Because they are playing for a cup this year and will likely make moves in the offseason to adjust

A lot of the "middle class" players - if I can use that term to describe guys making between 2-5 million a year - may end up finding new homes. You move say Braun and LaBlanc and maybe ask Pavelski to take less on a bonus laden deal and maybe you can scare up 10m, which'll sign you a whole lot of depth guys and prospects.

Wilson is kind of a wizard, I’m sure they’ll figure it out

That is a lot of moves they'll have to make. They'll need to clear over 10 million on cap space at least to ice a team.

If they don't win the cup this season, I am not sure how they can 1) Ice 4 lines of NHL quality players next season and 2) is it even possible to entertain resigning Karlsson?

It's not going to be easy but I think they're gonna have to at least try. If they don't win the cup this year how do they justify what the spent on 1 year of EK?

Another question, how is no one talking about this but everyone is freaking out about TO's cap situation that in comparison is the easiest ever cap situation to navigate?

Because Toronto is the centre of the universe.

As a Leaf fan I really hate that. I am so over all the media speculation and bullshit that only muddies the water and causes widespread insanity. Seriously how bad is it, when even Leaf fans are getting tired of the Toronto media talking about the Leafs all the time.

I hear ya. Habs fan, as you can tell. Price slumped last year and suddenly the word was he had knocked up some under age girl and his wife was demanding he get traded out of Montreal, because that's what you do when your hubby is unfaithful and a criminal, right? The media in both towns is nuts, but the difference is that Montreal is all negative - the Habs are doomed! and Toronto is bipolar. One minute the Leafs are the best thing to hit the ice since the invention of the hockey stick, the next minute the sky is falling.

Assuming they resign everyone you signed

It's not really cap hell, just because you can't sign UFAs. But agree with you they have some big decisions on who to sign with limited cap dollars. The Karlsson acquisition seems to be an all in for this year possibility.