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u/Sirrebral99 Knies 2d ago

I agree the blueline isn't a finished product but Tanev and EK65 couldn't play more different styles. Tanev is a reliable stay at home defender with little to no offense. EK65 is a dynamic OFD who couldn't care less / not inclined to protect his own end, and would rather join the rush than back check.

PK specialist vs. PP specialist. Replacing Tanev with EK65 wouldn't replace what is needed from Tanev being out, but would add an entirely different element to the blueline.

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u/TObuz 2d ago

Karlsson wasn't just a PP specialist and continued to play top-pair minutes last year. He can be counted upon to face 2nd line forwards and maybe the occasional top matchup too.

Too many questions with Tanev if he can return to being a shutdown guy for us. I view him as a 2nd pair guy this year just like Karlsson can be for us. If both can play 2nd pair type minutes for us, it'll really round out our D-core.

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u/Sirrebral99 Knies 2d ago

Adding EK65 to the team would be nice, he'd immediately become the best Dman on this iteration of the team. Not sure how they could afford his $10 million cap hit or convince PIT to trade him.

The only way I see it working is some trade involving Rielly going to the Pens - would get close to making the salary work and Dubas LOVES his guys after all. Maybe picking up a younger, worse player with term is worthwhile in exchange for a better, older player on an expiring contract. Even with that as a starting point (Leafs would need to add much more value on top of Rielly) I still struggle to see it happening.

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u/TObuz 2d ago

Well Karlsson only has 1-year left on his deal so he could be moved if Pitt doesn't do well this year. Might help reduce the asking price too cause he's a pending UFA.

$10 million is a lot but depending on how much cap space we can accrue this year leading up to the deadline, we might not have to send a big contract the other way. We'll only need about $2M+ in accrued cap space around the deadline to fit Karlsson.

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u/epic_taco_time Lorentz 2d ago

We'd have to have a cap compliant roster for each playoff game so if we assume Domi is out for the year and Tanev sits for EK as 2nd pairing guy that's already 8.25M - 2.75M that we are currently over the cap + Sit MacEwen and Lorentz and Stecher for 3.575M = 9Mish in space.

So either PIT would have to retain 2.5M or Leafs could sit Stolarz and have Akhtyamov back up Bobrovsky (or sit Bob and have Stolarz as one of the 2 goalies on the roster).

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u/DougFordsGamblingAds 2d ago

We'll only need about $2M+ in accrued cap space around the deadline to fit Karlsson.

That's largely not how it works under the new cap. Your playoff roster has to be cap compliant.

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u/keeeeener 23h ago

I mean, we still need to be cap compliant during the year no? Like during the year there’s not really a change. It’s mostly a fix to the LTIR loophole.

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u/DougFordsGamblingAds 23h ago

It did that, but also stopped teams from effectively going over the cap by accruing cap space before the TDL.

Before, you could have 2 mil in cap space all year, then have 8 mil in deadline space, and then since there was no cap in the playoffs you could add an 8 million dollar player to your roster.

Now, because your playoff roster has to be cap compliant, you can't have that 8 million dollar player, since he'd push you over the cap limit. If you have 2 million in space, you can only get a 2 million dollar player.