pay him. So I believe that’s.
I believe that’s one willpower that will get, you already know, that will get missed this, I hear a variety of ‘Oh yeah, however they’re gonna must, they’re gonna have to seek out this cash on the cap.’ No they’ve already accounted for it. It’s whether or not it’s gonna be $6 million or $8 million, or no matter it’s gonna be.
Second half is, I believe I might go to him and say, ‘John, you’ll by no means play a recreation for any individual else, however I can solely provide you with a two yr contract.’ And that my, my hope is that I’ve constructed up sufficient belief that I may give him an instance just like the late Tim Wakefield that performed with the Boston Pink Sox. He signed, I believe, 12 straight one-year contracts, and he stated, and so they advised him, you’re by no means going to pitch anyplace else.
And so if I’m giving John $8 million for 2 years, I’m a hell of much more snug than 8 million for 4.”
Dreger: “Okay.”
Ferraro: “And, and, however the factor is, in two years, he’s coming. I might wish to construct a top level view. We expect you’ve obtained X variety of years left on the degree that you simply’re at. And I can, I pays you for 2 years proper now. If you’d like 4, I can’t go 4.”
Dreger: “Yeah, and you need to have the combo, proper? So, you already know, Marner can be an unrestricted free agent. So you already know, if you may get these two guys in and round 21 mill. I imply, relying on the time period of the Tavares.”
Ferraro: “However, however yeah, the time period, truthfully, it’s not the {dollars} that basically concern me, as a result of I believe generally, the participant and the workforce would come, like Tavares and the Leafs would come to an understanding of what that greenback determine would seem like. I believe that’s I believe they’ll get to that.
And I believe generally, groups can get to the cash. It’s the time period that, and you’ll’t, you’ll be able to’t bypass that and say, oh, yeah, I’m not going to fret about, everybody says the final yr of the contract. What if it’s the final three years of the contract.”
Dreger: “Agreed. Yeah.”
Ferraro: “Like, what if you happen to’re caught with an albatross and it’s, once more, it’s not particular to John, it’s particular to anyone that’s 35, 36, 37. The sport’s not getting slower.”
Dreger: “Yeah.”
Ferraro: “The one, one factor I’ll say about John, I’ve been tremendous impressed this yr in regards to the, the consistency of his recreation. Like he appears to be getting across the ice just a little extra freely.”
Dreger: “He does.”
Ferraro: “And that’s, that’s the entire a part of my concern. It’s by no means his dedication. It’s by no means his skill to shoot the puck or to wish to rating. It’s by no means that. To me it’s as he will get older, is he going to have the ability to transfer across the ice. And proper now, rattling, it appears like he can. And he’s had a terrific, he’s had a terrific yr.”
