Dermott will get a 1 year prove yourself deal. He will ask for more money if its 2 years

That is fine. He can ask for whatever he wants. Doesn't mean that he deserves it.

We still have the same issue... soft defense

Dermott is a 4th-5th dman in a real good team.

I do think they'll go after one RHD. Doesn't have to be your high end top pairing guy, but someone who's good defensively and is more ready to play up with rielly than Dermott is. I could easily see them running one healthy scratch again and using the money to grab a more reliable guy, while still keeping Dermott

Just watched the 2019 WHC final between CAN and FIN to see Lehtonen play... He played lots of mins and quarterbacked the PP didnt see him on the PK though. Looking forward to seeing him in the blue and white. Looks like a guy who can move the puck quickly and should be able to more then keep up with the leafs style of play. I see this as the lineup the leafs start the year with too, just a little worried about the defense for the PK.

Kyle Dubas can keep this soft defense foundation together and not add anyone to make it better. The decision is up to him, but don't expect to make past 4 games in the first round. There is a high possibility we can see your construction as the next seasons team, but expectations will be lowered. Provides Auston Matthews every reason to leave when his contract is up. Also, since Leaf fans love to overvalue Dermott and Holl, both players are 5th or 6th pairing defensemen on any contending team, but nothing more. Holl looked horrible after he signed his $2 million contract and Dermott will be overpaid when there are significant upgrades over him. Another big question is what happens with Lehtonen? What happens if he is way worse than Cody Ceci or becomes another version of Nikita Zaitsev? We have no defensive depth pieces to fill in those slots since everyone on our right side is 5th or 6th type of defensemen. I know I keep editing my explanation, but another thing I would like to add is having star players does not necessarily mean you are a better team. I am aware the Leafs can move one of Johnsson, Kerfoot, or Kapanen to free up cap space or trade one of Holl or Dermott, but we can keep all our depth pieces and make the Leafs a well rounded team by trading Marner away. I love Marner as a player, but I would rather have a well rounded team than to stick with one player. Hell, if you want to add another star power, Toffoli's contract is coming up and at a cheaper cost we can still have extra cap space if we sign him, but this does not mean we have to sign Toffoli. All I am saying is the team would be better to have a core of 3 and still be a well rounded team than to have a core of 4 players and have holes in the lines.

Well said. I don't disagree with much of what you have stated here.

I also do not see any way that the Leafs move Marner. (Even though it could end up being exactly what the team needs filling deficiencies in other areas). There is no way that they go through all of that negotiation and give him all of that dough, (most of it in SB's), just to trade him a year later.

Thanks for posting.

The realism of Marner getting traded from the Leafs is low but the amount of areas the Leafs can address will be huge. $10 million in cap space is no joke. But what you said is what I agree with.

I respectfully disagree. The Leafs have still Liljegren and Sandin who will either play 3rd line or Liljegren probably won't play at all next year, so you have at least 7 D. I would agree with you about Holl and they definitely do need a better right-shot defenceman, or really just a defenceman in general, but the Leafs live on offensive talent. They have a coach who preaches skill and possession, a GM who loves small, speedy, skilled forwards who can make a difference at any point in the game. That is Toronto's identity. I really don't think you can give up someone like Marner because that alone can hurt a lot of Toronto's offensive threat. What makes them so dangerous is the constant attack, line after line, in the hopes that you force teams to defend shift after shift. Someone like Johnsson, Kerfoot, or perhaps Kapanen could be shipped off o pick up a Defenceman who can help out that right side, this way Dermott can play 2nd line, and either Holl or Lehtonen 3rd line.

Also, there has to be some faith that Lehtonen will turn out. The whole point of signing him was that he can slide in and make a difference. The Leafs have been well known for having the best scouts, being able to see good prospects in the draft, as well as overseas. Bozak from college, Robertson who is looking like a 1st round talent, Mikheyev, Johnsson in the 7th round, Hyman. I know Zaitsev didn't turn out, but that is only one outlier in a long list of good scouts.

With a belief that Lehtonen can play at the NHL level, the Leafs truly only need one strong, right-shot defensive defenceman and their team can be a threat to any other team in the league.

I apologize for making this so long

No need to apologize for anything. I appreciate honest and insightful feedback. You have provided that here.

I understand the concept of possession and attack, trust me. I just think that this team as it is here is just so easily pushed around when **** gets real in the playoffs and the rulebook goes out the window.