I think it is unreasonable that Kapanen and Johnsson are forced to take crappy deals just because the Leafs have overpaid other players. I don't see why it has to be Zaitsev that is traded since the Leafs don't have a viable replacement. IMO, it's Nylander and his 6.9m cap hit that is traded. Maybe a Kadri/Brown combo. Still optimistic a retired Marleau is most of the solution.

I agree that Z isn't the odd man out; it's funny how everyone says the Leafs need a RHD so desperately that they'll trade for other teams middle pair Dmen, at a high cost and than "pay" to dump Z to another team, that sounds counter productive and foolish. The Leafs have an alright track record at finding unsigned/undrafted gems; Z, Rosen, Oz, Bergman and Duszak. Plus they also have Lilly, Sandin, Hollowell, Lindgren, Kral and Rasanen drafted, so trades might not be the solution because their is no problem with the D corps depth.

Because Zaitsev is terrible and Nylander isn't. Dubas said he isn't interested in trading his high end skilled players, why should he be now? There are many ways to still trade Zaitsev and get replacements for him (not that hard to replace him when he isn't playing well and is used in the wrong role anyways). Ben Lovejoy could be a cheap free agent to replace him and perform better in that role. Boom. that wasn't hard to replace. Get off your Nylander-out train that you've been on. He's not going anywhere.

Oh I think Kapanen and Johnsson will do better if they take the bridge but that's there decision.

Let's say Johnsson. He could probably get 3.35 x 4 or so. 13.4 million over 4 years
Or he takes a 2.25 bridge. If he plays as well as he did this year then he can probably get 4.25x4 so if looking at those same 4 years he would get 15 million... Bridges are gambles on yourself...

Apparently Dubas has told Nylander see he won't be trading him, but of course that has only so much value

As I have said elsewhere. Trading Kadri is stupid. Kadri is worth about 6.5 million on the open market (repeat 30 goal scoring center that can play all situations, can play shutdown center, and is good in the dot), he is paid 4.6 for term through his prime. Center depth is a huge strength of this team right now. Trading Kadri nukes that.

Once marner signs some huge contract, Reilly, Kadri, and Andersen become the Leafs best value contracts.

Also depending on Marleau retiring is quite the reach. Mr ironman has shown no sign of wanting to stop

Of those unsigned "gems" one is an NHLer. That's zaitsev (2 if you include ozi). The rest are question marks.

The Leafs have signed tonnes of undrafted free agents in the last decade, there have been three successes from what I can remember. Bozak, Scrivens and zaitsev.

The list from memory includes:
Bozak, frogren, Hansen, ozhiganov, Rosen, Borgman, Duszak, Lindholm, Aaltonen, Soshnikov, Gustavsson, rynnas, Scrivens, and like 10 guys who's name I can't even remember....

Man, some Leafs fans and their hate for Nylander.

Don’t agree with your thinking that trading Kadri is stupid, think his great contract with three years remaining means the return should be in line with what you are selling! If I had to pick between a 29 year old Kadri who plays behind two studs and can be replaced by Nylander and a 22 year old Nylander the choice for me would easily be to keep Nylander. Kadri is a opportunistic and aggressive player who has scored 30 goals two years in a row, he may do that again but not as the third line center for the leafs, he is a luxury and I believe needs to go either now or later when we need cap space. That does not take away from his value or the great return you would demand

Zaitsev just may need to be moved but he also needs to be replaced so you are still going to have to move a skilled player to get one back. All this talk of how horrible zaitsev is but he plays the most difficult minutes of all leafs defencemen.

Dubas has some sort of plan in mind evident by picking up Muzzin as soon as he knew what mathews number was. Not sure what the plan is but I know one thing if we escape with only moving brown and zaitsev it would be a miracle. The 6m would make the money work but who would replace zaitsev?

No, it's love of needed cap space. Leafs do have replacement wingers, but they don't have a replacement at RHD if Zaitsev is traded. I have seen just one Zaitsev trade that makes sense to the Leafs and the other team.

If Kadri is traded, then Nylander becomes a centre. I'm more concerned if offer sheets would come in for Kapanen and Johnsson this year or next year if the Leafs tried a low ball bridge.
Let's get over this notion that Kadri was a 30 goal scoring centre. Believed he scored 13 of this goals per season as the LW on the PP replacing Hyman. Hey, I don't want to lose Kadri or Nylander due to cap reasons, but that is the problem the Leafs created when they signed UFA Tavares, overpaid Nylander and Matthews, and the emergence of Marner, Kapanen and Johnsson as better players and therefore gotta be paid more than was expected. Plus Muzzin on the team next year and the unknown Marleau situation.
Other teams over the years have had to trade good players for cap reasons....maybe it's the Leaf turn. Tampa and Jets are in the same situation this summer. San Jose won't be be able to have the same roster as they have this year. So, I don't think the Leafs fans should think this is a unique situation the Leaf are in.
If Johnsson takes as bridge as you suggest and then is entitled 4.25m the following seasons, how are the Leafs better off? Now where is this cap coming from as other players will be wanting raises too. Gee to think Reilly and Andersson have just two years left on their deals.

The bottom line is that trading Zaitsev as an economic solution works if a lesser-priced roughly-equivalent d-man comes back; as a pure cap dump, it makes little sense as @palhal @Jamiepo and @draft_em_sign_em_trade_em have all said.

Well said. Let's imagine the Leafs trade Zaitsev and his 4.5m with no money returned and sign a UFA equivalent for 2.5m, the Leafs only save 2m...nice but Leafs need cap relief then that. Plus really what the chances of trading the entire 4.5m Zaitsev and his full contract. The other factor is this magical 2,5m replacement. If he is so good, gee he should sign a 4m contract with the team that just traded for Zaitsev.
I really don't understand all this distain for Zaitsev (and Hainsey). And to think there are viable replacements at a much lesser cap hit....problematic.

To reinforce your point, let's look at three prominent D free-agent signings from last summer: Calvin DeHaan, Ian Cole and Greg Pateryn. The first two have almost identical stats to Zaitsev and their cap hits are $4.55M and $4.25M respectively. Greg Pateryn, on the other hand, is the magic $2.25M cap hit d-man we're all hoping will ride to the rescue. He's 0-5 for 5 points and a minus 7 on the year, and many Wild fans consider this signing a bust. I know I'm high on Nick Jensen and Scott Mayfield, and lately Markus Nutivaara, but there is a serious risk that any of them could wilt under the additional pressure of getting #1 or #2 pairing assignments opposite Rielly or Muzzin.

So you trade Kadri who as you admit is an incredible contract (when we have cap issues) and run Matthews/Tavares/Nylander. Great. What do you do when there is an injury? I guess we have Marleau, but he is gone in a year, and frankly not that good. Having Nylander on the wing is an incredible luxury, one I would want to keep.

Kadri will not be having any more 30 goal seasons with the Leafs, in fact he might not be hitting the 50-60 point mark anytime with his remaining years, a great contract IF he was a 2nd line C, an average contract as a 3rd C. But easily tradable with a good return for a team in desperate need of a 2nd C, the Pens survived trading Staal (and than his replacement Sutter and than won 2 Cups without an awesome 3rd C) and the Leaf will too if they trade Kadri.

The pens actually couldn't win until they got Bonino to be their third c. Then he left and they didn't win again.

Besides you didn't answer. What happens when one of matthews/Nylander/Tavares gets injured?

Yes but Bonino wasn't a 4 million $ player during those Cup runs, he was a cheap 2 million 3rd C.

Jensen was the cornerstone of my master plan for Toronto this summer. I'm now sorry I was so prescient about his value.