Pessimistic? Gardiner leaves as UFA. Nylander due to cap reasons has to be traded for cheap young assets. Not a problem at all. Dubas was right, he can sign everyone. But the reality is he can't retain everyone.

Mitch will get 8.5-9, Auston 10-10.5, and Marleau will probably be traded to a cap floor team.

Matthews gets Tavares money, Marner gets 8 maybe 9, Gards is gone. That's an extra 8ish mill in cap space from what it is in here. So what 3.3 mill for a 2nd pair D? It can definitely be done. You don't trade a star player to "address" the bottom 4. I'd rather keep Nylander then say Johnsson or Brown or even Kapanen.

Auston will get 11 minimum. Marleau has a NMC which means even IF he was traded he'd be traded to a team of his choosing.

I know it's subjective but so many want to really "cheap out" on the Leafs bottom end players. I don't think it's possible. IMO it's going to have to a high end contract that is jettisoned so the money can spread around to retain competent "bottom 10". More discussion for the 10 months

Why? The Leafs should start abusing entry levels next year. Like Sandin, Lily, GrundStrom, Timashov, Brooks, Bracco, and Moore.I wouldn't be the least bit upset if next year the bottom pair and 4th line was...
Moore-Brooks-Engvall
Sandin-Lily

IF you're trying to figure out salaries you trade guys like Brown, Johnsson, Hyman and Kapanen not your stars. What are we the Oilers?

One reason the Leafs are good this year, and all successful teams is to have competent bottom end players on cheap contracts. You mentioned those players as possible next years Leafs. I'll agree with if they are NHL competent. But "hoping" they are NHL competent in order fill NHL roles right is questionable. I would love to see it, but logic...to think so many AHLers can jump to the NHL, I really can't see it.

Trading a bunch of relatively cheap NHLer like Brown, Johnson and Brown. don't really help the that much as you still gotta replace with with about 900,000 players. Yes it is one way managing the cap, but it just might be necessary to trade one 7m player like Nylander or even 4.6m Kadri. The signing of 11m of Tavares and the emergence of super star Marner has really. changed the Leafs cap scenario for next year.

You mentioned comparing the Leafs to the Oilers. One reason the Oilers are crap is they have star players and really poor secondary players. I would rather trade one of the stars (Nylander) and keep a larger group of competent secondary players. Same with the Hawks that have lots of money tied up in Kane, Toews, Seabrook, Saad and Crawford almost 40m...and they have some bare NHLers filling many of their bottom end roles, hence their mediocrity. Anyway that's my thought and my logic about why Nylander might be the guy to be traded for cap reasons.

DJ, always love to have these discussions with you and knowledgable fans. Of course there is no right or wrong answers... now and maybe never.

I'm not hoping though. Watching them play they are NHL ready. Grundstrom is a beast he should be in the Leafs lineup next year regardless of if Leafs lose or trade someone. Lily and Sandin look ready if needed, if not there's Marincin and Holl to fill out bottom pair who could be better but they are NHL dmen. Bracco and Brooks maybe could use another year but they've been really gooD on the Marlies and Engvall is a monster too. Grundstrom-Lindholm-Engvall 4th line would be what I'd go with next year.

As for Oilers theyreally garbage have no depth cause they don't know how to draft out of the top 5 position. As for Hawks they won cups so it makes sense their cupboards are bare. Theyve gone all in a few times.

Yes always great to talk to knowledgeable fans.