Salary Cap: ExpendaNikita Zaitsev (UFA 2024) - $4.50Mble Players

[Scott Malkinson]

Right now, the cap situation is under control. In the next two or three years, Maple Leafs management will have to make decisions on certain depth players that will be up for significant raises.

It looks like they'll look to spend big money on the core and secondary players will be replaced internally through developed young players or European/NCAA free agents.

The core consists of:

Auston Matthews
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
William Nylander
Morgan Rielly
Frederik Andersen

The secondary players are:

Jake Gardiner (UFA 2019) - $4.05M
Connor Brown (RFA 2020) - $2.10M
Zach Hyman (UFA 2021) - $2.25M

*Nazem Kadri (UFA 2022) - $4.50M
*Nikita Zaitsev (UFA 2024) - $4.50M

Two younger players that will be coming off their entry level contracts are Kasperi Kapanen and Travis Dermott. Their second contracts should be manageable and not an issue until at least the summer of 2021. Both should get between $1.5M to $3M, on their second contracts, depending on their play over the next season or two.

Nazem Kadri is under control at $4.5M for another four seasons. Which is great value for the player but is paying $4.5M for your 3rd line centre a good financial decision? Some fans consider Kadri as a core player but given the Matthews + Tavares combo on the top two lines, does it eventually make Kadri an expendable player, when he has a year or two left on that team friendly contract?

That Nikita Zaitsev contract term is not ideal but his actual cap hit is good value for what he is as a player. He turns 27 years old in October and will be 32 years old when that contract expires. There are comparable players that make significantly more than $4.5M and are signed past the age of 31 or 32. I think as the cap goes up and that term goes down, Zaitsev will be on a team friendly contract and he becomes a moveable asset, barring any unforseen injuries or regression.

Matt Niskanen - $5.75M until age 34
Marc Staal - $5.7M until age 34
Jeff Petry - $5.5M until age 34
Andrej Sekera - $5.5M until age 35
Nick Leddy - $5.5M until age 31
Alex Goligoski - $5.475M until age 36
Dmitry Orlov - $5.1M until age 32
Danny DeKeyser - $5M until age 32
Karl Alzner - $4.625M until age 34

I think at this point, Jake Gardiner, Connor Brown and Zach Hyman are the next three contracts that will have to be addressed between now and 2021. Brown and Hyman are Babcock favourites but I don't think giving them $4M+ each is a good idea.

Who do you view as expendable players, in two or three years, if the salary cap situation gets tight?

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[Scott Malkinson]

Mods, can you remove the Zaitsev thing in the title?

 

[Goonface2k14]

I think "ExpendaNikita" is a fitting nick name, lets leave the title alone

 

[Faltorvo]

Right now, the cap situation is under control. In the next two or three years, Maple Leafs management will have to make decisions on certain depth players that will be up for significant raises.

It looks like they'll look to spend big money on the core and secondary players will be replaced internally through developed young players or European/NCAA free agents.

The core consists of:

Auston Matthews
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
William Nylander
Morgan Rielly
Frederik Andersen

The secondary players are:

Jake Gardiner (UFA 2019) - $4.05M
Connor Brown (RFA 2020) - $2.10M
Zach Hyman (UFA 2021) - $2.25M

*Nazem Kadri (UFA 2022) - $4.50M
*Nikita Zaitsev (UFA 2024) - $4.50M

Two younger players that will be coming off their entry level contracts are Kasperi Kapanen and Travis Dermott. Their second contracts should be manageable and not an issue until at least the summer of 2021. Both should get between $1.5M to $3M, on their second contracts, depending on their play over the next season or two.

Nazem Kadri is under control at $4.5M for another four seasons. Which is great value for the player but is paying $4.5M for your 3rd line centre a good financial decision? Some fans consider Kadri as a core player but given the Matthews + Tavares combo on the top two lines, does it eventually make Kadri an expendable player, when he has a year or two left on that team friendly contract?

That Nikita Zaitsev contract term is not ideal but his actual cap hit is good value for what he is as a player. He turns 27 years old in October and will be 32 years old when that contract expires. There are comparable players that make significantly more than $4.5M and are signed past the age of 31 or 32. I think as the cap goes up and that term goes down, Zaitsev will be on a team friendly contract and he becomes a moveable asset, barring any unforseen injuries or regression.

