The flat cap is not helpful, but its root cause is. Teams having no money, means taking smaller cash deals off teams become more valuable.
If you want to move someone like Anderson who is a 5m cap and 1 m salary, you can easily make that more palatable by using a middle team.
I.E.
Anderson to a team for two AHLers making 750k-1m in minors salary, and a mid round pick (Leafs got a 5th at the TDL for similar deal).
Like Detroit for Calvin Picard (800k) and one of McIlrath/Lashoff (275k).
Detroit retains 50%, and flips to the team who wants him, lets say Colorado
Colorado sends to Toronto the 24th pick, Connor Timmins and Jacob MacDonald (350k) TJ Tynan (500k).
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Toronto In: Picard, McIlrath, Tynan, Timmins and 24th pick.
Out: Freddie
-Leafs essentially pay Detroit a 4th and 1.075m cash to make Freddie much more valuable.
-Leafs give Colorado a starting goalie @2.5mcap, and 500k actual cost. Take on 850k in MacDonald and Tynan.
- Leafs gain the 24th and Timmins, loose Freddie and a 2nd and a 4th.
Detroit In: 4th round pick
Out: Picard, Mcilrath
- Detroit gains a 4th round to use cap space they werent going to use
- 2.5m in retained cap space, and 500k on Freddie, but remove 1.075 in AHL salaries. Essentially its 575k cash and a 4th after all said and done.
Colorado In: Freddie @2.5m,
Colorado Out: 24th overal, Connor Timmins, MacDonald and Tynan
- Essentialy, they get Freddie to solidify their net, and give up the 24th and Timmins. Timmins is good, but their RD core is set.
- Moving Tynan and MacDonald, they end up saving 350k cash with the move overall, while adding a starting goalie.
Frees the Leafs to go after a guy like Kuemper with the 24th + prospect. Saving cap vs Freddie, and adding Timmins.