Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Sep. 17, 2019

Published: Sep. 17, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

With Mitch Marner signed to a 6 year deal the Leafs Top 9 are pretty much squared away for the next two seasons, and with Freddie Andersen with another two years left on his contract their is no issue with goaltending (only finding a backup) which leads to the big discussion for next offseason which would be, how to fit in a solid defensive core.

Morgan Rielly is signed on for another two years after the 2019/20 season at 5 million dollars but after that...nothing. The Maple Leafs backend is as bare as the Sahara Desert. This is my take on how the Leafs will be able to come up with a strong dependable backend while being subjected to the cap crunch.

Lets say the cap increases to 84 million dollars next offseason, it may happen it may not. Like this offseason, it was projected originally that the cap was going to increase to around 83/84 million dollars however as we all know it only went up to a whooping 81.5 million which has put maybe teams with RFA's this season into "cap hell". So revisiting the possible cap for next years here are my projections and reasonings.

Travis Dermott - 3 year bridge deal @ 2.25
- Dermott is a promising Top 4 defender, however more of a defensive minded type. Dermott has yet to reach 20pts in a season so the odds of him making 2.5 million and above is quiet rare unless he has an incredible upcoming season after coming back from shoulder surgery. 2.25 million over 3 years allows him to prove to the team that he is a capable and prominent Top 4 defenseman for the Maple Leafs.

Tyson Barrie - 6 years @ 7.5 million
- Barrie is the right handed defenceman the Maple Leafs have always dreamed of. If the decision comes down to signing Tyson Barrie or Jake Muzzin, the Leafs will be willing to pay Barrie the term and money in order to secure their top right hand man.

Mark Pysyk - 3 years @ 3.3 million
- Pysyk would be a great addition to round out the defensive core, as a right shot defenceman. Another defensive defenceman, he'll be able to kill penalties and be a solid depth d-man.

Rasmus Sandin
- Sandin will either be up this year or next year, but will be ready to take on the NHL.

Timothy Liljegren
- Like Sandin, Liljegren will either be in the NHL this season or next but like Sandin will be ready to take on NHL talent and strive towards being a Top 4 dman.