I should specify that I think there is a reason that Holl, Gauthier, Moore and Rosen were all signed to the contracts below the ELC amount. they save around $825K having those guys on the roster. Engvall will probably be replaced with someone below the $925k mark too.

Brown is easily replaceable by a guy like Moore or Bracco. And if Marner gets 10.9 Mil I will be Shocked. hes gotta be 9-10.

Yes, you have accurately analyzed the problem. Good job! However, if you're about a million high on Marner (as we all hope), then trading Zaitsev away for futures or an entry-level forward and bringing up Liljegren is likely to solve the problem.

And because I can't refrain from pointing out how incandescently brilliant I am, trading Kapanen, Zaitsev, a second, third and fourth for Scott Mayfield and the Islanders' first not only solves the financial problem but also improves the defense.

Who tf is Scott Mayfield?

Moore is replacing Ennis. Bracco could be good but again, I worry that too many rookies on a contending team isn't a good thing. I don't think the NEED to move Brown. To me he's a good player on a great contract and he want's to be here. The contract that NEEDS to be moved in order for everything to work is Zaitsev. Marner might get less then $10M and I hope he does but the stuff his family and agent have been saying scares me. In a perfect world he's making $9 mil and we trade Zaitsev and we are set. The defense is where I fear the loss in quality the most.

I think you team you posted is pretty accurate. Leafs cap problems kinda go away if a retired Marleau and his cap hit is traded. If not 6m has be gotten rid with no money coming back. My suggestion has been Nylander....then it's just one position that needs to be filled. But trying to trade multiply pieces to get that 6m cap relief to me seems impractical. Too many positions to fill.

Is there anyone else you'd like to have as well?
Equipment manager? Guy that carries everyone's stick? Another 42 draft picks?

While I like the though of Mayfield for his RHD and cap hit, trading the farm for a 2nd pair maybe 3rd pair Defencemen isn't the answer.

If minimal trades are being made, then Johnsson and Kappy get squeezed a bit harder. Johnsson 2.25 Kappy 2.75. Each of them only have 1 good season, so they don't have a whole lot of leverage.

Brown pretty well has to be traded, it's a given at this point. Bring up Bracco @ .842.

Those 3 moves saves over $2M. Then you'd have to work out a 5 or 6 year deal with Marner around $8.0 or less.

Marchement as 13th fwd instead of Engvall saves $157,500K. Every penny counts!!

Yeah personally I just can't see how any agent or anyone argues that Marner get more than Kucherov's 9.5 and don't anyone start talking to me about all that state tax bs. Biz does enough of that.

All good points but if Marner signs for 8 or less Dubas is a god.

Ideally Liljigren is on the Leafs roster making an excellent contribution at a steal of a cost but no one can count on that. Defensemen take time to develop. Also again, this is a contending team. I hope that the vets strength outweighs the rookies weakness' but a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. On a team like this you can't afford to roll out with 4 or 5 rookies.

A $2.1M 4th liner is a luxury the Leafs cannot afford next year. And I've been a Brown fan since his Eerie days.

Zaitsev is the key to this off-season.

I think the same thing about Marner/ Kucherov. Of course I don't understand how Matthews gets paid the second amount in the NHL next year. Nylander should have under Pasternak's 6.67m and closer to Larkin's 6.1m. For some reason the Leaf management seems to paying home town PREMIUMS for their own RFA coming off their ELCs.

hard to compare Nylander to Pasta because Pasta is severely underpaid, Pasta should be making 8ish.

Well Dubas shaved around $2M off Matthews ask by dropping a few years , may have to do the same with Marner.

Although I would prefer 8 years in order to spread out the pain a bit down the road.

No the key to Marleau...does he retire? Even if Zaitsev leaves you still gotta find someone to replace him. And despite all the bad talk about Zaitsev he plays heavy minutes for the Leafs. So the cap saving in replacing Zaitsev may not be that significant.

Most important thing on Marner's deal IMO is getting 8 years. even if it costs you now, because his price tag is only going up from here.

Kucherov cost himself money by signing so early. But honestly I think the state tax has to play a part in it. You think LeBron and Chris Bosh created the super team in Miami because they had the best bench? It was because they could take less and make the same. Seguin, Kucherov and now Stone all benefit from this, but not as much as the teams do. Hopefully it gets balanced out by endorsement deals which I imagine are more lucrative in a market like Toronto but those aren't guarantees.

Over 35 contract. Even if retires, cap hit stays.

IMO there's a 95% chance Marleau is patrolling Leafs LW next year.

I agree about Zaitsev, but the difference between Brown's contract and Bracco's isn't enough to make me in a rush to trade him. Unless they absolutely have to. Of course if they could use him as part of a package to get an NHL ready ELC RHD then see ya Brownsie.

Since you are Mitch Marner Dad you go and talk to Mitch. Mitch has to know the life time benefit of being a Leafs and especially being a Leaf on a successful team. So a "hometown discount" could still be very beneficial to Mitch in the long term. Besides, Dad, let Mitch sleep in your basement so he doesn't have to pay rent. That has to be financial benefit of playing in Toronto.

Yes but his cap hit can be traded. I've changed my mind since December. Due to Marleau's ineffective play, I think he retires. Don't think the Leafs would have made the Muzzin deal without knowing Marleau is retiring. We'll see.

Is it possible to trade Marleau to the Yotes. Then have the Yotes trade him right back and retain half his salary? incetivise them with a pick. for example trade Marleau for a 7th. Then trade him back for a 3rd with half his salary retained. Kind of a strange idea, but possible none the less?

It's over $1.25M in savings, that's going to be pretty useful no matter what happens. Bracco is having a better season (statistically) than Moore in the AHL this year, and he's 2 years younger. He's ready to graduate.

IMO, one way or the other, Bracco is an NHLer next year.