Mtl decline Staal is a bigger cap dump than Alzner

Think Kreider gets traded (mid teens first round pick and a decent defensive prospect) but I think the rangers should do something very similar to this.

Kakko, kaliyev, derofeyev, caufield, broberg, Harley should all be players we go for then after I say we
Just pick highest ceiling.

I think of the lines (with panarin)

Panarin-Mika-Buch (given don’t see who else)
Kakko-Chytil-Kravtsov (highest potential ever)
Kaliyev/Caufield-Lias-Puljujärvi (mix of scoring, skill and 2way)
Lemieux-Strome-Fast (hard workers, scoring and d)

Skjei-Trouba (howden and pionk+ for trouba)
Hájek-Deangelo
Lindgren-?

Then hopefully we do good next year in the draft and grab a top pick) then everyone would slot down probably and we trade that last piece for a defence. So our defence might be like,
Skjei-Trouba
Miller-Fox
Hájek-Deangelo

I semi disagree. You take on a mil extra for one less year to get a slightly better player. But if thats how you wanna look at that’s fine too...

Yeah no chance you're getting Trouba for that package.

Lol. You can’t clear cap and expect to also get premium assets. It’s one way or the other...

Taking on Shattenkirk is clearing cap? lol
There's some decent pieces there but I wouldn't call them premium assets, like Tampa's 2nd is gonna be pretty late, a dman like Trouba is worth at least the Rangers 2nd with Howden.

Trouba (around 7.5) and Kulikov (4.5) got Shatty (6.5) that’s 5 million dollars in cap savings and you get picks and a decent C prospect. And Shatty helps minimize the loss of Trouba at least offense wise...

And pay a 2nd on top of that...

The idea isn't bad, the picks are the problem.
Swap players for a change of scenery, sure. Maybe MTL bites. IF Staal voids his NMC in the process. With expansion looming, that's a non-starter.