Maple Leafs 2018 - 19

With Zeitsev, Hainsey and Gardiner’s potential departures, and Dermot’s injury it will indeed be an interesting start again.
 
Looks like Marleau is gone. He wants to return to Southern California.

Why is this a BAD thing?

Marleau hasn't played up to his salary for a couple of seasons. Getting someone to take him will be the issue.
 
It's a trade. No team is going to help out Leafs for nothing. Z wants out. Marleau wants out. Anyone else?
 
Looks like Marleau is gone. He wants to return to Southern California.

Phoenix has called about Marleau. Can’t understand why they would want to add a guy who’s pretty well done at over $6 million.
 
Why is this a BAD thing?

Marleau hasn't played up to his salary for a couple of seasons. Getting someone to take him will be the issue

Marleau's contract was only signed 2 seasons ago.
He did just fine his 1st year with Toronto.
This past season was somewhat less than ideal.
 
Phoenix has called about Marleau. Can’t understand why they would want to add a guy who’s pretty well done at over $6 million.

Why? Cap mathematics.
 
Sounds counter-intuitive.

Can you explain?

With Arizona, they could get a player with a cap hit (CH) of $6.25Mm, but if they acquire him after July 1, when Toronto pays him this year's portion of his signing bonus ($3Mm), and the fact that PM12's contract was front loaded ($8.5Mm paid out in 2017-18, $6Mm in '18-'19, $4.25Mm in '19-'20), they get a player with a $6.25Mm CH while only paying out $1.25Mm actual dollars.
Having his dollars on the cap this year would allow Arizona, should they choose to do so, move out another high ticket player, while remaining above the cap floor.
Also, offering to take PM12's contract, with a sweetener added, may be the way for Toronto to get his deal off their books. Think Kapanen or Johndson. The club acquiring PM12 would also be getting a younger, less expensive asset.

Note: Nothing happens without Patrick Marleau's approval.
He has a full no movement clause in his contract.
My guess is he'd waive it for very few teams, ie., Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Arizona, possibly Colorado, unlikely Vancouver.
You'd have to look at each team, their cap situation, where they are in competition cycle to decide if/where he may end up.
The same numbers apply regardless of what team PM12 plays for this year.
Any deal will in all probability not be consummated until 7/2 or later, so the Leafs will pay his SB.
 
I think there may be a minimum payroll as well as a max.

Cap Floor for 2019-20 is $61.3Mm.
Cap Ceiling for 2019-20 is $83.0Mm.
 
Probably part of the master plan when they originally signed him.
 
....offering to take PM12's contract, with a sweetener added, may be the way for Toronto to get his deal off their books. Think Kapanen or Johndson. The club acquiring PM12 would also be getting a younger, less expensive asset.
Any deal will in all probability not be consummated until 7/2 or later, so the Leafs will pay his SB.

Probably part of the master plan when they originally signed him.

Yah, probably. Offering a young, star player and paying bonuses to help bribe another team to take an old guy with a fat contract.

As a big market club with endless riches, the Leafs have always been quite generous in this way.
 
At any point, they should want to keep Gardiner.

Should ???

Rielly had troubles playing with him, Demott's play suffered when paired with him, Zaitsev played his worst with him as a partner, he sure has that ability to bring out the worst in his partners.
 
The Leafs did do something right so far, they managed to retain Sheldon Keefe. The Oilers wanted him and got DJ Smith instead.

Gardiner's defensive problems are well documented. For all his offensive prowess, he makes rash decisions that leaves his line mate exposed. Zaitsev has always been a wallflower off the ice, without Leo Komarov shielding him he's suffered. His play improved once paired with Muzzin. He can't handle being in the spotlight, Don Cherry in particular has bitch slapped him too many times. If one of the new Russians the Leafs signed takes over Komarov's role, he may stay.

We all remember what Cherry did to Ponikarovsky...and he isn't even Russian.
 
Didn't Smith go to Ottawa?

ooops my mistake, the petty bastards did sign Smith. Not good for his prospects, the Senators are known for throwing their coaches under a cement truck. I thought Guy Boucher was a good coach who paid the price for ************ Dorion's fubars. He'll get another job, Dorion wont.
 
Ottawa has low expectations. Good opportunity for a coach to get his feet wet. To get a top tier coach they would have to offer a Babs type contract. Big money long term