you'd have to buyout panik and trade him to the yotes with a 2nd or 3rd.

The Blues have no need or cap for that.

Toronto's 2023 3rd is conditional to Arizona's trade with Lyubushkin

That's the only deal that makes sense to part with the 1st round pick for Edmonton, retention for this and next year for Varly, but, they would still need to deal a player to get under the cap- Kassian, Koskinen, Smith, so maybe there is a slightly bigger deal that could be done to help both sides....

Before really dig into the complications with adding varlamov for Edmonton curious to find out why he would even waive to move to Canada at this point in his career? Historically seen players get those clauses to prevent this exact type of move. My guess he does get moved but to Washington.

I don't think Panik is a guy you necessarily need to move for futures(and especially not retain) - he's making $1.375M for 22-23 and can plug in pretty much anywhere in the lineup. If the team is in the tank again next deadline, I think you easily get a 4/5 for a player like him without retention.

I also think you're being a bit optimistic about how easy it will be to move those Bailey & Palmieri contracts. I don't think the Blues give up a 2nd for him, even at 50% retention - they're hard up against the cap this season and the only big contract coming off for 22-23 is David Perron, plus they have RFAs to re-sign. I think if you drop the Ryan Murray signing and maybe work out some sort of Bailey for Marco Scandella deal, you fill LD3 at a similar price and can possibly get another asset out of St. Louis with the same retention (I'm thinking Bailey 50% retained for Scandella and a pick?)

Palmieri is also a guy I'd consider holding judgment on until the end of the season. He was garbage to start the year, then he was hurt, and now he's come back from injury and looks like a different guy, especially playing with Nelson & Beau. Let that ride out and see if that chemistry keeps building before you give him the Andrew Ladd Exile.

Fair point on Palmieri, but I'd rather have Forsberg in an average year than Palmieri in a career year

Panik does not need to be traded but I can see the Isles giving up anyone with value at the deadline just to get quantity of draft picks.

Scandella would be good too, I like Murray and I think he was a miss this past offseason

Blues say no no space or cap or need