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Run It Back Looking To 2026

Created by: GMcC
Team: 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs
Initial Creation Date: May 16, 2024
Published: May 16, 2024
Salary Cap Mode: Basic
Description
With what we hear everyday in the media about Toronto desperately needs to change and move on from the core 4-5, I believe we are looking at this situation with blinkers on and not focusing on the bigger picture of the 25/26 season.

The Leafs will come into much more cap space with Tavares, whose wage should drastically decrease and Marner, who should only earn the same money as Nylander in my opinion would receive a small increase.

The team below fits under the cap by $1.3M, now do I think it’s the team we all hope for, especially at the back end, no but it’s a team building off what’s been good this past year. No longer are we moving on from Hyman or Bunting but retaining Bertuzzi and Domi, trying to keep some consistency in the lineup.

For 25/26 the cap could potentially go up another $4 million so the situation then would look like this-

Tavares -$5M
Marner +$600K

These changes along with the increase to the cap and the current cap space on the roster would give the Leafs, $9.7M in free cap space with Knies, Holmberg, McCabe, Webber, Hildeby and Woll to resign, 5 of the 6 are RFA’s.

This would be the season to make a push in free agency for the difference maker on defence, let’s hope Stolarz, Woll and Hildeby can be reliable moving forward and be our answer to the goaltending situation.
Free Agent Signings
RFAYEARSCAP HIT
2$1,000,000
2$2,250,000
2$850,000
2$1,000,000
UFAYEARSCAP HIT
5$5,000,000
4$4,000,000
3$3,000,000
3$3,500,000
3$3,000,000
Trades
TOR
  1. 2025 4th round pick (NYR)
  2. 2026 2nd round pick (TOR)
  3. 2026 4th round pick (OTT)
CHI
  1. Kämpf, David
  2. 2024 1st round pick (TOR)
DraftRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7
2024
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the NSH
Logo of the VAN
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the OTT
2025
Logo of the NYR
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the TOR
2026
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the OTT
Logo of the TOR
Logo of the TOR
ROSTER SIZESALARY CAPCAP HITOVERAGES TooltipBONUSESCAP SPACE
21$87,700,000$87,299,334$0$0$400,666
Left WingCentreRight Wing
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Bertuzzi, Tyler
$5,000,000$5,000,000
LW, RW
UFA
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthews, Auston
$13,250,000$13,250,000
C
NMC
UFA - 4
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Domi, Max
$4,000,000$4,000,000
C, RW
UFA
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
McMann, Bobby
$1,350,000$1,350,000
RW, LW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Tavares, John
$11,000,000$11,000,000
C, LW
NMC
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Marner, Mitchell
$10,903,000$10,903,000
RW
NMC
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Waivers ExemptKnies, Matthew
$925,000$925,000
LW, RW
RFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Waivers ExemptCowan, Easton
$904,667$904,667
LW, C
RFA - 3
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Nylander, William
$11,500,000$11,500,000
RW
NMC
UFA - 8
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Holmberg, Pontus
$800,000$800,000
C, LW
RFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Dewar, Connor
$1,000,000$1,000,000
LW, C
RFA
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Järnkrok, Calle
$2,100,000$2,100,000
RW, C, LW
M-NTC
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Robertson, Nicholas
$1,000,000$1,000,000
LW, RW
RFA
Left DefenseRight DefenseGoaltender
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Rielly, Morgan
$7,500,000$7,500,000
LD
NMC
UFA - 6
DeMelo, Dylan
$3,500,000$3,500,000
RD
UFA
Stolarz, Anthony
$3,000,000$3,000,000
G
UFA
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
McCabe, Jake
$2,000,000$2,000,000
LD/RD
M-NTC
UFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Liljegren, Timothy
$2,250,000$2,250,000
RD
RFA
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Woll, Joseph
$766,667$766,667
G
RFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Benoit, Simon
$1,350,000$1,350,000
LD
UFA - 3
Carrier, Alexandre
$3,000,000$3,000,000
RD
UFA
Taxi Squad
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Waivers ExemptMinten, Fraser
$816,667$816,667 ($0$0$0$0)
C, LW
RFA - 3
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Reaves, Ryan
$1,350,000$1,350,000 ($200,000$200K$200,000$200K)
RW
UFA - 2
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Waivers ExemptWebber, Cade
$875,000$875,000 ($0$0$0$0)
LD
RFA - 1
Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Waivers ExemptHildeby, Dennis
$843,333$843,333 ($0$0$0$0)
G
RFA - 1

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May 16 at 9:29 p.m.
#1
draft_em_sign_em_trade_em
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Bert should be let go. Unlikely he'll take a paycut.
May 16 at 9:32 p.m.
#2
DanielSan92
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Doubt the Leafs will have won a Cup by the year 2526.
Newgod77 liked this.
May 16 at 9:35 p.m.
#3
draft_em_sign_em_trade_em
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Quoting: DanielSan92
Doubt the Leafs will have won a Cup by the year 2526.


Toronto will be celebrating the hockey championship real soon, Toronto Maple Ladies will win.
May 16 at 9:37 p.m.
#4
GMcC
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Quoting: draft_em_sign_em_trade_em
Bert should be let go. Unlikely he'll take a paycut.


I would hope the 5 years helps to reduce the salary
May 16 at 9:46 p.m.
#5
palhal
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It's really a silly scenario to think the Leafs have to give up all that to give rid themselves of Kampf.. Kampf stays a Leaf
What is fascination Leaf fans have that Tavares and Marner have to be resigned.
Is Cowan a centre?
9.7m doesn't seem like enough to sign those RFAs.
May 16 at 9:48 p.m.
#6
WN88
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This is the clear direction we should take. It’s rather obvious if you actually think about it, which many Leafs fans seem to refuse to do.

