Leafs but keeping Jake Gardiner somehow maybe

Team: 2019-20 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 7, 2018

Published: Aug. 7, 2018

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I was not going to make another leaf ACGM until Nylander signed, but I have a confession to make. I actually like Jake Gardiner in the blue and white. For those of you who don't know, the Leafs top pairing Dmen were Jake Gardiner on the left and Nikita Zaitzev on the right if you are going by TOI and ATOI (I know right). Hes a solid Dman 95% of the time with excellent offence, and can show flashes of brilliance that remind us of why he was drafted 2 spots behind Erik Karlsson, and how he could have really turned into a true, #1LHD, rather than a barely passable one. He is most known for his occasional... horrendously game losingly (is that a word?) awful decision making, which was on full display game 7 vs Boston this year. That being said, he is still young enough (for a Dman) to fix that part of his game (especially under Babcock, although I doubt it will happen), and even with it in can play an important role on this team maybe sharing the number 1 spot with Rielly instead of Zaitzev pls Babs?

Either way, the only way this works is a Zaitzev esq contract. Long term, full NMC, lower cap hit.

On a totally off topic note: I got criticized last time for "Some Veteran." Goat is the only Centre anywhere remotly ready for the NHL (brooks is not ready yet), and I am not sure he will ever be full time, also babs likes his vets, so I think we will get a league min signing to fill 4C.

On another tangent, had the leafs not got Tavares, we were kind of screwed down the middle. No depth and nothing coming in the line for awhile. We needed (and still need) to draft a centre that can play a 3/4 role on a team.

So what did I learn? It is possible. But it basically requires everyone to take their minimum expected deal (not exactly a discount, but not their full value, so like hundreds of thousands off, not millions).
Chances of happening like this:
matthews getting 11 mil, 75%
Nylander getting 6 (probs for 8 years), 30%
Marner getting 7.25, 35%
Kappy getting 2.25, 65%
Johnsson getting 1.25, 35%
Borgman, Rosen, Sparks getting these contracts or less, 75%
Gardiner accepting this offer, 5%

Total Chance: 0.067% (0.0006718359375)
'67'
F*ck.