No LTIR and having cap space? I might have to remember how accruing cap space works.
Armchair GM Thread 2025/26
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
herman
Well-known member
2026-27 salary cap is currently projected at 104M, which is another 8.5M on top of this season's. So let's say we want to offer 16M to entice a hometown veteran to play for the Cup alongside Matthews and Nylander, it's not too hard to clear out 7ishM (Domi + OEL or Woll, who knows what the sheet looks like next season).
Guru Tugginmypuddah
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This "cap goes up" concept is foreign and new to me.
bustaheims
Well-known member
It's not just McJesus next summer. There's other big deal potential UFAs - Eichel, Kaprizov, Connor, Panarin, to start. If any of them hit the market, the Leafs need to be in a position to pounce.
Yeah I agree we shouldn't necessarily be afraid to spend a little now because of wanting to save space for next season. Even if we signed Ehlers long-term at $9mil there would still be easy enough ways to make McDavid fit with the rising cap.
Heck maybe we send the Oilers Nic Roy for McDavid's rights a day before free agency to show that there's no hard feelings there.
herman
Well-known member
Dreger is reporting that Ehlers wants a quiet landing spot and Winnipeg was even considered a bit too much.
Bill_Berg
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Ya huge pass.
dappleganger
Well-known member
Mantha signed with Pittsburgh so he's no longer an option for depth scoring.
I don't think Treliving has done a great job here so far. Let's see what he can do on the trade market.
I don't think Treliving has done a great job here so far. Let's see what he can do on the trade market.
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I wouldn't have taken Mantha.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Same. The UFA contract that has been signed that feels like the Leafs missed out is Brazeau. Not a single other contract seems like good value. I think Tre has done a fine job avoiding the mistakes that were made yesterday in an extremely thin UFA market.
L K
Well-known member
Brazeau - 2 years at 1.5M cap hit was good
Drouin - 2 years at 4M cap hit wasn't terrible
JVR - 1 year for 1M cap hit
Bjugstad - 2 years for 1.75M cap hit
Those are probably the only deals that I would have been content with that were signed yesterday.
I don't really get the feeling he's coming here regardless but I saw that Dreger comment and thought it came off a little... weird and just anti-Ehlers for no particularly reason. I mean if anything a big reason why Ehlers is leaving is because he wants to play a bigger role on a team than what Winnipeg kept using him as. And if Dreger was referring to stuff like media attention... I mean come on it's Winnipeg.
herman
Well-known member
I think Winnipeg was a bit of a drama llama during Ehler's two contracts (Evander Kane, Patrik Laine all having run-ins with Scheifele and Wheeler; Byfuglien jumping ship as well).
Ehler's is probably eyeballing Minnesota (this would be hilarious) or Utah or Seattle. Everyone's always happy with them even though they suck.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Adding Roy made Bjugstad pretty irrelevant to me. JvR is on his last legs. I wouldn't have hated if the Leafs signed that one, but I don't think they missed out. Drouin is borderline to me - the value isn't awful, I'm jsut not sure about the fit. Don't think the team needs another small, not particularly physical winger after adding Maccelli.
They'd have to clear a little bit of room but I'm guessing it's Washington. Possibility to play with Ovechkin for a season, and the Caps will need another high end forward once Ovi retires. With all their long-term deals signed I doubt they'd be interested in a rebuild or even retool then.
Mantha's deal is $2mil plus an additional $250k bonus at every 10 games he plays for a max cap hit of $4.5mil. But even if he plays just 60 games that's still a $4mil cap hit. I liked the guy too but that's a lot more than I figured he'd get.
dappleganger
Well-known member
Yeah, I would have balked at that price too, but give me the 6'5", 234lbs winger with great advanced stats at a bonus laden $4m than 5'11" Matias Maccelli at $3.425m.
Leafs need at least one more scoring winger/center. If Macceli is in the top 6 (also, don't know where he fits in the bottom 6) god help us.
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Ehlers: Would consider but believe he has better fits elsewhere
P. Suter: Maybe an interesting option if his asking price comes down
Orlov, Roslovic, Olofsson, Grzelcyk: Not really a fit
Burns: If we need to trade Carlo for a legitimately good and fairly priced top-6 forward, could be a solid cheap replacement
Samsonov: lol
Pacioretty: Still hoping he comes back to share a line-up spot with Pezzetta
J. Skinner: I mean, maybe? Again likely not the greatest fit here
From his HM that one that maybe stands out the most is Mason Appleton. At the right price he could be a solid RW on a legit checking line with Laughton and Roy.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Mantha may have size, but he doesn't use it to impose his will, forecheck effectively, etc. He may as well be a small winger like Maccelli, without the playmaking and, in recent years, he's had trouble staying healthy/in the lineup.