Team: 2020-21 Columbus Blue Jackets

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 30, 2020

Published: May 1, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

An esteemed colleague made this kinda off-the-cuff suggestion; don't know how much thought went into it, but it sounds at least superficially meritorious.

Suppose Taylor Hall wants more than any team is willing to pay -- $9 million. We bet that there are teams at the bottom of the salary table that would be willing to absorb his cap hit, even for several years, if it means acquiring future assets in return for facilitating such an acquisition, much like the Robin Lehner transfer through Toronto to Las Vegas this year.

Solution: Team A signs Hall for two or three years at $9 million. Team A then trades Hall to Team B for a first-round draft pick and additional considerations in exchange for retaining half (two-year contract) or one-third (three-year contract) of Hall's salary -- $9 million.

This would almost certainly have to involve teams in opposite Conferences, because what team would want to facilitate moving Hall to a direct competitor?

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