Now figure out how to sign Stone, CMac, Carlo, Heinen, Cehlarik, and Chara + Acciari or there replacement with 18m in cap space next year.

You’d have to find a way to get rid of Backes with no retention and taking on no salary in return. Good luck. Might have to trade Krug as well.

Then you are still tapped out the next year when Debrusk, Coyle, Grizz, Wagner, Halak, Kuhlman all come due.

None of it’s impossible. But it puts them in a tough spot. And if they don’t re-sign Stone the trade is a huge mistake.

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1052993

This would likely be what next seasons roster would have to look like in order to re-sign Stone. Definitely cant have Backes on the books. Notice the bridge contract that Carlo gets to put him in a free-agent class with Krecji and Rask.

The next season as Gofnut99 said there are some tough choices to make. We likely wouldnt see Chara back whether it be retiring or otherwise, unless he was willing to sign for around 1M. I don't think Grizz, Wagner, Halak, and Kuhlman will command much of a raise. That would leave us with about ~4M in cap, assuming the cap doesn't go up, between Beleskey and Seidenberg coming off the books, so we would likely need to trade Moore to resign DeBrusk. Coyle mostly likely goes UFA.

If we can pull that off I see a 3 year Stanley Cup window that starts this season and ends after the 2020-2021 season, possibly longer depending on prospect development.

Grizz is good enough that if he’s in the trade. I think it should just be him and a first.