Realistically, trades need to be made. This is just a though exiercise. But here's the logic, such as it is:

- Sparks has been OK, but not spectacular. I don't think he gets much of a raise, but I do think they keep him around.
- Kapanen and Johnsson are producing a a little better than Connor Brown in his rookie season. Because of the cap crunch, I think they cut back on term to save space. Kapanen has been the better of the two--but he also has more NHL experience than Brown did when he signed, so I think that cuts against him. With Johnsson producing at a slightly lower pace but in what is truly his first year, I think the case can be made for identical 2-year deals.
- I think they bend on overall money for Marner but get more term back. Not basing that on any evidence, just an idea.

Note this leaves no room for spare players and is right against the cap. Frankly they need to trade Zaitsev for this next season. After that, with Marleau off the books, things get better. They may need to trade brown as well, unfortunately, but I'm willing to hear the Marner number before beating that drum too hard

Good job. But what happens when a player like Rosen is hurt and can not play the next game but is not hurt enough to go on Injured Reserve? It will be the Calagary Flames from several years ago where they played with 17 or 18 players, counting goalies when they had no cap space and several players sick or injured but not sick or injured enough to go in LTIR.

$1,830,000 for Kap? Try 4 to 5 million x 5 years

Well, this is just kinda the nature of the beast of a cap system, isn't? We're going to lose some guys we'd rather not in order to make room for the guys that we absolutley want to keep. The guys that we lose will continue on their career with other teams, and new guys will be given a chance to play with the leafs. I dunno. I kinda like that it works like this. In my mind Trevor Moore > Brown. Will he ever get a fulltime roster spot with the leafs unless some space is made for him? Probably not. Is he a way cheaper option than Connor Brown. Most certainly. Do i want to see Brown get traded? Not really. But thems the breaks...

They're pretty much screwed in that case. It's either play short handed, or take the hit and lose the player for a month (10 games/24days I think it is?) even if they'd only be out 1 game otherwise. So yeah. To be implemented practically, they've got to trade something.

If they signed him for 5 years they'd have to give up around $4m per for sure. But based on his production so far, he should be making a little more than Brown over 3 years. Cutting it back to 2 years I think they can slide him in a little below $2m per. Heck, if he'll take that deal for 1 year give it to him. The biggest pinch is 2019-20, it opens up a bit after that.

Absolutely. I do think they need to keep it together for a bit longer if possible though, since there's not a ton ready to come up from the Marlies now. But long run I think Brown has to go and I have to be sad.

Don't be sad, Bear. It's all gonna be ok. Just breathe...