You could save an additional $500-600k by cutting back on Oz contract.

I like it for the Leafs

The Isles are 22nd in GF so they could use Kappy, and any issues with Zaitsev's contract term won't even be noticed with the rest of the anchors they have

Could have signed him for 1m on a 1 year deal but I like ozzy lol.

Losing Mayfield will suck, but Dobson/Wilde will have to take someome’s spot. I’d accept as an Isles fan.

I think it wotlrks we’ll both ways. Zaitsev is a solid Dman just a bit overpaid. They get some help scoring a replacement on the blue line and we get cap relief. I think Lou more than anyone knows the value of zaitsev. Think this could work. I hate losing kappy but I think this is the only way it works. We could also keep brown in this scenario too but I like the draft pick. Missing our 1st but know we have 2 in the 2nd.

The other thing I did here was sign kappy to a one year deal but that is just to make the trade easy. This would be an off season deal before July 1st. Most likely for RFA rights. Believe Islanders would have the room to sign him to a 3x3 or 5x4 deal.

I don't even think Zaitsev is overpaid today. He's just on the high end of comparables because he came in as a mature UFA. The contract was fair, the mistake would be not trading him at the point of maximum benefit.

For the Leafs, I don't like him because he is the most overpaid on the team today. If he declines from top-4 quality, he becomes a big overpayment and the Leafs are tied down by term + NTC right at the moment when the cap is squeezing the hardest against the Cup window. It's just happens to be that with Zaitsev we can do something about it and get ahead of the problem.

No one would choose Marleau over Nylander, but we are stuck with Marleau so all eyes are on Nylander instead.
Same thing with wanting to trade Gardiner if we can't afford to keep him. An in-house rental isn't free, it comes at the cost of blocking a younger kid (see Jokiharju in Chicago stealing a spot that was up for grabs)


I'd shut up and be happy if NYI dealt with us, but they're over the moon with their improvement from last year and won't see the need to make any changes.

I’d think he’d take a deal at those numbers. With Lou and Trotz running the show you’d have to think the Isles are heading in the right direction as a franchise.

I agree with you, and isles do deal with us and this would be an off season move. I think both teams benefit here. Leafs give up a piece of value in offence and isles give up a cheap Dman. We replace zaitsev who is nhl ready and serviceable 2nd pair guy and fits their cap and we take on an rfa and give him a chance to turn things around. Everyone’s happy. Neither team wants to lose their players but in the end I think it fits.

Lou did a great job here. Moved the right people in and out and between him and shanny got our program up and running again.

The Leafs should have kept Lou in charge to sign these young stars, Lou would have these young guns signed for 5-8 million cheaper than the rookie GM Dumass will, Dumass always seems to over pay by 1 million per contract.