TSN: Leafs closing on 7 year deal with RFA Nikita Zaitsev

[PAZ]

I think if anything, the successful SC winners like Pittsburgh and Chicago have shown how important youth is. They're still competing for the cup, while the other teams who still have their core in their prime (Boston and LA) are struggling due to the lack of talent and being able to adapt. Even with Tampa in a cap crunch this year and probably losing a key player or two, they'll barely lose a step due to their drafting.

Toronto is in no rush.

 

[bossram]

IDK how it's not year 1 of

"The Shanaplan/Lou" era


the way i see it, the last season and a half was the gutting of the failed Burke/Nonis era

stripping away as many deadly bad contracts as they could


i guesses i should have said , "year 1 of their rebuild" (aka, shana/hunter/lou)

next season we still need to lose some horrid cap hits like gleason/lupul/cowen and we are talking about a roster full of sophomores ,

i ain't jumping the gun and thinking these kids should be cup contenders.

They're 2nd in the division and expected to improve next season.

They need to capitalize while they have star-calibre players on ELCs.

The rebuild is over. It's time to play.

 

[Starat327]

IDK how it's not year 1 of

"The Shanaplan/Lou" era


the way i see it, the last season and a half was the gutting of the failed Burke/Nonis era

stripping away as many deadly bad contracts as they could


i guesses i should have said , "year 1 of their rebuild" (aka, shana/hunter/lou)

next season we still need to lose some horrid cap hits like gleason/lupul/cowen and we are talking about a roster full of sophomores ,

i ain't jumping the gun and thinking these kids should be cup contenders.

im not saying the leafs should be contenders at this point, but when you factor in LTIR (if you were to use it all) dont the leafs have like an additional 15 mil in cap space or something like that?

I get it, bonuses have to be paid next year, etc. But 'cap space' is not a reason the leafs arent contenders, lets be honest.

 

[Faltorvo]

im not saying the leafs should be contenders at this point, but when you factor in LTIR (if you were to use it all) dont the leafs have like an additional 15 mil in cap space or something like that?

I get it, bonuses have to be paid next year, etc. But 'cap space' is not a reason the leafs arent contenders, lets be honest.

i'm not sure the rules to how LTIR cap relief is used makes it even plausible to use the full 10/15m in ltir relief.

as for the contenders part, maybe i worded it wrong

i don't believe we are in a position where management can make all the bold moves it wants to, to put us in that tier and neither does the age of our players

now if we are talking about the 2018/19, well thats a whole different kettle of fish.


age/exp

cap relief all lines up nice starting that year.

next year is a growth/ still fixing our cap hell situation.

 

[Faltorvo]

They're 2nd in the division and expected to improve next season.

They need to capitalize while they have star-calibre players on ELCs.

The rebuild is over. It's time to play.

ummmm nope,


not even close call on that.

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

hmmmmm could be a speed bump

http://www.tsn.ca/cska-moscow-wants-zaitsev-others-back-1.714902

 

[howkie]

Even if I hate the Leafs I would take a lesser payment from the Leafs and play in NHL then going back to KHL. I think Zaitsev do the same....

 

[fahad203]

Even if I hate the Leafs I would take a lesser payment from the Leafs and play in NHL then going back to KHL. I think Zaitsev do the same....

Hard to ***** that's going through Zaitsev's mind. Moscow is a metropolitan city, rich history and not to mention his backyard. They'll pay him almost cash as taxes are really low. If it comes down to lifestyle, Moscow will offer what Toronto never can

I hope he stays. He has been a very good find

 

[Advanced stats]

ummmm nope,


not even close call on that.

Um yes. The leafs are on the up and up starting this season.

 

[SprDaVE]

How in the hell are people saying the Leafs are in cap hell or even remotely close to having cap problems. Absurd.

 

[MXD]

Um yes. The leafs are on the up and up starting this season.

Evidence, please.

 

[Advanced stats]

Evidence, please.

NHL.com/standings

NHL.com/rookiescoring

 

[SprDaVE]

Evidence, please.

Just look at the standings from last season, and then look at this season.

I don't understand what evidence you're looking for?

 

[bossram]

ummmm nope,


not even close call on that.

They're a good, young, competitive team with all their core pieces already producing beyond expectations, and they're likely to improve?

But yah, let's just waste a season next year.

 

[stuffradio]

Even if I hate the Leafs I would take a lesser payment from the Leafs and play in NHL then going back to KHL. I think Zaitsev do the same....

You're assuming he doesn't like the lifestyle of his home country.

 

[Woll Smoth]

How in the hell are people saying the Leafs are in cap hell or even remotely close to having cap problems. Absurd.

Every non Leaf fan suddenly became an expert and very concerned over the Leafs cap situation.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

It's 16+ in cap space with a 18 man roster(12,5,1). Zaitsev for 4.5, Brown for 2.75, and Hyman for 1 gives us a 21 man roster with 14 forwards already and 8 million in space less whatever the bonuses are. Boyle is replaced by Fehr. If you want someone different like Gauthier than Fehr going down and Goat coming up actually saves money.

That's also with 6 defenceman, so you only need 1 more not 2. If you have 2 extras then that's another forward that's demoted for more space up to 950k for the 8th defenceman who could be someone like Valiev for example.

Then all that's left is a goalie. Assuming we sign some backup for a million that leaves us with 6.3125 to cover whatever bonuses we have this year.

If we assume 5 million in bonuses this year then we're under by 1.3 million. Sure we may want to go out and get an upgrade somewhere, but in doing so we also may end up losing Bozak and/or JVR's cap.

