I just feel like 8-10 mil more would allow for better depth than what the Leafs could afford at the time. Even with other teams equally able, given the margin of failure was usually Game 7 and sometimes OT, I do think they might have been able to break through. But it’s all hypothetical

Agreed. Say what you want about waiting too long to change, but their initial strategy probably works if the cap kept going up like it was supposed to. The strategy was never to pay 4 guys 50% of the cap.

I would argue the flat cap hurt the Leafs the most simply because of the timing of having 3 emerging superstars at once. I don’t think another team had the same thing at that time.

The Dr. Scholls bit is my favourite

This is the plot of the song Mary Ellen Carter (not the terrorist bit)

He needs to carry them in the playoffs to be in the same conversation (other than the stats sheet)

Ideally we have enough depth to put McMann on 3rd or 4th line to give them punch