Just to show the seriousness of the trouble they're in, they let their big rfas go, traded killorn and still have no cap room

Exactly, and all of their big salary guys have full no trades.
Killorn has a modified no trade so he has to go.

Especially after winning a Cup, their players are not going to be inclined to sign offer sheets. Why would they want to leave Tampa?

I'm sure they want to stay, I'm even sure they'll take team friendly deal, but I'm also sure Tampa has a long road ahead to even get that much space for those deals

Ask Johnson and Gourde to waive their NTCs and threaten to put them on waivers if they don't. "You're leaving. You can either have some say in where you go when we try to trade you, or we can put you on waivers and you'll have no choice but to go to the first crappy team that decides to claim you."

Then trade Killorn to one of the teams not on his no-trade list. There's $15M in cap space.

Money talks homie

You make it sound so easy

They have now won a cup...go to a team that can win with you as well but make your money

It is exactly that easy if they're willing to let Johnson and Gourde go with no return. Tough pill to swallow but might be worth it if it lets them keep Sergachev and Cirelli.

Assuming you don't piss off your entire close knit locker room, never mind the contributions of gourde and killorn

Every team, except for a few, are in cap trouble right now. And every owner is looking to shed salary and may have a different internal cap. I highly doubt anyone is going to want to pick up TJ's contract. Gourde, maybe but it's still over 5 mil for like 6 years. Tough.

We'll see what happens, this is going to be an insane off season.

It's a business in extraordinary times. I don't think anyone on the team would begrudge BriseBois for doing what is necessary to keep the best team together to win more Cups. Welcome to the flat cap era.

I think he has to approach it with a bit more tact than you posted, though I get if you were just being blunt. I think players will understand, he just has to go about it properly.

What happens if no team picks them up? Which I think is the most likely result

Teams like Winnipeg and Minnesota that desperately need a 2C would claim Johnson. Gourde is a quality player and is worth his contract. He had an excellent playoffs with 7g & 14p in 25 games. I think there's a number of teams that would be interested in him as well.

Tampa will trade Killorn, Paquette, and either trade or if necessary, waive Johnson and Coburn. These moves free up enough space(even factoring in replacements) to bridge the main rfas and fill in the other 3-4 spots to run a 21 or 22 player roster. Teams have little space but apparently have all this magical money to OS Tampa's 3 big rfa's?? Sure they do....The few teams that might Tampa's players wouldn't even consider leaving their situation for. The only complication could be Johnson, but when he realizes he is gone after next season anyway and risks going to one of the 20 teams rather than controlling his new destination now, he'll likely come around. It's a business, and while Brisebois will do everything he can to accommodate Johnson's move, the betterment of the team takes priority. If this means ultimately having to waive him in order to keep Sergachev, Cirelli, and Cetnak, so be it.

Make the case for me to pick up Tyler Johnson for 5mil and four years when I could get Tyler Ennis for 2mil and 2 years

Brisebois will have to get creative for sure. Good luck to him.

I have a hard time believing that any other team will pick up TJ. We'll see.

It's possible. I think gourde has a better chance.

Contract gets buried in the minors. Then buyout, or call back up and say sorry, just kidding.

Cernak’s the one the Caps would be most interested in. If they’re giving up the 24th OA it’s gotta be him coming back. Killorn would be nice, but he doesn’t fill a major need and I don’t think he’s worth a 1st.

I agree with this, younger more physical more versatile

Serg doesn’t sign an OS from Montreal. Doubt he would want to go back to the team that traded him for Drouin!

Neither Cirelli or Sergachev would sign those offer sheet, Killorn is gone and Johnson will be forced out that pretty much gives Julien BriseBois the flexibility to sign all 3 RFAs Cernak, Cirelli and Sergachev.