Keeping Sandin Liljegren long term contract

2-3 year bridge maybe but neither are signing that for 5 years.

I think Seattle would do that for a third but not a second.
I doubt Sandin and Lilegren sign 5 year deals at the AAV. Thats more an AAV for 2 year deals.

I think Sandin and Liljegren would want shorter deals to maximize their next contracts.

Yeah, but why would either player sign that? Whitecloud is never gonna be better than Petro or Theo so he's destined to be a 2nd pair complementary player at best, so he took the money. Sandin looks like he could have top pair upside, and Liljegren realistically will only be challenged by Niemela for top pair RD in a couple years due to how thin the Leafs are on the right side, and that's assuming things continue to go right for Niemela, who has yet to play a pro game in NA (basically the second Brodie starts to fade, Liljegren is top pair by default, which would likely inflate his value).

State tax played a factor for whitecloud also the fact of draft status. Lily and sandin both first rounders and whitecloud was undrafted. Theyd be nuts to sign these