Salary Cap: 2021/22 Season 81.5M AAV CAP Leafs

[Mickey Marner]

FYI, league minimum is going up to 750k next season.

Losing Kerfoot to Seattle would be optimal. If not were probably looking at a 21/22-man roster and never utilizing the IR over the LTIR in perpetuity. Unless we trade a core player, but I doubt we go down that road unless we lose in round one.

Lots of 1A/1B starters (Driedger, RaaNRA, Rask, Rittich, Smith etc.) we could sign at 2-3 AAV. I expect Spezza and Robertson come in at 1.543 (793k+750k) AAV.

I don't like Hyman at eight years, but at this point there are only two, maybe three Leafs I'd keep over him, so whatever it costs he needs to be retained.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

The poll title and the poll itself is confusing.

 

[CapspaceKiller]

No chance Kerfoot is coming back

 

[NK94]

Them and the recent case of the Capitals are both good reminders that the road to the cup can be as much a marathon as a sprint

From 2008-09 on, the Blues made it past the second round once prior to 2018-19, and Yzerman didn’t win his first Cup until he was 32.

3 of the 4 big four are still under 25. The Leafs are closer to contention than they’ve ever been since 2016-2017. These things take time.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

Them and the recent case of the Capitals are both good reminders that the road to the cup can be as much a marathon as a sprint

I find this a strange argument. Who exactly was Washington's "core" that they just kept all together for 12 years, other than Ovechkin? How many players were on the 2005/06 team that was on the cup winning 2018 team? Just one. Ovechkin. So that's the current plan? We'll follow the Washington model and in 8 years we'll win the cup with only Matthews still on the team? What a silly plan. What a silly strategy.

Do we start when Backstrom joined the team? Because that's only TWO core players that were still on the team when they won their cup.

Or let's maybe do Carlson, Ovechkin, Backstrom, Kuznetsov? Is that the core? Because that's five years they were all together before they won a cup. Five. And we're right now at year 5 of this current core.

And then let's look at their cup winning year. Their top 4 forwards combined for 37% of the cap. Not 50%. And that's what many are starting to consider the root of the problem. If this team is humiliated in the first round of the playoffs yet again, many are starting to consider that half the cap on 4 forwards isn't the way to go. We've had FIVE years of this core. So far ZERO playoff series wins. Or is Tavares part of the core, so it's only year 3? I mean... he's quickly becoming more of a liability than an asset. So he won't add much to the argument.

Know how many playoff series wins the Washington "core" had in their 5 years? SEVEN!!!!!

So this whole "we need patience in the core, like Washington" makes absolutely no sense. What you're really saying is "We need to keep Matthews. And hopefully he eventually wins a cup with a whole new group of players like Ovechkin did".

If the leafs lose in the first round again, the core needs to be broken up. That's ASSUREDLY what Washington would have done if they had ZERO playoff wins in those five years, as opposed to SEVEN!!!!

 

[rojac]

So, is this supposed to be a “yes” or “no” to the question “Will there be a core change next year?” Because it reads to me “Will one of two things (core change or plug holes) happen?” So, if you thing that a core change happens or that they continue to plug holes, you should answer “yes.”

 

[The Iceman]

So, is this supposed to be a “yes” or “no” to the question “Will there be a core change next year?” Because it reads to me “Will one of two things (core change or plug holes) happen?” So, if you thing that a core change happens or that they continue to plug holes, you should answer “yes.”

Need a MAYBE option

 

[Nylanderthal]

8 x 5 for Hyman?

Wtf

Yeah, that’s just way too much. 8 years of term should mean the AAV has a high 3 in it IMO

 

[seanlinden]

this will arguably be one of our easiest off-season's to manage the cap. core is locked in, players want to play here. We have established ourselves as the premier club for cheap aging vets, reclamation projects, and euro UFA's. Not even remotely worried

As crazy as this sounds... I think you may actually be right.

The players of consequence on expiring deals are Hyman & Andersen. I'd suspect the Leafs look at the $7.25m they currently make, and figure that will be about what they have to spend on Hyman (~$3.5m?) and a goalie ($3.75m?).

