I mean DeMelo is pretty decent as a 4-5. Bogosian has looked ok playing 16 minutes a night...but "upgrade" is stretching it on those guys.
- AdamFrench

Demelo I see as an upgrade to the Leafs blueline. Bogosian isn't for me... In the sense that it leaves Holl in the top 4. Unless one sees Bogosian as top 4 worthy...

To me, anything that results in our worst pairing being Lehtonon/Sandin/Dermott and Holl... Perhaps we can call the blueline upgraded.

But we won... Something.... Finally.. no
- bixll

Gotta start somewhere, I’d prefer a couple rounds of PO’s. But oh well....

That’s what I was getting at. Testing’s importance is almost less as an overall indicator but more as a specific public health tool. Also, control of testing moving into individuals’ hands with walk-in, etc.

Important step will be availability of accurate home testing kits.

Even hospitalization probably doesn’t show all the impacts on young people who get sick, maybe with long lasting implications but don’t ever end up in hospitals.

Rambling around a bit but I don’t know that we have a really good metric to assess impacts since our understanding of the disease keeps developing.
- Canada Cup

478 cases in Ontario today.

And yes, I have the tracking device on my phone.

Wonder if those things mean more to him than money. 🤷‍♂️. Because the leafs can do those things easier than they can shell out big bucks.
- joel878

I'd imagine the NMC will be huge for him.

And bonus dollars/structure is a nice way to ensure the player gets a few more $$ in his pocket at the end of the day.

A few teams will gladly hand him a 7 year NMC with strategic bonus $$.

Blues have lots of options. Steen and Bozak are both buyout candidates and like the Leafs they've got some mid-level contracts they could likely move.

They offered him 8 milly b/c they know they have that, if needed.
- The Law

So here's the question:

If the Leafs tell them they have $56M over 7 years to give him, here's a computer with an excel spreadsheet, you and your agent structure it any way you want it, does that get a deal done?

Who do you take a downswing on to fit those guys though? You go from an Engvall to a 700k play in, you've saved yourself 500k. Do that 4 times and you found your two million.

Dermott? He was at 875k and doesn't even have a deal on next year's cap yet.

If Lebrun is to be believed the financial restrictions are so tight around the league no one will even touch Johnsson or Kerfoot.

Justin Holl to a league minimum player gets you 1.3ish (if anyone wants to touch that)... But making the blueline worse goes against the entire point to begin with.
- joel878

Disagree on both. Kerfoot is a $3.5 Million Cap hit, with $2.6 million owed this year and $1.95 M in each of the last two years. For a centre that has some skill and is not a plug., he should be easy to move to a team that is more concerned with actual pay over cap. Same for Johnsson - owed $2.6 M this year and $1.75M for last two years. For a winger that scored 20 goals in his last healthy/full season, he will be easy to move.

So here's the question:

If the Leafs tell them they have $56M over 7 years to give him, here's a computer with an excel spreadsheet, you and your agent structure it any way you want it, does that get a deal done?
- Atomic Wedgie

From what I've read, unless they say it comes with a NMC it's still a no. Ensuring he stays where he signs seems to be #1. But what the (frank) do I know, going to need full confirmation from our resident hockeybuzz posters who know more than he does. 🤷‍♂️

i wouldn't say he is a fraud.
He has "sources" that provide chatter/rumours.
He never states who these sources are, could be an admin guy within the nhl, a grounds crew at an nhl arena, a former broadcaster/player/ref, some media schlep?
Who knows, but someone tells him something, he doesnt fact check, he simply repeats.
It seems to have worked, we are all using his site.
- Fakepartofme

You cant be serious? Thats just an excuse of why he is wrong 99% of the time. He clearly makes up false rumours.

People are here to talk hockey, not follow his rumours for the most part. All I am saying is stop the lie, and put more time into improving the site.

Things are REALLY bad then because Jonsson and Kerfoot make significantly less than their cap hits.

The funny thing is people think far worse players making far more money on other teams can be moved no issues.

It absolutely makes more sense. But despite what people like AA says, every pundit I have read anything from continues to say the leafs won't be trading from their top end forwards.

Pietrangelo for sure gets close to 9, so even trading Willies 7 doesn't cover it. People continue to suggest all you have to do is fit Pietrangelos salary, they are dismissing the idea that there is still other players to sign and holes to fill with or without Pietrangelo.
- joel878

I don't put much stock into what any of these so-called "pundits" actually say. It's all speculative, but entertaining, bs.

I think Petro gets 8.5M -- is that "close to" 9? That's where I think he lands.

BillNy would need to moved as well as another couple of pieces. Potentially Andy and one of AJ/Kerf.

It can be done. Just because it appears to be very difficult doesn't mean it won't happen. I'm sure Dubas/Pridham have figured out many possible scenarios that could clear the way... or not.

