As a sub DAL fan, this is actually fairly interesting. A lot of expiring contracts on either side, with the only staying pieces being Faksa for TOR and Marner/Kerfoot for DAL. I can see DAL doing this if they're completely out of the playoff picture, but it does handcuff them pretty good on the defensive side for the current year.

On the TOR side... I don't know. I think they would need some reassurance they would be able to keep any of these guys. But at the current cap, and their likely demands for the new contracts (Klingberg wants and will get 8million from someone, for example), I don't really see it happening. Maybe you keep Klingberg, but lose Reilly? Is that really beneficial for TOR? I don't know.

Overall, it's a bit more interesting after the initial look. I think it really depends on playoff picture and extension talks with all the expiring contracts

Actually from my POV of Leaf fan, I kinda like the idea of the expiring contracts. Leafs rid themselves of 11m Marner, 3.5m Kerfoot, 1m Liljegren, in 22/23 , have Faska and Dallandrea at a combined 4m, and than have 12m more in cap space with the trade. Even in 21/22, the Leafs might be better on the ice with the trade.

Why does Toronto do this?

So get rid of Marner for capspace and overpay a 29 yo UFA instead? That's a win for Toronto??

Where do the Leafs overpay for a 29 year UFA? I said keep Faksa and Dallanrea at a combined 4m, and that gives the Leafs 12m in cap space next summer to spend on who ever they want.

Impact UFAs always get overpaid. So Leafs would have some 29 yo making $2m more than they should, (added bonus of aging out during the contract, and likely becoming an anchor contract) instead of keeping the slightly overpaid 23 yo 90 pt forward who's also quite solid defensively.

12m....plus those two NHLers. (and the picks) Gee, I think the Leafs could get good value for 12m. Maybe Reilly and Campbell.(I'm not a big Reilly fan) This season, it would have got Hyman and Hall.

But you dont trade a 23 yo 90 pt forward in order to keep a 28 yo dman who's going to get 8 x 8 and then look like E. Karlsson 2 years from now.

I love Rielly, but age catches up to everyone. What happens to his game once he's a step slower? When he can't just beat his man up the ice and gain the zone, or he cant out skate his mistakes.

How many high paid long term deals that start when the player is 28/29 end up looking good in 3 or 4 years.

Do you really think that Hyman deal is going to look good 3 years from now? Again I loved the guy, but how does his playoff track record look? Would he all of the sudden become Justin William's when he's 30?

I see your point. But I still think there are better values out there for 12m than Marner at 11m

For 1 or 2 yrs maybe, but UFAs always get either to much AAV or too much term (or both). So within a few years, the Leafs look pretty foolish if the main assets coming back in a Marner trade are expiring contracts.

Not too mention, the Klingberg aspect of this deal more or less makes it a Kadri for Barrie trade 2.0.

No idea how you can say that. They really don't need what Klingberg offers and the savings from Marner in no way would fill the hole left behind by his absence.

I say it's pretty hard to find two players who aren't on massive steals who perform at the same level as Marner does.

This.
Without two #1Cs, I think his numbers drop into the Rantanen range and is overpaid @ 11m.

You're missing the point though.
2 wingers @ 6m each centering Matthews/Tavares could put up similar numbers, so why not spread the talent around instead of having 3 elite players in your top 6 instead?

Leafs are great at finding bottom value players to fill out the rest of their lineup. You don't think with a little higher budget, that they wouldn't be able to field two 45 pt players for sub-6 million contracts?

Two 45 point players are not remotely close to a 100 point player. And if you are paying a 45 point player 6 million you have a terrible contract