The only cap issues they would have is if Backstrom AND Hagelin can come back this year, which is looking extremely unlikely. Even if they do, you just bite the bullet and pay whatever it takes to move both Eller and Hagelin.

Just a general hockey question because I don't know the answer (nothing to do with this specific string):

If Hags comes back, and the Caps want to make a move at TDL and needs a little extra cap sapce, why wouldn't the Caps just send Hags through waivers. Here, there would be two situations that happen (both positive in terms of cap space). 1) Hags is taken - clearing the whole $2.75mil. 2) Hags is waived, goes to Hershey, and around half his salary is given back to the Caps (this doesn't save the whole $2.75mil, but still gives more than $1mil back).

I understand the Caps might need all the $2.75mil, but say they don't, why wouldn't the Caps do this? Is it a bad look to send a veteran down like that? qc14 NoVaSpartan CastingCouchGuy

you are exactly correct in that they could do it and save ~1m (not sure exactly what the maximum buriable amount is), which while worse than trading him is better than nothing. However, like you said, most teams (except vegas!) try to do right by their veterans and hags is an extremely well liked guy in the locker room, so I'm not sure they would risk the hit to their reputation and to the room to do it.

I actually think that once again Eller is the most likely cap casualty. He makes more money and plays a premium position so he should be a lot easier to move to the point where they might actually be able to get an asset back for him rather than attach picks to send him out.