timmins is staying

Trade is a little odd

why?

In 2024-25 if they havent won the cup yet, and are all 2 yrs older, why would you keep the team together?

Some of these guys will be well passed it by then

Realistically they just need to be going on some playoff runs this year and next...expecting a cup win to justify signing two top players is a bit unrealistic....and I don't see a scenario where they aren't doing everything they can to get Matthews and Nylander re-upped...hopefully by this summer...that way if they continue to bomb out in the playoffs you're looking at a trade and not losing them to free agency

I get it, but this is a 2024-25 ACGM.

If this team isnt winning the cup in 22-23 or 23-24, why are you keeping the entire team together?

Its not like some of these guys are getting better with age. Why are you resigning all these mediocre guys like kampf, lafferty, gustaffson, etc... or 33-35 yr old guys like brodie, schenn, ROR, Acciari, etc...if they cant get it done when they're 30-31 yrs old, you really think resigning them to multi year deals at 33-34 yrs old gets you that cup?

Signing Matthews for 6 years opposed to 8 is going to cost more not less in aav. Same goes for Willy.

What's so special about the keeping the core together? In your scenario the cap has gone up 5m, and you pay two players Nylander and Matthews that 5m. You haven't improved the other members of ten team by in effect no giving the players raises.
I'm not saying if the Leafs should be sellers next TDL as they gear up for Cup run (although personally I would prefer a sell off), but no reason to think the Leafs HAVE to sign their upcoming UFA either. It's up to any GM, to manage the cap. If the Leafs big ticket UFAs don't resign with the Leafs.....Matthews/Nylander, Brodie, Murray in 2024, and Marner/Tavares in 2025.....that's 53m in cap to sign other players. As a Leaf fan, I hope the next GM and management team can do better job.
Dubas and Lou's biggest failures is trading off good prospects and picks, and not having good secondary players on cheap ELC contracts which would really help the cap. As a result the Leafs have to obtain more expensive aging UFA to fill out the bottom end. Four first rounders.....Reilly, Nylander, Matthews, Marner are the only Leafs picks on the team.....which is a horrendously low number.

unfortunantly so

why? He's been solid when given the chance

same reason washington didn't blow up their core. They'll be 26/27 next summer, not too old.

He doesnt play defense, use his size or hit

Did you look at all the other re-signings? Or are you focused on 4 players eating 50 million of the cap? You obviously skipped over the fact that in 2 years time its the same team at 22-23, even resigning 6 guys over 33 yrs old whille adding 1 player under the age of 26.

Also Washington or Pittsburg are bad examples, they've gotten out of the first round and even won a championship and changed the roster over except for the top 4-5.