Salary Cap: 2019-2020 Salary Cap Crunch

[Legion34]

His pay for playing the last year is 1.25 and that is it. After July 1st. He moved here for 12 million reasons as he was only offered 1 year at 6m by the sharks. I would be shocked to see him as a Leaf beyond this coming season. His contract structure is different than Tavaris because of his age as any contract signed by a player when they are 35 years old or older is not eligible to be bought out and spread out the cap hit.

He is retiring as previously agreeded apon I believe and we move his contract to a team that needs to reach the floor.

People also need to remember that we will lose a player to the expansion draft as well.

I don’t disagree with the ultimate idea that he may be gone in 3 years... but I thought the whole point was that he was offered 2 by sis. That’s why we went to 3.... why would we have to give a 3 year deal in comparison to a 1 year. Why not just 2 then?

 

[Puckstuff]

Gards will come off the books and Marleau will be gone the year after.

Lou signing Marleau for 3 years and not 2; really was quite moronic. Glad he's gone

 

[diceman934]

I don’t disagree with the ultimate idea that he may be gone in 3 years... but I thought the whole point was that he was offered 2 by sis. That’s why we went to 3.... why would we have to give a 3 year deal in comparison to a 1 year. Why not just 2 then?

I did not look it up but from memory thought he and jumbo joe were offered one year deals. We offered a lot more money hence why he came here. The 3rd year was to get the average down is what I was told.

 

[diceman934]

His salary was also only $1.5 M each last season and this, though. Not much of a difference from 1.25.

Understood about the difference between the Marleau and Tavares contracts (35+), but IIRC, contracts that are weighted more in signing bonuses are lockout and buyout proof (not that a buyout is a concern for either). Think both contracts were a case of the Leafs doing what they can - offering cash upfront and sooner.


Easy enough if Marleau retires, as it'd be a matter of only sending his contract - and not him - out...I just don't know if that happens...unless the Leafs win the Cup this season.

His contract was buyout proof as is any contract you sign with a player who is over 35 when they sign it. Their whole cap hit goes against the cap as there is no savings.

His contract was structured so that he got all the money in two years except for the base amount. Once July 1 of 2019 arrives he will get his final bonus amount and he retires.

 

[Mess]

Gards will come off the books and Marleau will be gone the year after.

Lou signing Marleau for 3 years and not 2; really was quite moronic. Glad he's gone

There was method to the madness by Lou and the Marleau signing.

Marleau's 3 year contract overlapped Horton's LTIR contract ($5.3 mil) allowing the Leafs to spend beyond the cap ceiling by that amount, by the CBA allowing you to replace an injured player with a healthy one and essentially have both player contracts overlap in terms of Salary cap terms and only the excess need be accounted for.

ie $80 mil hard cap + Horton LTIR $5.3 mil essentially allows Leafs to spend $85.3 mil on player salaries, so Marleau is not being squeezed below the hard cap ceiling to comply and Leafs are finding a creative way to utilize Horton's injury status to their financial advantage.

Horton's LTIR reimbursement cap $ and Marleau come off the books at the same time so no harm no foul in that respect..

PS. I wouldn't have given Marleau 3 years either, but at 2 years he wouldn't have signed with Leafs which I also would have been fine with.

 

[diceman934]

"Winter is coming" for all you Game of Thrones fans out there as a reference point in terms of Leafs pending future salary cap issues and concerns.

The only way to prevent it would be an annual escalating salary cap beyond the average of just the NHLPA optional 5% escalator clause option used in the CBA.

If the salary cap flattens and stagnates, Leafs will soon be forced to start throwing warm bodies overboard to remain afloat.

Not at all as it is only in the 2019/2020 season that we will be tight and by signing one of the 3 to a bridge deal we will be fine even if Marleau does not retire as expected.

Haisney will be gone 3m in savings replaced by a nhl ready cheap player like Rosen if he is not already a Leaf this year. We can use that savings to offer Gardiner 6m and still save 1 million from we’re we are today.

Then in the 2020 season we have 11.5 m coming off the books with Marleau and Hortons contracts coming off the books.

There is no big bad monster waiting for us as we will have money to go shopping after the 2019/2020 season going forward.

 

[DoobieDubas]

Marleau didn't sign here just to get dealt when we are contending nor should he. The only way he gets moved if its back to SJ for nothing so he can retire there but he isn't uprooting his kids again especially the ones in the GTHL(best league in the world for minor hockey). Imagine the connections they have in the GTHL with the last name marleau.

 

[diceman934]

Marleau didn't sign here just to get dealt when we are contending nor should he. The only way he gets moved if its back to SJ for nothing so he can retire there but he isn't uprooting his kids again especially the ones in the GTHL(best league in the world for minor hockey). Imagine the connections they have in the GTHL with the last name marleau.

