Arizona is maxed on Retained Salaries

and the trade is not good, not enough

You want Arizona to pay 8.5M for a measly 2nd?

You will need to send at least 2 NHL players back to SJ along with a couple of prospect and a couple of 1sts.

What do you propose the Arizona trade looks like (Anaheim is apparently open to playing middleman retained salary deals.

There is no max on retained salary deals, but there is a 3 player max on buy-outs and Arizona has 2. And they only have OEL as retained salary.

However, Arizona is pivoting to try to be more competitive. They should be active signing UFA’s and may swing a trade or 2 at the draft.

there is a max on retained contracts, and they're stuck with OEL's for a while because of his buyout. 3 is the max. OEL Nemeth and Kassian currently.

Hayes just got moved for a 6th with 50% retention. Sharks fans need to prepare for what they get back in a Karlsson deal. He basically dictates where he is willing to go, and the Sharks have to oblige that.

You are correct, I have been arguing this for 6 months, but there is an ocean of push-back here.

The Brent Burn trade should have been a hint.

The few days will be very interesting.

Pass on the Toffoli deal. I'm sure the Flames can do better at the deadline.

How about Sharangovich and a 3rd?

You called it, but I think that the Flames just got low balled there.