I doubt if Zaitsev gets traded...he's needed But Nylander with his front loaded contract is the likely player who is gone.

He will be a bargain for less than 7 mill. He isn't going anywhere

I don't understand the hate this contract is getting. It's not a discount but 7M for a guy who can consistently pot 30/70ish is good value, especially the latter half of the contract

It's more a question of cap space. IMO he is the most logical trade if cap space is needed. Of course I would prefer that he stays.

If you have a player scoring a point a game, which is where I see him progressing to, at less than 7 mill a season. That's an incredibly valuable asset, potentially the most valuable asset they have. What they could get in return is one of two things, a much less talented defenceman or a much more expensive older defenceman, both being downgrades. Why is that a good plan? It would make more sense to move our depth pieces that can be filled with lower cost rookies. Maybe trade Brown and give Grundstrom or Engval a spot, or a league min vet who wants to show he still has it (Ennis).

Those options keep the highend talent which will have the biggest benefit to the team.

It's an amazing deal, his ceiling is a 80-90 point player and that with this contract is nuts!

Folks get saying Brown is logical trade for cap reason. Well he is if all you have to do is cut about 1m or 1.2m to fit everyone under the cap. You still have replace Brown with about 900,000 player. But if the Leafs have to cut 6m cap ...who gets traded. It might have to be Nylander, or Kadri.

You need to trust your Gm to make the right moves though, we can here in Toronto. Kadri and nylander moving shouldn't be for cap reasons, if they move it would be a hockey trade. Players that aren't core pieces can always be moved to make 6 million in room. Zaitsev and Marleau, Hyman and Brown make a combined 15.1 (Marleau would need to waive) but there's always a way to keep a core together. I Iove hyman but replacing him with say grundstrom wouldn't be a huge gap in play, Brown doesn't even look like an upgrade over Ennis's league minimum contract at this point. Zaitsev hasn't been close to as good as Dermott who could flip up and play his spot and bring in a lower contract 3rd pair guy. Marleau isn't going to be hurt much when Kap or Johnsson get to take over his spot.

Nylander though, as good as Kapanen has been isn't going to be replaced cheaper. Even with Kapanen staying up with Auston if for argument sake Nylander goes, his point production likely goes from 40 to 55ish meaning he gets an extra million+. At the same time, your 3rd line suffers because Kapanen is a killer 3rd liner.

If you are cutting 6 mill it's to keep Gardiner and he's not worth losing Nylander for. Nylander is the better player and you always keep the better player.

Oh I agree not worth to keep Gardiner....almost at any price. But with Matthews getting 10m raise, Marner 8m raise, is there enough money to pay everyone when the cap has only gone up about 3m? It's still about fitting in 23 pieces into 83m cap. If it's possible to keep Nylander that would be great. Still there is the issue about filling Gardiner and Hainsey spots with competent NHLers.