Line Combos: Do we really have cap issues?

[TML Dynasty]

I did a quick cap friendly armchair GM lineup for us. Dumped Brown and Gauthier and putting Horton on LTIR were big changes. Only one I resigned was Mitch and I guessed 9.5 but there's room for more.
It results in a decent team IMO. Obviously we can nitpick specific choices but there are lots of trade options to get better. Kap and Johnsson could be traded to improve D. Kadri could be too and pick up a cheaper PK able C. The dream is to trade Marleau somehow as he is dead weight and his salary is insane. Definitely would want to waive Sparks and get a better backup. Ideally we add a top pairing RHD which shifts that side down and Holl as the spare. Top two lines are just as deadly and the third has r3eal potential to put up points as well. But the premise of 'we are in cap hell' should be put to bed.

Click to read more...

 

[A1LeafNation]

It's manageable if Marner's number is under 9.95m and Zaitsev is moved.

I think Zaitsev would have been traded at the deadline if we were able to get that rumoured dman coming back in, but we needed someone to help out so he was kept.

Something like this will do fine in our cap crunch year:

Hyman	2.25	Tavares	11	Marner	9.95
Marleau	6.25	Matthews	11.634	Nylander	6.963
Mikheyev	0.925	Kadri	4.5	Kapanen	2.5
Engvall	0.925	Gauthier	0.675	Brown	2.1
		Moore	0.775
	Rielly	5	TRADE	4
	Muzzin	4	Liljegren	0.895
	Dermott	0.864	Hainsey	1
	Rosen	0.75	Holl	0.675
		Andersen	5
		UFA	1
		Kessel	1.2
		Total Cap	84.831

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Matthews34]

That team doesn’t make the playoffs

 

[Cor]

Holl playing regularly
Sparks as our backup
Moore in our top 6

 

[Mess]

From your roster it appears in order for the Leafs to fit Matthews and Marner's new contracts for 2019-20 that Kapanen, Johnsson, Brown, Gardiner, Hainsey have to go as cap casualties and replaced by rookies and AHLers all making < $1 mil.

 

[TML Dynasty]

That team doesn’t make the playoffs

You really think so? I honestly thought it was pretty competitive. It definitely makes some big assumptions. New guys ready to play etc. But as mentioned there are still lots of options to make it better. D is still not great and the 4th line maybe an issue but I feel the top 3 lines are great!? Where do u see the biggest issues? Or is it everything lol

 

[egd27]

We are in cap hell if we want to maintain or build on the current roster (i.e. improve).
If we want to replace experienced players and go with your suggestion of 8 or 9 mystery boxes, then no, there is no real cap issue.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Holl playing regularly
Sparks as our backup
Moore in our top 6

As mentioned in the initial paragraph ideally we change that. Moore in our top 6 though I don't see as an issue though.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Upgrade options: trade Kadri, Kap, Brown, Gauthier, Johnsson, prospects, picks - for upgrades?

Is the premise of 'we aren't in cap hell' really that off. I didn't want to bog it down with trade ideas specifically. Just mention they are out there.

 

[Mess]

That team doesn’t make the playoffs

When you pay 4 forwards nearly 1/2 your cap then that is what your team will essentially look like which the OP presented well to show the impact on the rest of the roster.

Giving your own players big raises doesn't make them better nor more productive it only wipes out your teams depth around them, and that is the consequences of those actions.

This is the reality of Leafs situation.

 

[TML Dynasty]

It's manageable if Marner's number is under 9.95m and Zaitsev is moved.

I think Zaitsev would have been traded at the deadline if we were able to get that rumoured dman coming back in, but we needed someone to help out so he was kept.

Something like this will do fine in our cap crunch year:

Hyman	2.25	Tavares	11	Marner	9.95
Marleau	6.25	Matthews	11.634	Nylander	6.963
Mikheyev	0.925	Kadri	4.5	Kapanen	2.5
Engvall	0.925	Gauthier	0.675	Brown	2.1
		Moore	0.775
	Rielly	5	TRADE	4
	Muzzin	4	Liljegren	0.895
	Dermott	0.864	Hainsey	1
	Rosen	0.75	Holl	0.675
		Andersen	5
		UFA	1
		Kessel	1.2
		Total Cap	84.831

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Thanks for playing! Did that cap hit have Horton on LTIR or would we still need something to bring the cap down a little?
Only suggestions I have were Moore as spare while unproven's are up. Marleau still in top 6. Bracco not up? Too early for Lilj?

I think your top 3 lines are still deadly.

 

[BrainyBomber]

From your roster it appears in order for the Leafs to fit Matthews and Marner's new contracts for 2019-20 that Kapanen, Johnsson, Brown, Gardiner, Hainsey have to go as cap casualties and replaced by rookies and AHLers all making < $1 mil.

Err no the order is what the Leafs choose to make it.

A simple trade of Brown and one of Kadri or Zaitsev provides enough cap space to fit both Kappy and Johnsson in.

 

[Trapper]

When you pay 4 forwards nearly 1/2 your cap then that is what your team will essentially look like which the OP presented well to show that impact on the rest of the roster.

Giving your own players big raises doesn't make them better nor more productive it only wipes out your teams depth around them.