From there, it's going to be some shuffling the deck pretty much...

Expiring: Simmonds ($1.5m), Thornton ($700k), Spezza ($700k), Galchenyuk ($1.05m), Dermott ($874k), Bogosian ($1m)
Movable: Kerfoot ($3.5m), Mikheyev ($1.645m), Engvall ($1.25m)
Likely Additions: Sandin ($894k) and/or Liljegren ($863k), Robertson ($821k)

Maybe you keep Kerfoot, and lump Simmonds & Mikheyev's salaries together to add a $2m guy. Maybe you drop Kerfoot and Simmonds, and bring in a couple of guys in the mid-2s.

The biggest challenge of course is -- hoping that the only "goal" in the offseason is to make minor tweaks.

 

[Zonk]

So, is this supposed to be a “yes” or “no” to the question “Will there be a core change next year?” Because it reads to me “Will one of two things (core change or plug holes) happen?” So, if you thing that a core change happens or that they continue to plug holes, you should answer “yes.”

Or you can answer "no". Or you can choose both, because you are allowed two answers.
The question that is asked is interesting and worthy of discussion, but the wording of the questions, (and ability to select two answers), needs improvement.

 

[Funk21]

1. Trade Kerfoot or get Seattle to take him in the expansion draft. May cost a pick.
2. Resign Hyman to a sub 4 million dollar deal. Might need to be 7/8 years and front loaded like AM.
3. Let Andersen walk.
4. Resign Spezza
5. Potentially resign Galchenyuk

Hyman Matthews Marner
Robertson JT Nylander
Amirov Galchenyuk Mikheyev
????? Engvall Spezza

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Liljegren
Sandin Holl

???????
Campbell

 

[Arthur Morgan]

2 questions and just yes or no... I dont even know what to choose.
No, Yes

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I find this a strange argument. Who exactly was Washington's "core" that they just kept all together for 12 years, other than Ovechkin? How many players were on the 2005/06 team that was on the cup winning 2018 team? Just one. Ovechkin. So that's the current plan? We'll follow the Washington model and in 8 years we'll win the cup with only Matthews still on the team? What a silly plan. What a silly strategy.

Do we start when Backstrom joined the team? Because that's only TWO core players that were still on the team when they won their cup.

Or let's maybe do Carlson, Ovechkin, Backstrom, Kuznetsov? Is that the core? Because that's five years they were all together before they won a cup. Five. And we're right now at year 5 of this current core.

And then let's look at their cup winning year. Their top 4 forwards combined for 37% of the cap. Not 50%. And that's what many are starting to consider the root of the problem. If this team is humiliated in the first round of the playoffs yet again, many are starting to consider that half the cap on 4 forwards isn't the way to go. We've had FIVE years of this core. So far ZERO playoff series wins. Or is Tavares part of the core, so it's only year 3? I mean... he's quickly becoming more of a liability than an asset. So he won't add much to the argument.

Know how many playoff series wins the Washington "core" had in their 5 years? SEVEN!!!!!

So this whole "we need patience in the core, like Washington" makes absolutely no sense. What you're really saying is "We need to keep Matthews. And hopefully he eventually wins a cup with a whole new group of players like Ovechkin did".

If the leafs lose in the first round again, the core needs to be broken up. That's ASSUREDLY what Washington would have done if they had ZERO playoff wins in those five years, as opposed to SEVEN!!!!

If we lose in the first round again this year. short of moving Matthews I don't care what direction the leafs go in.
Anything to win. just hope we dont run into more trades like Kadri for Kerfoot and Barrie

 

[OB34KNH]

View attachment 415452

Essentially, if we get rid of Kerfoot, we can afford to pay Zach Hyman 5 mil (I think he'll come for a little cheaper) and still have $$ for a 4/4.5 million dollar goalie. We lose Mo after next season and that's going to free up another 5 mil in cap space and really no one significant coming off the books to be resigned other than Mikhy and Engvall.

No team is going to pay Hyman 5 mill x 8.

