Yup it would be tight.

Hard to turn down a core of Matthews, JT, Marner, Nylander, Muzzin, Petro.

3 of those players have no trade protection and heavy front loaded deals. You horde talent when you can and figure out the depth later.

Would have a year to figure things out. I am sure they could find a good deal with Willy/Marner if they needed to having a year to do it.

Not super confident they would get fair value with 2 weeks.
- Santo_44

Not sure how that's the core. Nylander or marner would need to go.

Seems like fighting an uphill battle to fit in AP. The purpose of the salary cap was to prevent exactly what we would be trying to do: horde talented players by paying them the most money.

Yup it would be tight.

Hard to turn down a core of Matthews, JT, Marner, Nylander, Muzzin, Petro.

3 of those players have no trade protection and heavy front loaded deals. You horde talent when you can and figure out the depth later.

Would have a year to figure things out. I am sure they could find a good deal with Willy/Marner if they needed to having a year to do it.

Not super confident they would get fair value with 2 weeks.
- Santo_44

Lots of pro's and con's. I think for me it'd turn on 2 things:

1. What value is out there for Willie? If a team is offering a great package that included a young top6 winger on a ELC it'd make a lot of sense. And...

2. Are there some value vets out there that could slide into the bottom 6 roles at minimum dollars and let the Leafs bottom 6 be competitive.

I was thinking while walking the dog that maybe Robertson becomes the new Hyman. I know, I know, too early, etc but he does seem like a bit of a bumper and forechecker except he can score. I have to admit that the visual of a Hyman with hands did frighten me.
- Canada Cup

Hyman really benefited from skills development this season once Keefe took over.

Interesting tweet

Karlsson (30)
Doughty (30)
Subban (31)
OEL (28)
All signed to brutal long term deals according to most.

But leafs think signing Pietrangelo (31) in January will save the day and be worth it?

Id hate to move out a young star for an older star.
Seems very 90s leafy.
I still would prefer two top D i think.
Really on the fence here
- Fakepartofme

I'm just trying to embrace the excitement of how the team will be improved. I can argue either side and see where you're on the fence.

At the same time, as long as the D has improved I'm happy. That's my expectation. Improve the D.

Lots of pro's and con's. I think for me it'd turn on 2 things:

1. What value is out there for Willie? If a team is offering a great package that included a young top6 winger on a ELC it'd make a lot of sense. And...

2. Are there some value vets out there that could slide into the bottom 6 roles at minimum dollars and let the Leafs bottom 6 be competitive.
- The Law

They can take the year to get the best deal possible for Willy/Marner.

And I am sure there is...especially this season.

Would be nice to have Holl as your best player exposed in the expansion draft as well.

Or is he a Chara. Bruins rumoured to be after him to make him their next Chara BTW
- Canada Cup

how many "next charas" have we seen compared to D who are nowhere near the next chara and become simply way overpaid?
I like peitra, but in a cap world, that isnt going up anytime soon, does he make sense considering his next game he could be 31?
Dunno, half of me is says sign him, the other half is like fack no
50 m on 5 players, yikes.
Moving out willie, yikes.

It's doable considering they had like a 2 million dollar fourth line last year. Problem is the 3rd line center with zero cap space...so I don't know how to fix that.

My concern with AP is that he isn't a guy you can rely on to put up points like Rielly so I'm uncertain if we would ever truly see the value of 9 million a year outside of winning the cup.
- Aaron_85

Practically, I think the only real solution to adding more cap space (after dealing AJ and Kerfoot) would be dealing Freddy and replacing him with a starter on a cheap deal.

I'm just trying to embrace the excitement of how the team will be improved. I can argue either side and see where you're on the fence.

At the same time, as long as the D has improved I'm happy. That's my expectation. Improve the D.
- Aaron_85

I hear ya.
Pietra would greatly improve our d.
But so could 2 more top 4 dmen.

Time will tell

how many "next charas" have we seen compared to D who are nowhere near the next chara and become simply way overpaid?
I like peitra, but in a cap world, that isnt going up anytime soon, does he make sense considering his next game he could be 31?
Dunno, half of me is says sign him, the other half is like fack no
50 m on 5 players, yikes.
Moving out willie, yikes.
- Fakepartofme

I can't really see how they can offer him more than $8M per year.

Any more and the numbers get too tough.

