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Trotz to the Islanders a bad sign for Leafs long shot hopes on Tavares

June 21, 2018, 5:28 PM ET [400 Comments]
Mike Augello
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Former Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello has been on the job with the New York Islanders for less than two months, but the Hall of Famer has been able to check off a number of items off his to-do list.

After relieving GM Garth Snow and head coach Doug Weight of their duties, Lamoriello struck big on the day before the NHL Draft with the hiring of Stanley Cup winning head coach Barry Trotz to a five-year contract reportedly worth $20 Million.

Newsday’s Andrew Gross indicated after the announcement that Islanders ownership is on the verge of hitting the off-season trifecta with Lamoriello, Trotz and re-signing center John Tavares, who can listen to other teams interested starting next Tuesday.

"I think what I know of Lou, what I know of John...I felt strongly that once Lou gets with John ... Lou's going to execute a plan, a long-term plan that will be very successful so we can chase the Stanley Cup and win a Stanley Cup." Trotz said in a conference call regarding the Isles closing the deal with the pending free agent.

It has long been considered a long shot that the GTA native would get to the open market and an even longer shot that he would come to Toronto, with Auston Matthews as their franchise cornerstone one year away from being paid in the top echelon of NHL players and Mitch Marner looking for a significant payday as well.

If the reports of Tavares signing an extension prove to be on target, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is likely prepared to address his club’s thin center position either by trade or free agency.

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In my column earlier this week, it is possible that the Leafs would kick tires on veteran center Joe Thornton if the San Jose Sharks are not interested in re-signing the 38-year-old after his second major knee injury in as many years.

Other options such as restricted free agent Vladislav Namestnikov or players with one year left on their contracts (Jason Spezza, Jori Lehtera or Derick Brassard) could be on Toronto’s radar with a large amount of cap space for next season, but the Leafs circling back on free agent Tyler Bozak is possible if the 32-year-old center tests free agency and does not get the lengthy contract offers that are expected.

That would seem to be counterintuitive, since Tavares removal from the market would make teams desperate for center help more willing to up their term and dollars in offers to Bozak, Thornton and Paul Stastny.

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The NHL salary cap (per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has been set at $79.5 Million for the 2018-19 season.

Going into this summer, the Leafs have $24.679 Million in available cap space (8th in the NHL) per Cap Friendly, which gives Kyle Dubas some room to play with, but only on a short term basis.

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