21 Apr 2026 18:32:14
Assume for the sake of argument, Matthews would go to Columbus.

Clb
Matthews $13.25M

Tor
Johnson $1.8M
Olivier $3M
Del Bel Belluz $.860M
Cayden Lindstrom Unsigned
Jackson Smith Unsigned

Columbus has lots of cap space and Matthews/Fantilli down the middle would be one of the best one-two punches in the League. D. They are deep. They have space to fill out the roster.



Toronto would hope for a bounce back from Johnson. Olivier adds the toughness that can take a regular shift. DBB has produced in the A, now hopefully at the next level. Smith is a potential top pair offensive D that plays with physicality and has size. Lindstrom a future power forward centre. Leafs get much younger and even clear some cap space.

1.) 21 Apr 2026
21 Apr 2026 18:54:20
Lindstrom might not be as valuable as once believed, and I don't know if CBJ would want to make a splash like this.

2.) 21 Apr 2026
21 Apr 2026 20:12:40
Again you can’t trade Matthews then have the word hope after it, it’s not smart.

Matthews for Gretzky and hope Gret plays like he’s 20.

3.) 21 Apr 2026
21 Apr 2026 20:31:56
Hoping Johnson can bounce back and saying hopefully DBB (a lower piece in the deal) is ready for the NHL at 22, can't be said. lol
Smith and Lindstrom are the big targets. Olivier and Johnson are next about equal and then DBB.

4.) 21 Apr 2026
21 Apr 2026 21:43:24
If this trade is made and the first time the teams meet. Matthews is cruising up the middle and Olivier, who is now playing for Toronto, smokes him with a hit. Who on Columbus steps up to straighten that out. You can have the most skilled guys on Columbus, but Olivier is one guy who should be a undradeable player from that team.

5.) 22 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 00:09:52
@RLF... Who says Columbus has lots of cap space?

6.) 22 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 02:18:29
15 players signed and $40+M in cap space would normally be considered a lot of cap space. You can point to players like Fantilli needing to be signed, but $40 mil is still a lot of cap space.

How they use it is up to them. If they had a lot less space and still those players to sign, I would think then they have a problem.

7.) 22 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 14:32:42
Well if they did that trade. They add Matthews' contract and subtract Johnson's and Olivier's, that takes $8.5 off that $40 so now they are at $31.5 and down another player, so that is 14 players signed. So if Jet Greaves signs for $5 that brings it down to $26.5 and Fantilli signs in the $9 to $11 range. We will say $9 to help the cap a bit here. That brings it down to $17.5. Now they have 16 signed with 7 more to go.

Your first line stays intact with Fantilli signed. You added Matthews so he has Garland on his one wing. Sillinger is on that 2nd line but needs to be re-signed as a RFA/ Coyle was centreing it but is a UFA if you wanted him to move to 3rd Centre. Third line Marchment & Jenner are UFA's and you traded Olivier away.


4th line: Heinen is a UFA, Johnson you traded away, and Monahan is left.

To keep those UFA's the only one who would possibly take a home down discount is Jenner. So you have to sign those players or find other comparables which is hard with the salaries players are getting now. They will also have to replace Gudbranson on defence who is a UFA and they most likely will not bring back.

That is a lot of major holes to fill with $17.5. So yes on the surface they have money but a lot of spots to fill.

One player I would never let go if I had him on my team is Olivier. He can actually play and he makes your team seem 2" and 20lbs heavier and braver when he is on the ice.

8.) 22 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 17:29:43
Every team faces this when they have good young talent needing post ELC contracts. Columbus has the 5th most cap space available. i.e., a lot of cap space. I get what you're saying, but every time someone says that a team has objectively a lot of cap space, you check out who needs signing and post, do they though? This could be said for multiple teams every year. They have choices they will have to make - in this case, get Matthews or try and keep every one we have, even though we missed the playoffs - again.
If they wanted Matthews, they would make it work by moving out other contracts like maybe Merzlikins and/or Fabbro.


Reaves has taken over, so a $5.4M backup in Merzlikins.
They could buy Merlikins out at cap hits of $2.58 this year and $1.4M next year. Fabbro is playing 3rd pair minutes at $4.125M. No trade protection.
Olivier is awesome and I doubt they would want to move him. Maybe the Leafs take Voronkov instead. He's no slouch either.
Point is, Columbus has the cap space to make it happen, but yes, they may have to do more work or let some goes go and not re-sign.

9.) 22 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 18:34:34
Yeah I looked at a few of the other salaries. Voronkov is actually a pretty friendly cap for them. He still would have been a 42 point guy had he not got hurt or possibly a little more. So again another guy they would have to replace somehow. Merzerklins is a tough contract to move. High price for a backup and I think that is all he will be anymore is a backup. Even with Stolarz injury issues he is a better option for teams to take on at 3.7 than Merzerklins at $5.4. I like Columbus but they are in a quandry of rebuild or retool stage as well.


The team I think that will be active in the Free agent market or possibly a massive trade is Pittsburgh. They have that Big salary cap extra of $46.5 million. What sets them apart from Columbus is that Harrison Brunicke will step into one of their D-men spots at a ELC and one if not more of McGroarty, Zonnon, Horcoff or Koivunen.

Will step into one of the Forward spots at a ELC. Even if only one of them at forward then they have 4 spots to fill with $44 million.
That leaves them room to re-sign Malkin and Manta at roughly $12 between them. Still tons of money and draft picks and prospects to do what they need for that last 2 spots. They will be out of the playoffs early this year but then again they are in the playoffs where everyone said Dubas would not get them there for another few years and Sid would be gone etc. I will give Dubas credit, he stocked the shelves with the draft picks and they might have the deepest depth of any team with prospects.

10.) 22 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 21:30:23
Again, that is all good. Pitt doesn't make a big trade. If they go after Matthews, I would wager that a couple of the ELCs you mentioned are headed Toronto's way. Then, likely at least a good roster player.

Now Pitt has to replace those talents and won't be able to depend on ELC salaries. As I said, all teams deal with it and they need to decide, do they want the big fish or stay with what they got.

11.) 23 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 22:32:49
Oh Pittsburgh would still be able to do. Not all those names (and they were only 4 out of a lot more outstanding picks would be on Pittsburgh's lineup. I said one of the forwards and one of the forwards. If Pittsburgh did a Matthews deal yes a roster player and a lot of the other top prospects and draft picks would be given up but it still does not affect their roster. The roster player they give up is replaced by Matthews.

And they still have cap left over even if they traded for him. Just saying. We literally only have a few good pieces for prospects to consider going after anyone in a trade of that nature without giving up one of our legitimate stars. No matter what people think or say to do a retool we have to give up a big name and that might not get us into the playoffs. We are at the stage of rebuild and any that don't think so are really dreaming.

12.) 23 Apr 2026
22 Apr 2026 23:13:21
Always good Convo's with you RLF.

13.) 23 Apr 2026
23 Apr 2026 01:03:46
Hey, look who it is. Mr. Positive. Well, Champ... you are more than welcome to join in the convos at any time in a constructive manner. But are probably busy keeping you eye out for ...what was it agai....n hirings that will that will be Detrimental to the retool.