Edited Jul. 14, 2019 at 1:50 a.m.
We can't take on those caphits, and Johnson has NTC. He is from USA so i doubt he wants to go to Canada for a possible fringe playoff team.
Instead try to win the cup at all costs next couple of years. If we trade him away, he has to accept.
Remember like the Kessel trade:"Phil Kessel quashed trade to Wild because they're bad".
If i'm Tyler Johnson , i don't even think about accepting it. Just instantly saying: No thank you.
Life is good in Tampa you know nowadays... low tax, beach, cup contenders(top tier) etc...
It's Yzerman's fault that he give away so many NTC's in the last couple of years, so it makes the next gm's job super tough. So much easier to trade away players when they at least have modified NTC. 10 teams no trade or 16 team trade list etc...
For now i trust BriseBois, that he will do everything he can for us to be better next year in playoffs. But first we need that Point contract done in next couple of weeks, so he can focus on anything else.
If you dont know if Point accepts a lower cap hit bridge deal or only a 5 year+ high cap hit contract, you cant really make huge moves, except selling players for draft picks or prospects, but i think thats not our goal.
We need a RHD like Hamonic with retention for cheap price(look at toronto + Barrie trade), like mid tier draft picks.Like a 2nd and a 3rd +a prospect for Hamonic with retention would be ideal, even if its overpayment from us for 1 year rental. Or we need a true leader like pavelski... but we lowballed him.. so he went to dallas...
I'm thinking maybe Boyle could be a good fit for cheap contract on 1 year deal
Or Justin Williams if he doesn't believe that carolina can win the cup next 2 years... Ferland is gone so thats bad for us, he was cheap