Team: 2024-25 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 28, 2024

Published: Jun. 28, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

First of all, there's no chance this is the route the Leafs go. HOWEVER, with how these salary dumping trades have gone so far, the Leafs are in a unique situation to avoid free agency and repair the roster using guys that other teams are selling low on that just happen to fit their specific needs.

Filip Gustavsson was awful last year after being incredible the year before. All reports indicate that the Wild are planning to get rid of him in order to use Fleury and Wallstedt next season. The price has been set with the Jake Walman trade to give up a 2nd round pick to get rid of this level of contract, but Gustavsson has some upside, so I'm guessing the Wild could at least net themselves a decent goalie prospect in this deal.

John Marino has been off and on great, but when he's been great, its been as a partner for a much better dman. Marino could work with Rielly, or he could work with McCabe on a 2nd pair, or he continues to be horrible, and the Leafs are in trouble. But it might be a risk worth taking since they have so few assets. They could use the 2nd round pick they got to take the contract and get someone else and bury him if they had to.

I love JG Pageau for the Leafs. I think I'm in the minority, but I'd probably take him at his salary without a sweetener. JGP is a 3C who can kill penalties, score 40 points, he could be the center that anchors the Tavares line as the 3rd line or he could play on the 2nd line. The Isles need to move him to make changes to their roster, Jarnkrok maybe isn't a guy they would keep, but he would give them a somewhat similar replacement for Pageau who could play the wing in the bottom 6.

The 4th trade is to get another center in Ross Colton. The Avs need to move some salary out and while a lot of these trades have been straight dumps, Colton is good enough that he will probably bring back something, hence Liljegren. I've looked at Colorado's roster, and I think they will have to move Colton AND Girard. Both those guys are pretty good. I think a smart move for them might be to get cheaper and younger replacements. Liljegren still has 2nd pair upside and the Avs would have a hole there if they ended up trading Girard. And trading Girard for someone like Morgan Frost maybe would fill the gap left by Colton in their top 9 and those 2 trades likely save them 3.5-4.5 million which they will need once Landeskog/Nichushkin become factors.

The Tanev contract would 100% be cap circumvention and lead to a rule change. But Tanev is probably looking at getting 12-16 million on his 3-4 year contact that he signs next week and then he'd be done. This contract guarantees him 21 million and the opportunity to end his career on a balmy vacation on Robidas island.

AND BONUS!!! Treliving doesn't pay Zadorov 6 million in this version lol.

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