Marleau's salary for 2019-20 is $4,250,000 and his cap hit is still $6,250,000, and no GM is going to do Shanahan any favors so he can have his cake and eat it... Especially if you're one of the GM's looking to poach Marner..

Toronto is going to have a significant issue next summer.

As it stands today, Toronto only has 10 players signed for 2019-2020, and approximately $30,000,000 to work with (Shanahan has to sign 13-15 players).. The average of/between Nylander, Marner and Matthews will be at least $10,000,000.. So how does Toronto plan on signing 10 more players without moving any salary? it's just not going to happen.....Signing Tavares was a terrible idea, and I have no idea how the league even allowed it.

I'm a Hawks fan so it's not like I have any bias here - just looking at the salary situation on capfriendly for Toronto in 19-20 -- it doesn't look good. At the very least Shanahan is going to need to find a way to trade Marleau and 2 of Kadri, Zaitsev and Reilly, but even then the rest of the roster will have to be filled out with young cost controlled RFA's or bargain bin UFA's....

I have Leafs fans telling me all the time how it's going to be fine because Nylander, Matthews & Marner will "take discounts to stay together" when that is just fantasy... These guys are going to want to get paid - and I cant blame them. This is their opportunity to be financially set for the rest of their lives and they're not going to pass that up....Any players career could be derailed by injury at any moment in any game... So these kids are going to want as much as they can get on 8-year deals..

IMO, Tavares will get 13m, Marner 9.5 and Nylander 7.5.... Of course Matthews and Marner will get paid depending on how they do this season...I read some article where a Leafs writer "predicted" Matthews could score 60's goals - and if he achieves that well you're looking at 14-15 million per, and if Marner scores a PPG or higher - he's getting 10.... The only real hope Shanahan has right now is to try and get a really good deal on Nylander, but you can bet his camp is asking for 8 and Shanahan is talking more like 6 - I expect Nylander to sign for 7 to 7.5 long-term.

Toronto is going to be in "cap hell" x10, and that's going to open the doors for other GM's to really bend Shanahan over the table next summer..

As a Hawks fan I'm all too familiar with it, so I know what's going to happen - because I've seen it... The only problem here is Toronto will be in worse shape than the Hawks were ever in....

So yea, this season is Toronto's one shot er best shot to win the Cup before rabid GM's some pecking the Leafs roster alive like vultures..
- Savard2Secord

Your favourite team has won 3 Stanley Cups in the past 9 years.

How could you possibly be this butt-hurt?

Lee or Eberle for him...

Your favourite team has won 3 Stanley Cups in the past 9 years.

How could you possibly be this butt-hurt?
- Atomic Wedgie

call me crazy, but I just don't see it happening

Your favourite team has won 3 Stanley Cups in the past 9 years.

How could you possibly be this butt-hurt?
- Atomic Wedgie

It's the way of the World and I love it.

The return SHOULDN'T be great since all 30 other teams know Panarin won't stay with Columbus if he doesn't sign before the season starts. But the islanders are in a perfect position to overspend twice on this transaction. They are desperate for a superstar to replace Tavares NOW. They will offer a surprisingly good package, and be willing to pay a truckload of money to keep him there. Since Panarin wants to live on the coast, it actually could happen. The cost? If I am Columbus, I try to get Wahlstrom and a solid pick next year. Wahlstrom hasn't played an NHL, so there's a risk involved. But the ceiling on Oliver could be very high. The pick is insurance (in wildcard form). If I'm NYI, I assume Eberle will re-sign IF they get him too-end talent to play with. Trotz & Co would do well to offer Ladd and a lottery-protected First rounder (which will be top 10). The first round pick is huge, but unknown. Ladd is still serviceable... but for how long? That's a heavy contract for a should-be third liner sooner than later, and the age thing. Isles risk the first rounder thinking if they make their team good enough quickly, maybe it won't be such a high pick to give up. Meanwhile, the rest of the league sees them near the bottom.

The scenario fits. If NYI doesn't sign a star player BEFORE the season starts... they default to tank mode almost instantly. One Man's opinion, but remember this post...