Matt Niskanen - $5.75M until age 34
Marc Staal - $5.7M until age 34
Jeff Petry - $5.5M until age 34
Andrej Sekera - $5.5M until age 35
Nick Leddy - $5.5M until age 31
Alex Goligoski - $5.475M until age 36
Dmitry Orlov - $5.1M until age 32
Danny DeKeyser - $5M until age 32
Karl Alzner - $4.625M until age 34

I think at this point, Jake Gardiner, Connor Brown and Zach Hyman are the next three contracts that will have to be addressed between now and 2021. Brown and Hyman are Babcock favourites but I don't think giving them $4M+ each is a good idea.

Who do you view as expendable players, in two or three years, if the salary cap situation gets tight?

kadri has 4 years

zait 5

nothing to see here

 

[Mugzy97]

In 2 or 3 years I don't think we have anyone up for significant raises.

 

[Morbo]

anyone besides the top 4 guys and Rielly is potentially expendable/tradeable. that's how it has to be under the salary cap. I'm sure they'd rather keep Dermott and Liljegren too, but neither is so good as to be untouchable. elite talent is the most important, you do what you can with the rest of the roster with good drafting and not overpaying midlevel guys as free agents.

 

[ACC1224]

Kadri is part of the core, IMO.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

In 2 or 3 years I don't think we have anyone up for significant raises.

Brown and Hyman could realistically get $3.5M+ on their next contracts. That's $3M+ in raises, between the two.

Dermott and Kapanen are also up for relatively significant raises on their second NHL contracts.

Between the four players, the team likely has to dish out $6M to $8M in raises, depending on player performance over the next year or two.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Kadri is part of the core, IMO.

Kadri might still be a part of the core solely because of his low cap hit. The second he's up for renewal, he will be expendable because his role is limited to 3rd line centre behind Matthews and Tavares.

 

[ACC1224]

Kadri might still be a part of the core solely because of his low cap hit. The second he's up for renewal, he will be expendable because his role is limited to 3rd line centre behind Matthews and Tavares.

Isn't that in 4 years? Lots can happen between then and now.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Isn't that in 4 years? Lots can happen between then and now.

That's why Kadri has an asterisk.

He's staying for at least three full seasons. You're not going to find a replacement for him without spending more than $4M.

 

[Drytoast]

Trade him to the Islanders for Barzal.

Or at the very least a first and a second.

 

[mapleleafs34]

Isn't that in 4 years? Lots can happen between then and now.

Like winning a cup, then no one will give a **** what we do

 

[Community]

Kadri will be here his entire contract. At the end of the contract you offer him a modest raise depending on what you can afford, but prepare for him to go to free agency.

You dont trade a player like him on a steal of a contract while considering to pay Brown/Hyman 3.5m/year. Kadri is more untouchable than Nylander depending on how much he asks on his contract.

Matthews/Tavares/Marner/Rielly - Basically untouchable
Nylander/Kadri - extremely unlikely to move

The rest.

 

[The Iceman]

Kadri might still be a part of the core solely because of his low cap hit. The second he's up for renewal, he will be expendable because his role is limited to 3rd line centre behind Matthews and Tavares.

Guess how many centres scored 30 goals last season in the NHL?
18. Just because we have 3 of them it does not make any of them less valuable.
Kadri is one of 5 centres to score 30 or more in the last 2 seasons. Cut him some slack.

 

[Advanced stats]

Kadri is part of the core.
The cap could rise 10 million by the time his contract is up. Giving him a ~2 million raise to stay for another few years after that is likely wise.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Right now, the cap situation is under control. In the next two or three years, Maple Leafs management will have to make decisions on certain depth players that will be up for significant raises.

It looks like they'll look to spend big money on the core and secondary players will be replaced internally through developed young players or European/NCAA free agents.

The core consists of:

Auston Matthews
John Tavares
Mitch Marner
William Nylander
Morgan Rielly
Frederik Andersen

The secondary players are:

Jake Gardiner (UFA 2019) - $4.05M
Connor Brown (RFA 2020) - $2.10M
Zach Hyman (UFA 2021) - $2.25M

*Nazem Kadri (UFA 2022) - $4.50M
*Nikita Zaitsev (UFA 2024) - $4.50M

Two younger players that will be coming off their entry level contracts are Kasperi Kapanen and Travis Dermott. Their second contracts should be manageable and not an issue until at least the summer of 2021. Both should get between $1.5M to $3M, on their second contracts, depending on their play over the next season or two.