He has a career-high of 41 Points. Just because he plays with Matthews and Co., and is producing, doesn't mean he's a bona-fide offensive talent.

Sure he is great at hustling and plays great defense. But that alone doesn't generate you a big contract.
Do you really think another team would offer him 5 Mill for 8 years? I don't think so.

I'd go 3.5 Million x 6 years for Hyman.

 

[DarkKnight]

Bettman is such an ideologue. The pandemic has destroyed the hard cap model, the 50/50 split is going to eviscerate the players REAL salary, as the owners will receive compensation for the lost revenue. Why he doesn’t loosen requirements to allow teams some flexibility during a situation nobody anticipated is beyond me. Every industry has shown pragmatism, the NHL will hold firm, despite the absurdity.

 

[Randy Randerson]

This is going to be a bad year for UFA's, the power has shifted from the sellers to the buyers because of the flat cap.

I could see a situation where Hyman signs a shorter deal for something we can afford with a handshake agreement for a longer deal at the end of it when the cap starts to rise. Dubas has done a lot of virtue signalling moves to earn trust from players when he wasn't obligated to - Leivo, Lehtonen, etc. Those things have a purpose, and it's to communicate to the player body that Dubas will do what's best for the player if the opportunity doesn't materialize on the Leafs.

I don't see Hyman getting $5Mx8 this year from anyone in a flat cap year, and I think we are wise to save some of our cap bullets for when the UFA market realizes that and gets desperate. Less the core, but I think there will be opportunities to get some really good complimentary players on way better short term deals than you would have thought.

Like UFA Taylor Hall took a 1 year deal this year, if someone had said 18 months ago that Hall would take 1 year as a UFA you would have laughed them out of the room.

So I'm in favour of getting both Kerfoot and Andersen's money off of our books then waiting for the right time to hire some UFA guns, especially those looking to earn a big contract the next year when the cap starts to rise again.

 

[BlueForever75]

Hyman is going to be worth a hell of alot more then 3.5 million per season. The guy will get 4.5-5.5 million per from someone and unfortunately it will be hard for the Leafs to retain him unless they sign no one new and discard players like Kerfoot.

 

[ACC1224]

Thread is premature.

if they miss the playoffs like last year, which seems unlikely or they go out in the first round like prior years I could see a core change.
Win a round or two and they’ll continue to tweak the roster.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Ok then goodbye Hyman. We are not paying him 5 mill. If you think the Gallagher contract is bad, then how does it make sense to be paying Hyman 5+ mill through his 30's?

Because he has been our best player, bar none, for many many games this season like last night where he created everything we did all night long ... total control of game by Zach

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Hold on. You think a 29 year old 40 point player is gonna get a 6.5M?

did the cap go up 10M?

what am I missing here?

Gallagher got 6.5M per for 6 years ... Hyman is twice as good a player as little Gallagher ... and Gallagher signed in COVID times .. facts are right in front of you if you care to look them up .. plus Zach has been OUR BEST player on many nights like last night where he dominated da game and it was only by his efforts that we won easy

 

[Golden_Jet]

Gallagher 2 -30 goal seasons
Hyman 2-20 goal seasons. Why is he twice as good.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Awesome poll.

Voted yes and no.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Gallagher 2 -30 goal seasons
Hyman 2-20 goal seasons. Why is he twice as good.

Bigger, stronger, faster, harder more effective forecheck, better net front presence (although it is close), more hand eye skill, better defensive player, can play PK, can play PP, can play 1st line, drives team forward (although it is close) and this season has turned into our "go to" guy to dominate game on his own with no help needed like last night, unbelievable motor which never stops (even Matty looked at him on a couple shifts and had to go to bench for change and Zach still kickin *ss he could not believe it either) ... this my friends is captain material now ... JT has faded off and Zach is now leading this team

 

[zeke]

Lmao at this thread worrying about next year while they're so good this year.

This is a thread for the Sabres board.

 

[banks]

The poll title and the poll itself is confusing.

EXACTLY! I was going to say the same thing. How do you answer yes or no to a question asking for either or?

What does "yes" mean in the poll?