Well in all fairness Nylander pretty much turned from a boy into a man over summer, his delayed production is due to other factors as you know and also just poor shooting luck - he's been phenomenal so far, it's just him being on the wrong end of random goaltender spread.

Zaitsev is 303/323 out of eligible defensemen in WAR this season, playing big minutes and doing okay is an asset, playing big minutes and getting caved in is still bad

When Marleau finally does retire, my guess is that he takes a job in the Sharks' organization, not the Leafs.

He's still playing well and is building on his ironman streak. If he plays through next season, it puts him at 870 games, which would currently be 4th on the all-time list. I'm not sure if he cares about such things, but Cogliano was pretty upset when his streak ended after getting suspended last season.

Of course playing big minutes is largely Babcock's doing. Zaitsev and Hainsey were "forced" to play big PK minutes until Muzzin arrived. Gardiner plays very little PK. So until the Leaf can find a competent Dman to takes Zaitsev place, and next year Gardiner and Hainsey spots, Zaitsev just might be the only option.

Could be true * 3. Hard to say where he would retire. he has a house in SJ and one in Toronto, and after moving his family here he might stay. Plus, have you seen the back yard rink he built for his kids in TO? Can't grow those in SJ.. Also. I'm pretty sure he's adopted Mitch and Matthews, so he has those kids to think about too.. family gets complicated the older you get..

I hear ya on Cogliano, and that did suck! But Marleau has more than the ironman streak to hang his hat on. Whenever he retires he'll probably walk himself right into the hall of fame.. and if he's still living in Toronto, it's a shorter walk

It's subjective but he NOT playing well. His decline from last year is very noticeable. Any more decline and he certainly won't be seeing much ice time if any at all next season if he plays at all. Which is the very reason, that he might retire.

I'm sure Marleau will head back to San Jose when he retires....it's really his kids home. But yea, he's really got a nice place in Toronto. I think folks make too much or players "home". Most of them have been living away from home since they were fifteen years of age. They are quite adaptable.
And houses when you're wealthy can be bought and sold quite easily. Gee, even people of "modest" means often home more than one home/house. A place in Toronto, Muskoka and Florida is not uncommon, for many folks.

I believe my way of " Marleau Retirement" would be far easier to accomplish....https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1021426

Yeah, I hear ya. And with all the lovely techno we have now once can make it work with a few flights thrown in per year... I'm a far cry from a house, cottage and summer house in florida, but so far I have a house, a tiny cabin in the woods, and I aspire to have a ice fishing shack someday like you and Bassman speak of.. aim low and overachieve is my motto saves on the disspointment

Actually I've have downsized. Sold my place in Florida a few years. Last summer sold the Muskoka cottage. Was getting a much to effort maintain everything. My new philosophy is "The best cottage is someone elses". I keep my boat at a friend, so I can still go fishing/boating quite easily. And now I drive 2 km...or I can walk the beach if I feel energetic.
My wife had the same philosophy as you when she picked me as a husband. "aim low and (if he ) overachieves is my motto, saves on the disappointment.

Both you and your wife seem wise with your stated philosophies

So....what was all of this past summer leading up to Dec. 1st? A science experiment?

You don't think Dubas had already had conversations with Mitch and Auston's agents to get a sense for where negotiations were headed? He just figured...what the hell...I'll turn down all these trade offers I'm getting now for Nylander so I can overpay him and then trade him in the offseason for nothing?

If we ignore term and look at AAV's here...what were we all predicting for Nylander and Matthews? Most regulars on here were $6.5-$7m on Nylander and $11-12.5m for Matthews. Leafs got them both inked within that range....the term sucks and it definitely comes off as paying top-end of the market for these guys...but from a budgeting point of view...what's changed?

I'll give that Muzzin's $4m and Marner at maybe another $1 - 1.5m might not have been in the orginal budget...but those are good problems to have. And Muzzin was one they willingly took

I can't say for sure what their offseason plan is....if Marleau has already told them he's done after July 1st....if the league has hinted to GM's that the cap might be a few mil higher...or if they feel they have other assets they can move to make it work.

But trading Nylander for nothing can not have possibly been plan A on December 1st...nor today

Again I was trying to show the cap for next year...and getting a non cap return for Nylander. And it wouldn't be for nothing. Getting rid of Marleau's contract might cost a first, and in the trade the Leafs got 2 second rounders

So the Nylander value in effect is Leafs 2020 26th overall, and two 55th picks for Nylander. Sure the Leafs might get more, but the cap coming back can't be more than 4m....hey that's Pesce and Leafs don't sign Jensen.

Nylander isn't getting moved for just a second and Marleau won't retire. Babcock trusts him and he uses him to play with top players. He aint' retiring unless he gets injured and we all know that Marleau's impossible to injure.

Well...for someone who doesn’t hide the fact that you think the leafs are paying more for their RFAs than any other team....you certainly didn’t have a problem here paying way more to Arizona than the wings had to 2 years ago to move a retired contract.

They only had to move back 4 spots in the first round and got an additonal two 2nd rounders back in the process. And based on your trade, I guess you think nylanders value is 4 draft spots.

Just doesn’t make any sense to me on any front