The Toronto Maple Leafs may be staring at a much friendlier cap future if the latest report holds up.
On Thursday, news surfaced of a reported $150 million salary cap ceiling for the 2029-30 season, and that kind of jump would be exactly the sort of development Toronto would welcome. In a Sportsnet column, insider Frank Servalli said the league could surge well beyond the $127.5 million cap ceiling expected in a couple of seasons and land all the way at $150 million.
For a team trying to keep a young core together, that’s huge.
Auston Matthews is the obvious place to start. He’ll need a new contract for the 2028-29 season, and if he and the Leafs end up in the territory of more than $18 million per year, a rising cap should help soften the blow compared with his current $13.25 million hit.
Easton Cowan is another name that will force Toronto’s hand. He’ll also be due for a new deal in 2028-29, and after the way he’s played this season, the Leafs are going to have to pay up if they want to keep him.
Exactly how much his next cap hit climbs is still unclear, but coming off his entry-level deal, it’s going to be a major step up. A two-year bridge deal could be one way to kick the can down the road until the cap rises again in 2029-30.
Then there’s Gavin McKenna. His entry-level contract runs out in 2028-29, and he’ll need a new deal for the 2029-39 season.
If he keeps progressing the way he has, he could be the real deal by then. And yes, that could put him in the conversation for Macklin Celebrini-type money.
That’s how Toronto could end up back in a familiar place: a top-heavy payroll built around a few big names. Matthews would be carrying a massive number if he stays.
Cowan could land in double digits. McKenna could command a huge payday.
Kirill Marchenko will already be at $12.5 million. William Nylander will remain at $11.5 million until 2031.
The Leafs have never been short on money. If they were allowed to spend $300 million, they would. The issue has always been the cap.
If this report proves true, Toronto could feel some pressure in 2028-29 before getting much more breathing room the season after that. That’s why John Chayka has to be thinking ahead right now. A bigger cap would give him more room to work with and reduce the need for penny-pinching as he maps out the roster ahead.
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The shift around him has been just as important as the shift in his game. Matthews has appeared more comfortable in a leadership role that goes beyond the box score, and that has resonated with observers who have been waiting to see him take a firmer hold of the room. The Leafs still have plenty to prove, of course, but the early signs suggest their captain is becoming the kind of steadying force fans hoped he would be when the responsibility was put on his shoulders. [Read more 🡒]