Carle doesn't need to be bought out so soon; I'd be weary of two younger defensemen in the top-6. Also, where is Paquette? Not a bad roster, just too many younger guys for me. Four stars.

Honestly Paquette was an oversight, but I think Carle's contract is pretty cap-strapping for Tampa. They're going to need the money the following summer

Callahan is not an all star....you're right. Still a good player, sometimes very good. When a GM trades for a player, he feels obliged to resign the player, almost at any price, to justify the original trade. My opinion Stamkos can be signed for much less. Who has the cap space to sign him, especially a contending team?

I think Stamkos is definitely going to go for the Toews/Kane contract, as will Tavares the following summer... it set the market value for a franchise player of their caliber, and I'm doubtful he takes a hometown discount.

On the Callahan front, I'm a Rangers fan... trust me when I tell you he is not all he is cracked up to be haha. He was snake-bitten for most of the playoffs this year (granted he had an injury) and he did not perform like a nearly $6 million player in the regular season. 54 points simply not good enough, and his grinding/shot-blocking style of play will have his knees shot and him slower than everyone else in less than 2 years. The fact that the team he captained didn't even sign him speaks volumes. It was Girardi or Callahan, and Sather and co. knew their captain wasn't worth the money, term or most importantly he risk. I think he will be left unprotected in the expansion draft.

Rob. Not denying he will ASK has for Toews money. (Kane may be making thirty five cents a day). But there will be very few teams that will have cap money to spend for Stamkos. And the few that actually have the cap room may not want to offer him his top dollar. Will Stamkos go to a team that is absolutely crappy if he offered 20% more? Don't know. Let's imagine that Arizona or Carolina offers him 10.5m, does TBay offer more than let's say 8.5m, (their max offer) so they can sign their RFAs? We'll never know. Personally I think he stays in TB for 8m a year.

I can see that. If he really is all into the team and the fact that they need cap space for the young guys, he does seem like the type of guy who may do it. I take back what I said about him not taking a hometown discount lol he actually might if he wants to/thinks he can win in Tampa.