Trade for Kane

Kessel and Milano aren’t RBA guys.

Think Evan Rodrigues or Paul Stastny.

Also, no chance either Kessel or Milano sniff $2M at this point of the off season

So? TDA wasn’t an RBA guy. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t a good player on the canes. Kessel and Milano could be an experiment that if it fails, costs nearly nothing. Who cares what Milano and kessel get either? The canes have the space for them now with patches on LTIR so might as well guarantee they get them.

$2M per isn’t nothing.

LTIR isnt space for free. They have to keep $7M open for Pacioretty to come back.

But they can experiment with the space before he comes back. If it doesn’t work with Kessel or Milano here, send them to the AHL or buyout the contract. Gards could work up a case to be valuable again so he won’t have to be bought out yet.

Do you have any knowledge of how the CBA and contracts work?

They can’t buyout players mid-season.

Gardiner can only be bought out in the next few days. Sending a player to the minors only saves just over $1M in cap. They still have to pay him the full salary.

They have to be cap compliant if/when Pacioretty comes back mid-season. By using up any LTIR space now by signing players to new contracts they put themselves in a horrible position when they have to make room for Pacioretty at $7M in February or March.

I would think if they do sign any UFAs to plug the Pacioretty hole it will be at $1M or less, easy to fit in after a Gardiner buyout and also leaving them the flexibility to bring back Pacioretty when he’s ready. Also, the UFAs still out there are going to have to settle for $1M or less type contracts as teams have already spent their money last month.

Ah I thought you could buyout a player mid season. Anyways, I think Milano or kessel signing at 950k would be the most ideal because the canes could then send either to the minors as that’s the max two way contract you can sign. Maybe if the canes work the contract to make it the most lucrative per the deal with bonus’s or something like that it could work. All I’m saying is that options open up now that patches is on LTIR