The only thing that might work for next year too

So obviously posted from a Canes fan. Liljegren and a 1st is something I wouldn't do for Pesce.

I think what you are getting at here is that you are dumping the salaries of Brown and Zaitsev. A true cap dump is when you are sending a useless player who makes way too much money and thus have to pay to move him. None of these players are terrible players on terrible contracts. Sure Zaitsev may make a little too much but he's a valid and serviceable 2nd pair defenceman. Brown is a 4th liner in TO but on many teams would be in the top 6. Johnson is currently a top 6 winger on a very deep team.

Pesce on the other hand is a 2nd pair defenceman on a non playoff team who's career high in points is 20.

The Pesce love fest on here is crazy.

I think Zaitsev is a little bit worse than you're letting on but I agree with the point that this is an overpay.

I don't really think it's so much about the amount that Zaitsev makes as much as it is that you've got that cap hit for the next 6 years.

Also, what teams is Brown a top 6 guy on? You guys like to say that, but he's a 25 year who's career high is 36 points, and that was when he was playing top 6. That doesn't scream "Top 6 forward" to me.

I see this as a "Liljegren+Johnsson for Pesce, and then tp get rid of the Zaitsev+Brown contracts, it costs the 1st". If I were Carolina, I'd also consider tossing you Ferland for your playoff run.

I agree Connor Browns trade value is a 3rd round pick or bottoms pairing D-man.

You say “I agree” about us having to pay to get rid of browns contract and then say that brown is worth a 3rd round... makes no sense.

Connor brown is a third line guy and can play up and down the line up kill penalties and just do everything the right way on the ice. He’s great defensively is an amazing forechecker beats out icing calls and kills penalties. Would love to keep brown but it might not be in the cards.

The leafs do not need to pay to get rid of brown he is as you said worth a third, I would argue a 2nd or 3rd. Zaitsev is almost a neutral value. Due to his contract (500k-1m too much on a long term deal). Think you trade him for a 4th-6th. Personally with trade value that low I think he is more beneficial to the leafs. Trading him for someone on s similar contract to play a similar defensive role makes no sense.

The trade value here is out to lunch. Think kappy would be moved before Johnsson anyway due to team needs.