djb738

Yeah I'm not sure of that choice of wording I agree

The way I take it is some people believe that the offer sheet had no chance of not being matched and basically it wasn't strong enough.

It was that easy because if they got an offer sheet they expected it to be around $10.5M. Burnside mentions that some people believe the offer sheet was designed to not succeed. https://theathletic.com/1058722/2019/07/01/grading-all-31-nhl-teams-after-the-opening-of-free-agency/

Why?

BOOM!

I agree though that none of this stuff being said has actually come from Aho and is coming from Montreal and his agent.

I believe it was certainly term. It will be interesting once the Canes match. I don’t think there will be any hard feelings but at the same time who knows.

Only thing I saw was CapFriendly tweet that the Leafs have $11.6M in cap space with Marner, Ceci, and Kerfoot to sign (what Vegeta posted). Also saw where Kerfoot is likely to get $3M or a little more.

They offered Lehner 2 years at $5M per but he turned it down....to sign for 1 year at $5M with the Blackhawks

$5M per

Cal Rosen going to Avs and Kerfoot going to Leafs

Barrie trades to the Leafs for Kadri...additional pieces too

Mrazek back to Canes 2 years around $3.125 per

Varlamov to Isles for 4 years

Lehner to Blackhawks for 1 year

So part of the $21M now and part on July 1, 2020

I agree there but the exact offer wasn’t paying him $21M next month I don’t believe. It was something like $700K salary year one with a $11M signing bonus then year 2 was similar salary and slightly less signing bonus but all of that equalling out to $21M in signing bonuses had to be paid out in the next calendar year (12 months).

I just think if they were really trying they would have come in with a stronger offer. It looks like they came in at the max amount of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd compensation but didn’t want to go to the next level. Do they have to pay out the $21M in the next month? I thought it was just over the next year and the first year was like $11M.

Bergevin is funny saying that Aho wants to be in Montreal. He may but part of me thinks Aho signed it because the Canes weren’t offering the salary he wanted and this got him there and he also preferred a 5 year deal to a 7/8 year deal. Also, this sets up Aho nicely with a potential lockout coming up because I believe he would still receive bonus money during the lockout just not salary.

That’s an interesting assumption that Carolina can’t pony up. I would say maybe in the past that would be the case but I think it is a different situation with Dundon.

I agree Festivus and it really puts Montreal in a tough situation as all of these Players are signing and they can’t sign anyone.

Good question but I think they made it very clear from the beginning they would match any offer and it's not like they are in salary cap trouble and can't match it.