If he retires only his contract is traded and he need not pack up anything.

 

[DoobieDubas]

If he retires only his contract is traded and he need not pack up anything.

If he retires does he forfeit his salary or does it just get paid regardless?

 

[Mess]

If he retires only his contract is traded and he need not pack up anything.

Why in the wide wide world of sports would he retire after this season?

He came to TO to attempt to win a Cup and took a 3 year deal to switch away from his last team of 20 years (that was offer 2 years). Then Leafs add JT making them even stronger and Marleau suddenly decides to leave $4.25 mil on table to retire a year early and not fulfill his contract?
+
Then Leafs magically find a trading partner to take his contract off their hands.

If this is what your hoping for to actually happen to avoid a cap crunch then good luck with that.

 

[Mess]

If he retires does he forfeit his salary or does it just get paid regardless?

Retire = forfeit $4.25 mil ($ 3 mil signing bonus + $1.25 mil in salary) in 2019-20.

 

[Deebo]

Retire = forfeit $4.25 mil ($ 3 mil signing bonus + $1.25 mil in salary) in 2019-20.

Retire after July 1, 2019 = forfeit 1.25M

After earning 99.295M in his career.

 

[Deebo]

Then Leafs magically find a trading partner to take his contract off their hands.

It's not like we have never seen this before.

 

[ACC1224]

Marleau didn't sign here just to get dealt when we are contending nor should he. The only way he gets moved if its back to SJ for nothing so he can retire there but he isn't uprooting his kids again especially the ones in the GTHL(best league in the world for minor hockey). Imagine the connections they have in the GTHL with the last name marleau.

Seems there are lots of reasons why he will fulfill his contract, while it seems the reason why he will walk away is because we hope he does.

 

[DoobieDubas]

Seems there are lots of reasons why he will fulfill his contract, while it seems the reason why he will walk away is because we hope he does.

Lol, well said.
Correct.

 

[Deebo]

Seems there are lots of reasons why he will fulfill his contract, while it seems the reason why he will walk away is because we hope he does.

Or that he doesn't want to play a year for 1.25M

 

[ACC1224]

Or that he doesn't want to play a year for 1.25M

Agreed, he's made a ton of money.
He'll want to play a year for a ring

 

[Critical13]

I think we are going to need to give up an asset to move Zaitsev.

 

[Deebo]

Agreed, he's made a ton of money.
He'll want to play a year for a ring

That's where it comes down to speculation on what he wants to do. At 40, he just might not be up for it anymore. I don't think any of us really know how motivated he will be to play another year after this season.

The way the contract was structured definitely allows for him to walk away from the game with minimal financial loss.

 

[ACC1224]

That's where it comes down to speculation on what he wants to do. At 40, he just might not be up for it anymore. I don't think any of us really know how motivated he will be to play another year after this season.

The way the contract was structured definitely allows for him to walk away from the game with minimal financial loss.

For sure it's speculating but from everything we know about him he's very well conditioned, no injury history and has never won a cup.
To me, the chance at a ring will be all the motivation he needs.

 

[Gary Nylund]

For sure it's speculating but from everything we know about him he's very well conditioned, no injury history and has never won a cup.
To me, the chance at a ring will be all the motivation he needs.

Glad you finally agree that it IS speculating.

 

[Deebo]

For sure it's speculating but from everything we know about him he's very well conditioned, no injury history and has never won a cup.
To me, the chance at a ring will be all the motivation he needs.

But you said above that the only reason some thing he may walk away is because they hope he will when there are legitimate reasons that he may opt not to play that year. There's a chance that he discussed it with his wife prior to signing, maybe they decided he was going to play 2 more seasons and then call it quits.

We'll see what happens, but I think there is a chance it goes either way.

 

[diceman934]

If he retires does he forfeit his salary or does it just get paid regardless?

He will not get paid his final 1.25m of his total 18.75m dollar deal. That is almost 9m per over the two years

 

[diceman934]

Retire = forfeit $4.25 mil ($ 3 mil signing bonus + $1.25 mil in salary) in 2019-20.

Wrong he retires after his bonus on July 1st and forfeits 1.25m of a 18.75 contract. So 17.5 million for two years of play. 8.75m per year. That is why he came here.

 

[Menzinger]

I wouldn’t worry about it too much, even if the leafs Do find themselves in a pinch, there are multiple ways to get out of it. For example even if Marleau refused to waive his NTC, the Leafs could always trade the Horton contract (with some futures attached as a sweetener).

Zaitsev may even be traded by the fall, which would also alleviate the issue.