If you're Dubas you think the team has a shot at the conference finals - or further - that's 28-31

You can't get the shot without freeing up cap space to sign everyone we know needs signing + find a top 4 D

Maybe there was a better deal out there but honestly, this is a top 5 NHL team guys stop crying over late first round picks.
- Mr_Smokey

The price was definitely steep, I think Dubas was worried about 4m offer sheets to Kap and Johnsson, he needed to move Marleau's 6m and he did but it definitely wasn't the most creative way as we have seen in the past with dead-cap weight. Good news is there isn't a massive difference between late first and seconds. Would have been nice to package Marleau up with a sweetener (1st) if need be and a prospect/player to have gotten a Dman back from Carolina

was it kypreos who reported the marleau, brogram and a 5th to arizona for a 4th trade?

dubas really should have done that trade vs. the carolina one tbh imho
- Tumbleweed

Did he also report if Marleau would waive his NMC for this deal?

I'm fine either way on the two deals. Borgman is already better than a bunch of first round picks. How do we know the first rounder isn't Tyler Biggs 2.0?

was it kypreos who reported the marleau, brogram and a 5th to arizona for a 4th trade?

dubas really should have done that trade vs. the carolina one tbh imho
- Tumbleweed

Atta boy ...!

I love the "get creative" part with no solutions offered up.

Retire? Can't because 35+ contract
Trade him to any team with space? Can't since NMC
Retain salary in deal? Can't, player has NMC + need the full cap space

It all really boiled down to Dubas had to pay a hefty price to move this along.

Only way to save it was to convince Benning that Marleau was better than Miller.
- Aaron_85

Wedgie provided the perfect solution - mutual agreement to terminate the contract.

In addition - might want to go back to last year's playoffs - quite a few people were saying how good Marleau was playing (one of the best on the team).
He had a mediocre season - not as if he cannot play ok next season.
Somehow however, Nylander with the pathetic season is 'bound to be better next season for sure, worth every penny of his 6.9mln caphit'.

If you're Dubas you think the team has a shot at the conference finals - or further - that's 28-31

You can't get the shot without freeing up cap space to sign everyone we know needs signing + find a top 4 D

Maybe there was a better deal out there but honestly, this is a top 5 NHL team guys stop crying over late first round picks.
- Mr_Smokey

I can't possibly imagine there was.

He's barely a 3rd liner on a bad team.

The Leafs didn't have the option of waiting until July 2nd to trade him.

So you had to find a team that was a) willing to spend the money to buy him out; and b) willing to pay the cap hit over the next two years.

That's a really weird combo - a team willing to pay cash, but who also are cheap so they still have cap room.

Gotta give Dubas some credit here: he made the best of a horrible situation.

C'mon man. The Leafs HAD to move him. If they had him on the roster they'd have to had moved multiple young talented forwards. There was no option.

And to trade him ...it HAD to be to a team willing to buy him out. The buy out window ends June 30th.

So we should assume that Dubas canvassed the whole league and there were probably only 2 or 3 teams with the ability to buy him out and eat the 6.25 in cap space.

And we should assume that he took the best deal possible.

It sucks that it cost a first to get rid of a guy's contract ...but, lesson learned is don't (frank) around with those 35+ contracts. I like Lou but that one's on Lou.
- The Law

Yeah that's fair, I think the fans just want to see those cupboards continually stocked, Sandin looks to be a great pick last year. Here is to hoping the 2nd and 3rd rounders they went with can be NHL players someday

Wedgie provided the perfect solution - mutual agreement to terminate the contract.

In addition - might want to go back to last year's playoffs - quite a few people were saying how good Marleau was playing (one of the best on the team).
He had a mediocre season - not as if he cannot play ok next season.
Somehow however, Nylander with the pathetic season is 'bound to be better next season for sure, worth every penny of his 6.9mln caphit'.
- MaximusAurelius

I provided the perfect theoretical solution - I may very well have been talking out of my arse.

I have no idea if the league would have allowed it.

Did he also report if Marleau would waive his NMC for this deal?

I'm fine either way on the two deals. Borgman is already better than a bunch of first round picks. How do we know the first rounder isn't Tyler Biggs 2.0?
- Aaron_85

Dubas and Burke seem very different at the draft table. I mean Dubas uses two phones at a time...

I have been talking out of my arse.
- Atomic Wedgie

and I thought you had bad breath all that time

Wedgie provided the perfect solution - mutual agreement to terminate the contract.

In addition - might want to go back to last year's playoffs - quite a few people were saying how good Marleau was playing (one of the best on the team).
He had a mediocre season - not as if he cannot play ok next season.
Somehow however, Nylander with the pathetic season is 'bound to be better next season for sure, worth every penny of his 6.9mln caphit'.
- MaximusAurelius

As Wedgie said he isn't sure if it's a viable strategy. Also, that doesn't guarantee Marleau would want to be terminated knowing he is giving up 6 million bucks in salary.

