Johnsson doesn't get a 1st in any reality

He might. But both Kapanen and Johnsson does not deserve 4 million cap hit.

no way Johnsson is a product of his line mates. Kap is a better all around player and deserves close to 4 million.

Toronto's problem is that they rushed their rebuild. They had a great cap situation before signing Tavares. As good as Tavares is his contract put them in cap trouble. It also didn't help that they signed Marleau to a long term deal, which ends after they were going to have to resign Nylander, Matthews and Marner. Kadri is on one of the best contracts in the league but they or going to have to move him because they won't be able to fit under the cap.

Rushed the rebuild? What nonsense. Signing Tavares did not put the Leafs in cap trouble. Overpaying Matthews and Nylander did. The good/great play of Marner, Johnsson and Kapanen made their next contracts more $$$$ than the Leafs expected will put them over the cap. But you can't criticize the team or their players for being "too good". What do you want these players not playing to their potential?
The big advantage of signing Tavares as a UFA is that you good him for free. Let's imagine Nylander had been playing to his 7m contract. And the Leaf had to shed 7m in cap
The Leafs would have got at least 2 first rounders for Nylander. So really the "trade off" was Tavares and two first rounders for Nylander. Leaf fans would have taken that any day of the week.
It's really the Marleau contract that sore point for the Leafs cap this summer. A declining player with NMC and a big cap. Certainly not Tavares.
T

When Toronto hired Babcock and Lamorello they both anounced to the media that the plan was for Toronto to be true cup contenders in 5 years. They were set down the middle Drafting Matthews and having Kadri and Bozak.

Marleau's contract was signed to this plan. Being finished after next season. (AKA the 5 year plan)

By signing Tavares: Marner had an amazing year by giving him a great supporting cast. Matthews was no longer the main focus of every teams defense meaning that by playing with Kapanen and Johnson they had much better years because of this.

Because of all this the value of all of Toronto's young players increased. The value of Kadri decreased because he is now viewed as an over payed third line center rather than an underpaid second line center and Toronto will be worst off in the long run because of it. They are going to lose some of their great young talent because of signing Tavares, and he put them no further ahead. They got put out by boston in the first round WITH HIM and WITHOUT HIM.

How much young talent are they going to lose because of Tavares....I hoping it's the overpaid Nylander. I just don't see how getting a premium UFA is bad. Yes it means that some other player will have to be traded due to cap reasons....so be it.
Yes the Leafs lost to Boston this playoff with Tavares. Without Tavares this season, maybe the Leaf miss the playoffs.

And please, don't be so naive to believe what a hockey coach, player or executive say to the media as being necessarily true.

They would easily be able to sign both Kapenen, Johnsson, and a third line center for what they are paying Tavares.
By signing Tavares the leafs also had to give up on both Bozak and Van Reimsdyk.

Prior to signing Tavares, Toronto was set up perfectly to build with their young players and compete for a cup in 5 years like what was said LOL. Now they are in cap trouble are going to lose some of their young talent and are ultimately going to become top heavy without depth.

Think what you like about Tavares, he is absolutely a great player but ultimately damaged the future of the leafs by signing him.

Don't follow your logic thinking it was wiser to keep JVR and Bozak over Tavares. You wanted to keep on running out Bozak and JVR for another three and seven years? You keep saying they are going to lose their young talent. Well they might lose one....Nylander. But the Leafs didn't get in cap problems by signing Tavares, they got in cap trouble by overpaying Matthews and Nylander. And the fact that Marner, Kapanen and Johnsson played better than expected and deserve bigger contracts, that caused cap problems, but isn't that what you want....the player to excel. So the Leafs signed Tavares and didn't have to give anything to get him. And if the Leafs have to trade Nylander and Brown to get keep compliant, gee isn't that good deal for Leafs? Tavares and the assets back in a trade for Nylander and Brown is lot better than just having Nylander and Brown.
No, I don't see the your logic at all that the Leaf were damaged in the future by signing UFA Tavares.

Tavares............7 x 11M........ ( in TOR from 28-35y ).........points last two Seasons .......172
JVR....................5 x 7M..........( "in TOR" from 28-33y )........points last two Seasons .......102
Bozak...............3 x 5M...........( "in TOR" from 32-35y )........points last two Seasons .......81

7 + 5 > 11....think again

And what Palhal said....its Matthews contract, which is now dragging Marners demands with it, that puts TML into trouble, if Matthews would be signed 7 x 10,5M ( which should be his reasonable price ) and then Marner would get 8 x 9M ( which would be tad overpayment but kid earned it this year eventho some of his points can be considered Tavareses "fault" ), so called Cap crunch would be nowhere near.

For the Johnsson ( 3 + 43 ) and Kapanen ( 6 + 44 )

League comparable is Arvidsson ( 16 + 61 ) got him 7 x 4,25M, tho i think kid screwed himself with a term a bit

intern comparison should be Hyman.........( 6 + 28 ) = 4 x 2,25M.....Brown ( 6 + 36 ) = 3 x 2,1M

so play with $$ / Term to get a middle ground where they should be signed, Matthews, Marner, Kapanen and Johnsson