Quoting: The_Rocket
I think they will find some trade partners to dump some cap and a mrazak buyout is the obvious thing to do, but simply having to do those things is indicative of a cap problem.
As for the RFA’s, Engval has scored at over 30 points per 82 games over the past 2 seasons (his current bridge contract) while being 10th on the team in forward ice time. He has arbitration rights this year. I think getting for under $2 million will be tough. Arbitrators rate things like points per game and special teams usage really highly (Engvall 4th among leafs forwards in total PK time and 6th in PK time per game).
For liljegren, over a 30 point pace as a defenseman with sparkling underlying numbers and also started taking on PK duties (over 1 minute per game). He is one year away from being arbitration eligible and if he was arb eligible this year, he’d have a great case for a big pay day. Maybe you can get him on a 1 year deal under $2 million but 3 years at 1.5 is laughable.
Sandin was the 2nd most used PP defender before the addition of Giordano, and also has scored relatively well and has great underlying numbers. I don’t think he is worth as much as liljegren but if you’re getting him for 1.2 it’s only for one year
I think a team only has cap issues when they are stuck and can't make any moves. Most teams build a team to the cap and then need to make changes in the offseason. This is the situation the Leafs are in. It doesn't categorically mean they have cap issues. If Holl and Muzzin were both deadweight, then maybe the Leafs could find themselves stuck, or having to give up a lot of assets to move those guys, but that's not the situation they're in. Only sticking point is Muzzin's NMC and we've seen lots of players waive some control once the team no longer wants them. But yeah it's certainly possible Muzzin says no dice, and that's that. Guess I'm just choosing to believe a deal can get done because he's still a very good player and Dubas has done it before.
Engvall has a lot going for him but I think the fact the he didn't really have a spot in the lineup to start the year and he's still only playing on the "3rd" line, will keep his caphit a bit lower.
There's been no stability in the Leafs D core this year, which will work to the Dubas's advantage in negotiation with Sandin and Liljegren. 3 years may be a bit hopeful on my part but up until the last couple games he's been surrounded by doubt and criticism. Throughout his time in the Leafs org (including this year), everyone has been asking when he'll graduate to the next level and he's only really shown it since playing with Gio. I think he get's a deal similar to Dermott.
Like I said in my original post, Sandin and Liljegren probably only combine for 3m, which will work with the Leafs' cap structure. The 1 v 2 v 3 years will come down to negotiation and I think there's enough doubt for Dubas to have a little wiggle room there to lock them up for an extra year in this price range.