It took me a minute to figure out that you were projecting ahead a year, which is hard to imagine. Getting JT would sure put the Red Wings back on the map, but then why on earth keep Zetterberg in the #2 centre spot?

Not sure the D is at all close to being up to snuff. Maybe there's a way to trade Zetterberg and or Abdelkader for some better D.

At forward, I'd forget about Vanek. He has the heart of a ... a ... a ... ok, he has no heart. If JT were going to come to Motown, he'd want better wingers than that. Tatar is decent, but you'd be better to trade 2-for-1 and get a Pacioretty, Marchand, Kucherov or Skinner than try to make a go of it with the likes of Vanek.

You can afford it: you're way overpaying Mantha for a second contract. He's great for a 22-year-old, but he's not GREAT. He's going to have to get a few more years under his belt.

Stop this cap dumping. It doesn't happen. Arizona isn't trading young Crouse for Howard. They can spend money on UFA and keep Prouse. You really don't understand the Clarkson move. Looks like Clarkson if forever on LTIR, so he isn't costing Vegas $$$$ or cap. But the declining Abdelkaker would cost the Vegas real $$$ and cap.
And one can dream of roster of 20.

Vegas still has to pay Clarkson, therefore they'd be paying Abdelkader less and they get a player who will be in the lineup every night. If cap dumping doesn't happen, explain the Bickell trade to Carolina or the Stepan trade to Arizona or the original Clarkson trade to Columbus. Cap dumping happens all the time.

Zetterberg is not going anywhere. Abdelkader isn't going to get you a better D unless you throw in a high draft pick. I agree that the D is not that good, but look at Pittsburgh, their D was NOT that good for both of their Cup runs, but they implemented a system to get around their average (at best) D-core. I think Vanek really liked Detroit and I saw more heart and passion than I've seen in a long time out of him last year. Maybe he was trying to earn a contract, but who knows. I think a chance to maybe win a cup towards the end of his career would hopefully give him a boost.

Tavares is never coming to Detroit...like, ever.

Not true about Clarkson if he's on LTIR the Vegas isn't out of pocket. His contract is insured. The assumption is the Vegas can find better value now and certainly in the years ahead that trading for 6m Abdelkader
Sure there is cap dumping. Bickell could play somewhat but not to 4m leveland the Canes got another player to go with the Bickell.
Rangers wanted cap space so they traded Stepan. Arizona finally wanted an NHL centre to play with other young forwards, so they traded for Stepan. Arizona was one of the few teams that could send a pick and prospect without sending money back to Rangers. It was hockey trade not a cap dump. Though I thought the Arizona had the Rangers by the "u know" and could have done a better deal.
All these years later and the writing about Clarkson/Horton and you still don't understand it. How sad. Here it goes.
Horton and Clarkson had the exact same contract and term. Horton injured his recurring neck injury and he was not insured for it. So Columbus was going to out of pocket 5.25m X 5 years ....26.25m
Leafs had the under performing Clarkson. Leafs wanted cap room, so they traded him to Columbus. Columbus did not think they needed cap room for the next five years so they would rather have a underperforming Clarkson at least some what contributing than paying out of pocket for nothing for Horton,
So the Leafs get cap relief with the injured Horton and the Maple Leaf Sport (Bell and Rogers) can just raise our cables, phone, internet to pay for Horton.