The idea is basically pretty good in this, but there's one issue - OTT never acquires free agents.

Name one UFA that signed at least $1M contract with OTT from last 10 years. I can't think of a single player.

I like the idea, and the fact that you don't have everyone giving you 1st round picks.

Hard to know if Lucic would ever consider waiving his NMC to go to Ottawa though. Sure, Edmonton is a barren $hithole of an organization, but Ottawa is a straight up dumpster fire.

IMO Sens have to commit to Ceci or trade him, don't really see why he'd sign another 1 yr deal.

Nate Thompson Baby

Solid. There's one. Played for major 43 games in the team before he was traded lol.

Johnny Oduya, Baby

If I was going to trade out cap space for a 2nd rounder I wouldn't be looking to take on Lucic. That's a 6 mil cap hit. I'd rather have multiple contracts with lower cap numbers so I could collect more picks. You can probably get 2-3 guys with smaller cap hits or shorter term. That way you can collect more picks.
Most of those big salary guys, Lucic, Backes all have NTC anyway. The smaller guys don't.

Yah - I tried to look for players who would otherwise be PTO contract types. Filpula might be a stretch but thats why I gave him $3.3M - overpay for a 15-20 goal, 40-50 pt guy on the decline.

it really depends on how large of a difference you get between picks on the 2nd and the other returns. If you are talking top 10 picks of the second round aka 40th pick or so, ok maybe but what if you aren't. Especially for the length and amount of that contract.

https://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/4/25/4262594/nhl-draft-pick-value-trading-up

here is a value chart of NHL picks. You start looking at pick 40 and down, and really there isn't much of a difference is there?
Which is why if you are looking at later round picks aka 2nd round down. I'd rather collect more picks than the so called higher round picks. As I think the value return for taking on such a huge contract really isn't there and you can take shorter contracts with less cap hit and end up with a better return. At least statically.
You can end up taking a smaller contract for only 2 years and end up with maybe a mid to late 3rd round pick. Which isn't that far off in value from say a late second.