Do it Dougie: Karlsson+Panarin forever...

Ummmm no...I would think if those RFA’s are nhl good that they will cost more than 800k. That added to the fact you are 3 players short makes this a complete no go.

Suomela will have just one season under his belt (this year), so he may get less an 1M per. 800k for goodrow, gambrell, sorensen and letunov is absolutely possible.

Look at what depth guys are getting around the league? Demelo got only 900k after 20pts from the blueline and 133 NHL games. Goodrow is getting 650k now. Brouwer, a solid vet got 850k. Gemel Smith who has 17 pts, in 63 games the last two years for dallas got 720. Obviously, if Suomela puts up a 20-20 season, then 1M is low. Same for any of those guys. But if they put up solid depth years, then the numbers make sense. And, if not, the sharks can add seasoned vets for similar costs (like Fehr or Brouwer, or whtever) to round out the bottom line.

Also, If they are just a little short (like 1-2M over). They can sometimes trade for cap space. For instance, I dunno if allowed, but they might be able to trade a mid round pick to a team like the yotes to take Martin's buyout hit. Or put a huge front load on a contract to a guy like panarin to get a lower AAV, but higher net present value. Or add a 5th year to pavs deal and front load to drop it to the 5.5M (27.5M total) range average but structured as 10-8-5-1.5-1. And the cap my be 82.5 or 83 after all. Karlsson might also take 11M to match doughty if he likes SJ. There may be little bits and pieces of cash floating around. Meier might take a 1 yr, 2.5M bridge. Donkey might take closer to 2.2M rather than 2.5M.

It's tight for sure, but not impossible. If they are literally within 1M on the cap, there may be creative structuring with front loading that allows for saving a few 100k on several players to get there.

If panarin is available, and the sharks can get him, he's the kind of player dougie would figure out how to get. They have the Difference maker on D that dougie wanted. Now they want the difference maker on O. Panarin is the only target (maybe stone I suppose) that fits the 80+ pt, game changing, top line forward mold.... it would sure be fun :-)

You are at least 2.1m short just on the 3 guys you still need in the press box. No you can not trade buyouts. Like I said, if they are nhl ready chances are they do not take such low contracts. After just looking into it you have decreased their salaries so.... that’s a big no.

Keeping Karlsson will be tight adding the bread man is impossible without subtracting from your core.

The salaries werent decreased. The cap hits were, but the ELC salaries are different because of bonus structures. And, for many of them, they would except simple qualifying offers as depth players.

Lastly, if one or two actualyl did break out and emerge as a strong player, they could become trade bait to land a couple guys on ELC's...

No you literally decreased their pay.one by 125k the other by 34k. You forgot their signing bonuses.