Buffalo says no, easily

Brutal

I suppose if the 2 trades were with Buffalo:
2019 7th round pick + Ristolainen, Rasmus for Callahan, Ryan + Palat, Ondrej + 2020 2nd round pick (TBL) 2019 3rd round pick (TBL) + 2019 4th round pick (TBL), it would be a little more appealing.
But I would still say no if I were the Sabres.
I do not think Botterill will trade Ristolainen for a 28 yo who has only 19 goals and 69 pts over the last 2 seasons and what will be nearly a 3rd round pick.
Both Palat and Callahan are under-performing for their salaries. Drop Ristolainen make the 7th a 5th then give us a call.
That will save BriseBois about $11,000,000 next year, IMO that is just about the right price for a 2nd, 3rd and 4th (one could say an early 3rd, 4th and 5th)

Initially deal was Palat + 2020 2nd for Risto, of course Botterill would have to say no.

The value you laid out is pretty fair, however I don't think Botterill takes on cap dumps for only picks, I would think he would want a NHL ready prospect because if he doesn't get players in Buffalo soon he won't be around to make those draft picks in 2020.

Tampa is in cap hell and even worse off next season, they need to move under performing players, but I wouldn't take them on for a nothing but picks

Staph it. Risto is overrated.

Yes, that is the trade to which I was responding. IMO, Botterill would still say no even with Raddysh as part of the deal, but it is a lot closer.


Taking Callahan for one year is worth not much more than a 2nd (I see many Sabre posts trading Okposo with a 2nd so Callahan and a 2nd is fair IMO). Since Palat has value, but is over paid, we take him for a 3rd, then we swap 4th round picks. In this scenario, Buffalo is trading cap space for picks. It may be a bad idea since Palat's contract runs for 3 years.

That is why I took him out of the trade I proposed.

JUST SAY NO .. Tampa laughs at Buffalo fans that think Callhan will cost a 3rd and 4th for a ONE year $4.2M buyout spread over 2 years .. I suggest you head to Starbucks. Buffalo always has to over pay or just give away Cup MVP for nothing .. you should be glad anyone would want to go ..

Any team that buys out a contract that only has 1 year left on is stupid.

Then it's not just taking on Callahan you are dealing with, it's the reason as to why they have to move him. It will absolutely cost more than a 3rd and 4th rounder to take Callahan because teams know you need the cap space to sign Point.

It's keeping Point for Callahan a 3rd and a 4th

No team is going to help Tampa keep their stud unless Tampa pays up. Tampa has ZERO leverage here.

Wrong. Tampa could keep Callahan and move one of Miller or Gourde. Or just buy Callahan out.

Why would Tampa buy out Callahan and have him count against the cap next season when they desperately are going to need it? Besides Point this year, the following year they have Vas, Cernak, Cirelli, Joseph, and Sergachev all needing contracts with no contracts of higher cap hit coming off the books?

Tampa is screwed

You may wanna go back and check the Lightning page here on cap friendly. Stop talking nonsense, Tampa will be perfecly fine

You might want to do the same there bud
$60 million in salaries

0 goalies signed
3 defensemen signed
7 forwards signed

This is before Point gets extended this year (he isn't going anywhere)

Cap will be $82-$83 million this year and then $85-$86 million next year

So $26 million (without Points deal)

So $18 million including Point

to sign 10-12 players

One of which is your stud goalie say he gets a lower team friendly deal at $6 million

$12 million to sign 10 players

Tell me again how you're not screwed?

Have you ever heard of ELC players? There will be at least 2/3 ELC players in the 2020 Lightning roster. Foote, Volkov, Barré-Boulet, Stephens, Verhaeghe. All strong candidates, Volkov is very likely to be on the team this season already.
You come in saying "$12 million to sign 10 players" but you forget something: JT Miller will have a M-NTC with 8 teams no trade list. Hence, if needed, he'll be moved. 5.25M more in cap space. Killorn's NTC in the 2020 offseason will become a M-NTC (16 teams trade list). He'll be moved. 4.45M freed in cap space.
So we are now talking 21+M cap space.
Cernak, Sergachev and Cirelli will likely get bridge deals, as it's in Lightning tradition. If needed, Joseph could be traded and replaced by another ELC guy.

I've done my maths, Tampa will have its money tight but it will easily work.
(There is also to mention that Gourde could be moved before this July 1 if BriseBois envision to be too tight in cap space going forward.)