Is Igor worth 3 million as a third pairing guy? idk

Hainsey doesn't neeeed to come back.

Throw zaitsev into a package for a top pairing rh defensemen

I'd say start with not giving Hainsey and Ozzi $3m contracts. If Hainsey wants to re-sign for $1.5m...sure...otherwise he can walk. Ozzi hasn't proven he's a $3m player...if he wants to stay he can have a 1yr extension clost to $1m. So that's $5m right there. $2m of that goes to your cap...another $2.5m needs to go to bench players.

Take $250k each away from Johnsson and Kapanen..on shorter term deals if needed...add that to the $500k left over from above and give it to Matthews. If those numbers aren't enough to get Matthews and Marner signed...a guy like Brown needs to get traded for a pick and a $800-$1m vet or Marlie call up takes his place.

Hainsey - only resign if you can for 1 to 1.25 million for one season Otherwise look at other options.
Ozhiganov - max at 1.5 million per for one or two seasons. He still needs to prove himself some more before getting a 3 mil contract.
Marner and Matthews - look good - 20 mil max combined should be the budget - probably will be for 8 years though
Johnsson and Kapanen budget should be 5 million combined for short terms 2 or three years, I am think 3 to 3.25 mil for Kapanen and 1.75 to 2 mil for Johnsson for 2 years
Then add 3 players at the low level 800K to 1mil to max out the 23 man roster.

That should get you to your cap 83 mil cap

See my attempt at the team next year - https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/963556

I think you got the tips you needed from Emoon and Juice. And would add that if things get tight then players get moved starting in order with Brown, then Hyman, Johnsson, Z and then Kap (although i hope that never happens..) Hainsey is fine this year, but sooner or later he needs to retire. I doubt he's back next year

You might be able to save a few dollars as suggested above, but Leaf fans and I'm should stop worrying about "the core". Sign the 11m signing of Tavares, the core has changed. Also Marner sudden emergence as star from 6.5m to 9m player changes the structure of the team. As does the performance of Kapanen.
FACT: In order to give fair contracts to everyone...and maybe even sign a more expensive (better) Dman, and expensive "core" piece has to be traded. Might be Nylander. Teams have to deal with cap all the time. Teams sign UFAs or trade players for cap reasons. Leafs are going to have decisions too on how to allocate cap money.

At this point I feel like Marner and Matthews will eat up 23 million minimum

If you put zaitsev in a package you wont get much in return

Overall, pretty good. Matthews needs 2 more mil and marner will need 1 more likely but at least you realize the fate of zaitsev and Marleau. Not too far off cap, the leafs could not resign some players but roster depth is huge for playoff runs so instead I would trade nylander. Hes a player on the leafs who is over paid and not great but still has value, maybe get late 1st a d picks or mid level RHD to fix cap issue. Overall tho, well done

Ya, that might work if part of that package is Nylander

If Mathews and Marner were UFA's I would agree they would get more but as a RFA/UFA combined contract I think 11 and 9 are about the right numbers. Here is my reasoning/support:

My opinion is that Matthews for 8 years at 11 million (13.25% of 83mil) per is fair (4 years RFA at 8.5mil (10.25% of 83mil) and 4 years UFA at 13.5mil (16.26% of 83mil) = 11mil average)
My opinion is that Marner for 8 years at 9 million (10.84% of 83mil) is fair (4 years RFA at 7.5 mil (9.03% of 83mil) and 4 years UFA at 10.5 mil (12.65% of 83mil) = 9mil average)

Historical Contracts
John Tavares – 5.5 mil as RFA starts 2012-13 (9.16% of 60mil), 11 mil as UFA starts 2018/19 (13.83% of 79.5mil)
Jonathan Toews – 6.3 mil as RFA starts 2010-11 (10.60% of 59.4mil), 10.5 mil as UFA starts 2015-16 (14.70 of 71.4mil)
Patrick Kane – 6.3 mil as RFA starts 2010-11 (10.60% of 59.4mil), 10.5 mil as UFA starts 2015-16 (14.70 of 71.4mil)
Tyler Sequin – 5.75 mil as RFA starts 2013-14 (8.94% of 64.3mil, 9.85 mil as UFA starts 2019-20 (11.86% of 83mil)
Steven Stamkos – 7.5 mil as RFA starts 2011-12 (11.66% of 64.3mil, 8.5 mil as UFA starts 2016-17 (11.64% of 73mil)
Nikita Kutcherov – 4.76 mil as RFA starts 2016-17 (6.52% of 73mil), 9.5mil as UFA starts 2019-20 (11.44% of 83mil)
David Pastrnak – 6.67 million per for 4 years RFA and and 2 years UFA starts 2017/18 (8.89% of 75mil)
Nathan Mackinnon – 6.3 million per for 4 years RFA and 3 years UFA starts 2016/17 (8.63% of 73mil)
Mark Scheifele – 6.125 million per for 4 years RFA and 4 years UFA starts 2016/17 (8.39% of 73mil)
William Nylander – 7.5 million per for 4 years RFA and 2 years UFA starts 2018/19 (9.43% of 79.5mil)
Jack Eichel – 10 million per for 4 years RFA and 4 years UFA starts 2018/19 (12.57% of 79.5mil)
Vladimir Tarasenko – 7.5 million per for 4 years RFA and 4 years UFA starts 2015/16 (10.50% of 71.4mil)
Connor McDavid – 12.5 million per for 4 years RFA and 4 years UFA starts 2018/19 (15.72% of 79.5mil)
Leon Draisaitl – 8.5 million per for 4 years RFA and 4 years UFA starts 2017/18 (11.33% of 75mil)

Wow. . . You did your homework. Well done good sir. And I agree with you and could see marner now with your explanation. Matthew's could as well sign for what you said but my only thing is the mcdavid contract factor. Not saying he is as good as mcdavid but he is nearly as impactful and he is a generational talent like him so I could see him matching McDavid at least. Mcdavid also will have signed that when cap was lower so that would go with percentages which I think the percentage may match mcdavids. It also might, I have no idea just a prediction. But great arguement ?

I always thought that Edmonton has overpaid there contracts. Also just before McDavid signed his contract he won the Art Ross trophy. Matthews has had injuries last year and this year - will that continue?

Edmonton does have a history of overpaying and bad gms lol. I think mcdavid however was worth it. Apparently they offered him 14 which was maximum possible that year and he said no, 12 is fine haha. I think he is worth the 12 tho.

I still say use Kadri as trade bait, he has a type of contract which other teams' GM's will fight for, even more so than Nylander (unless Nylander gets back to scoring at a .80 points per game average after the all star break). I'm sure there's a reasonable 3rd line Center replacement that can be found for half his price tag through trade or UFA (or force Marleau or Nylander into the 3rd line Center spot and use the depth from your wings, ei: move Brown back into a top 9 spot, Moore and or Grundstrom look NHL ready).

Realistic??
The only real thing I see from that Matthews contract is him holding out.

Ya, thanks for the history lesson, but the league has changed and RFAs get paid. What is fair is 13 for Matthews, but I think he’ll take 12.

Leafs fans are in for a rude awakening. Your high end players are really good, and they’ll be paid as such

He’s also led the league in goals per game since stepping on nhl ice. Ovechkins recent streak may have changed that, but those players get paid. Saying 11 is fair is laughable

Zaitsev will be moved to make everyone fit. Deal him with a prospect to make it work. If Phaneuf can be traded so can Zaitsev