I don't mean to be rude, but I think every trade is quite an overpay. The closest to fair is the Sean Walker trade, and I think it mainly looks fair due to the gross overpayment for everything else. This is not Leafs bias either. I showed it to my friend (who works for an OHL team and is a Tampa Bay fan) and he laughed saying, "ahahaha those are beautiful. What was the point, to clear cap and get severson for some reason?"

Johnsson thrown away is an odd choice. If anything, the lack of having him or mikheyev showed our lack of depth as the season went on. Healthy Johnsson is a big asset. Nick Robertson is a player I love, but assuming he will just click on L2 is a lot of hope for a kid who won't turn 19 until september. Guathier should not be the 3C, and if at all possible, Korshkov will replace Malgin if he can ever stay healthy. Also, I like Severson, but trading Holl for him with a 1st and a prospect is unnecessary. He isn't a top pair guy, and Holl as a 4D at 2M is a solid contract. Walker making 2.75M for P3 is ridiculous, although acquiring him for the top 4 at that price and letting Liljegren grow on P2 is a fine option, although swapping dermott and getting him while giving up more on the walker side seems counterintuitive besides swapping LD for RD.

I'd workshop most of those trades, as Walker/Severson and carrying 3 scratches would free up 9M. You can easily just keep Holl, Kerfoot, Johnsson, and Dermott (at about 2M), resign Mikheyev to 1M, and be fine. If you really want Johnsson gone, then you can try to work a Johnsson/Dermott for Walker/prospects or picks deal, but that weakens LW again.

No matter what they wont have gauthier as 3c

Just switch Spezza and him or if we're really desperate make Nylander do it. Kerfoot is dead weight