our d-core still would be worse than it already is.

Hometown discount my butt. It's really not a thing. Look at Marner's contract for instance.

LOL. So without Tavares taking up 11 million, marner takes less for longer term? LMAO

I love how the home town discounts are still way too much for too long

... this team is worse off then it is with tavares

Yes, because Dubas's unique cap system started with Tavares. Matthews based his contract off of what Tavares was getting and of course Marner then asked for Matthews money. Without the Tavares signing, Matthews probably goes for what Eichel got, even though he lives up to $11.64M as of today. I don't think Marner would have gone down to $8Mx8years, but his cap hit would be under $10M.

You're stating that all like its fact when it is entirely your opinion and likely completely off base...
Matthews was getting his $ regardless of whether JT was on the team or not. If anything Matthews may just as easily got more if Tavares wasn't there. Not a lot of leverage for the Leafs on the Matthews deal if Kadri is their next best C.

Marner same thing. Only reason Marner would have got less is because he likely wouldn't have had 90+ points playing with Kadri.

this is fantasy land

It was known that Marner was ready to sign 8x8, but leafs focused on Tavares and Matthews first.

Marner's season with JT brought it up to where it is today.

thats besides the point. we have more to trade for our defence.

in this world, we gotta trade a young nylander? to fill that void? or all the rest of the wingers.

This wouldve given us options, but we have JT till he reclines

but unpredictable circumstances are what have us in this cap crunch, so at the time of JT it made sense. The cap was supposed to go up to 88M and now its staying stagnant- with that kind of money filling out the defence would not have been so challenging. That said, I do think you can rebuild the right side without giving up any of the core 4 forwards