You're ignoring the increase in the salary cap and changes in contract structure to make your point, Mess. It's not an accurate reflection (percentage of cap would make more sense)
Also, Crosby was making double digits when they won. Just saying
Sidney Crosby's contract: The breakdown | CBC Sports
(I know it's salary and not cap hit)
Salary doesn't count for Cap hit purposes.. Tavares is getting
$15.9 mil salary the highest in the NHL this year ..
Malkin @ $9.5 mil + Crosby @ $8.7 and Kessel at $6.8 mil were Pens 3 highest AAV players =
$22 mil combined X 3F
Tavares @ $11 mil + Matthews @ $11 mil =
same $22 mil cap X 2F + Nylander @ $6.7 mil as Leafs 3 highest AAV players = $28.7 mil
Now what about Marner @ $ 9 mil ??
I'm not ignoring anything when it comes to how ominous Leafs cap situation will be after this year.. That is why Leafs Cup window is wide open this year while AM and MM are on their ELC and we need Nylander at $6.5-$6.9 mil back and playing ASAP.
After this year that Cup window after all those big cap hits kick in is going to make it really hard to keep depth around the stars.
So all things considered it would be stupid of the Leafs to sit Nylander for the year when this is their best competitive hope to win the CUP.