If Rick Tocchet goes to coach at Arizona, which it is reported a strong possible. Kessel loves his coaching and Tocchet loves Kessel. If you can shed Matta, Pouliet and Sheary salaries and future cap hit, sign Vanek for two years. Sign RFA De Haan. Going into after this year you have 18 million in cap space with Hornqvist, Reaves, Gagner, Rowney, Sceviour and Cole as UFA. Resign Gagner, Sceviour and Rowney (if you get good deal). you have a plethora of UFA in Rust, Wilson, Kuhnhackl, Domi. Sprong. All of those you give three year contracts after the season. Wishful thinking but Defense (dumloin (RFA 3) Letang (RFA 5) Schultz (RFA3) Hunwick (RFA3) and De Haan (RFA4) Ruhwedel (RFA2) in this scenario. Plus you also have 11 picks in first three rounds next three years.

Sam Gagner ... there's are reason he's making $3m instead of $5m ... because he might give you a $5m season or he might give you $1m season. Sheary has is younger and has bigger upside.

Kessel for Domi straight up, no picks, doesn't happen because Domi is 22 and Kessel is 30. Domi might be there when ARI makes playoffs push. Kessel probably will be retired.

de Haan is RFA. You have to give compensation, and NYI would have the right to match. $3.25m likely gets matched. I think that would cost you 1st and a 3rd. Not sure.