Is that Kapanen number for half a season?

what? it clearly says two seasons

I know, I'm kidding. No way you get him in for a penny under $4.

He only showed up for half a season last year...no where to be found in the second half and playoffs. I wouldn't pay him anymore. Entry level guys can put up 44 points on Matthews wing

Ever heard of a bridge?

Alright, try and follow rational thinking here for a moment. I'm not a Leafs fan nor a hater. Here are the four things you're proposing here...

1. Sign Marner for 8 x 10.5. No issues here, totally fair.

2. Bridge Kapanen for two years for about half of what he's worth on the open market. A bridge deal isn't 2 years AND less money than what a guy is worth. He could get more money in arbitration and be a UFA next season. Why would he accept two years under market value just to roll off into free agency in 2022? What's the bet he's making on himself? Even if he outperforms his contract, you think the Leafs are going to have the room for him in 2022? They'll be paying 3 forwards $30M, they'll be resigning Freddie, and they'll be a year away from having to pay Rielly. He simply doesn't fit into this equation. He might as well hit free agency as soon as possible. You need to give him a reason to stick around, and $2.8M aint it. In my mind, the only way they can hang on to him is if they offer him term at a fair number.

3. Trade all the guys you don't want anymore to one of your biggest rivals. They might be able to unload these guys one by one, for sure. I just can't see Ottawa accepting all your cap relief with open arms, regardless of their situation. There's a lot of teams looking for cap dumps... I can't see Ottawa being Toronto's safety net.

4. Trade the rights to Andreas Johnsson (who you'd have a better chance of signing @ the bridge # you wanted to offer Kapanen btw) in exchange for 3 years of Colin Miller at $3.8M. Why in the world does Vegas accept this?

1. Ok
2. Look at Sam Rienharts bridge deal or Subbans from way back, the made half of what they were worth and in rienharts case it was a 2 year deal after having 3 seasons all better than the one Kappy just put up, if Kappy equals that season or tops it in either of these 2 years then he is worth double and will have more ufa years to sell to up the price even more and until then he gets to keep playing with Auston and boosting his numbers so it works for both sides
3. Brown is a piece with value and so is the third and Borgman, there is only 1 cap dump here and the rest is incentive to take it, don’t think it should be OTT? Fine then insert team here
4. Vegas scratched Miller in the playoffs... meaning he isn’t needed there, his value has dropped and really Johnsson is probably an overpay but it is one I am ok with because I have confidence Miller will bounce back

Dont try to make sense to gloaters.

Where other teams are doing bridge deals ( Kutcherov, Panarin = Marner ) & (Bjorkstad, Faksa = Kapanen, Johnsson ) TML should pay longterm 1M+ price to each on top of 3 + 43 and 9 + 44 seasons.

( in before someone brings out Matthews contract )