Blake Lizotte should make significantly more than his Qualifying Offer and you haven't even given Akil Thomas his, but you have enough elastic in the cap space to overcome that. My main issue is with the inclusion of Erik Portillo in the Saros trade. Since Saros is a lame duck, it would be risky to send the guy we expect to be able to take over for him in the near future back the other way. If Portillo is a "make or break" hinge, then I would prefer to invest that $5 million in a winger (or two) for Pierre-Luc DuBois.

NSH declines. If NSH is dealing Saros it is for quality, not quantity. None of these pieces are enough to move the needle for NSH. Pinelli and the first would the big pieces here and Pinelli fell off a cliff since moving to the AHL. So from NSH's POV it looks like a prospect with a high degree of uncertainty at current, 2 prospects NSH has no need of (due to other prospects already in system) and a pick likely somewhere between 16-25 for a top 5 goalie in the league? No thanks.

Not saying I'm going to ask for Byfield or Clarke, but there has to be more quality if NSH is moving arguably their best player.

I think Trotz will not accept that and he has been having an outrageous asking price for Saros.
Saros definitely is an elite goalie, but the asking price would be more justifiable, if he was top 3 in the NHL in all categories.
But, for example his SV% (.906) is tied 24th, his GAA (2,86) is tied 26th among all goalies that played >25 games. Eventually, he has the most wins, while starting 64 times in the regular season (as often as no other goalie), but especially his SV% and GAA just don't justify the high asking price in my opinion.
He is definitely worth a 1st + NHL ready prospect (like Pinelli) + Kaliyev type caliber + maybe another 4th round pick. But honestly, that should do it. He will also ask for an extension that will be in the Hellebuyk region after next year.

Ultimately, I think he won't be moved before next season, because i don't see any team being willing to overpay