great but what happens when Hyman and Dermott are healthy

They still have work to do. Zaitsev gives them 4.5 million but it will cost them something to get a team to take on that contract.

Mr. Auston "Glass" Matthews gets hurt for a 1/4 of the year and the Leafs gain 3 million in cap space.

Sorry, but a defense with three rookies out of six players isn't a playoff team.

Adding to OldNYIfan....A team with roster of 20 just isn't done.

duh, guys I'm not a rookie here, I'm just bored trading the usual suspects of Zaitsev, Brown or Kadri.

Judging Dubas RFA track record, Marner will get a contract in the 10+ million range; first Nylander wants 8.5, gets 6.9 ; than Matthews wants 13, gets 11.6...so it seems Dubas exchanges 1 1/2 million cap space but the player gets a shorter deal. Marner wants 11.6, he'll get 10ish million. I only give Marner 6 years, thinking it'll be the best for him, he'll see what Matthews signs and both him and J.T. can get UFA at the same time, potentially keeping their partnership together (similar to both Matthews and Nylander becoming UFA's during the same summer also, though Nylander will be traded before the end and Matthews will be traded when he refuses to resign with the Leafs).