Editor In Leaf
Fansided

In Reality the Toronto Maple Leafs “Big Four” Are Underpaid

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 7: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his gaol against the St. Louis Blues with teammate Auston Matthews #34 during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 7: William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates his gaol against the St. Louis Blues with teammate Auston Matthews #34 during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on October 7, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Auston Matthews #34 and William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 20: Auston Matthews #34 and William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

For the last year, many have been skeptical about the Toronto Maple Leafs overpaying their core-four but I’m here to tell you that they’re actually underpaid.

With four star signings in the last two seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have the best top-six forwards in the National Hockey League.

But what about the salary cap, screamed every scared Maple Leafs fan?

Hmm, would you rather have highly-skilled players that will help you win the Stanley Cup and bring excitement to fans every night, or a bunch of mediocre players that may or may not make the playoffs?

Yeah I’ll take highly-skilled all day.

I’m not sure if anyone knows this, but the Leafs aren’t over the salary cap and they never will be. Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Brandon Pridham’s entire job is related around salary cap management and he’ll do everything to keep their core in-tact while staying under the cap. (He was instrumental in writing the NHL’s CBA).

Sure the team didn’t perform to it’s highest standards this year  but that had everything to do with injuries, a coaching change and bad goaltending. If the team is healthy, they’re a Stanley Cup contender.

Obviously injuries will occur every year but the Leafs finished 8th overall under Sheldon Keefe despite missing Morgan Rielly for half the games and Jake Muzzin and Rielly for nine of them.

With a depleted defensive-core, the Leafs should have fallen out of playoff contention completely, but they didn’t. You know why? Because of their core-four.

That’s just one of the reasons why their underpaid.

Let’s start this conversation with Auston Matthews and John Tavares.

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