All that dealing and it leaves 16m to sign Tavares, Matthews, and Marner and others next season.

That might be the most one sided Toronto trade I have ever seen.

Assuming cap goes to $83M, $23M to sign Matthews, Marner, and Kapanen! Tavares already signed.(sorry Pal that should have read 7 years) also option to move Zaitsev, or Tanev should Liljegren be deemed ready thus freeing up additional cap.

No way OEL takes less in Toronto then Arizona it's already been reported that he's seeking between $8.5-$9 million per, OEL,Tavares, Matthews, Nylander, Marner no way that is sustainable over the long haul plus be able to resign Kapanen and Liljegren down the road. And that isn't even close to getting you OEL not close at all.

I wouldn't trade Gardiner for tanev one for one. Tanev is way too injury prone and Gardiner isn't nearly as bad as everyone is making him out to be after the playoffs. He has one really bad game and people are just willing to give him away for next to nothing

If that’s not close to getting OEL I want absolutely nothing to do with him.

1. Leafs really aren’t gaining much going from Rielly to OEL, if at all

2. Kadri is a 30+ goal scoring 2-way, edgy centre on a sweetheart deal.

3. We’re adding Brown and Nielsen in just for fun

IMO Leafs are a much worse team by making that deal.

As for Tanev, he shoots right and has an extra year on his deal at a good cap hit. Other than that I prefer Gardiner.

IMO, these east coast guys who don't see OEL are the folks that really love him. I don't see it either, and to to want to pay him so much, let some other team be the sucker. He's like a super model you see on TV from distance on a TV screen, once you meet her up close, you realize she's just a good looking woman, nothing more.
At LHD with Reilly, Dermot and maybe Borgman hardly looks like a weak spot in 2019/20. Zaitsev, Liljegren at RHD. I would rather make a pitch for someone like Ryan Ellis in 2019 and it doesn't cost you anything except money.

While I respect your opinion, this has nothing to do with dumping Gardiner. This has everything to do with fit. For the purposes of this post, OEL and Dermott who is ready would get top 4 minutes on the Left side. We swap a left for a right, a puck mover for a more defensive Dman. Both teams find a better fit. Carrick doesn't look to fit in with the Leafs next year and the 2nd is to get Vancouver to take back money. In Tanev Leafs get 2 years, withiut jeopardizing their cap scenario,and the opportunity to insure Liljegren develops to a point he is assured of success.