Next year

Alot of ridiculous UFA underpayments there.

You really think Stamkos takes 6.5mil to play on 3rd line? You are really paying Marner 11mil to play 3rd line? Jarnkrot, a career 30 pt guy on 2nd line? Kapanen whos had some horrendous yrs on 1st line?

I like how you say Matthews has carried some speedy, hard-nosed players, etc.... you dont think that they are there to do the things matthews doesn;t? That they are there to watch his back and dig in the corners?

Don’t think the leafs sign stammer or skjei

wayyy too low for stamkos and skjei

I think you're putting too much stock into what "line" someone is on. Think HBK line from the Pitt B2B days - Kessel dropped to the third line so they could spread Crosby-Malkin-Kessel driving 3 separate lines, without impacting Kessel's ice time and production. Exact same logic is what's going on here - they drive their own lines but play all the special teams, any time they load up mid-game they can re-jig so Matthews/Marner/Nylander/Tavares/Stammer/Knies are the two lines that go out, etc.

Matthews comment - no sh*t - that style of play from wingers is something that meshes with Matthews well. But look at the careers of most of the players that left Matthews wing to go elsewhere - Brown, Johnsson, Kapanen, etc. Only Hyman continued to excel in a sustained top 6 role on his new team - playing with C who are as good or better than Auston in McDavid and Drai might I add. Its not a slight to the speedy grinders, but Matthews does have an ability to elevate players with those traits, and there are lots of those types of players available at cheaper prices - all I'm saying is I'd like to see the Leafs load his wings with speedy grinders from the bargain bin, not knocking those players.

Last thing - do I really expect the Stammer situation to play out? No, realistically that money is spent on a couple of forwards or on a forward and a goalie. But, did I expect Tavares to sign? Or Giroux to go to Ottawa? Also no. Stammer will be ~point/game this year and 34 years old. Exact same situation as Giroux summer 2022. I think if he doesn't stay in Tampa (he probably will but it looks rocky right now), why wouldn't a return home at a 6.5M-7M range be reasonable, with Giroux's deal as the most direct comparable? Heck, he was even considering coming to the Leafs in his prime when they had just finished dead last in the league, I think him being interested in a homecoming now if he doesn't stay in Tampa isn't that far of a reach either.

Plus Skjei - not sure how much more a 30 year old 2nd pair D will get on the open market. But fine, ~5M is the budget and we could get someone else to fill the role, not so concerned about it. Doesn't have to be him.