Edited May 30, 2016 at 2:25 a.m.
You won't sign McIlrath for $675k. His qualifying offer is $738k. If we extended him your contract offer, he could refuse it and become a UFA. $738k is the minimum you need to give him to keep him as an RFA (although he could still refuse it and send the contract to arbitration).
Why do both teams in the big trade retain salary? Instead of MTL holding $1m and NYR holding $2.5m, you just make it so NYR hold $1.5m and MTL none. Retained salary spots are an asset as each team can only have three concurrently at max.
Losing Raanta like that as a cap causality is horrible. He's a really good backup and is on a good contract. Marc Staal as a top pairing defenseman is an atrocious site in 2016.
Overall, I don't like that trade. McDonagh for Subban is the only upgrade. The rest of the moves are downgrades.
And good luck getting Miller at that price tag. He can take us to arbitration.
But I will admit, I am impressed that you freed up enough space for Brouwer and Eriksson with your moves. However, that money would get further on the blue line.