Ngl when Matthews is a free agent, I see him getting the richest contract in league history. I’d expect 14m minimum. He’s definitely leaving the leafs for the states but it’s hard to see where he would go. He’s from AZ so if they are on the upwards trend by then it could be there but tbh so many teams have the ability to get him. Cant count out the kings there but they are probably out because byfield and turcotte will be NHLers and damn good ones at that. Also don’t see it as wise to sign matthews even tho there is the cap, yurov, Rossi, ohgren, faber, lambos, and wallstedt will demand pay raises within 1-3 years after. Obviously that is assuming they all pan out but the one definite imo is Rossi. He honestly could’ve gone top 3 if he was healthy. Rossi imo could be a top 3 player from that draft. Mind you looking at it 2 years later, the draft had a loaded lottery. As of this moment Laf may have been the worst player in that top 15 if he doesn’t turn his career around. With stutzle, Raymond, drysdale, lundell and Jarvis already being better NHL producers than him it’s nuts. Byfield underperformed in his NHL season but I still view him as having higher upside than Laf. With quinn holtz Rossi perfetti and Holloway all tearing up the AHL last year in that order, I see them doing great in the NHL next season. Sanderson preformed well in the NCAA last season and should be a good NHLer as well. That leaves only askarov and Amirov to make the NHL jump but they are Russian meaning it will probably not be next year and Amirov was held back due to a brain tumor this past year. Honestly the top 2 picks at the moment are shaping out to be the worst lottery picks but I expect byfield to make a massive jump next year. This is a great draft class so far and it’s rare to see the worst lottery talent at the top in a good class. Very interesting stuff. Sorry for the tangent bro

It’s all good man😂😂

But yeah I agree with you on the Matthews point, I just did it to represent all that money they would have to use in free agency with all the young kids being on ELCs. You gotta remember that the cap will continue to raise now that the NHL is finally recovering from the financial blow of Covid. I also expect some of those guys like Rossi, Faber, Lambos, Yurov, Ohgren, and Khusnutdinov to sign bridge deals after their ELCs end. I think Wallstedt probably will get a full 8 year deal worth the bag after his ELC ends though.