how to get out of cap hell

How are you getting the exact same thing for a 5M Pageau, as you are with a 3M Nelson? Retain 50% on Pageau, and dump him for near nothing, and I think Chicago may accept… for a 2nd, no chance.

My thought of any Nelson or Palmieri trade would be done at the trade deadline, which equals a bigger trade value return. If the Ilses can even get under the cap to make them.

Pageau with 2 seasons left, I believe he'll get a positive return even without retention, especially going to a bottom feeding team who needs experience and high cap hit with a low cash payout. Pageau checks all those boxes off.

Hawks obviously decline. They aren't paying anything for JGP. And the idea that JGP at his full cap hit gets the same return as Nelson w/ retention is laughable. At his full cap hit, nobody is paying a 2nd for JGP.

Didn't see this before I wrote my other comment. This line of thinking isn't realistic at all from the Hawks perspective. They have PLENTY of experience in their room already. And after re-signing Dickinson, Foligno and Mrazak, the Hawks will have no problem signing two or three UFA's and hitting the cap floor. If you want some perspective on how a JGP to Chicago trade would look, see last summer's Bailey to Chicago deal.

Not totally un-believable; the Pens GM traded a 2nd Rd pick for 2 years @ $5 for Grunland and a 3rd Rd pick for 2 years @ $5 for R. Smith.