Damn I didnt realize it was possible for Toronto’s defense to get worse

Lol. By next year Dermott will be better than Garinder and with their offense it is all about puck moving.

Possibly, but Rosen, Oz and Holl are totally unproven. Also Holl is not a top 4 defender, even if you give him another year in the AHL

Rosen and Holl are not NHLers and this is coming from Leafs fan.. but Oz is a real deal if he translates. I watched him a lot. He is a beast on a back end. If he would translate? We dont know, but I see him translating well. He is hard hitting puck moving defender with good hands.

Pairings in 2019?
Rielly-Ozhiganov (he is abilities to be perfect partner for Rielly, its not about being on 1st, 2nd or 3rd pair)
Dermott-Zaitsev (smooth two-way pairing)
Borgman-Liljegren (Hard hitting defensive defender with offensive defender who would be pretty great.)

That is a good defence, not stellar of course, but it would get the job done imo.

Except I think the Liljegren will eventually get top 4 and let's be real the Leafs will use the regular season for learning. He has 82 games to learn so by the end of the season, order I am not sure
Rielly - Zaitsev
Dermott - Liljegren
Rosen - Ozzi/Holl

That third pairs job to pass the puck to Tavares Matthews or Kadri.

See Pit 2017 cup team defence.
These Leafs are better than that.

I have heard Babs say nothing but great things but I guess the case can be made look at how Hainsey looked for 40 games with Reilly if Ozzi is better than that and he seems so excited to join the team, thank you Babs, thank you Dubas, thank you KHL for our right side.

https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/new-defenceman-ozzie-already-in-love-with-t-o

Babs flew over to Russia to speak to him. What I always wanted to say but many would find that ridiculous.. that he plays like Doughty (stylistic way, not on that level of course, mostly resemblence was in his transition from D to O). He is a Toronto fan thats what I know

It is great too because they have so many positions of strength they can have him in sit Hainsey than switch. It can be a learning year for Holl and Ozzi and as the year goes on, much like Zaitsev in year 1, Babcock can really find out what they can and can't do.
I hope the Leafs do this forever and keep finding free players because it is how to fill out a roster effectively with cheap players, while paying your best.

Lindholm for example was the 4th leading scorer kn the SHL he is 26 and isnt going to be a star, but for this team can fill a role for now, and is already an established hockey player, free because of good scouting and strong resources.

So, if Ozhigkov is an NHL Dmen. why does he take a pay decrease which takes him past his first UFA season. Twenty six year old Holl is doubtful to be an NHL now or in the future.
Finding oldercheap Europe players on their ELC is easy. But because they turn to RFA quickly and UFAs quickly....you got to pay them if they are NHL good.

you also probably under paid Nylander by $750,000. he should be a 7m dollar player.

So yes, in theory, this is possible. But this isn't NHL18. those Dman will get feasted on.
this will be cap hell in 2021

Tho i like the guy pretty much, seems like the one that came with the idea to sign Marleau postponed TML to be cup contender for next 2 years.....with that D it will be more then 28 goals in first round playoffs.

But....theres Seattle incoming...and while i was advocating getting two top 50 RD's to bring in...maybe its true and better to wait till Marleau and Expansion draft are behind us.....

How...the cap goes up, every year. It will go up exponentially in 2021 because of a 650million dollar expansion.
Remember in 2008 when Crosby first signed for 8.7, that was crazy!
10 years later that is objectively the best contract in the league, 3 time cup champ, undoubtedly 2nd best player in the league is not in the top 10 in salary.

The Leafs also have young D coming so after all of their forwards are signed they can look at young D.

You can doubt but if we are still here in 3 years you will be agreeing with me.

So you are assuming that:
1. we will have an expansion team by then.
2. that there isn't a market correction. I highly doubt the owners are enjoying the average salary of NHL players climb. Lockout is coming 2020.
3. in 20/21 the Leafs will have $66,000.00 million in Cap space. so yea you have space, but in the coming years you will become the Blackhawks(which isn't a bad thing) and you will have to purge a contract every season.

so you are basically banking on 2 things that aren't in your control. So in 2021 off season, the Leafs will be in caphell. like it or not, its probably a good problem considering the assets the Leafs have.

