this is interesting and weird.
lol but I'm not hating it TBH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnyyQOMnlcE

I still think more is needed going to SJ but I like the originality of this idea

I thought the same about for for SJ, but they already get a win no matter. It doesn't matter if Nurse doesn't play to his salary, he will almost certainly be worth his cap hit even by the end, and he can be traded in 4 years with retained salary if he fails. If Campbell regains his form, he isn't good enough to carry the team out of tbe draft lottery, but he might be good enough for a good flip for more capital or a stabilizing guy in net to not completely deflate the youth; if he sucks more, he only helps rebuild odds.

At 4 years time, 4 million of dead cap won't be great, but the cap will be enough to compensate. Plus, this buys cap space today.

Love the concept. I've wanted to see this type of scenario, and this might be a good way to use it.
Not sure Edmonton would or should go for it, you'd have to think they want to extend their window well into McDavid's next contract, but assuming any scenario where they lose him or voluntarily rebuild, it can work.

The window can extend with proper moves. Is EK for 4 years better than 7 years of Nurse? I think worst case is a wash for Edmonton. Edmonton doesn't really get punished for a few more years of Nurse cap retention based on cap economics going up, even marginally. Bad contracts drop off. What will motivate McDavid to stay is if any youth starts pushing more. If the current pipeline is really dry, and winning is on Mcdavids mind, he will leave regardless. There is nothing Holland can do to keep his guy at that point, so why not go for it now...

Problem is that when the cap goes up, it just means good players make more. You're investing a lot of money in Ekholm and Karlsson. When their contracts end, you're going to be looking at replacing them with more expensive defensemen, but with $4M less flexibility. What you're getting for $11-12M now, is going to cost you at least $15-16M then, just counting for the retention and not inflation of player salaries.
I agree with going for it now, at all costs. I'm only suggesting this particular cost may shorten the window of opportunity considerably.
Once you retain, that's locked in. You can't recover that cap hit or trade it off, so you have to be extra careful with the long term effects. If McDavid was 32 and signed until 36, it makes more sense. You can afford that retention then because you are either entering a rebuild or maybe he'll be more affordable in his twilight years.
I still like the idea, and it works if Edmonton is all in for 4 years and prepared to start over at that point, but that's a strong determination to make before winning a cup with this group.