Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Sep. 24, 2020

Published: Sep. 24, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

So before I get flamed....yes they are slightly over but that can be managed with slightly lower contracts to Clifford and Mikheyev....yes they need a couple of other players in case of injury but Toronto Marlies are close by and they can work that advantage by running a less then full roster.

The whole point is to see if they can fit an 8.5 million dollar offer for Pietro under the cap and what would need to happen to make that real.

So, Lets start with St Louis
They agree to sign and trade to $68 million over 8 years for Pietrangelo. The extra year allows the Leafs to pay him over 8 years and have a slightly lower cap hit during the contact. Instead of 9.0 million for 7 he is 8.5 million over 8 so player gets an extra 4 million over the 7 year contract they would have offered. Player gets slightly more then he would on a 7 year deal and the Leafs get a lower annual cap hit. St Louis gets Rodriques and a 2nd rounder next year that we get in the deal to move Dermott.

Finally we still need to move cap and have no position on the roster for him so Dermott goes. I think Arizona wants to sell off some of their current defence and will need a young cost controlled guy like Dermott. Lets send him to the Desert.

Well, I know its not happening but I think this shows the kind of juggling they will need in order to fit Pietro under the cap without trading Nylander.

Hope something happens, that defense is not close to good enough now.

Next we deal with the goaltending.......... acquiring Murray from Pittsburg and getting rid of Freddy. Murray is a more proven playoff winner and is 5 years younger. It hopefully sets up the Leafs in goal for the duration of Marner/Tavares/Matthews run at the cup. To attain the rights to Murray we would send Johnsson and this years 2nd rounder (strong draft). Murray would sign 5 x $5,000,000 which takes him to 31 and he presumably would have another contract in him then.

To do this we now need to shed Freddy's contract and while we are at it lets start shedding some salary with Kerfoot. He can no longer be afforded if we are to keep the big 4 together on the first two lines. Andersen and Kerfoot give the Hurricanes better goaltending plus some offence at a reasonable price......... I suggest we get our pick back that we gave them to take Marleau last year and a 3rd next year. This means Canes can sell off one of Mzerak or Reimer. Seems reasonable and I wouldn't squabble over the 1st being a 2nd.

1.

2.

3.

4.