trading marner, the person who gets the team going. would be a mistake imo.

Ah yes Mitch "The Pylon" Marner. Garbage player and super expendable

He is just too expensive for what he brings to the table I think. I would keep him if his salary would be between 8.5-9. You cannot trade Matthews and Tavares. Nylander is actually on a pretty good deal when looking at this season, so I'd keep him too.

And I am not sure if he is the guy who keeps the team going more than others. Last years playoffs for example were a big disapointment I think. And while he is fairly good at the PK, he is often a bit lazy at 5vs5 defence.

Also with his contract length is quite bad for the term

I am not saying he is garbage. Neither is Dermott or Johnsson (Not the quality of Marner)

It is just that his contract is way too high for what the brings to the table and the leafs could actually use that cap space to upgrade their D as well as not having 3 forwards making almost 34m per season combined

Marner's not gonna get the return you want. His contract is too expensive.

Dermott should not be an expendable unless he fails to show growth this season.

If they would need to add things for a decent return in a marner trade, I'd do it.

And with Dermott, I think he is not that bad. But I think he holds value, but with Rielly, Muzzin and Sandin on the left in the next year, he has to play on the right. And I am am not sure at that point and Lehtonen might just be a cheaper option and is supposed to be not bad either.
Trade him with Johnsson for an upgrade for either one of them and you have one player less to worry in the expansion draft

Marners overpaid by like 1M and people think that means hes **** and should be traded. Looking for another 94 point RW that will help both the Leafs left shooting Cs have career high goals b2b years might be tough

This entire thread is why you Leafers shouldn't be allowed to have nice things.

You cant move a contract like Marner's without retaining a large portion of it or taking a good portion of dead cap space back. Its nice to think that Marner is the expendable one but Nylander is the one you can actually move.

Or just stick with the current plan to develop the blue line and then nothing needs to happen

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1794542

I see no reason to move a player that produces consistently at over 1 PPG - especially a player that is signed long term (with a flat cap that's a good thing) I'm very curious to see where players like Matthew Tkchuck, Brayden Point etc land on the contract scale 2 years from now

The credibility of any post diminishes when Bracco is included in any NHL trade. Leafs shouldn't be trading Dermot, an inexpensive Dman, who has played 17 minutes a game in each of the last two seasons as plus player. And why trade him even if as you suggest Reilly, Muzzin and Sandin are left hand Dmen. Injuries happens, so do you want Rosen or Marincin as full time LHD. Marner due to his contract is likely only to receive a similar cap hit back from in a trade. So trading Marner, the Leafs might equal on ice value, but doesn't really improve the Leafs.

Well the reason would be a more balanced team. The Leafs need a top pairing RHD but cant afford to pay one with those core 4 earning such a high % of the cap. If they are going to bring in a real solution to the problem, rather than a bandaid over the bullet hole like Ceci, its going to cost a lot both in cap hit and assets.

Pretty much all teams have a #1,#2,#3#4#5#6 and a couple #6/7 D men. In TOs case they have all those Defensemen under contract - Rielly #1, Muzzin #2, Holl #3/4, Dermott #3/4, Sandin #5/6 currently but projects to #1/2, Lehtonen is a wildcard but based on what he has accomplished in the KHL he's a safe bet at #4/5 and a hopeful #2/3 , Liljegren also a wild card currently #6/7 was projected to be #1/2 but will likely land around #3/4 - like I said before the issue has very little to do with personnel on the blue line and everything to do with "team Defense" that's the wingers supporting in the D zone and a 5 man squad playing safe first decisions in the D zone - just my opinion but if the "team Defense" does not improve than bringing in a Savard or let's say even a true #1 RHD (Savard is not that) will make very little difference to the team's over all performance

Marner is far from "expendable".

Very hard to trade that contract though. Even more so in times of financial uncertainty. Marner will be a Leaf for a long time IMO.

Dermott is not "expendable" either IMO. I think he factors into this teams plans more than most people realize.

If a player is moved for cap reasons, my guess is that it will be Johnson. The return will not be much though.

The only true "expendable" here is Bracco. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the team didn't even qualify him. His trade value is pretty much zero IMO. Perhaps a very late pick.

Would you agree that having three Ferraris, but no house is worse than having two Ferraris and a house?

I'd keep the Ferrari's and sign a short term lease on a reasonably price apartment or condo until I could afford a house.

Your example makes it seem like you have no other assets, which you do. If you want to move Marner, do it. But you're unlikely to find a trade partner that won't have to attach a bad contract in return to offset the salary.

The thing the Leafs would need to add to get a good return on Marner would be salary retention.