If the Coyotes re-signed everybody they were keen on re-signing to fair-value contracts, this team would only be at around $50M in spending, and they'd need at least an additional $10M to clear the cap floor.
How would they do it? The same way they did it last summer: weaponize cap space, go to teams that are *way* above the cap ceiling, and extort them for their lunch money—I mean, obtain valuable assets in exchange for taking on contracts with negative trade value.
The Lightning are already stupidly over the cap ceiling, and they have to handle Brayden Point's extension next year. Ondrej Pálat's walking in free agency, for sure, and they would definitely love to not be using LTIR, so Brent Seabrook's contract seems like an ideal contract to dump. The Coyotes will definitely be looking for some type of decent forward prospect, especially at center, so I had them acquiring Gage Goncalves, but Jack Finley would also fit the bill (though, given that the Lightning traded up to draft Finley, they probably wouldn't be looking to trade him). I would also believe it if they picked up Gabriel Fortier instead.
The Blackhawks *also* really badly need to get under the cap. Seth Jones and Connor Murphy's extensions kick in next year, and, although Marc-André Fleury and Calvin de Haan walking in free agency would clear up *some* room, it wouldn't cover the extensions that Dominik Kubalík, Dylan Strome, and Kirby Dach need. I think that Tyler Johnson's contract is still seen as kind of a boat anchor, and that would probably be the easiest way to clear up any sort of cap space. Of course, Johnson would have to agree to put the Coyotes on his 20-team trade list, but the Coyotes for sure need somebody with any sort of talent to play at center (plus, he's right-handed, and teams love them their right-handed centers).
And, just for kicks and why not, I wouldn't be surprised if the Coyotes take Ben Bishop's contract off of the Stars' hands, as well, for a nominal fee.
Easy pass by TB absolutely horrific trade for them Seabrook costs nothing and they certainly aren't giving up those assets to help AZ get to the floor. Well give you Seabrook for a 1 easily as foolish as your trade proposal
The number of money on Bishop’s contract goes against Dallas’s cap space = 0
The number of things we’ll give you to take Bishop = Blake Comeau if we feel nice, not giving a 2nd for nothing.
Depends on how pressured the Stars are to get under the cap. They're already $3M over the cap right now as is; I suppose, if they let Pavelski, Radulov, and Klingberg walk in free agency, then there's no incentive to move Bishop's contract.
But, if you took any sort of look at the Coyotes' trade history from last summer, there are at least a few GMs that had to make desperation trades and pay the Coyotes to take on bad contracts. So it's not as if Nill wouldn't consider it, because Bishop's playing career is done, and that's almost $5M just sitting on LTIR (which is not, ideally, what they want). The Stars are also trying to compete for a Cup, which means that they need as much cap room as they can get their hands on.