19 Jul 2021 02:20:52
Never got much love on the first attempt of this post but since I'm stubborn I'm shooting this out there again with some more twists!

Toronto's protection list
Mathews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Riley, Muzzin, Holl, Brodie and Campbell (actually turns out to be the protection list)

Lose Mcann to the Kraken then make these moves!
Let Andersen, Hymn, Folingo walk. Let Thornton retire and become a assistant coach. Then sign these players.

Sign Galchenyuk 2 years @ 1.5 million per year.
Sign Bogosain 2 years @ 1.5 million per year
Sign Ritchie 2 years @ 1 million per year
Sign Hutton 2 years @ 1.2 million per year
Sign Nash 2 years @ 900k per year

After the free agency is opened and you move Riley from Defence to left wing our team would look like this

Forward lines
Riley/Mathews/Marner = 27.5
Galchenyuk/Tavares/Nylander = 19.4
Mikheyev/Kerfoot/Engvall = 6.4
Simmonds/Spezza/Nash = 2.5
Total = 55.8

Defensive lines
Muzzin/Holl = 7.7
Sandin/Brodie = 5.9
Bogosain/Hutton = 2.7
Total = 16.3

Goalies
Campbell Sg = 1.6
Ritchie Bg = 1
Total = 2.6
Grand total = G 2.6 + D 16.3 + 55.8 + kessel tax 1.2 = 75.9 - 81.5 = 5.6 million left!
Sign Saad 3 years 3 million per season and that leaves us with 2.6 million to find another depth D

Trade
Tor gets
Fabbro D

Nashville gets
Lilijigren D
Brooks C

New Forward lines
Riley/Mathews/Marner
Saad/Tavares/Nylander
Galchenyuk/Kerfoot/Mikheyev
Simmonds/Engvall/Soezza

Defensive lines
Muzzin/Holl
Bogosain/Brodie
Fabbro/Hutton

Goalies
Campbell Sg
Ritchie Bg

LHD out!

19 Jul 2021 13:40:00
You can't spend half your cap on 4 guys, and the other half on 19. You can't build depth or a winner like that.

Have to find a way to trade Marner and Nylander. You don't win playoff games with sweethearts like those two, and their cap hits can be better spent of D and Goalies.

Championship teams are built from the net out, not a first line or two back. Every fan knows that. Dubas doesn't.

20 Jul 2021 12:49:32
Sure you can I just did!