Well you would have to depend on liljegren being ready to go on the bottom line air at least. This is something that could be addressed as late 9 games into next season. I have no real issues with the top 4 if ozhiganov is moved up.

No it won’t Gardner will be gone already an upgrade. The D will be weak again next year if Mathews and Marner do not take a discount. If they do you might be able to get some with putting a package Kap or Nylander a prospect and pick

I think that this is a good way of looking at it. I think they'll probably have to move either Hyman or Brown and give Trevor Moore a bigger role in the middle six. I also think that one of Kapanen or Johnsson will have to be traded and maybe they could snag a cost-control defender, either through the trade or free agency.

If you assume that Nylander is properly priced, then why is Marner worth 1/3 more?? If Marner takes $8M and Matthews $11M, then you have $3M more to spend on the defense; if Marner takes $9M and Matthews $11.5M, you still have $1.5M extra.

It seems to me that Edmonton, with only 4 guys who can play forward (and that may be generous to Chiasson), might be interested in Brown or Hyman or both, which would not necessitate trading any one of the "expansion-protect" forwards. Of course, I would hate to lose two guys from Toronto . . .

I’m projecting what I believe players will sign for next year. I did not sign Nylander to that contract, that’s what his cap hit will be. I also don’t think that Marner or Matthews will take less money for any reason. Let me reiterate, this is not what I want the players to sign for, it’s what I believe they will if you think realistically.