Quoting: DomCholette
It's funny, you state Colorado is the right team as they can take 5M with no problem... and you underpay Graves by 1-2M + you get rid for pick of Zado & Jost & Kamenev(7M Off the book)
I agree with all the others, TJ is the 3rd on the list to leaves TB... he is part of the dressing room good ones with Stamkos, Hedman, McDo...
anyway you would need to pay at least 2nd + A-Prospect (not a bluechip) to get him.
for Gourde you can give a 5th and he is yours... and Killorn should be YOUR target on theLeft side with the same request than TJ: 2nd + A-Prospect.
It's far easier to move players like Zadorov, Jost, and Kamenev who are all cost-controlled RFA's, than it is to move a $5m+ player with 4 year term. As for Graves, he only has less than one year of NHL experience so I don't think he's going to get $3.75m-4.75m that you're suggesting that he should get.
Nobody is going to pay a 2nd + A-prospect for a player who completely controls his destination with a full NTC. If Johnson tells Brisbois that he's only willing to go to a contender in a nice city (eg. Colorado) do you really think Sakic is going to offer a 2nd + Kaut in return? Not happening.
I agree about Killorn being the most obvious target, as he has a decent contract and perfect term (expiring in 2023 when Mackinnon/Byram need extensions). However, I don't think you're going to get a 2nd + A-prospect (eg. Kaut/Bowers) for him when the market will be limited to 15 teams and where only a handful of those teams can acquire his full caphit without sending salary back.
Also keep in mind that it's going to be a buyers market due to the flat cap, so without Tampa's own cap crunch they'd still find it challenging to trade him.