I can't see Ottawa taking that unless they really like Virtanen

This seems exactly like how GM Benning imagines the future.

Once the Bonus is payed he's owned 4 million in real salary for the next two years, taking the AAV to rech the cap floor and taking Virtanen for free could be good, the fact is Vancouver has him as a RFA so little leverage to put him in any trade

OTT quickly declines.

Markstrom's deal is something Vancouver should just not do, commiting to him long term would probably mean giving him a NMC and arguably losing Demko in the Expansion draft

Andreas Ennglund has signed in SHL and may not be resign and Hainsey too old to resign. Erik Brannstrom playing on his off side. Lassi Thomson is loan out in Europe. Ottawa needs a RD and Troy Stecher could fill a roll in Ottawa on short term deal at the very least. Jake Virtanen is high drafted pick RW Ottawa could easy take a chance on. If Vancouver is to pay the signing bonus then Lou Eriksson then he would be 1 million salary on a 6 million cap hit next season. I don’t think Ottawa would be too quick to decline this for low draft pick.

All bonuses for the 2020-21 season were paid on July 5