A good chunk of this team will have guys that will be protected or unavailable

I have seen that Lucic has waived his NMC

No chance TB doesn't protect Cernak.

Please I'd love one rational explanation as to why TB would expose Cernak, and don't say to protect McDonagh. They hope Seattle takes that term.

Or how COL doesn’t protect Toews

Colorado has to worry about the Johnson contract, although I doubt that will be a big issue because he will likely waive his NMC. The Avs would have to do the 8-1 format to protect Toews though, so one way or another the Avs get screwed

It’s been covered a ton but say Johnson refuses they buy him out. But let’s go down the rabbit hole. EJ is hurt and doesn’t play in the playoffs at all, making it so he CAN’T be bought out (can’t buy out injured players), there isn’t a reason he should waive in this case but let’s say he does. COL then asks for his trade list, 19 teams he will take a trade to, if it comes to that COL will ship him somewhere with for the sake of argument this years 1st (which is worth far less than Toews) to solve the issue. Then COL has an additional $6M in cap space to replace him. But yeah he probably waives.

lol if the oilers take turris, every oilers fan will become kraken fans