Leafs Defence Discussion: The Rietsev Duo

[Kin]

Salary cap?

Teams like the Blackhawks and Kings have kind of figured out a way to do both. You can't keep 4 all-stars indefinitely, no, but the Hawks have managed to maintain the trio of Keith/Seabrook/Hjalmarsson while having pretty good #4's come and go like Campbell and Oduya and so on.

 

[Frank E]

Salary cap?

Teams like the Blackhawks and Kings have kind of figured out a way to do both. You can't keep 4 all-stars indefinitely, no, but the Hawks have managed to maintain the trio of Keith/Seabrook/Hjalmarsson while having pretty good #4's come and go like Campbell and Oduya and so on.

Yes, but Keith is on one of those old back-diving deals that aren't allowed anymore...his cap hit is only $5.5m.

 

[Kin]

Yes, but Keith is on one of those old back-diving deals that aren't allowed anymore...his cap hit is only $5.5m.

Even still, if you figure a 8/6/5/4 cap hit for a top 4. You should be able to round that out with rookies/vets and have a 25-26 million or so cap hit on defense, figure 7 for goaltending. Even with no growth that leaves 40 million for forwards which is about what the Kings or Bruins are spending.