Yeah I don't think Boston's cap situation is bad enough for it to work and they definitely could try to retaliate if they have the picks for it but the player has to want to sign the offer sheet for it to work. If Swayman has actually soured on Boston management though, he could be more inclined to sign NJ's offer sheet. And If I'm Mercer, Holtz, or any Devil right now, do I want to leave? No other team offers them as good a chance at winning 1 or several championships over the next 5-10 years with all the talent developed and still developing. Boston is way up there but I think losing Swayman would lower the odds and very much raise Jersey's, Chicago in 4-5 years maybe, Ottawa seems like another high draft pick or two away, Buffalo looks very promising, Toronto after they reshuffle their core 4 for cap space and balance, Carolina is tight on cap, etc.

Yeah I don't think Boston's cap situation is bad enough for it to work and they definitely could try to retaliate if they have the picks for it but the player has to want to sign the offer sheet for it to work. If Swayman has actually soured on Boston management though, he could be more inclined to sign NJ's offer sheet. And If I'm Mercer, Holtz, or any Devil right now, do I want to leave? No other team offers them as good a chance at winning 1 or several championships over the next 5-10 years with all the talent developed and still developing. Boston is way up there but I think losing Swayman would lower the odds and very much raise Jersey's, Chicago in 4-5 years maybe, Ottawa seems like another high draft pick or two away, Buffalo looks very promising, Toronto after they reshuffle their core 4 for cap space and balance, Carolina is tight on cap, etc.

I didn't watch today's game, but after seeing the highlights, I'm not sure I'd want to give up all of those assets and put all that money into goaltending with that Daws kid waiting in the wings. I only saw one game, but he was excellent! Swayman is the more sure thing today, but if Daws can play like that with any regularity, he'd have much better value for the next few years, and his low contract cost would delay some tough decisions which will inevitably come.