pens decline were gonna need a better defensmen

How does this fix the Leafs? You’re still cap strapped to the bone and this is before having any scratched players

Liljegren?

maybe but a fair trade could be reilly and dermott for letang and murray

Leafs will always be cap strapped. They will likely trade for 1-2 LTIR players (Hossa, Gaborik, Kesler, etc) players that will allow them to exceed the cap by a few million.. Thus, allowing them to carry more players. They're at 291k left before putting Gaborik on the LTIR - giving them another 4ish million to keep on a Spezza, Gauthier, Engvall, Marincin, Rosen, ect.

Letang ($1.5M ret), 5th for Bracco, Kapanen, Dermott

That return probably doesn't get Letang, much less the retention. Toronto AGMs have been trying to give Bracco away for two years, are the Leafs even going to qualify him? Dermott is, and will be, 3rd pair. Bracco is zero value, Dermott is maybe a 3rd.

Sticking with your named players...
Letang for Kapanen ($1M ret), Dermott, Bracco, 2nd

lol imagine thinking Petan is worth a 2nd

Gaborik helps us reach the floor if we decide to not take on other cap dumps and his contract is mostly insured, there’s no reason to trade him, especially not when we’re giving up a pick

Sens are already at their floor for next year. Why would they pay even more? Melnyk is going to shed every unnecessary dollar.

Not if it means giving up picks. And they technically don’t reach the floor without him unless they sign a UFA to a big contract lol