That Kampf trade is also horrible, lol. Keeping Domi is pointless when we have Marner. If we want someone that plays with “bite” I’d rather not spend 4 million on them.
May 16 at 9:48 p.m.
#7
WN88
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Quoting: palhal
It's really a silly scenario to think the Leafs have to give up all that to give rid themselves of Kampf.. Kampf stays a Leaf
What is fascination Leaf fans have that Tavares and Marner have to be resigned.
Is Cowan a centre?
9.7m doesn't seem like enough to sign those RFAs.


I dare you to actually make an ACGM roster that’s better after letting Tavares and Marner walk.

And I doubt you will. Pretty sure the last time I ever saw you actually post a team you made, you traded Nylander and Mrazek for future considerations , lol. Goes to show just how much foresight you have.
May 16 at 9:54 p.m.
#8
palhal
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Quoting: WN88
I dare you to actually make an ACGM roster that’s better after letting Tavares and Marner walk.


I don't think understand free agency. Teams don't allow players to walk.....players have the choice. How do you think the Leafs were about to sign Bertuzzi, Domi, Tavares, Brodie, Benoit, Reaves, Samsonov, Jarnkrok. Players decided to sign in Toronto. Same thing if Tavares and Marner decide to sign with other teams in summer of 2026, the Leafs didn't allow them to do it.
May 16 at 9:57 p.m.
#9
draft_em_sign_em_trade_em
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Quoting: GMcC
I would hope the 5 years helps to reduce the salary


The Bert money should be spent on a Dman upgrade, there are plenty of cheap wingers who can play with Matthews, heck I recall Matthews starting his career with Johnsson and Kapanen as his wingers.

Even Sundin made do with crappy wingers, Hoglund and Stumpy than Antropov and Ponikovski.
May 16 at 10:03 p.m.
#10
WN88
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Quoting: palhal
I don't think understand free agency. Teams don't allow players to walk.....players have the choice. How do you think the Leafs were about to sign Bertuzzi, Domi, Tavares, Brodie, Benoit, Reaves, Samsonov, Jarnkrok. Players decided to sign in Toronto. Same thing if Tavares and Marner decide to sign with other teams in summer of 2026, the Leafs didn't allow them to do it.


You stay having the most abysmal takes on this site. Man, do you actually think Marner and Tavares are just going to walk away from the childhood teams after playing on it for 8 years and publicly expressing how much they love playing here?!?

I’m like 95% sure you spewed the same bs about Matthews. If I recall, you even said you’d be happy if Matthews walk so we could use “cap” for other positions. Your past ACGMs (which you rarely ever make) speak for how little you actually know about hockey.
May 16 at 10:06 p.m.
#11
GMcC
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Quoting: palhal
It's really a silly scenario to think the Leafs have to give up all that to give rid themselves of Kampf.. Kampf stays a Leaf
What is fascination Leaf fans have that Tavares and Marner have to be resigned.
Is Cowan a centre?
9.7m doesn't seem like enough to sign those RFAs.


I’m happy to reduce the price of getting Kampf traded but I thought I’d go less bias as a Leafs fan. I think if Cowan can play as a centre then he has to at least be given a chance on the third line and 9.7 is on top of what they already make so I’d say it’s a lot of cap space especially if you haven’t traded anything out to make more space.
May 16 at 10:08 p.m.
#12
GMcC
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Quoting: WN88
This is the clear direction we should take. It’s rather obvious if you actually think about it, which many Leafs fans seem to refuse to do.

That Kampf trade is also horrible, lol. Keeping Domi is pointless when we have Marner. If we want someone that plays with “bite” I’d rather not spend 4 million on them.


I agree the Kampf trade’s horrible but I’ve went against my Leafs bias, also Domi was excellent and gives us option at centre, wing and all over the lineup.
May 16 at 10:10 p.m.
#13
GMcC
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Quoting: draft_em_sign_em_trade_em
The Bert money should be spent on a Dman upgrade, there are plenty of cheap wingers who can play with Matthews, heck I recall Matthews starting his career with Johnsson and Kapanen as his wingers.

Even Sundin made do with crappy wingers, Hoglund and Stumpy than Antropov and Ponikovski.


This is what I think the Leafs have been getting wrong though, constantly changing line mates instead of building on what’s been successful
May 16 at 10:31 p.m.
#14
palhal
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Quoting: WN88
You stay having the most abysmal takes on this site. Man, do you actually think Marner and Tavares are just going to walk away from the childhood teams after playing on it for 8 years and publicly expressing how much they love playing here?!?

I’m like 95% sure you spewed the same bs about Matthews. If I recall, you even said you’d be happy if Matthews walk so we could use “cap” for other positions. Your past ACGMs (which you rarely ever make) speak for how little you actually know about hockey.


Sure Marner and Tavares could walk from the Leafs if they don't like the contracts offered to them. Also the Leafs could decide to go "in another direction" in the use the cap differently than Tavares and Marner. It's called free agency. And while I think that Marner and Tavares do enjoy playing with the Leafs, do you really think they would say anything publicly any different? Players very, very, very rarely thrown their team, under the bus by saying , "I don't like playing here."

Think I don't know about hockey. That's OK, you've confirmed that don't understand free agency, M NTCs or the cap. I'm delighted when the ill informed disagree with facts.
 
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