So Nazem Kadri signed a contract last night to the tune of two years at $5.8M for an AAV caphit of $2.9M. That's a pretty good deal from the Leafs' perspective because it's a) a bridge contract that doesn't overpay fora 48 games of greatness, b) a low caphit in the two worst year capwise in the foreseeable future, and c) doesn't eat up the last remaining specks of the Leafs caphit for this upcoming season. Specks that are needed to sign Cody Franson. Anyway you look at it, the capcrunch is so bad that it's unlikely the Leafs go into the season with a full 23-man roster.

With Kadri's $2.9M and Mason Raymond's likely category of ~$1M (because seriously he'll make the team because he's an actual NHLer), the likely 21-man roster only has $2.333M in capspace and it's doubtful Franson signs for that; he'll probably go for around $3.5M per, and that means a million dollar contract has to go to the minors. Hope you like buses John-Michael Liles! Enjoy your new team Joe Colborne! Hey look, $3.5M in capspace for Franson on a 20-man roster! Neat. Fucking Nonis.

Here be your links

Dion Phaneuf 1 on 1 Part 2

El Capitan talks.

Reason for Leafs Fans to be Genuinely Hopeful

....and also realistically pessimistic.

Thought on Thoughts: NHL to Clarify Illegal Head Check Rule

Matt Cooke has switched off his targeting computer.

Choosing Who Will Wear the "C"

Ott as captain of the Sabres? lulz

From The Branches