MTL accept
BUF decline : Ristolainen Joker Miller enough RHD
LA decline : send a sweetener

Russell’s owed 1.5 in salary that’s cheap investment on a rebuilding team to allow young d to develop in the AHL Blake will see value in that

Yes but he won’t give up a pick just because he cost 1.5M in salary. They don’t need him and you need to shred cap

LA has 1 LD signed for this coming season with their LD being all UFA in this landscape with the flat cap with a team that’s not going to spend to the cap 1.5 mil for Dman for 6th that has no really value is a smart GM and keeps his owner happy with Development being the main focus in LA

I agree, but LA could ask for a better pick to move up in the draft to clear you 4M in capspace

Blake is smart enough to know that he would be doing Edmonton a huge favor taking 4 mil cap hit off your hands. There's a price to shed cap like that, regardless of real-life salary attached to the contract.

And no, the Kings do not have only 1 LD signed next year.
Anderson is signed, MacDermid is a left defenseman and is signed (despite CapFriendly insisting he's a righty, it's not true. He shoots left and plays solely on the left side), Bjornfot is signed and is expected to get NHL time, and Clague is also a lefty who will be expected to get 20-40 games.

The Kings desire a LD vet to play next to Doughty, but they won't be doing a divisional rival a huge favor just to get that. They'd much rather let the kids sink or swim. Or go after any of the other UFA vets. Or any of the other teams willing to pay to shed their high cap hit defenseman.

LA would re-sign Hutton before they traded for Kris Russell.