Practically, I think the only real solution to adding more cap space (after dealing AJ and Kerfoot) would be dealing Freddy and replacing him with a starter on a cheap deal.
- The Law

CapFriendly.com Armchair-GM User-Generated Roster

FORWARDS (13)
Right wing: William Nylander ($6,962,366) - Mitchell Marner ($10,893,000) - Corey Perry ($1,250,000) - Alexander Barabanov ($925,000)
Centre: Auston Matthews ($11,634,000) - John Tavares ($11,000,000) - Jason Spezza ($700,000) - Evan Rodrigues ($700,000)
Left wing: Zach Hyman ($2,250,000) - Nicholas Robertson ($821,667) - Ilya Mikheyev ($1,000,000) - Pierre Engvall ($1,250,000) - Frédérik Gauthier ($700,000)

DEFENSE (7)
Right: Alex Pietrangelo ($8,500,000) - Dylan DeMelo ($2,000,000) - Timothy Liljegren ($863,333)
Left: Morgan Rielly ($5,000,000) - Jake Muzzin ($5,625,000) - Rasmus Sandin ($894,167) - Mikko Lehtonen ($925,000)

GOALTENDER (2)
Darcy Kuemper ($4,500,000) - Jack Campbell ($1,650,000)

BUYOUTS (1)
Mikhail Grabovski ($0)

RETAINED SALARY TRANSACTIONS (1)
Phil Kessel ($1,200,000)

DETAILS
Roster Size: 22
Salary Cap: $81,500,000
Cap Hit: $81,243,533
Cap Space: $256,467
- gergeswillems

Fack that Kessel trade.
Hated retaining salary

Hmm putting on my 'long term planning' cap

In 2021-22 do we prefer ...

Rielly - Brodie-type

or

Sandin - AP (plus assets from a Rielly trade next summer)

I hear ya.
Pietra would greatly improve our d.
But so could 2 more top 4 dmen.

Time will tell
- Fakepartofme

Meh everyone has an opinion but I value top end talent on the back end.

a number 1 D has proved to be the backbone of a d core and its hard to pass up an opportunity to get one if there is mutual interest.

Not sure how that's the core. Nylander or marner would need to go.

Seems like fighting an uphill battle to fit in AP. The purpose of the salary cap was to prevent exactly what we would be trying to do: horde talented players by paying them the most money.
- Tumbleweed

They can do it.

They can take the year to figure out a deal or if they need to make a deal.

JT and Petro would be the only players on the team with significant trade protection.

Given the rest of the teams contract structure, age and talent it would not be too difficult to find value or at the vert least replace the depth lost.

NHL Watcher
@NHL_Watcher
·
56m
Friedman on Headlines confirms Alex Pietrangelo will hit the open market, it's not a bluff. There was little to no progress in contract talks with the #STLBlues.
- Santo_44

Getting AP is a no brainer for the leafs imo. All around dman with Cup experience is exactly what they need. It's just gonna need some gm magic to make it work long term. Our bottom six would be a revolving door if we signed him without making a major sacrifice now or down the road. The good news is they have a lot of picks this year.
- bmoney411

Agreed.

If by some miracle he wants to be here, the Leafs would be foolish to not do it.

Work out the CAP and everything after. Just get him signed.

Agreed.

If by some miracle he wants to be here, the Leafs would be foolish to not do it.

Work out the CAP and everything after. Just get him signed.
- GreatGigInTheSky

But AJ and Kerfoot.

They’ll never be able to find players like that again.

Please do not sign:

Brodie
Vatanen
Demelo

Thx Kyle

https://twitter.com/HockeyCentraI/status/1307349159146553344
- gravyface

I do a similar move in ball hockey.

Except I pop it up from underneath and smack it backhand off the ground to get it to bounce over the goalie.

I hear ya.
Pietra would greatly improve our d.
But so could 2 more top 4 dmen.

Time will tell
- Fakepartofme

If they pick one of those two options I'm optimistic going into the season. They at least addressed the need. Or tried to. I always have to give management credit when they actively try to improve.

Interesting tweet

Karlsson (30)
Doughty (30)
Subban (31)
OEL (28)
All signed to brutal long term deals according to most.

But leafs think signing Pietrangelo (31) in January will save the day and be worth it?

Id hate to move out a young star for an older star.
Seems very 90s leafy.
I still would prefer two top D i think.
Really on the fence here
- Fakepartofme

None of those guys, except Doughty, are good defensively. They're different type of D-men.

Pietrangelo also doesn't rely on speed in his game to be effective, like Karlsson and Subban did.

I'd liken Pietrangelo more to Weber, where he'll remain a great and effective player well into his 30's, because of the style he plays.

Please do not sign:

Brodie
Vatanen
Demelo

Thx Kyle
- mr.sir

DeMelo > most of the guys you keep saying to sign/trade for.

I'd move Nylander and Jonsson.
- fifty__missions

I'd move Nylander, johnsson, kerfoot, andersen and injured Muzzin.

I'd move Nylander, johnsson, kerfoot, andersen and injured Muzzin.
- MaximusAurelius

Ok max

None of those guys, except Doughty, are good defensively. They're different type of D-men.

Pietrangelo also doesn't rely on speed in his game to be effective, like Karlsson and Subban did.

I'd liken Pietrangelo more to Weber, where he'll remain a great and effective player well into his 30's, because of the style he plays.
- GreatGigInTheSky

I'd prefer OEL over Pietrangelo.