No, thanks, we'll keep Johnsson and Zaitsev, as we will get a better offer for a package including Zaitsev somewhere else.

How are you going to keep all of Kapanen, Johnsson, Brown, Marner, Gardiner, and Zaitsev with all the cap trouble you are in? Without moving Brown and Zaitsev, which the return will not be great for, you aren't signing Kap, Johsson, Gardiner, and Marner. And if you can't resign Gardiner, you aren't moving Zaitsev. And if you move Zaitsev, you have to resign Hainsey on another 1 year deal, and he's probably asking for similar money as he's making this year. It's cap hell and Toronto is going to have to make a sacrifice or two.

I'd like to point out that a 3rd for Zaitsev and Johnsson is ridiculously low, but the point still stands.

Veleno will get $925,000/3 years, Kakko will get something similar (will slide up a touch with the cap increase, but at least ~$925,000).

TOR will probably have to trade Johnsson, and if they pair him with Zaitsev, will get more than a 3rd (but not much more, fans always overrate their players). But, I don't think DET should go after Johnsson, he's more of a product of who he is playing with than skill (he is skilled, but not quite to the level he's at now). Johnsson would have to play with Larkin to come close, and not only would he not be ready for 1st line minutes (he would average ~4.5 more minutes/game than he's getting now), there are guys on the team already that would be more valuable there (Zadina, AA, Bert, if Svech comes back to 2017 form he could be a candidate, Ras if he doesn't make it as a C, with Mantha playing the right). Spend the capital on cleaning up the defensive side of the game.

I think that Gardiner walks, Hainsey retires and Toronto trades Zaitsev. That allows the Maple Leafs to re-sign everyone else and leaves a left side defense of Rielly, Muzzin and Dermott -- hardly a weakness. The question will be how Dubas addresses the two open right-side defender slots (Liljegren should be ready for the bottom pair). I suggested Nick Jensen and Scott Mayfield, but unfortunately the Capitals shrewdly got to NJ first.

Yea if that is the case, the Leafs will have to sign a lower end rh d-man in free agency. It's just that is such a big downgrade from having Zaitsev and Gardiner on the back end. And yes, I know both of them have flaws but you aren't going to sign someone that is as good as either of them. Would resigning Hainsey for another year at 2.5 mil be that bad a deal or do the Leafs really think he is retiring?

As you so accurately point out, the price of keeping Gardiner and Zaitsev is probably Nylander or Kadri plus someone else up front. I don't think that's the best plan. Yes, Toronto is going to have to get lucky in the free-agent or trade market for a passable RhD.

Why on earth would Detroit want Zaitsev? so basically adding 2 more veteran D we might as well just trade Hronek and Cholowski because if they have to split time for one open spot they are going to bolt first chance they get.