Leafs can't sign JT to 8 years without getting his rights pre-July 1st. This team also runs into significant cap issues in the coming seasons.

Patrick Marleau has NMC and he won't go to Minnesota let alone anywhere else that isn't San Jose or Toronto. So Leafs are stuck with that cap hit.

go into please Tavares part 2, its cap friendly (pun intended) also this if Tavares signed with leafs on july first.

Faulk is massively over rated right now. The guy isn't an upgrade for the blue line. Nylander for Faulk is a landslide win for Carolina. Keep Nylander, you aren't going to be able to trade him for equal value. Every GM will be holding the Leafs over a barrel saying you have to trade him because of the Cap. We can make due with better trades that will lower our cap hit and you can keep Nylander and upgrade the defence. Next year the blueline will be thin but we can worry about that next year. Year 3 with Tavares isn't a problem since Marleau is coming off the books.