Math can be hard and it must be getting that way for Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas.
After signing Auston Matthews to a five-year contract worth $11.6 million per season, the attention now shifts over to Mitch Marner.
And there isn’t a lot of money left for Marner, who should command nearly the same amount of cash that was just paid to Matthews. Next season the Leafs will have two of the top four highest paid players in the league. Can they make it three of five?
If they do, what sacrifices come because of that?
William Nylander just signed for good money, Kasperi Kapanen needs a new contract and to make room you’ll likely have Jake Gardiner walk as well as trade another contract.
That risk starts having the Leafs looking like the Oilers and Blackhawks. A lot of money for the top players but your depth takes a serious hit.
They say Dubas is great with numbers and analytics. He’s going to do some creative accounting to make this all work, unless Marner is no longer part of the future plan.