I wish but these GMs don't use that tool. It just isn't a thing. They are haunted by dreams of being blacklisted in the boys club. Bergevin actually did Wadell a favour last year. It made no sense why he only offered 8 million. Go for the kill, no half measures. These GMs never want to hurt each other, only help!

And Tampa matches.

Indeed they might, but then they’re in trouble. The solution:

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/2028874

I sort of like the idea of moving McDonagh to Boston - but no chance TB is retaining salary for 6 years.

Kinda tough to say, “no way,” tampa does this that or the other thing given the tough situation they’re in with the cap. Teams aren’t helping them out, that much is clear. Johnson should have 100% been claimed. He’s a good player and his contract is fine.

Ngl I was pretty surprised he wasn't claimed.

So in this scenario, it might be retain 1.75 million for six years or lose Sergachev. I don’t think it’s that crazy.

The notion of Sergachev being offer sheeted is already crazy enough...

Why? I understand that offer sheets rarely happen, but has there ever been a situation more ripe for it?

Yes and no.

Yes it's a perfectly good situation since there's plenty of good players just waiting to be offer sheeted.

No because part of the reason why the amount is high is because of the global pandemic no one could've predicted. I understand it's a business, but wouldn't it be a bit immoral to screw teams that got in a position in which they could do absolutely nothing about since their hands are tied?

For this reason I think the notion of offer sheets is quite crazy. And I think GMs have made a sort of "quiet deal" with each other that there won't be any offer sheets to be played.

Think we would've already seen some if there was, considering that the C market this year with UFAs was relatively weak, while there were an immense amount of good RFA centers available in a sense.

So how does tampa free up the room to give the kid a fair contract?

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/2026452 my take on it, done last night.

I think it’s a smidge optimists.

I'm a Tampa fan - I need to be optimistic. Otherwise I'd despair.

You literally just watched your team win a stanley cup.

Well tbf Tampa's my 2nd team. Stars is my first. So technically I watched my fav team lose the stanley cup.

It's a weird kind of feeling, really.