This is the reality of Leafs situation.

You can’t keep everyone and you are running too high by keeping all the top end salaries.
The amount of team you can build around with Marleau + Nylander/Marner salaries is significant.

Matthews
Tavares
1 of Marner/Nylander
Rielly
Solid D
Andersen
Team

 

[WTFMAN99]

Not really. No team has started the season over the cap, ever. I don't think we will be the ones to do it.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Thanks for playing! Did that cap hit have Horton on LTIR or would we still need something to bring the cap down a little?
Only suggestions I have were Moore as spare while unproven's are up. Marleau still in top 6. Bracco not up? Too early for Lilj?

I think your top 3 lines are still deadly.

Horton not included in cap hit because he is virtually irrelevant to the cap hit conversation.

Lilj has nothing to prove in the AHL. As long as he has support he will be fine with the remaining 5 dmen being legit NHL dmen.

Bracco can be an injury call up throughout the season to get some NHL reps.

Marleau changing to a one piece stick finally next year and still gave us 16 goals. Tie goes to the vet but that spot is easily interchangable.

 

[Mess]

Err no the order is what the Leafs choose to make it.

A simple trade of Brown and one of Kadri or Zaitsev provides enough cap space to fit both Kappy and Johnsson in.

What would your Leafs 2019-20 defense look like if you dumped Zaitsev for futures to resign Kapanan and Johnsson?

I know the first 3 .. Rielly, Muzzin and Dermott (injured until Dec) who are the other 4 ?

 

[egd27]

Marner and Matthews are getting cap raises of around $18-20M, and the answer to that is trading Connor Brown's $2M hit with a replacement's $1M hit?

 

[BrainyBomber]

What would your Leafs 2019-20 defense look like if you dumped Zaitsev for futures to resign Kapanan and Johnsson?

I know the first 3 .. Rielly, Muzzin and Dermott (injured until Dec) who are the other 4 ?

The Swedish Dmen should be ready by playoffs next year and Rosen for sure come Sept.

Why do you assume futures back in a trade tho.

Trade Kadri and middle pick for a quality Dman at the same price like a Pesce or Larsson.

Ship Zaitsev and Brown for some cheap depth or sign some FA cheap depth.

Last year they found Ennis for peanuts

There are feasible options. The sky is falling people like yourself always just deny them.

 

[TML Dynasty]

Marner and Matthews are getting cap raises of around $18-20M, and the answer to that is trading Connor Brown's $2M hit with a replacement's $1M hit?

No

 

[Cor]

About 200K in Cap Space with 83M cap.

​

 

[Bomber0104]

Yes, we do have cap issues.

Ignoring it doesn't make them go away.

 

[Mess]

Trade Kadri and middle pick for a quality Dman at the same price like a Pesce or Larsson.

There are feasible options.

My apologies, I thought you were dealing Kadri @ $4.5 mil cap for futures so you could resign RFAs Kapanen and Johnsson for his cap space essentially. If you're dealing Naz + pick to upgrade the defense for a player making ~ >=$4 mil like you mentioned then you're not creating more cap space needed to absorb AM and MM raises, nor creating extra cap room to resign RFAs.

I agree Kadri might need to be a cap casualty for futures to afford to pay Mitch and Auston next year Either/Or to re-sign Kasperi or Andreas, however by swapping out Leafs #3C for a Top 4 dman making about the same, you aren't addressing either cap issue/problem above by attempting to improve the defense for similar cap.

 

[The Shadow]

That is not a cup contender right now

Nylander is dead weight in the playoffs and I don’t see that changing.

Marleau is what Kap and Johnsson would be making combined. That Marleau signing was a HUGE blunder

 

[BrainyBomber]

My apologies, I thought you were dealing Kadri @ $4.5 mil cap for futures so you could resign RFAs Kapanen and Johnsson for his cap space essentially. If you're dealing Naz + pick to upgrade the defense for a player making ~ >=$4 mil like you mentioned then you're not creating more cap space needed to absorb AM and MM raises, nor creating extra cap room to resign RFAs.

I agree Kadri might need to be a cap casualty for futures to afford to pay Mitch and Auston next year Either/Or to re-sign Kasperi or Andreas, however by swapping out Leafs #3C for a Top 4 dman making about the same, you aren't addressing either cap issue/problem above by attempting to improve the defense for similar cap.

No trading Kadri for a top 4 Dman does address the defence. That solidifies the The top 4 we can easily find a decent cheap bottom 2 internally and or via trade/FA. Then shipping Brown and Zaitsev provides the cash that can be used to find equivalent replacements at their talent levels.

You are just choosing to trade quality young talent instead of more expensive veterans.

Look we very nearly beat Boston without Kadri and both Gards and Dermott were injured. Gard's was prolly at 70%.

Yes we have cap issues but our options aren't as restricted as you make it out to be. This young team will be better next season with some decent off-season moves.

Other teams like TBay are in worse cap shape

 

[HamiltonNHL]

did a quick cap friendly

Where is Brown ?
No Kappy ?
No Johnsson ?

40 million on 4 forwards isnt smart.

46.5 for 5 forwards.

Ouch.