Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 27, 2020

Published: Jun. 27, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

It's the double-edge question, maybe even triple-edged? Winning the 2020 lottery for the Leafs means a couple things. First of all, it means they lost the play-in round to Columbus, which I would imagine to be pretty devastating to the organization and fan-base, second this team is extremely draft-lucky, and third, I say they would keep the pick and draft it. There's a lot to unfold here.

As a side note, it also likely means that either Nylander or Marner is gone. My vote is on Nylander, because his contract and great 2019-20 season means the Leafs could maximize his return. In Marner, with his AAV hit and signing bonuses, his contract is quite untradeable, and the Leafs can't afford to just be giving away players, even if it is for cap relief. The other thing to consider is that a 1st overall pick comes with max bonuses, and that has salary implications to what may very well be a flat cap for the next few season. There is also the question of what to do with Nick Robertson. By all accounts, he will be given every opportunity to make this team out of training camp next season.

I've tried to make the deals as fair as possible. As I usually try to do, the third line has been completely revamped with defensive hockey and the PK in mind. I always tried to keep an eye to the salary cap, both short and long-term. I also didn't want to move Mikheyev, but I think the Flyers deal needed a bit of a sweetener. Anyway, this looks significantly more like a playoff group to me, and a fun group to watch.

As always, let me know your thoughts. Stay safe.

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