"Some people can't math"....*proceeds to shed around $10M in cap*

I tend to agree with the explanation and rationale's for the trades. I think the returns for Smith and McNabb might be a little much only because opposing GM's will know Vegas' cap situation and be able to negotiate light returns but all things being equal, Smith for a 2nd sounds right.

They are expiring UFA contracts (besides Brosswah). This is normal NHL stuff. What's wrong with it?

Eichel won't play this season, maybe and that's a big maybe, during the playoffs which the cap doesn't count so Vegas is unlikely to make any big moves to fit him this season.

Yeah, I'm not sure McNabb would pull the second 2nd as described there. In my head I kind of had a bidding war and NYI will likely be desperate with their dinosaur LD situation there and want him. He'd really fit in perfectly on the Island. Either way, whatever picks are possible. VGK clearly doesn't care about the future haha

Every report has him returning in February... do you know Jack personally to contradict that? :P

I've had the surgery he is going to have and every report doesn't say that....from ESPN "After his surgery, Eichel is expected to be cleared to skate in six weeks, but it is a minimum of three months until he will be cleared for contact." It will be a minimum of 3 months for contact. With Vegas's cap issues, why would they push his timeline and instead allow him to start skating and be ready for the playoffs?

Okay, let's count together now... 3 months... we are currently in November, right? Let me check the calendar again. Hold on. Okay, yes we are in November. After November, we have December. You know, Santa Claus? January. February. WOW... that's 3 months. If he's able to skate in 6 weeks, that'll be mid December. So he'll be skating for another month and a half before he is cleared for contact. What makes you think he needs an additional 6 months after this moment to be deemed unfit to play until next season?

I also really don't consider it cap issues, since the two main players being traded are impossible to sign next year. You might as well get some 2nd round picks or whatever you can for them before they walk for free

Are you trying to be funny, it's not working, or are you just an ass to be one?

It says, "After his surgery, Eichel is expected to be cleared to skate in six weeks, but it is a MINIMUM of three months until he will be cleared for contact."

You act like the word minimum doesn't exist. Coming from someone who's had the surgery, and it is a MAJOR surgery, betting on him to be ready for contact in 90 days is unrealistic; a dumb bet from someone who knows what the recovery is like. For reference, Payton Manning had the same surgery...he was out more then 3 months and when returned was were never the same and retired shortly after. I don't think you understand what the surgery is medically speaking and the recovery process.

He's a hockey player. He'll be back in March at the latest. I bet you one e-cookie

Which is physically punishing like football and arguably moreso then a pocket passing QB in the NFL. When you have pieces of titanium put in your neck, which controls every movement in the body below the neck, the vertebrae above and below has got to fuse to the titanium pieces on the top and bottom of the artificial disc or you risk it literally getting knocked out of place and needing revision surgery. This isn't a full fusion which Buffalo wanted, but there is still some bone fusion that needs to take place.

Vegas would be very smart to take it very slow with him as a long term asset and risk him going back to surgery for a short term gain in the regular season; I'm willing to bet that's what they do given that they are probably smarter then some of the sports writers and yourself not to mention it helps their cap situation.