So everyone dumps cap on chicago and Chicago gets absolutely nothing. Yeah not happening

Really curious why you think the Hawks would have ANY interest in this deal? Because they wouldn't. This is a truly horrible deal for the Hawks.

Yeah, actually I meant to include PIT's 2025 1st in this, managed to forget it. I'll fix that.

Reilly and Graves are both eventual flip pieces; Cap fillers and picks-in-waiting, essentially. Chicago can absolutely afford to absorb the money hit next year.

Sergei Murashov is a stud goalie prospect who should be ready right around the same time Chicago is ready as a franchise.

So Chicago gives up their first-pairing RD (Seth Jones) and their starting goaltender (Petr Mrazek) and retains $5.45 million (probably worth a first) in exchange for a future first, a modestly-sized unsigned Russian goalie prospect (with all of the iffiness associated therewith) and two guys who didn't work out in Pittsburgh, both of whom have big cap hits? Do I have that right?

I don't think so.

With the many issues mentioned above. I am also seeing a Mrazek in Toronto won't fly. They've tried it, and it didn't work.

Side note if removing Chicago from the trade above:
One team that hasn't been using their retention slots is Seattle. I could see them doing it for the Ron Francis and Pittsburg connection, but it will cost some picks or prospects from the Leafs.

1. penguins have no business moving 1st round draft picks, so that is out.
2. they won't pay such a high price for rental marner. It's a waste of assets. Neither will any other team. If TOR wanted value on Marner they should have traded him with term on that contract. As it is now, he's not worth the 12 mil contract he wants in the future, he's probably going to have to hit FA in order to realize that and anyone willing to cave to it will initially try to tell us all how it's worth it and they will point to some points or something.... and then like 2-3 years into that 7-8 contract will be trying to trade it on here. No need for the penguins to be involved in any of that.

3. for some people who try to talk down penguins prospect but talk up their own you funny. That's one of the best goalie prospects in the whole league right now. Probably top 5.
If you don't think goalies are important, go ask EDM right now.

Leafs, nor would any rational team / GM, want no part of Jones’ contract. Or Mrazek - NFTU

A single 1st doesn't make this trade much better. That Graves contract is horrible. It's negative value to the Hawks no matter how you want to spin it. And he has no spot in the Hawks lineup anyway. A 1st, Smith and a G prospect doesn't come close to making this deal worthwhile for the Hawks.