But I was told the league would step in and stop this if a Canadian team tried it!
Good deal for the Leafs. They're paying for good AAV right now in exchange for bad term. These deals, especially Chris Tanev, age the players well past the expiration date, so to speak.
I think the deferred money part is fine. That's on the player for delaying receiving the money to make it more cap friendly for the team. Totally within the CBA so it's fair game. This doesn't look like it's one where a player gets a ridiculous deferred money many years after.
What I won't like in the future are these players, especially Tanev, LTIRetiring with 1 or more years left in the deal. I don't love that we did it with Gardiner, but at least his was a legitimate injury that kept him from being an NHL player. Some of these deals feel like they have LTIR in mind from the outset of the deal. I could be wrong, and it's possible some of these players have Brent Burns like longevity, and then all the more power to them.