"The Maple Leafs shouldn't just be trade deadline sellers, they should be incredibly active trade deadline sellers and one of the best ways to be active trade deadline sellers is to weaponize their cap space. As of today, the Maple Leafs have a lot of flexibility at the trade deadline to take back salary or to retain salary."
"A big part of this is Chris Tanev being on the Season Ending Long Term Injured Reserve. This seemed somewhat uncertain last week by the fact that Chris Tanev has been skating and a possibility he would return this season but Tanev's return being set for 2026-27 now ensures that the Maple Leafs will have that money to burn."
"Easton Cowan not requiring waivers means he'll be a paperwork shuffle at some point, Philippe Myers would be an easy player to get through waivers, and potentially someone like Dakota Joshua who runs little risk of being claimed gives the Maple Leafs anywhere from Cowan's $873k of additional space up to around another $2.88M of space if the Leafs minimize their roster in advance of the trade deadline."
The Toronto Maple Leafs face a dismal season with a 0.6% playoff probability, missing first and second-round draft picks, and an aging roster. Rather than passive sellers, they should become aggressive trade deadline sellers by weaponizing their cap space. Chris Tanev's placement on Season Ending Long Term Injured Reserve ensures significant salary cap flexibility. Currently holding $4.78 million in cap space with $5.07 million available by deadline day, the Leafs can create additional space by temporarily sending down players like Easton Cowan, Philippe Myers, or Dakota Joshua. This strategy could provide up to $8 million in total flexibility, enabling the team to optimize returns on transactions and maximize their selling position.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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