Gardiner signs for no less than $6M x 5 years.. and all your trades terribly favour Chicago so the other teams decline

Forget Gardiner; would be a mistake to sign that guy with Gus on the roster at a lot cheaper. The hawks have inquired about both DeHaan and Murray, which are more likely.

You'll have to add a pick slightly to that Toronto and Vegas trade...thinking 3rd and 4th round picks.

Fair enough on the Gardiner contract, I gave him a contract similar to what Ryan Murray could get so I may be off on that. As the trades go, lets start with Toronto. They are in cap-hell and will probably unload Johnsson, Kapanen, Brown, and possibly Marleau and Zaitsev depending on the deal. Toronto gets back two pieces that, total, will not reach Johnsson's cap hit. Forsling and Sikura will probably sign anywhere from 900k-1.25mil apiece. Sikura's CF% was 55.1, highest on the entire Hawks team, unfortunately the numbers aren't there......yet. Forsling has the potential to be a top-4 LD who never got enough playing time in Chicago. As far as the Vegas trade is concerned, Haula is someone they can let go because, at best, will be no more than a bottom-6 offensive player if Cody Glass gets brought up and Wild Bill resigns. Hayden is a bottom-6 option that will cost about $2 mil less. Fortin has tremendous speed and got caught in the numbers game with the Hawks.

Just tinkering around if Bowman decides to chase Gardiner and forget about De Haan and Murray. I feel like if he goes after De Haan, either Gus or Saad get moved thus creating another hole...and with Murray he's taking a risk on someone with a dark injury history in recent years.

Toronto - most likely to move Marleau and Zaitsev. Creates enough cap space to keep everyone. Sikura is a decent player who hasn't done much in the league yet. Analytics are one thing, but actually producing is another. Forsling would only see AHL time in Toronto.

Vegas - more likely to get back a better valued pick than depth options. They can't afford anything right now. Haula still brings in a 2nd, which is better value than a couple depth pieces

New Jersey - Anisimov is a cap dump. Chicago has to add to move him. Don't see why you'd have other teams having to do something similar and not get fair value for their cap problems, but Chicago doesn't.

Anisimov isn't a cap dump, but with Strome now manning 2C and Evan Barratt and possibly Turcotte if he gets drafted, waiting...Anisimov becomes a bottom-6 player who still has the ability to play in a top-6 role. Again, this comes down to a numbers game. Teams like Buffalo and Ottawa are probably better destinations, but New Jersey could best use Anisimov and still be in playoff contention if Schneider can play Schneider is capable of.

Random 4th line winger and a meh prospect for a 29 goal scorer C. PASS.

Pominville wouldn't be that bad since it's only 1 year. Gardiner is un-needed. We would need to add a little for the TOR and Vegas trades. Also Perlini earns more than Kampf.