I am happy with this deal

Even Holl can be moved. Dermott, Sandin, and Liljegren have all looked good (granted we are going to need to sign both Sandin and Liljegren in the offseason), effectively leaving us with a defense of:

Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Dermott
Sandin - Liljgren.

Kerfoot and / or Ritchie can then be moved and have his roster spot filled by Robertson, leaving us with a forward core of:

Bunting - Matthews - Nylander
Robertson / Ho Sang - Tavares - Marner
Robertson / Ho Sang - Kampf - Kase (Resigned)
Seney (Resigned) - Spezza (Resigned) - Simmonds


Not a bad team, and could definitely work.

To be fair, 36 isn't isn't old for a defensemen. Top level defenders can usually play until they are late 30's.

This is a W as long as the Leafs can still sign Campbell.

You need top level talent to win cups though. This is very fair for a #1/#2 defender.

I agree but value wise looks good compared to what Nurse is making

$8.2 million to sign Mikheyev, Campbell, & Kase plus 2-5 other depth players doesn’t sound too bad to me.

This team wouldn't even dare to touch the playoffs. I don't like the depth

In the short-term it’s good. In the long term not as much, but I don’t think that really matters for Dubas, since they need to win now.

...The depth is almost the same as this years? Robertson > Kerfoot, Dermott / Liljegren > Holl. Sure Seney is a bit of a wild card, but come on.

insert thing about Brian Burke talking about how he drafted him

Look at the Canes depth and you are putting Ho Sang on the 2nd line?

Seems okay.

Just because we dont have as good of depth as Carolina doesnt mean we have bad depth. Ho Sang is going to shock a ton of people.

Heh. They just never learn.

Should've been captain. I like his attitude

i know im not in the majority here but i think thats an overpay. for someone considered an offensive dman. youre looking at a roughly 50 point on average dman. Who knows if he can keep that pace up, i have to assume he will given the offensive talent on the top 2 lines... but you look at a guy like torey krug (who i notably have not liked and thought received an overpayment by the blues) hes been roughly the same if not better in some areas and hes being paid 1m less per year.

EDIT: Even worse now that we find out he has a full NMC for the next 9 years.

Letang is unique in the group as all the others were first Ufa contract in late 20s (and Ekholm in first Ufa contract in early 30s who signed shorter term). Letang is in his mid to late 30s. While he's still performing at a damn good level, hes in a little different situation than the others.

(Side note comparisons of prime to prime Letang is the best of the group, he's just no longer in his prime. My guess is he gets a Gonchar like deal when he left Pittsburgh somewhere?

Eventually spezza will decline so I wouldn't plan for him a year in advance. If he keeps it up, awesome though.

That being said predicting 4th line c a year out isn't that important.

Realistically the team you describe needs 1 more 3c and 2/3 LW. The rest would be filled by prospects, vets on repricing deals.

It's a decent contract, but it also more or less seals the fact that Leafs are not going to change that core that has been able to achieve nothing until Matthews' contract expires.

Just keep banging the head on the brick wall. Doesn't look like it's about to break any time soon.

Idk if I’m the first to say this but this shows that they are willing to keep this core together WHICH imo is huge bc everyone (me included) thinks Nylander MAtthews Marner will all walk but as of right now that doesn’t seem like the case. MR took less money to stay here maybe the rest follow? MAtthews can pull a Stamkos and resign at the exact same number … same with Nylander maybe a minor raise. MR signing is bigger than what it seems imo. He’s willing to be a leaf for life maybe that means the rest of the guys are willing to stay also?

From this moment forward I’m not blindly assuming guys are just going to up and leaf TML when they become UFA. Credit to management. I think this is a massive step in keeping the rest of the team together

Asking a genuine question...if you're a Leafs fan, do you like this signing?

Yep, Sandin aint ready for a top 4 role yet and Rielly is a workhorse who can play over 20mins a night. His offense is still there and ironically since Brodie has become his partner his defensive game has also improved. Only quirk that drives me nuts is him on the PP as he often prefers to pass over shooting from the point like Sandin those and that at times has really hurt the PP especially this year.

Psst psst *whispers* trade Muzzin

I’m not a leaf fan like you but do you think this will also help the team bring back guys like Nylander / MAtthews. I think they all generally like the team and it always makes it easier to come back when you keep the core together. Tampa is a great example of failing a ton but finally breaking through with the same core.