Marner, Kappanen and Johnsson will all make more

Leafs won't deal with Islanders, or perhaps that's visa versa, mid-season, so something like this would have to get done after the season's over. However, I really do not think that the Leafs make it past the first round of the 2019 playoffs with Zaitsev and Gardiner, playing together and each getting 20 plus minutes a game. Leafs need serious changes.

Not necesarilly Johnsson. Johnssons deal is about right but Kapanen would make around 3 on 2yr deal and Marner isnt taking that low money thats for sure. Im expecting 10.3-10.5x6 contract.

Four questions.
1. Why does Marner accept that?
2. Why does Johnsson accept that?
3. Why does Kapanen accept that?
4. Why do the islanders accept that?

I don't like the pairing either....but the leafs have managed to play to the 4th best record in the league right now. Serious changes might not be for the better.

Right idea

Brown has to go and it would be nice if they can also lose Zaitsev.

Rosen will be playing 3rd pairing.

I agree you may see Hainsey back for year at about 1.5 but you are close

Think the leafs would prefer to only take picks back and would sign Olz for 3rd pairing and maybe resign Ennius

Well done

The more I keep seeing these 'offer sheet Kapanen' posts the more I think he's getting traded. There appears to be lots of teams (based on their fans here, anyway) that will gladly pay Nylander between $4-5m. It's hard to argue he's not worth that....maybe it's an overpayment by $500k or so...but I also think Nylander and Matthews are overpaid by about $500k based on the term of deal they signed....so $4m--$5m on Kapanen seems right...

and I'm not sure the leafs can fit that amount in without Zaitsev being moved. I don't necessarily think Kapanen will get offer-sheeted directly...but I'm sure a few GM's will be calling Kyle suggesting they might go the offer sheet route unless the leafs are willing to work out a trade for him...and the leafs will be better off working a trade then getting a 2nd rounder (or whatever the compensation rules will change to for next year)

Yup. Always seems weird to me that Kap and Johnsson are valued so highly by Leafs fans, but then they conveniently sign these super cheap bridge deal. Gotta think that if Kap signs a bridge deal, he signs something similar to Sam Reinhart.

People, Leafs fans, don't understand that during a long season, scoring can bale a team out, great goaltending can do that too. But playing the same team in a best of 7 series is an entirely different ball game. Perhaps our GM doesn't see that way, or maybe he's in deniable about our blue line, but the way this pairing cough up the puck, are out of position, and unable to defend, shows me that we won't be teams like Boston, or perhaps even Montreal. Sorry to say, but i am just trying to be a realistic Leafs fan. Scoring bailed them out last night. If you don't believe, re-watch the game, it was overall pretty terrible defensively.

I don’t think they would and frankly I don’t think Dubas wants those guys back The point is he will trade Brown for picks and it won’t take much to get Zaitsev out the door

So how does mayfield sneak in there?

I think, to be realistic, you have to understand the cap implications of adding more before the TDL. We can't put Horton on LTIR....and if you don't leave $3.7m in cap space this year...then performance bonuses can carry over to next year's cap.

The team has been a top performer for most of the year. The team, as a whole, gives up the 8th fewest goals per game. I think a lot of that is Andersen...but the media loves creating these whipping boys on the leafs defence and we all love piling on. Before last night...when was the last time you felt Zaitsev blew an assignment big time that led to a goal? Before the Colorado game, how many times did you curse Gardiner for a giveaway or getting bodied off the puck? Their errors get magnified in this market because we have all been led to believe that this defence isn't good enough.

I think we have first class scoring and first class goaltending...and ok defence. Could it be improved? Certainly...no one would doubt that....does the team need a major shakeup to make it happen? Not in the middle of the season, IMO. Changes will need to be made in the offseason to get the cap to work....if we can move some offence for defence at that time, great...I'm all for it. But we can't really make a big change on Defence at the deadline unless someone wants to take Horton off our hands.

Personally...I'd be fine with a big vet d-man like McQuaid....rotate him and Zaitsev based on matchups and it certainly doesn't hurt having an extra professional level d-man on hand for the playoffs...I just don't see major shakeups anytime soon

I think you are forgetting that contracts are pro-rated when you trade for them at any point during the season. The Leafs could afford quite a bit of contract, without putting Horton on waivers. They can definitely do better than McQuaid.

Like who? I get that the AAV will be prorated based on how many games are left when the take the player...but they need $3.7m in space for bonuses. They have almost 0 wiggle room for next year to add a contract with term that is more expensive that whatever pieces are moved out.

By my count...the leafs will have 21 games left as of Feb. 25th (TDL)...so it's about 25% of the games remaining. What big shake up do you think is worth it?

Zaitsev will be traded for picks. Could be to islanders or anyone else. Perhaps they even throw I a pick just to get rid of the contract.

Mayfield is irreverent in this.

Not to the isles

Lou loves this guy......he’s the one who signed him for 7 years in the first place. He likes to try to show up shanty as he did by taking Martin last summer.

Depends if Kyle Dubas is prepared to swallow his pride and trade Gardiner, or Zaitsev, or both.

Can't see why he would feel emotionally tied to either guy. He's all but said Gardiner is gone next year and I'm sure he'd love to move Z

He has stated countless times that he believes in our blueline, that they are one of the better bluelines in the league, that he doesn't need to make any major upgrades there. I wish I could find the soundbite/clips of all that for you but I don't have time to search around. I mean, the man has also apparently said that he promised Nylander he wouldn't get traded as long as Dubas remains GM of the Leafs - now who does that?

A big part of the Shannaplan is protecting their players...mainly from media criticism like a lot of out players have had in the past. I think Kyle is just standing up for his guys...if they leave via free agency or get traded it's an easy comment to go back on...ie. "it was a tough deal but one we felt makes our team better now and in the future"

Based on his body of work so far, I honestly don't believe Dubas was ready to be handed this job, and it's going to cost the Leafs one way or another. There is a difference between throwing players under the boss and just not saying anything, or in the case of Nylander, making such ridiculous guarantees.

Could be his biggest mistake was following Lamoriello's biggest piece of advice for him "If you have time, use it" If the leafs had of inked Nylander 2 summers ago when he was first eligible and Matthews/Marner this past summer...they'd all likely be locked in to long term deals at $1-1.5m AAV lower. It's hindsight...but waiting has proven to be costly.

I'm fine with Dubas behind the steering wheel. Any GM was going to have to get creative with all these RFAs finding success so quickly and needing contracts at the same time....and I wouldn't take every word that comes out of his mouth at face value....he's just trying to show his players that they have his support during times when the media is dragging them thru the mud