I just realised we all forgot carrick exists, honestly I think he's underrated and if we give a whole season to play we can A trade him for even more then you would get now for space for Lijegren (if he's ready, and possibly OZ) or B keep him and have a spot for either Lijegren or OZ if their ready.

Okay so before I answer the rest I would like you ri tell me, because I agree the Blackhawks were hurt, in 2021 how many bad contracts will the leafs have.
In Chicago a team with a cap of only 59.4 million to use had Brian Cambell at 7.1 for 6 more years. And Dave Boland at 3.374.
10.5 of deadweight which at the time was 17% of their cap. Let's be conservative and say that the exact thing that Vegas does doesnt happen and the cap is only 85 in 3 years.

17% of that is 15million. Who are they wasting 15million on, they arent and if Chicago wasn't wasting that cap space they could have kept Buff and would have more than 3 cups.

Also Toews and Kane both made 6.66 which at the time 11% so the two of them took up 22%.

22 million for Matthew's and Tavares is 25% of the cap, so this is almost equal if you want to use their contracts as the problem. It wasn't them of Keith or Seabrook, it was dead weight contracts, so again I ask, with Dubas and Pridim running this team, who is making that dead weight money?

It's TRUE, I hope they give Carrick a chance to play because we forget that Carrick was a constant on the 2nd pair in his rookie season, he was given 1.3mil so I figure they expect something from him, but no commitment which I think is smart.

Rules of chance I guess Ozzi, Holl, Carrick and Liligren. At least 2 of these players will be able to play on an NHL third pair.

My heart is with Justin Holl, I loved watching him carry the puck in the A and he would be just an amazing recolomation project for Dubas all the was from the ECHL.

I'm not sure how many they will have as its only 2018. still 3 years to do something dumb(internal/external pressures to improve the team).
For all we know Dubas could be fired by then(I'm not saying he will be).

in 2021 you will have 37 Million spoken for(Mathews, JT, Marner, Nylander(he's a $7m player(Drai/Pasta are the best of that draft, Drai makes 8.5(probably a million more then he should), pasta is being paid a million less then he should, then I would say Nylander is right behind them, maybe Ehlers too)

Lets say the cap is $85 million come 2021(no way of predicting that right now). That leaves you 43% of your cap spent on 4 players. So you are basically praying none of your younger player really develop into great players or All-stars(I would be mildly concerned about Liljegren potential, he could be a 50-60 point Dman someday). you have tons of cap left, but you also have players like Brown, Kapenen, Kadri, Dermontt, Anderson(if he keeps playing the way he is, that's like 8 million right there)that will need to be signed in the next could years. plus a Morgan Rielly extension in 2022(could be 7 million+(I love Morgan Riellys game).

So you will be a really good top heavy team with a bunch of mud at the bottom. It can be done.

I agree with you completely and that is why the Leafs are in such a good spot, say Timmy is great off the bat, you give him a good deal. Andersen makes 8 1.2 comes from Kessels money and you are only using another 1.8

I think they will keep the quality, deal the quantity and with that get more draft picks to get more good young players.

They key I think is that the big 4 should all retire as leafs and over that journey of the humans browns kaps you decide who is worth it and who the islanders or Oilers will give you a second round pick for.

Also because most of these players are RFA the Leafs have all the power.

I'm fine with 37 millions for the big 4
8 for Reilly
8 for Andersen.

Lock up Dermott and Liljegren, Naz I think will be 6 or 6 5 on his next deal, he will also be a Leafs for life.

If Kap leaves that's okay because at best on this team he is a third line right winger and you shouldn't hurt your team because of a third line right winger.

Also for the record I think Babs pairings in the years to come

Matthews-Nylander
Tavares-Marner
Kadri-Bracco

All good young fast and super skilled right shots to dish to their 30 goal scoring centerman.

My gosh if Liljegren is as good as he was projected the year before his draft, a 2nd overall pick with top pairing potential.

If we have Reilly Liligren Dermott Zaitsev as our top 4 with those 3 likes of insane centerman, at that point the leafs are devoid of weakness, I'm a little more cautious on Timmy, but of he is taht good, my gosh the Leafs will not have a weakness.