Bob McKenzies Projection

You need 2-3 more roster spots for scratches, so at least $2m more in cap space..

Well, you don't have to have scratches and you can always call up someone from the minors (Engvall, Bracco, Brooks, Timashov, etc.) on an emergency loan basis if someone gets injured so that's not really an issue, though if I were doing it I would try to keep room for scratches too but Dubas (and Bob) don't necessarily HAVE to.

Bob McKenzie is normally on the ball and one of the better reporters/insiders out there, but I thought some of these predictions were a little silly. I get that he's not going to assume a bunch of deals, but I can't see the Leafs taking another run at Hainsey when Igor Ozhiganov is far younger and will be less expensive.

That's not necessarily true. Sometimes players aren't available for call up fast enough for example if the Marlies are playing California and the Leafs at home. There is a reason teams have a couple players sitting in the press box. There is also the occasions where a player isn't hurt enough for LTIR but can't play for 1 game. There would be no cap relief for the Leafs in that scenario and they would only have 700K left to call someone up. What happens if another player is sick and can't play? Leafs play with 18 players? Teams need to have a starting roster of 20 players for a game.

There is a reason teams never go into a season with only 20 roster players and virtually no cap insurance in case.

I think after 7 years of service players become UFA's. This would be 8 years for both Marner and Matthews so at the end of those deals they're UFA's, right?