Quoting: Aussie_Blackhawk
Im very keen to see how Tampa go, they got cap problems coming this season and next when point needs extending then the next year you got Serg and Cirelli. You will be losing some players that you wouldn't like to, thats how it works in the cap world. You've had great success and have a good chance of winning the cup this year and the next couple but its hard to keep everyone.
Im not as convinced they take McD. That contract is horrendous
The raises are already pretty much planned, and yes, Tampa will be losing some depth players they'd like to keep. McD's contract is far from horrendous, although the last couple of years may not be great. If Tampa exposes him, Seattle would be foolish just to toss away a dman who would be their #1 D easily. Not many teams are going to possibly make a dman of his caliber available. Tampa may have to add a very small sweetener if the two sides make a deal, but it won't be much.
The players Tampa won't be losing in the next 2-3 years are Point, Serg, Cernak, Cirelli, Colton, and probably Gourde, in addition to the other main core guys.. It's almost a certainty that Johnson is gone this offseason, as is one of Palat or Killorn(more think Palat due to higher trade value, but we'll see). If McD is moved, either by him waiving his ntc and being traded elsewhere, or being drafted/traded to Seattle, then Tampa's cap is even more easily solved for the.next 2 years.
In any case, Tampa fans have been hearing about how the team will have no choice but lose so and so great young player due to the cap for 5 or 6 years now, and yet they have kept the players they've wanted to keep. Only because of the flat cap will Tampa have to lose an extra player, but they won't be the only team getting pinched. Tampa would never trade a dman like Serg for a poor lottery ticket in a weak draft class and talented but lesser substitutes. Tampa is not jettisoning one of the most valuable pieces of their current and future d core for maybes in the middle of their window. Tampa doesn't operate like that, since they have a good front office and GM.