Couple of things:
-Schenn has a NTC. I don't see a world where he waives for Buffalo at this point.
-You could probably entice Vancouver to take a deal like that if you took a bad contract with it.
-Hutton is a dump. Lots of backup-type goalies available without giving up assets.
-If Pilut would come back, IMO this works. Not sure how Rangers fans would feel about it though...they seem to be all over the board when valuing him.

Can't see the Blues doing that trade lottery protected. Maybe top 5 protected.

I meant like "top 3 protected"

Schenn's NTC doesn't kick in until after free agency opens which I think is like October 2nd. So I figured this might happen around draft time before it's an issue. The Hutton trade if we don't get that much that's fine. He's more valuable to someone else than us if we land Georgiev. The Vancouver trade I think is pretty fair with their need for a RHD. Their only really bad contract I can see is Louie and he's as unmoveable as Okposo at this point in my opinion so they're kinda stuck with him. Their cap situation isn't that bad is it?

I think every team declines....

It's not great. This offseason won't be horribly bad, but the following one will be trouble. Pettersson and Hughes will get huge raises, and they've already got $46 mil tied up on 9 contracts, $21.5 of which is tied up on bottom 6 players and Tyler Myers, who really didn't look good this year.

So wait... Schenn is so valuable (not to even mention Sanford, which you didn't), and this is the return you think would get him from a team in an active Cup window? I don't follow your logic.

These trades are horrendous for Buffalo.

Like Vancouver, why do we want the garbage that can't crack their roster?

No one is paying you anything for Hutton unless you retain, even then it would be a 6th.