Quoting: kams
You’re right, adding Kesler’s $6 mil does not mean that the Leafs get a special cap hit of $87.5 mil, it’s a lot more complicated than that. However, adding Kessler’s contract to LTIR does mean that they can exceed the cap and still remain cap compliant for the season. The Leafs have done it before using Joffery Lupul’s contract, Nathan Horton’s contract, David Clarkson’s contract, and Tampa Bay looks to do the same thing by getting Brent Seabrook’s contract from Chicago
No, the Leafs still were at the "active player" limit the cap hit at the time regardless of the LTIRs they had.
Having Horton did not have help the Leafs cap at all. Trading the 5.5m Clarkson to Columbus helped the Leafs cap because they could use that 5.5m more effectively. The only reason Columbus made the trade was because Horton's contract was uninsured, and they thought they could get value out of Clarkson, regardless of his inflated cap hit, instead of being out of pocket 27.5m for Horton's uninsured contract. Actually Horton's last year as Leafs he was IR not LTIR. Leafs would have a big bonus carryover the following year which they couldn't afford the following season. So in that season the Le afs actually had to stay 5.5m under the cap with active players.
Having Lupul on LTIR, helped the Leafs because they could replace his 5.25m cap hit with better value.
Tampa who are at the cap limit do not benefit by having Seabrook on LTIR. He was probably just part of the trade as the now Tampa has to pay his uninsured part of the contract. It certainly doesn't benefit Tampa cap wise.
Leafs are at the cap limit now...actually over it. Kesler makes no difference to the Leafs cap expenditures.