Disagree on both. Kerfoot is a $3.5 Million Cap hit, with $2.6 million owed this year and $1.95 M in each of the last two years. For a centre that has some skill and is not a plug., he should be easy to move to a team that is more concerned with actual pay over cap. Same for Johnsson - owed $2.6 M this year and $1.75M for last two years. For a winger that scored 20 goals in his last healthy/full season, he will be easy to move.
- winsix

I would tend to disagree to, but I'm going to give credit to Lebrun. If he says it he's saying it with a lot more knowledge than me, and whether a team is saving on cap to real money may just be irrelevant. Perhaps the reality is no one wants that 2.5 mil real dollars regardless of the cap savings.

Things are REALLY bad then because Jonsson and Kerfoot make significantly less than their cap hits.

The funny thing is people think far worse players making far more money on other teams can be moved no issues.
- RogerRoeper

Who are these far worse players making money being moved?

What's great about this is fans will know say Jonsson can't be moved but Isles fans will still tell me Ladd and Leddy will be moved no issues

Who are these far worse players making money being moved?
- Garnie

JUst saying fans of other teams think it won't be an issue.

From what I've read, unless they say it comes with a NMC it's still a no. Ensuring he stays where he signs seems to be #1. But what the (frank) do I know, going to need full confirmation from our resident hockeybuzz posters who know more than he does. 🤷‍♂️
- joel878

I'm pretty good with Excel - I could show them how to add footnotes that indicate a NMC.

From what I've read, unless they say it comes with a NMC it's still a no. Ensuring he stays where he signs seems to be #1. But what the (frank) do I know, going to need full confirmation from our resident hockeybuzz posters who know more than he does. 🤷‍♂️
- joel878

Dubas has no issues giving out NMCs (Muzzin, JT, AM34, MM) so this shouldn't be a problem.

I don't put much stock into what any of these so-called "pundits" actually say. It's all speculative, but entertaining, bs.

I think Petro gets 8.5M -- is that "close to" 9? That's where I think he lands.

BillNy would need to moved as well as another couple of pieces. Potentially Andy and one of AJ/Kerf.

It can be done. Just because it appears to be very difficult doesn't mean it won't happen. I'm sure Dubas/Pridham have figured out many possible scenarios that could clear the way... or not.
- mjones242

Well, those pundits may not know everything but they're making those assessments based on the connected discussions they're having, if you will. So they are far from the average poster sitting around speculating like you and I..

I wonder what the trade Willie card would even save on the cap, because no one is taking any 7 million dollar salary outright apparently. You are absolutely taking salary back.

The way that it's looking the leafs would be lucky to free up 2-3 million in space by trading Willie.

What's great about this is fans will know say Jonsson can't be moved but Isles fans will still tell me Ladd and Leddy will be moved no issues
- RogerRoeper

The Athletic has an article on the top 22 players most likely to be bought out, and there isn't a single Leaf on the list.

It's almost as good as winning the Stanley Cup this year.

The Athletic has an article on the top 22 players most likely to be bought out, and there isn't a single Leaf on the list.

It's almost as good as winning the Stanley Cup this year.
- Atomic Wedgie

Finally some good news, they can’t win when they need too but at least we don’t have to buy them out.

Well, those pundits may not know everything but they're making those assessments based on the connected discussions they're having, if you will. So they are far from the average poster sitting around speculating like you and I..

I wonder what the trade Willie card would even save on the cap, because no one is taking any 7 million dollar salary outright apparently. You are absolutely taking salary back.

The way that it's looking the leafs would be lucky to free up 2-3 million in space by trading Willie.
- joel878

Sounds pretty unfalsifiable to me. Just how |connected" are they? Are there leaks within the Leafs mgmt team that are being exploited? I doubt it. I'm sure they may be smarter than most of us here but they sure as poop don't have any legit answers unless there is, again, a leak.

The Leafs free up 6.9M in cap space by trading Willie. The acquiring team takes on his cap hit but only pays 2.5M in actual salary. Win-Win!

The Athletic has an article on the top 22 players most likely to be bought out, and there isn't a single Leaf on the list.

It's almost as good as winning the Stanley Cup this year.
- Atomic Wedgie

There's just no one you'd want to even think about on the Leafs.

My long made point about overpaying for supporting talent comes back to haunt non Dubas GMs with COVID 19 losses.

Dubas has no issues giving out NMCs (Muzzin, JT, AM34, MM) so this shouldn't be a problem.
- mjones242

What teams have players of taht calibre taht don't give out those?

NHL has to figure out soon their schedule because teams have to know what approx their revenue will be.

I'm pretty good with Excel - I could show them how to add footnotes that indicate a NMC.
- Atomic Wedgie

In all seriousness, if it comes down to signing bonuses and full NMC, the Leafs are one of a handful of teams that can offer that to Pietrangelo.

I like the suggestion of $56M over 7 years and let him and his agent decide on how to structure it..

I would tend to disagree to, but I'm going to give credit to Lebrun. If he says it he's saying it with a lot more knowledge than me, and whether a team is saving on cap to real money may just be irrelevant. Perhaps the reality is no one wants that 2.5 mil real dollars regardless of the cap savings.
- joel878

I would agree that both are undesirable deals on some teams, but not all. I would think a deal like the one Vegas has with MAF $7M cap hit and $6M real dollars presents a greater challenge, especially after humiliating him and puking in his corn flakes after he carried them for a couple of seasons.