Sure, we'll take Jake for free. Thanks

kk's contract is gonna be horrendous for a while lmao

This is a common mistake, he doesn't HAVE to sign for more than his QO. There's a rumor there's a deal in place around 4 mil for 5 years. It was agreed when he was an RFA so it can't be classed as tampering.

but he would be silly not to since he could force the canes into getting 6.1M again

Agree with this, as he owes the canes nothing and wld be stupid to take a 5 year deal for 4 mil when he cld simply just keep accepting the next years QO until he becomes a UFA or until Carolina stops qualifying him and then he gets to choose where he goes

With KK, there are a few different options though...it isn't just "Qualify him".
-They can offer him a QO, which he'd likely accept at $6.1 mil.
-They can extend him for less AAV if he's into it.
-They can just not qualify him, meaning that they've essentially used a 1st and 3rd to get a year of a reasonably good, young 3rd liner that has typically been a strong performer in the playoffs. I don't know that you get a much better rental for a late 1st+3rd at this deadline, and they got a full year out of him.

Option 1 is the most likely. Option 2 was rumored to be in the works before the season started, but who knows(!), and option 3 really isn't that bad when you think about it.

For the rest of it...it's just me guessing, but I wouldn't be surprised if Gardiner doesn't play again. Necas probably gets more, and as well as he has played, I just can't see ADA getting that type of money. Barrie is essentially the same player, and got $4.5, without the track record of personal issues.

The team has the option of taking him to arbitration if it comes to that. Then, his salary for next year would very likely be LESS than his QO unless he blows the doors off the rest of this season. To think that the only way the Canes keep the player is to qualify him at $6.1M is stupid. If he likes lives up to that number…that’s great for the Canes. More likely, he doesn’t (yet) live up to that number. If the player, unworthy of $6M, insists on his QO or better, while at the same time not having earned it, why on earth would the Canes, or any other team for that matter, pay him that much? The player will either live up to his $6M salary and earn that or more on his next contract or he’ll have to settle for less.

To repeat, it’s idiotic to think the Canes will be forced into paying him his QO next year. If he earns that much with his play, then the Canes will be thrilled. If not, again, no way he gets $6M from any other team, so it’s very likely he settles into a longer term deal under $6M with CAR, with the team betting they’ll be getting a bargain down the line in that deal as he continues to develop.

If he goes elsewhere does he make 6.1M? No. He gets significantly less because he hasn't been good in the NHL thus far so no one wants to pay him what he'd want. So the veiled threat does nothing.

Won't accept less? Ok bye, enjoy making less money. Lol. He'd be literally making less money than if he just signed the deal Carolina offered. Carolina is only offering something there offer to save face on the OS front.

Leverage only works when you have something to fall back on. No team is paying him 6.1M a year on the free agent market so if Carolina calls his bluff, KK is screwed and sure Carolina loses a player but then they don't have to worry about signing him to 6.1M for the rest of his RFA days which would be a bad idea also considering, you know, he hasn't been good.

What's worse? Caving into a not great players high demands or losing a very high draft pick and a 3rd on a 1 year gamble? Most teams pay a 1st for a good player at the TDL and only get him for a playoff run. Carolina got him for a full year. So there's very little to worry about here.

He would go without an offer then. KK holds no leverage in this part, and there's a handshake deal in place for around 4 mil. He can't force the Canes into doing anything, and he'd be working on the back of 1-year deals. Carolina offers him security with the term. That's a far better deal for a player who's struggling

Well the premise is incorrect. Canes don't have t sign KK for 6.1m. Now they have to offer him that to prevent him going to UFA. Maybe the thing for Canes and KK, is he goes to UFA, sees the offers...none which might be over 5m, and then signs with the Canes for 4.75m X 4.(if he's worth it)