What does this mean for Marner? I doubt he accepts less than $10M now - he's the guy driving the offense on that team.

terrible defensively listen to steve Dangle yell about Gardinar coughing up a puck and ending up a good chance or in the back of the net almost every single game and either way your still playing one of Zaitsev or Hainsey in your top 4

Tell us why the Leafs haven't been past the 1st round of the playoffs since 2004. Who do you blame?

Your weaknesses get exposed and exploited by opponents in the playoffs in a way they just don't bother to during the regular season. Gardiner is a defensive weakness

Bob reported Toronto will start at 9.5 and Marner will come in around 11. Somewhere in the middle.

Less depth than last year. Unless they make a trade for some more rentals, they won't get past the 1st round.

Gards wont be playing there next year...thats what he meant...Any good team has 3-4 stud D's...not one...Muzzin is decent but he did play on the 2nd pairing for a reason in LA

Are you referring to Muzzin? Maybe take a look, hes not a rental.

Gards shouldnt...unless you want him at a -5 again...

If the Leafs had a capable defender to play beside him, he wouldn't be that awful.

That's a bit too much to comprehend

We have $7.6 of cap space left for next season, +$3 cap inflation, minus bonuses.
4 UFAs, 4 RFAs other than Marner

Even if we're dropping Gardiner's $4 and Zaitsev's $4.5 at no additional cost, those savings would need to be spent on replacement D

True but the leafs cant afford one...#nocuponceagain

You aren't getting another D, you simply cannot afford it. You are going to have to shed out some contracts.

All teams have to do is offer sheet Kap or Johnsson at 4M...Toronto gets screwed as its only a 2nd rounder coming back....Toronto's only saving grace is that two of the top 5 players are making 5M

The thought crossed my mind before, but I have now suddenly come to terms with Nylander 100% being traded this summer.

Leafs would easily counter with a $4.1M contract to make it a 1st and 3rd.

Rielly, Muzzin, Dermott. Good counting

Something has to give. IMO the best option for the Leafs is to trade Marleau. I know he is a fan favorite, but he's 38 and in reality, his best days are behind him. The only problem is he has a full NMC so Dubas will have to do some convincing.

No, cuz there is no room....

If you Offersheeted both Johnsson and Kapanen at 4 Million, they have to choose one.

10% above cap limit would help them protect one of them, but I don't believe both.

I'm not worried about that, because I never see offer sheets for anything but top tier players. It's too easy to match + trade a player with no No-Trade-Clause.
The players would likely choose not to sign an offer sheet, build up some stats playing on a championship team, and then collect their Stanley Cup bonuses at free agency

We will have to shed Nylander to open up some cap space for our blueline though. He's not good enough to be a Top 3 forward on the team, and he's too expensive to be #4

Toronto how many guys do you have to say goodbye to after the year?
How much is Marner getting?

You currently got $7.5mm in cap space and 14 guys signed.
Let's say Cap is $83mm, that leaves you with $11mm for 9 contracts.

Will be interesting to see how Dubas shapes the roster next year.

Rielly and Muzzin. Dermott will be forced to play 3rd line unless one of those players are going to become full time defensemen playing on the Right side which is not in anyone's best interest.

Either way, its extremely unlikely. Offer sheets are incredibly rare.

Yes but why wouldnt a team want Kap for 4M...FYI, any team would automatically trade a 2nd rounder for him...