21 May 2018 15:55:25
Matt Martin (LW - 2.5 Million x 2 Years - 25% Salary Retention) and 2018 4th Round Selection to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Tyler Ennis (C/ LW - 4.2 Million x 1 Year)

- Similar contracts and cap totals being swapped; one at less of a hit for an additional cost. Martin is worse than Ennis, so the pick is added, however, Ennis’ production for his cap hit is pretty worrisome. Toronto needs more cap hit for the 2019/ 20 season because of Matthews&Marner’s contracts, so they can afford the pricy tag for Ennis for the next year. If Minny wants free agents, then it makes more sense for them to take the cheaper contract, albeit for an extra year.

Jake Gardiner (D - 4.05 Million x 1 Year) to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Connor Murphy (D - 3.85 Million x 4 Years) and 2018 3rd Round Selection.

- Chicago could use an offensively minded dman, Toronto could use a defensive oriented one. Although Murphy has a longer term, and is locked down for longer, Gardiner is the superior dman based on the previous seasons statistics, and that's why Chicago adds the 3rd Round Pick. Gardiner could be useful alongside a true DFD like Brent Seabrook, and Murphy could partner well with Morgan Rielly.

2018 3rd Round Selection (Chicago) + Curtis McElhinney (G - 0.8 Million x 1 Year) + 2019 4th Round Selection to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Valeri Nichushkin (LW - Rights - Contract Extension: 2.25 Million x 3 Years) .

- Dallas acquires two draft picks and a cheap backup goalie to aid Ben Bishop, in order to not overplay him during the season. Mac played better than Lehtonen, and tbh, Dallas needs to move on from him. Toronto acquires a wild card: a guy who was a 30 point man in his first stint in the NHL, and a guy who has been 0.5 PPG in the KHL. He could be great alongside Auston, or could bust out, be worse than Connor Brown, and then defect back to Russia.

2018 2nd Round Selection + Josh Leivo (RW - 0.75 Million x 1 Year) to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Samuel Morin (D - RFA - Contract Extension: 1.5 Million x 2 Years) + 2018 5th Round Selection.

- Philly has a ton of young dmen (Prov, Ghost, Hagg, Sanheim, Myers), as well as some veterans such as Gudas, so Morin seems expandable, especially since his growth has somewhat stunted in Phillys farm system. Its possible he could use a fresh start, and maybe he could turn it around, especially on a team that could certainly use DFD. Philly gets a bottom six winger who never got a chance in Toronto, and a decent pick around 55th overall. Toronto gets a guy who could be a solid DFD for the future, or a guy who may be no more than a 5-6 dman.

Draft:

(C) Vitaly Kravtsov - MHL:
Comparable: Evgeny Kuznetsov
Rankings: Between 15-25.

If not.

(D) Mattias Samuelson - USA
Strengths: Hitting, Defensive Responsibility.
Rankings: 21-25.

Extensions:
William Nylander - C/ RW - 5.75 Million x 7 Years
Tyler Bozak - C - 3.0 Million x 1 Year
Andreas Johnsson - LW - 1.75 Million x 3 Years
Auston Matthews - C - 10.0 Million x 8 Years
Mitch Marner - RW - 7.0 Million x 8 Years)

Free Agency:
John Carlson - D - 8.0 Million x 7 Years

Lineup:
Valeri Nichushkin (2.25 Million) - Auston Matthews (ELC) - Mitch Marner (ELC)
Patrick Marleau (6.25 Million) - Nazem Kadri (4.5 Million) - William Nylander (5.75 Million)
Andreas Johnsson (1.75 Million) - Tyler Bozak (3.0 Million) - Kasperi Kapanen (0.85 Million)
Zach Hyman (2.25 Million) - Par Lindholm (0.85 Million) - Connor Brown (2.1 Million)
*Tyler Ennis (4.2 Million), Miro Aaltonen (0.8 Million)

Travis Dermott (ELC) - John Carlson (8.0 Million)
Morgan Rielly (5.0 Million) - Connor Murphy (3.85 Million)
Ron Hainsey (3.0 Million) - Nikita Zaitsev (4.25 Million)
*Samuel Morin (1.5 Million), Igor Ozhiganov (0.8 Million)

Frederik Andersen (5.0 Million)
Garrett Sparks (0.85 Million)

Total Cap: 68.725 Million
- Fourth line is the checking line against teams top lines, Hyman, Brown and Lindholm are all defensively responsible and will be the matchup line.

When Matthews and Marner and Dermotts extensions kick in.

Lineup:
Valeri Nichushkin (2.25 Million) - Auston Matthews (10.0 Million) - Mitch Marner 7.0 Million)
Patrick Marleau (6.25 Million) - Nazem Kadri (4.5 Million) - William Nylander (5.75 Million)
Andreas Johnsson (1.75 Million) - Miro Aaltonen (0.8 Million) - Kasperi Kapanen (0.85 Million)
Zach Hyman (2.25 Million) - Par Lindholm (0.85 Million) - Connor Brown (2.1 Million)
*Carl Grundstrom (ELC), Trevor Moore (ELC)

Travis Dermott (0.875 Million) - John Carlson (8.0 Million)
Morgan Rielly (5.0 Million) - Connor Murphy (3.8 Million)
Samuel Morin (1.5 Million) - Nikita Zaitsev (4.25 Million)
*Andreas Borgman (0.875 Million)

Frederik Andersen (5.0 Million)
Garrett Sparks (0.85 Million)

Total Cap: 76.525 Million

With the cap going up, this seems reasonable. If not, a Marleau trade could happen and could become a legitimate possibility.

1.) 21 May 2018
21 May 2018 18:21:17
U know what u put a lot of thought and energy into this so I read the who thing, some things are questionable? But for the most part very realistic and in depth.

2.) 21 May 2018
21 May 2018 19:06:29
There is just way to many variables for this to be believable IMO I do like a lot of those ideas tho but I think Carlson gets more and I’d rather a different package for Gardiner and I’m sure Chicago would want more term then 1 year with Gardiner. Valeri Nichuskinin is pretty redundant although I do like him not sure if Dallas Bites.

3.) 21 May 2018
21 May 2018 19:07:32
Lol ty @Kings.

I didn't have much to do over the long weekend so I decided to make a post regarding what I'd like the leafs future to be like.