Quoting: villenash
Yes, I agree that 1 year deals hold less risk. But Stastny carries a $6.5m cap hit and makes $5.5m in real salary next season. For teams looking to cut salary, and so many teams already tight on cap space with the flat-cap, who is going to eat a contract like that without any retention while still giving up valuable asset? Not to mention he turns 35 in December.
Fleury had a bad season and turns 36 in November - he's also signed for 2 more seasons. No team will take on a $7m goalie for two flat-cap seasons when he clearly cannot play at a level that a $7m goalie should. Also, the goalie market is flooded this off-season. Greiss, Khudobin/Bishop, Holtby, Georgiev/Lundqvist, Keumper/Raanta, Mrazek/Reimer, Anderson, Andersen, Talbot, Elliot, Crawford, Smith, Dell, Kinkaid, Markstrom, Murray/Jarry, Howard, Lehner... the list goes on. It is so oversaturated this off-season that no team would choose to take on a $7m, 36 year old declining goalie over going after any number of the other goalies that will be available. It's either a buyout, retaining salary in a trade, or not signing Lehner. Those are the options with Fleury.
No team will take on these contracts and give assets back unless you retain significant salary and/or add additional assets.
"giving up a valuable asset" once again, as mentioned above, the exchange is not definitive... it could be future considerations, it doesn't matter what they get back so long as the exchange is no salary retention.
the argument then becomes "would Minnesota want 1 year of Stastny with full cap hit, in exchange for nothing" - I would argue yes, you do need competent veterans, Guerin obviously knows that considering he went out and paid more for Johanssen to replace Staal who was cheaper... Sometimes changing the atmosphere in a room is worth more in the long run.
As for Fleury, once again, future considerations, so half those goalies will require a market value exchange of pieces. Fleury has a M-NTC meaning he doesn't need to be protected in Expansion again.
he had his worse season, which was still better than 3/4 of the goalies you mentioned as available.
so once again, Fleury for free, vs. Giving up a piece for Reimer, or Georgiev..... the easy answer if you want to win consistently is Fleury.
Pittsburgh was apparently interested in re-acquiring Fleury, so no, I don't think your three options are the only options.