The Kapanen Method

[Gabriel426]

The thing is lets say they trade away Willie, Kerfoot, Holl, and Petr. Use that money to resign Boosh and Gio in D. Engvall, Kase and Blackwell at forward. The Leafs still need to sign two forwards and two goalies to round out the roster.
I think the issue is not Willie or Kerfoot, the issue is having THREE 10plus mil players on the team who could not make players around them better(Bunting being the exception).

The first line should be unchange bc they works and I am a stronger believer that if Bunting and AM were closer to 100%, the series would have ended before Game 7.

The 2nd line with JT is the key because Dubas needs to find players who can play with JT. JT either needs to just be the shooter on the line and park himself on his spots or someone who digs in the corner and pass. Personally, I would build JT's line into a cycling semi shut down line with physical players. JT might ends up with 60pts but that line will be more effective as a whole.

Let Willie be the center of the 3rd line with Kase/Robertson and Engvall

Thats how I would run it.

 

[rocketman588]

And Marner UFA the year after who likely wants to match the Matthews deal. I don’t think they risk it signing Nylander.

Gonna be scary when we keep dubas around and they both take the max (20% of cap)

And we have two dudes making 16 mil

 

[keonsbitterness]

Gonna be scary when we keep dubas around and they both take the max (20% of cap)

And we have two dudes making 16 mil

No chance of that.

 

[danny90]

What type of return are you expecting for players like that ?

When I see names like that I immediately think Leafs Return on Investment (ROI) wouldn't even come close their cost of acquisition.

Leafs traded a 1st in 2019 (#22-Dman Tobias Bjornfot who played 70 games for LA this year) + 2 X 2nd round Leaf drafted prospects (Carl Grundstrom, & Sean Durzi) both contributing members of LA playoff roster combining for 4 goals 3 assists and 7 points in their series with Edmonton. So cost to acquire 1 X 1st + 2 X 2nd round pick level prospects.

Now Muzzin has injury history (multiple concussions in same season) missing almost 1/2 the season (played only 47 games) and has a big contract $5.625 mil X 2 years remaining. His next concussion could be his last and with his physical style of play more likely then not. Big Red flag there..

While his contract is front-loaded, there is still $8 mil in actual salary remaining. So Cap hit >> the salary only benefits non competitive teams needed cap $$ to play near the cap floor perhaps. Muzzin also has a limited NTC that list 10 teams submitted he can't be traded to. Now nearly 34 years old Muzzin is not going to poor team to end his career but would want to chase a Cup. So tough contract to unload with limited trade partners due to NTC situation. IMO

Remember Dubas had to give up Leafs 1st along with Patty Marleau to remove a contract with $6.25 mil Cap and $4.25 mil salary, which in real salary only 1/2 of what Muzz has remaining.

So could dumping Muzzin's contract require the Leafs to add the pick/prospect to recover the cap space to re-invest in UFA?

Muzzin seems more like a LTIR candidate on his next injury, and then Leafs using his cap to replace him on the roster. IMO

Marleau had a way worse contract considering his potential usage vs Muzzin eating 20 minutes a night against top lines

 

[Menzinger]

The idea that it would cost Leafs to move Muzzin is fairly suspect. He's still a top 4 D man, plays with a physical edge and has a cup winning pedigree. There's always a GM going to be interested in that.

A bigger question is if the Leafs should even want to move him

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

I like the premise, like it a lot. It's been discussed before, I think it was when talk was about Marner and offersheets and the idea was to take the picks for him if it comes down to that, and use the dough to sigh Panarin. Makes a ton of sense if you ask me.

Today, the ideal candidate is Nylander. He's had two great playoffs, he's under contract for two more years so a year from now, he'll be worth a lot less in a trade but resigning him will be tough to impossible so trading him would be the kind of progressive/pro-active move that I would love to see. And then use that cap space to sign the best goalie you can find and if no UFA fits the description, the assets we get back for Nylander will compensate for whatever we have to trade for a goalie.

I think this all hinges on AM. If he is coming back....you can take a longer term view of getting this team over the hump. If he is unsure...you need to look at these 2 yrs as critical to have some success. That was the big issue I had with the 5yr deal he gave him. It might have alleviated some of the cap for 5yrs at 11.6 instead of 13 or so...but the cost was not worth it. If you had Matthews for another 5yrs you would not be concerned about whether or not getting a Trotz would piss him off among other things.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

No chance of that.

Wanna bet? Dubas will say it's "something..something..the new landscape" and pay them whatever they want. For AM...I would give the max to...for Marner...not a chance. He either wants to be the hometown hero and take less or he can get out.

 

[keonsbitterness]

Wanna bet? Dubas will say it's "something..something..the new landscape" and pay them whatever they want. For AM...I would give the max to...for Marner...not a chance. He either wants to be the hometown hero and take less or he can get out.

I'd bet if we knew each other. No team is ever paying two players max money. Don't think we've seen one player get that. McDavid didn't.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

I'd bet if we knew each other. No team is ever paying two players max money. Don't think we've seen one player get that. McDavid didn't.

McDavid didn't because he has some common sense. Our duo obviously went to the Patty Marleau school of "Get what you can from the man, while you can"

They will justify it by saying JT is coming off the books and they like to play vidya together or something to that effect. AM I don't mind getting the max...but he can't bitch about depth players being shitty if he does that. His next contract will be the true test of who he really is. He is setup for life now already. Do you want to win or be the richest? Time will tell.

 

[deprw]

The idea that it would cost Leafs to move Muzzin is fairly suspect. He's still a top 4 D man, plays with a physical edge and has a cup winning pedigree. There's always a GM going to be interested in that.

A bigger question is if the Leafs should even want to move him

He is player in the mold we were after before we got him and Brodie (who doesn't have a ring). Veteran, physical and tough to play against. I think his yesterdays news now and we can get rid of him and thing about trading that kind of defender back next summer.

If we can keep our defense with Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie, Giordano, Liljegren and Sandin I think we're in good shape. We need 7th and 8th + legit number one goaltender.