There's a decent chance we'll have to use LTIR next year, and an almost guaranteed chance that some of next years bonuses carry over to 18/19(maybe all of them)

But we're nowhere near in cap trouble yet, there's lots of options, and much of the team will be cheaper younger players when the big 3 get their raises in 1/2 years time.

the way ltir works... it only covers when you are OVER the cap. this means the leafs were maxed out on their cap this year if they used any ltir

and im sure they must have given that mess

now they are blessed with 3 kids who will earn performance bonuses.

id guess theres going to be a very sizable overage penalty from this year applied to next seasons numbers

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

Every non Leaf fan suddenly became an expert and very concerned over the Leafs cap situation.

dont get too concerned over it... nhl teams employs guys making alot of money to manage their caps and even they make mistakes all the time. its no where near as simple as taking a look at a website might make a fan believe.

im sure the guys running the websites do the best job they can but when we remembet nhl doesnt release salaries its not easy

ive seen a guys caphit reported 1 way for a couple years... then it suddenly gets changed.

personally im very interested in this and spend at least 100 hours a year going over the teams and studying the contracts... by no means would i consider myself an expert

i certainly wouldnt get upset over a debate in march on a website message board.

but basic math says 13+ million in ltir plus amazing rookies with at least 4 mill in potential bonuses... isnt a good thing right off the bat.

id be preparing myself for distasteful news if i was a toronto fan

 

[Avilaj07]

What people don't understand is, Toronto didn't have to put those players on ltir to be under the cap. Toronto did it to allow them more money to make possible moves at the deadline to regain assets by bringing back high cap players. Everyone knows Toronto was after Garrison and Filpula from Tampa Bay and basically deal was nixed because Filpula refused to waive to come to Toronto. That is why Toronto placed players on the ltir. They were fine salary wise leaving those guys of the ltir until we brought in Fehr

 

[mouser]

dont get too concerned over it... nhl teams employs guys making alot of money to manage their caps and even they make mistakes all the time. its no where near as simple as taking a look at a website might make a fan believe.

im sure the guys running the websites do the best job they can but when we remembet nhl doesnt release salaries its not easy

ive seen a guys caphit reported 1 way for a couple years... then it suddenly gets changed.

personally im very interested in this and spend at least 100 hours a year going over the teams and studying the contracts... by no means would i consider myself an expert

i certainly wouldnt get upset over a debate in march on a website message board.

but basic math says 13+ million in ltir plus amazing rookies with at least 4 mill in potential bonuses... isnt a good thing right off the bat.

id be preparing myself for distasteful news if i was a toronto fan

Players being on LTIR does not mean the team is exercising the LTIR Exception to replace those players' cap hits to exceed the salary cap ceiling. Placing a player on LTIR and using the LTIR Exception are two separate things.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

You're assuming he doesn't like the lifestyle of his home country.

Playing in KHL is tough compared to the NHL. The travel, the facilities, heck the weather in Moscow in winter in severe. Playing in the NHL, summering in Russia seems like a good plan.

And players get paid in the devaluated Russian currency. Yea paying not taxes is nice but you see more young Russians willing to take a change to come North America than taking more immediate money and staying in Russia.

I think we overestimate the value of players playing in their home city or country. Young, rich and often smart people will take the chance of new adventure, to play, work and live elsewhere.,

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Why is it that some fans think the Leafs don't get cap relief when their guys go on LTIR. Is it just an anti Leaf thing?
Horton and Lupul right now are the only two guys in question next right (right now). Horton is a definite and Lupul...is debatable.
Please look at the Leafs cap next year and include bonuses and I know the LTIR rules are a little confusing but basically it's this. Teams do not get cap punished for having players on LTIR.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Why is it that some fans think the Leafs don't get cap relief when their guys go on LTIR. Is it just an anti Leaf thing?
Horton and Lupul right now are the only two guys in question next right (right now). Horton is a definite and Lupul...is debatable.
Please look at the Leafs cap next year and include bonuses and I know the LTIR rules are a little confusing but basically it's this. Teams do not get cap punished for having players on LTIR.

The only thing unique about the Leafs situation compared to many others in which they don't get as much help from LTIR relief is having 3 ELC players hitting bonus.

Leafs are already going to take a $4m penalty next year due to that (then add on top of that LTIR and then bonusses again... could have another penalty the year after, etc...). But those LTIRs are coming off over the next couple years. I don't see anything drastic such as breaking up the current core needing to be done to handle it. Leafs obviously have to be careful eating long term cap moving forward, but I'm sure they're aware of the situation.

Lots of posters likely just exaggerating that situation out of hate, like normal sports fans do.

 

[Kamiccolo]

They're a good, young, competitive team with all their core pieces already producing beyond expectations, and they're likely to improve?

But yah, let's just waste a season next year.

So instead of the idea that the rookies are not over achieving, but were very under rated on here, instead the logic is they have peaked as rookies?

 

[bossram]

So instead of the idea that the rookies are not over achieving, but were very under rated on here, instead the logic is they have peaked as rookies?

Umm....What are you even saying?

Are you saying that I think the Leafs have peaked? I literally said that they are improving, which seems obvious anyway.

The Leafs are a legitimately a good team. They are young. They are improving. Their best players are on ELCs providing insane value to the club.

There is seriously no reason why they continue "rebuilding". How many more youth assets do they need? They have tons. They're winning now, and should be a legitimate contender next season and the year after. While Matthews and Marner are still on their ELCs is really the time to "go for it".