It will most likely take north of 11.5M for the Islanders to not instantly match

You sound like Bergevin... How did that work for him?

Isles probably match, but that would certainly put them in cap hell

They have to take an L on a trade of one of their other top 6 forwards within the week of the OS though, but Guerin would be burning an important bridge nearly ASAP

No they can be 10% over the cap till the day before the season starts. They most likely are going to have to trade Leddy, and see if they can offload someone else. Doubt it will be one of their top 6

Now do the ACGM where the Isles offer sheet Fiala the next year.

if the sign 1 or 2 of their pending FAs 2 of which are RFAs that should get paid as well and will get QOs before offer sheets go out, they will hit that 10% signing this contract

With the 10% allowed overture, a 81.5M Cap increases to 89.65M. The Islanders sit at 79.4 before contracts end. The once the year officially ends they loose Griess (3.33M), Greene (5M), Pulock (2M), Toews (.7M), Kuhnhackl(.85M), Barzal (.864M), Brassard (1.2M), and Martin (2.5M). So alot would depend on when you look at signing Barzal. If you look at the offseaon with no one re-signed the Islanders sit at 73.4M out of a possible 89.65. Thats 16.25M they can spend in the offseason before they HAVE to move someone. Clearing Cap for the start of the season is a different story.

If they have 16.25 and they sign pulock to a 5 mill deal then sign Toews to a 3 mill deal, they now only have 8.25 to match a 10 million dollar offer sheet. Youre only proving my point

It depends on the order in which things happen. Those 3 players are RFAs they have till the season starts to sign them, so if an offer sheet comes in on Barzal and maybe Pulock they are the priorities. Deal with Toews later in the offseason. They are going to move at least one of Leddy, Ladd or Boychuk. Take care of Toews after them. You are grasping saying that all will happen on the same day. Looks like they have till January before the season starts. Who says those RFAs make it to free agency unsigned to get offer sheets? who says any of them are willing to leave such a tight team that was just in the Eastern conference finals? No one know what will happen till it does.

They have to be sent QOs, so if they come to terms before Barzal that is the situataion they face, theyre also waiting on all their other contracts, till they deal with their RFAs. Theyll probably be taking an L at the draft on a trade is my guess

QOs are sent out before the league opens free agency. The Islanders dont need to be in any hurry with thier UFAs and I cant see them getting involved in any big named UFAs so they have time. Time from now till Nov whatever when free Agency starts to look at Barzal, Pulock, and Toews. Time to make trades, look at all the teams doing so now.
I guess Im failing to see this sense of urgency your pushing.

Only way you could possibly get Barzal is if you made him the highest paid player on the NHL. Even then, im still not sure if the Isles give him up