I'm iffy on the legality of that Marleau move. On one side, it's pretty similar to the Grubauer/Orpik trade, but on the other side, it's cap circumvention because you're retaining salary, and then signing him at league min.

1. You're over the cap (it's 83 million)
2. you don't have a full roster
3. can't see minnesota taking that
4. I feel like the league would nix that Marleau deal.

Leafs say no.

Here is why.

So the leafs give up;
2 top 6 (1 potentially top line player) under 25
1 throw away contract
And a top 4 dee under 25 (with potential to be top2)
oh, then the classic "a second rounder" + a 4th

for;
top 4 rd
a shouldn't be in ur lineup rd
and top 9 player

Leafs say no. That is far to much money on players that we don't even know will still good for a long time.

Also, the leafs are in a cap crunch so why would they want to add 2 5m players while giving up two elc contract players? We need the elc contract.

Another thing, sure those players are better but overall value with age, cap and potential - the leafs are way over paying.

Lastly, zaitsev brings down the value on the leafs end so much it needs to be a completely separate trade or it is not worth it for the leafs.

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? okay, so spurgeon is a legit number one. The wild give up by far the best two players in the deal, and take on a cap dump. Dubas gets a 40 year extension if he pulls this off.

Have you ever seen Bracco play? He is breaking the ahl.

I think this trade is far fetched both ways. Leafs won’t be sensing their best prospects plus roster players for a rental and a net prescience guy.

Send less prospects better players and picks.

I have seen Bracco play. Quite a bit actually. I saw him play at BC. I saw him play for the U18 team. I've actually seen a couple Marlies games. He isn't breaking the AHL. Kenny Agostino broke the AHL, he sucked. Chris Bourque broke the AHL like 20 straight seasons. He couldn't play in the NHL. I'm certainly not saying that will happen to Bracco, but there have been a ton of undersized guys (he is not 5'11" i've stood next to the guy) have ripped up the AHL that couldn't cut it in the NHL. I like the prospect, but he isn't some blue chip guy just because he managed a point per game in the A.

Go on twitter and watch him circle the monsters. He has some slick edge skills and proven chemistry with Matthews. Not a guy I want to move at all during a cap crunch. Would rather move kappy and Johnsson. They will cost more.

Now that is logical, and they have more trade value too. However, I just warn that you shouldn't count your chickens with Bracco being a top six NHL player. He very well may be, but until he proves it, he's a gamble.