Confirmed with Link: Rights to Chris Tanev for Max Ellis, 2026 7th rd selection

[-DeMo-]

I don’t think it matters if you’re interested. They have to deal in the real world where they’re competing with 31 other teams for players. Not fantasy land.

and a 7 year deal isn't fantasy land for a 34 year old when's the last time someone that age signed that long? I mean not like Spezza/Gio just took hometown discounts to finish there careers on the Leafs

 

[Nineteen67]

He's under 35 so can retire without penalty to the team. I presume they will give him a long term contract to get the cap hit down, front load it so he gets the money he wants, then he retires in a few years and is off our books.

How does that work?

 

[The Podium]

I think the idea of a long term contract is Tanev won’t play out the rest of it. Keep the AAV low and deal with LTIR when the time comes.

As for the trade, the only thing that makes sense to me there’s another trade in the hopper and they need to be certain of how much money they need to spend to address their primary need (D) before they can pull the trigger (for retention purposes).

 

[Gabriel426]

How are we going to recover from losing Mac Ellis in this deal?

 

[TOCap1]

How does that work?

If he wants a total of let’s say 15 mil over 3 years then Toronto will give him that much money in the first three years of the deal with a handshake agreement that he retires after those three and spread the money over 7 (basically empty money over the last 4) to ensure the cap hit comes in at the 3aav over 7 rather than 5 over 3

 

[Ports]

and a 7 year deal isn't fantasy land for a 34 year old when's the last time someone that age signed that long? I mean not like Spezza/Gio just took hometown discounts to finish there careers on the Leafs

They can put him on LTIR, front load the contract to make it tradable to a team that needs to get to the cap floor or he can retire. All it costs the Leafs is money not cap space in the latter years.

 

[Roo]

How does that work?

If you sign someone age 35 or older, and they retire before the term of the contract ends, the cap hit still applies

 

[TheGreatOne11]

I dislike that he's 34 and we're about to sign this man up for 8 years.

Robidas island might literally have to be renamed Tanev peninsula due to us knowing this so far in advance lol.

That AAV better be LOW.

Tanev in 4 years minus the Ottawa jersey.

 

[Nineteen67]

If he wants a total of let’s say 15 mil over 3 years then Toronto will give him that much money in the first three years of the deal with a handshake agreement that he retires after those three and spread the money over 7 (basically empty money over the last 4) to ensure the cap hit comes in at the 3aav over 7 rather than 5 over 3

But there’s still a cap hit, right? I know they changed the recapture rules in the last CBA , but I don’t remember the cap hit AAV eliminated in this example. If that’s the case why wouldnt they all do that? Why wouldnt Tampa do that with Stamkos?

 

[Warden of the North]

I dislike that he's 34 and we're about to sign this man up for 8 years.

Robidas island might literally have to be renamed Tanev peninsula due to us knowing this so far in advance lol.

That AAV better be LOW.

Tanev in 4 years minus the Ottawa jersey.

He's under 35 and can just retire and his hit will be gone. Expect it to be front loaded

 

[Roo]

But there’s still a cap hit, right? I know they changed the recapture rules in the last CBA , but I don’t remember the cap hit AAV eliminated in this example. If that’s the case why wouldnt they all do that? Why wouldnt Tampa do that with Stamkos?

Cap hit still applies only when you are signed age 35 or older.

 

[Stephen]

The interesting thing here is the Leafs can basically offer the inverse of the AAV and term to drive down the cap hit.

If he was in line for a 3 Year, $5 million deal, we can make it a 5 year $3 million deal and then just pay all the cash up front, make the last 2 years a pleasant stay on Robidas Island.

 

[TheGreatOne11]

He's under 35 and can just retire and his hit will be gone. Expect it to be front loaded

We should be targeting every great 34 year old player this off season and doing the same thing. How Olds Stamkos? Lol.

 

[TOCap1]

But there’s still a cap hit, right? I know they changed the recapture rules in the last CBA , but I don’t remember the cap hit AAV eliminated in this example. If that’s the case why wouldnt they all do that? Why wouldnt Tampa do that with Stamkos?

Since its an under 35 deal if he retires the cap is gone.

 

[Nineteen67]

If you sign someone age 35 or older, and they retire before the term of the contract ends, the cap hit still applies

I believe that.

If Tampa signed Stamkos to a $45 million contract over 8 yrs and paid him max signing bonus in the first three yrs and he receives his $45 million and then retired, TB wouldn’t have a ~ 5.5 million AAV on the cap in the remaining 5 years? That makes no sense.

Since its an under 35 deal if he retires the cap is gone.

I need to see that. That makes zero sense and why isn’t used every year.

 

[Warden of the North]

But there’s still a cap hit, right? I know they changed the recapture rules in the last CBA , but I don’t remember the cap hit AAV eliminated in this example. If that’s the case why wouldnt they all do that? Why wouldnt Tampa do that with Stamkos?

If he's under 35 when it's signed, then no cap hit.

 

[Nineteen67]

Why isn’t JT retiring today and moving to the front office?

 

[TimeZone]

I mean fair, but do we really expect that to last much longer in his career?

No, I just don't believe he's past his prime right now.

Will he fall off a cliff like Brodie, or be servicable into his late 30's like Gio? I don't know, but I know he's an absolute stud right now and very much in his prime regardless of age.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

any updates?

 

[Nineteen67]

If he's under 35 when it's signed, then no cap hit.

I believe you, but show me where that’s written?

 

[Warden of the North]

Why isn’t JT retiring today and moving to the front office?

If his body was broken, he probably would.

 

[The Iceman]

If he doesn’t have a NMC in the later years of the contract, can he be sent down to the Marlies ? If so, then he’ll choose LTIR or retire.


It does this season and it’s only for fours years.

The average NHL career is probably 4 years. An eternity.

 

[Warden of the North]

I believe you, but show me where that’s written?

I'm not searching the CBA for it. When the contract is eventually signed there will be 7000 tweets explaining the process I'm sure.

 

[-DeMo-]

They can put him on LTIR, front load the contract to make it tradable to a team that needs to get to the cap floor or he can retire. All it costs the Leafs is money not cap space in the latter years.

so give me an example of a contract because you said someone would offer 3-4 year 5-6 million deal meaning anywhere from 15 to 24 million so give me an example of a contract that would work for your 7 years.

 

[The Iceman]

If Tanev is worth $5.5 a season at this point what about multiply by 3 and spread over 6 years.

$16.5
6 year contract.