WTF

Think you forgot to include Seider and 1st rounder going to the Leafs in the trade. Total LTIR nonsense.

Leafs are not doing that...


Seider has more value then Sandin

I can see TOR trading for Z's contract (they'll definitely need the LTIR space just to ice a contending team next year), but Z's contract value will depend on the cap. If the cap is flat, I bet Stevie will get a late 3rd/4th round pick for him. If (somehow) the cap goes down (which I don't think it will do), he may be able to demand a 2nd rounder for the cap space (he will also have many more teams angling for LTIR cash if the cap goes down). VAN could be another team that would be interested in the Z contract (though the proposed trade above may work, it does solve 2 problems for VAN).

There is no way TOR would use Sandin in an LTIR swap (also, Seider is WAY more valuable to Sandin. Seider could be the best dman not playing in the NHL right now [and maybe better than many dmen in the league already], whereas Sandin's ceiling is a #2 dman). I also can't understand why everyone is trying to get rid of Cholo, who is 21 and still growing (dmen peak much later than Fs). He probably should have played in GR his first season, and it has set him back some, but there are signs he's coming along, and has 3/4 dman value.

So, I don’t get it, how does getting Zs contract to the leafs help their situation? I thought LTIR players contract is already off the books.... is there more to it than just that?

Here is the article a number of people are referring to: https://www.tsn.ca/expect-the-toronto-maple-leafs-to-hunt-for-more-ltir-contracts-1.1475747.

In the most basic sense, LTIR allows you to go over the cap. So, you max out your cap with active players, and then by moving players to LTIR, you gain that space to go over the cap. So instead of 81.5mm, you'd get 91.5 (using the article's examples), and don't have to count the LTIR players toward that 91.5. It's actually a big loophole that was left in for cap spenders.

Cool, thank you! It’s still confusing. I’ll read the article

Sorry, you don't understand cap space and LTIR. Z's LTIR would not affect the Leafs or any teams cap space. Why would anyone think it's true?

Because every writer, Asst GM, analyst, etc. says it will, for one (CapFriendly has a nice writeup about the LTIR portion of the CBA here: https://www.capfriendly.com/ltir-faq, or you can read the TSN article I posted above). Two, look at there current setup, and tell me how LTIR isn't helping them? Right now, they have $91.5 million in active players (if you don't count Mik and Johnsson). How are they able to do that without LTIR (which is giving them 10.5mm in space over the cap)?

Next year, they have almost $77 committed to 16 players. Approximately $4.5 mm remaining to sign a minimum of 5 players (required to have 21 players on your roster). They can go 10% over the cap in the offseason but have to be cap compliant on day 1 of the season. If they take on Z's $6mm, and they use that $4.5mm to get to the ceiling, and then put Z on LTIR, clearing another $6mm off their cap (like they did this season with Horton and Clarkson clearing 10.5).

So??? Leafs added Clarkson and Horton to their cap and then they just took it off cause they were on season long LTIR. It's just cap neutral, no panacea of creating new cap Clarkson was traded for a cap reason, but any minor benefit was was nixed because Marner was signed before the season started.
Sure teams that go 10% over the cap, but teams can go over 10% if it includes LTIR.
The LTIR the Leafs had this season didn't help them. Clarkson and Horton meant nothing to cap. The Leafs gained cap space when Reilly and Muzzin went on LTIR. But geez how did it help the Leafs on the ice when they gained some short term cap relief but had to fill the roster spots of their two best Dmen with guys like Marincin, and two rookies Sandin and Liljgren.
The Leafs like all teams have to be at cap maximum by opening day....but that is with "active". Having any player on season long ending LTIR means nothing.
Now if Tavares was on LTIR was estimated half a season, the Leafs could project they could spend 5.5 on any other player year for the year. But do you really want to one of your top players injured just so you can fill his position with lesser player?
Your said the Leaf are at 77m with 16 players. Adde 4.5m Z would be 81.5m with 17players . So they put on Z on LTIR and the Leafs are right back 77m with 16 active players. Haven't gained any cap space despite what the Leaf cap conspirators think.