Dubas and Burke seem very different at the draft table. I mean Dubas uses two phones at a time...
- BKups

I have to respect Dubas seemingly doing some work all throughout draft weekend.

As Wedgie said he isn't sure if it's a viable strategy. Also, that doesn't guarantee Marleau would want to be terminated knowing he is giving up 6 million bucks in salary.
- Aaron_85

From Marleau's perspective, what actually happened is much better than what I was proposing.

Dude gets 2/3 of his salary and becomes a UFA.

It really couldn't have worked out better...for Marleau.

Wedgie provided the perfect solution - mutual agreement to terminate the contract.

In addition - might want to go back to last year's playoffs - quite a few people were saying how good Marleau was playing (one of the best on the team).
He had a mediocre season - not as if he cannot play ok next season.
Somehow however, Nylander with the pathetic season is 'bound to be better next season for sure, worth every penny of his 6.9mln caphit'.
- MaximusAurelius

word was that he couldn't play in nhl if the 'mutual ag't' was taken.

also, you think Marleau and Leafs wouldn't have gone that route if it was available?

I provided the perfect theoretical solution - I may very well have been talking out of my arse.

I have no idea if the league would have allowed it.
- Atomic Wedgie

You talked out of your ass with such conviction, though, that I went ahead and got you a bigger tooth brush.

I provided the perfect theoretical solution - I may very well have been talking out of my arse.

I have no idea if the league would have allowed it.
- Atomic Wedgie

To my understanding - Marleau would have needed to agree to give up the remaining money on his contract.
post 1st of July signing bonus that was a few million USD?
I guess he still needs the money (I think he has four kids, so yeah )
in fact, Marleau and Canes could still agree on a mutual agreement instead of the buyout - Marleau could be interested in that when it seems a trade to SJ (or Ana/Ari/Vegas?) cannot be made.. so mutual agreement and then 850k contract with bonus for 1y - so he can get his 75+ games in..?

word was that he couldn't play in nhl if the 'mutual ag't' was taken.

also, you think Marleau and Leafs wouldn't have gone that route if it was available?
- The Law

Maybe they didn't think of it, because Wedgie is much more geniuser than Dubas.

word was that he couldn't play in nhl if the 'mutual ag't' was taken.

also, you think Marleau and Leafs wouldn't have gone that route if it was available?
- The Law

Was anyone other than me actually floating this idea?

As Wedgie said he isn't sure if it's a viable strategy. Also, that doesn't guarantee Marleau would want to be terminated knowing he is giving up 6 million bucks in salary.
- Aaron_85

I thought his contract was front loaded, so in his final year it was only like 800k payout or something along those lines... could be totally wrong though.

Anyway all in all, Leafs get the 6m cap space they desperately needed and we have to assume Dubas took the best possible deal available before July 1st. Pretty incredible Lou was able to sign Rielly and Kadri on those sweet deals but then overdoes the UFA deals in Marleau and Z

I provided the perfect theoretical solution - I may very well have been talking out of my arse.

I have no idea if the league would have allowed it.
- Atomic Wedgie

It's was wonderful ..in theory.

The fact that it didn't happen ...informs us that it COULDN'T happen.

Anybody saying otherwise is just trying to create a Dubas sucks narrative.

I provided the perfect theoretical solution - I may very well have been talking out of my arse.

I have no idea if the league would have allowed it.
- Atomic Wedgie

Isn't it possible to terminate a contract for participating in activities outside of hockey that could result in an injury?

This is an extreme example but the LA Kings terminated Richards contract for having a bunch of drugs at the border.

What if they found something that Marleau wouldn't be allowed to do (like skydiving or example), have him go skydiving on July 2nd and then terminate his contract.

I have to respect Dubas seemingly doing some work all throughout draft weekend.
- Aaron_85

Burke just wanders around with his tie around his neck

It's was wonderful ..in theory.

The fact that it didn't happen ...informs us that it COULDN'T happen.

Anybody saying otherwise is just trying to create a Dubas sucks narrative.
- The Law

in my opinion Dubas needed the capspace pre 1st of July, and mutual termination only interesting to Marleau post 1st of July..

word was that he couldn't play in nhl if the 'mutual ag't' was taken.

also, you think Marleau and Leafs wouldn't have gone that route if it was available?
- The Law

So similar to Buffalo situation last season, except that player won't be back in the NHL. Gotcha

Was anyone other than me actually floating this idea?
- Atomic Wedgie

I heard that you stole the idea from ol' Bloatsie ...

I thought his contract was front loaded, so in his final year it was only like 800k payout or something along those lines... could be totally wrong though.

Anyway all in all, Leafs get the 6m cap space they desperately needed and we have to assume Dubas took the best possible deal available before July 1st. Pretty incredible Lou was able to sign Rielly and Kadri on those sweet deals but then overdoes the UFA deals in Marleau and Z
- BKups

His cap hit is like a million+ and his signing bonuses are each like 3 million. So he still makes like 6 million aslong as he's not bought out july 1.

As we already agree on. Dubas did the best job possible with what he had. Inherited a situation and did what he could.