Nazem Kadri is under control at $4.5M for another four seasons. Which is great value for the player but is paying $4.5M for your 3rd line centre a good financial decision? Some fans consider Kadri as a core player but given the Matthews + Tavares combo on the top two lines, does it eventually make Kadri an expendable player, when he has a year or two left on that team friendly contract?

That Nikita Zaitsev contract term is not ideal but his actual cap hit is good value for what he is as a player. He turns 27 years old in October and will be 32 years old when that contract expires. There are comparable players that make significantly more than $4.5M and are signed past the age of 31 or 32. I think as the cap goes up and that term goes down, Zaitsev will be on a team friendly contract and he becomes a moveable asset, barring any unforseen injuries or regression.

Matt Niskanen - $5.75M until age 34
Marc Staal - $5.7M until age 34
Jeff Petry - $5.5M until age 34
Andrej Sekera - $5.5M until age 35
Nick Leddy - $5.5M until age 31
Alex Goligoski - $5.475M until age 36
Dmitry Orlov - $5.1M until age 32
Danny DeKeyser - $5M until age 32
Karl Alzner - $4.625M until age 34

I think at this point, Jake Gardiner, Connor Brown and Zach Hyman are the next three contracts that will have to be addressed between now and 2021. Brown and Hyman are Babcock favourites but I don't think giving them $4M+ each is a good idea.

Who do you view as expendable players, in two or three years, if the salary cap situation gets tight?

Not agreeing or disagreeing but great post Son )

Something to chew on in this post. Well thought out bud.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Guess how many centres scored 30 goals last season in the NHL?
18. Just because we have 3 of them it does not make any of them less valuable.
Kadri is one of 5 centres to score 30 or more in the last 2 seasons. Cut him some slack.

Nazem Kadri is one of my favourite players on this team. I'm not criticizing what he has done. He's been a beast.

But adding Tavares limits Kadri's role on this team. I can definitely see him playing out his contract for four more years and then walking into UFA. He should get a nice raise. We won't be able to give him the $6M+ he should get by then.

 

[Mugzy97]

Brown and Hyman could realistically get $3.5M+ on their next contracts. That's $3M+ in raises, between the two.

Dermott and Kapanen are also up for relatively significant raises on their second NHL contracts.

Between the four players, the team likely has to dish out $6M to $8M in raises, depending on player performance over the next year or two.

I guess it depends on your definition of significant

 

[Ratboy]

Time for your insulin.

 

[ACC1224]

Wonder what the cap will be in 4 years?

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Wonder what the cap will be in 4 years?

Flat or lower, of course. Because math, and stuff.

 

[BlueForever75]

Brown and Hyman could realistically get $3.5M+ on their next contracts. That's $3M+ in raises, between the two.

Dermott and Kapanen are also up for relatively significant raises on their second NHL contracts.

Between the four players, the team likely has to dish out $6M to $8M in raises, depending on player performance over the next year or two.

No reason not to believe that cap will not go up 8-12 million by 2021!!! It has been going up in average yearly about 5 million the past 3 seasons. Not to mention a new contract will need to be sorted out between the players and NHL in the next couple of years, and Seattle by then will be onboard which will add to the bottom line increasing profits and cap.

I'm really not that worried that Hyman, Brown and Kapanen will price themselves out of being able to resign them.

Also, keep in mind Marleau's contract and Kessel's retention are off the books come 2021 when we will need to resign these players.

Leafs are perfectly fine.

 

[willmma]

Nazem Kadri is under control at $4.5M for another four seasons. Which is great value for the player but is paying $4.5M for your 3rd line centre a good financial decision? Some fans consider Kadri as a core player but given the Matthews + Tavares combo on the top two lines, does it eventually make Kadri an expendable player, when he has a year or two left on that team friendly contract?

No.

He's only expendable if you hate have a great player for a great $$.

In fact Kadri is a core player, should be an "A". Having an awesome 30 goal scorer as our 3rd line for $4.5M is a GREAT financial decision.
Even after 4 years if he goes up to $6.5M, still a great deal and financial decision.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

I guess it depends on your definition of significant

Current AAV:

Zach Hyman - $2.35M
Connor Brown - $2.10M
Kasperi Kapanen - $860,000
Travis Dermott - $860,000

Total: ~ $6.1M

Projected AAV:

Zach Hyman - $3.5M
Connor Brown - $3.5M
Kasperi Kapanen - $3M
Travis Dermott - $3M

Total: ~ $13M

That's an additional $7M in raises, by 2021.