Why is Cirelli the 1C?

Johnson isn't waiving his NTC to go to Buffalo. Also I think you just trade Killorn and Cernak, and let Foote and Schenn take their place.

Signing Sergachev to that is just kicking the can, and I assume you'd want to have a bridge be longer than 1 year. If it's long term it's about 6.5-7, bridge would be 5

Lol those RFA signings are just ridiculous. Cirelli, Serg and Cernak all with at least 2M discount and Cirelli even for 3 years? No way that's going to happen. Otherwise they'd already have been extended.

Also, the NTC guys (including Johnson) are almost untradeable. They play for a contender, located in a tax paradise. Nearly every contender doesn't have the cap space to fit those guys into their squad. Why would they waive to leave Tampa for a fringe playoff team at best?

Those are all fair points, but the Lightning have to do something to get under the cap, and trading a player making at least $5 million is about the only way to make it work.