Proposal: Kapanen to CAR (not for Pesce)

[4thline]

You may be right, although I don’t quite understand what you mean by “eroding the RFA discount” or why it would be majorly frowned upon?

Taking giving a player that slots in at a ~3x2 bridge and giving them 4x2 changes the slotting. No GM want's to drive up RFA costs. It's why everyone was mad at the Oilers. There's a very narrow window of utility where a "market value" Offer sheet is more than the right holding team is willing to pay.

 

[OTC]

I just want to see a team or teams hit Toronto with one-year offer sheets at the top of the 2nd round compensation bracket (probably around $4.2M) for Johnsson and Kapanen. Don't let them bring those guys back for relatively cheap.

Teams will sit back and wait to see the Marner contract. Dubas has to do some magic!

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Meh, I disagree with most of that.

Zaitsev: He's is not unmovable. They may need to make it worth someone's while, but he's not unmovable. Down the stretch and in the playoffs, he played quite well. He's a bit overpaid, but he has value IMO. In fact, I doubt the Leafs move him unless they can find another RHD.
Nylander: His value hasn't dropped as much as people let on. 1 bad year when he missed all of training camp and 1/3rd of the season isn't going to change that he's a young, skilled 60point players. GMs see that. His cap hit is certainly higher than it was, but after 7/1, his salary isn't bad. If the Leafs want to move him, there will be a lot of takers.
AJ: Not in the same position as Kap, as he's arb. eligible, but he's going to cost probably $2.5M so if the Leafs want to save that space, they can move him easily, which is my point.
Kadri: Another guy that can be moved to free up space if they need to. Gardiner won't likely be re-signed either.

My point being is that I highly doubt the Leafs would trade Kapanen for a 2nd round pick or refuse to match an offersheet that requires only a 2nd round pick (and remember, Kapanen has to agree to sign an offersheet). People fail to recognize that there are 29 teams in the NHL and many of them would want a guy like Kapanen. Leafs have a number of different things they can put in play vs. just taking a poor offer for wone of their players.

Well we'll agree to disagree.

Zaitsev to me is a terrible contract that is almost near Lucic level but without the NTC. He would require a huge sweetener for a team to take him one. He was better down the stretch and had moments in the playoffs but he's been pretty terrible the last two years now and is locked in long term.

Nylander of course still has a good amount of value but just saying based on his cap hit and recent play the shine has come off the apple. If he is traded the best landing spot would be a team with a lot of cap space but doesn't actually spend a ton in real dollars. I just don't think some of the names he was rumoured for originally (ie. Pesce, etc) would be options now.

Kadri obviously could be moved and holds a lot of value but he's like our Pesce. On a great contract and plays an important role on the team. You don't want to move him in order to free up cap space for another good player, but yes, he could be an option.

AJ won't get as much as Kap but again trading him out doesn't really save you much. He's in line for a raise but he's not making much now.

Marner is getting double digits, there's no doubt about it. So that is a huge jump from his ELC. Gardiner was making 4 mil a year so there is still a big gap between the money going out vs. what they will be spending to keep Marner and then a player like Kap.