the leafs have to understand
NOBODY WANTS HUTCHINSON
so take him out of the trade he provides no value whatsoever

It's a contract off the books, the Coyotes are welcome to stuff him in the AHL.

Yeah a tonne of people on here don't understand or know there is a thing called contract limits. So teams will include guys in trades just to fill or vacate contract slots.

Raanta's good but there's no need to add a 3M backup for next year.

Does the Leafs' goaltending problem just go away next year? Is that how this works? Relying on sub-$1M goaltenders doesn't work for this season as foretold by the alignment of the stars, but it's all good for next season?

It is the less of two evils. We need to keep that money earmarked for our defense.

There'll be two quality ELCs on the back end next year, Ceci comes off the books, and Barrie won't be making $8M on his next contract. Dermott can be bridged. You're overestimating how much the back end is going to cost. Moving Johnsson is likely more than enough to manage.

There'll be two quality ELCs on the back end next year, Ceci comes off the books, and Barrie won't be making $8M on his next contract. Dermott can be bridged. You're overestimating how much the back end is going to cost. Moving Johnsson is likely more than enough to manage.

but then it's a useless contract on the book for the yotes=negative value for a wasted contract spot

Assuming Hill's the guy Arizona brings up, Hutchinson can play backup to Provestov. Madsen hasn't been great in the ECHL and is probably done as a prospect.

I imagine they'd likely add a contract coming back then. Some obscure prospect that really doesn't have much of a chance at making the team ever that the leafs will just release once his contract is up. Just like what Hutchinson is likely going to be.

I think $8M certainly isn't far off. And yeah Dermott can be bridged, but I'd rather not personally.

Also, goalies are hot and cold all the time. Sure Raanta is doing good this year and right now, but next year could easily be a repeat of his 2018 save percentage of 0.906 and we'll be complaining again about our inadequate (and now rather expensive) backup goaltender.

Considering you really only need him to keep Andersen out of October and under 60GP over a season, he's a damn upgrade on everything the Leafs have tried since McElhinney.