LOL - I like this negotiating tactic.
"Look Mitch, we are literally giving you everything we have!!!"

. And it still 1.435m more per year than the very comparable Aho

With a couple of Marlies (Bracco, Liljegren, Sandin) off the team replaced by the cheap older vets (Shore, Marincin, Holl) the Leafs can push Marner's max number to 10 million.

And since in this scenario the Leaf's are running a 22 man roster, it might be best to include the 22nd player first and then play the same tactic, so then it would only be 600k over Aho.

Too bad Babcock's 8m AAV wasn't included in the cap. I would drop him and promote Keefe.

You might have to give him that last $1, lol

I think 6 years for 58 million contract is fair, that's a 9'666'667 per season and 1 million more than Aho, but it's also signed for 1 extra season to offset those naysayers and less than Kucherov (figure tax free state relief) and Kane, the best RWer's in the NHL. Also means Mitch will know for sure what Matthews and Nylander get in UFA and both him and J.T. can hit the market together (potentially continue their partnership). And Dubas can make that cap hit still work for this season without anymore moves.