Confirmed with Link: Kessel for Spaling, Harrington, Kapanen, 1st, 3rd (Leafs Retain 1.25M or $8.75m) )

[PuckMagi]

The retention doesn't hurt us as much if you understand how the Horton contract works.

If we are within 5mil of the cap hit, we don't build up cap space during the year because of the horton contract. So we have to be way under the cap to actually build up room for the deadline. So as long as we have Horton's contract on the books, we basically have to go right to the cap from the start of the season and we can't pick up high salary players at the deadline.

 

[stakesishigh]

I'm genuinely depressed at this return, what a letdown.

 

[marquee]

The mistake was made acquiring Kessel for high picks at the beginning of a rebuild not the trading of Kessel for picks and prospects at the beginning on the next rebuild.

they are both mistakes and you dont know if they are in the midst of a rebuild.