Don't resign Allen and Tatar. That saves 8M.

SIgn KK for 5.75
Sign Lehko for like 2.75
Sign Poehling for 925K
Sign Fleury for 950K
Give Gallagher 6.35
Give Danault 5.45
Give Juulsen 800K

Saves $1 445 000 (if my calculations are right) so you'll probs have to let Armia walk too

Drop Tatar, bridge KK and you'll be fine.

Woo there are a lot of overpayments here.
KK won't get more than 5M unless he hits 60 pts this year. Likely won't happen. He should get a bridge deal.
Lehk will be lucky to make the same next year as this year ($2.4M). Sure he can penalty kill but that's it. Toffoli and Anderson both kill penalties soooo, he needs to bring something else.
Personally, I don't think the Habs can afford 3 centermen each making more than $5M in future. So Danault might go if Poehling or Evans show they can fill the void.

Toffoli signature announce that Tatar would need to take same salary or OUT
Kulak, Armia & Lehko are gone... and Bridge KK 2y @ 3,5M

I love how people jsut resign the line up as is and state that well we're ****ed.
- Seattle will take one of our player
- Teams aren't copy pasta for year to year
- KK has been downgraded to the minors in his second season so he's getting bridge no matter what
- Why in the world a 23 man roster includes 3 goaltenders hahaha
- Armia isn't making the team next year, Anderson most likely takes his spot. Nobody pays a fourth line 8M$ except Vancouver.

I just had an identical convo with someone else so I'll repost:


HIM ---------------------------------------


Kotkaniemi: bridge deal
Gallagher: some sort of deal
Danault: dealt somewhere
Tatar: Either dealt somewhere or let walk
Armia: gone unless he’s takes under 2mil
Lehkonen: Probably taken by Kraken
Hudon: who actually f ing cares
Mete: we will see how he does
Backup: Primeau on ELC

All solved. Questions?


ME ---------------------------------------


OK I'll go with what you wrote:

Kotkaniemi: bridge deal ($5,000,000)?
Gallagher: some sort of deal ($7,000,000)?
Danault: dealt somewhere (last years best overall center gone)
Tatar: Either dealt somewhere or let walk (last years top scorer gone)
Armia: gone unless he’s takes under 2mil (last years best 3rd liner gone)
Lehkonen: Probably taken by Kraken (solid middle 6 winger gone)
Hudon: who actually f ing cares (fair enough)
Mete: we will see how he does ($2,000,000)?
Backup: Primeau on ELC ($800,000)?

Total = $15,000,000 spent on 4 players.

** You now have $12,000,000 in cap-space left and 10 more players needed for a 23 man roster ($1,200,000 per player).
** Your center ice is now made up of = Kotkaniemi - Suzuki - Poehling (non of which are proven top-6 centers at this point).
** You're missing your top scorers from the last 2 years (Domi + Tatar) and your top 2-way forwards from the last 2 years (Danault + Armia)
** Price + Weber + Petry will all be 1 year deeper into their mid to late 30's .
** The 10 new guys will have to average close to league minimum salaries.


HIM ---------------------------------------


Kotkaniemi doesn't get a 5 million dollar bridge deal unless he becomes an Elite center, which then there is no need for Danault.
Gallagher at 7 Million is too much. He will likely get 5.5-6 and if not he's gone.
Mete doesn't get 2 million and there's rumours he's being shopped now so.
Do the math and it's not hard to see Montreal can do it with Tatar walking


ME ---------------------------------------


OK I'll go with it again and do the math.

You save $1,500,000 on Kotkaniemi if he signs for $3,500,000.
You save $1,500,000 on Gallagher if he signs for $5,500,000.
You save $1,000,000 on Mete if he signs for $1,000,000.

The team is identical - But now you have $16,000,000 in cap-space with 10 more players needed for a 23 man roster ($1,600,000 per player).
Ten players averaging $1,600,000 million can't be expected to be a very good on average (Ex - If you sign 2 guys at $4,000,000 the rest have to be mins / ELC's).
And those 10 incoming players will be the ones replacing Danault + Tatar + Armia + Lehkonen + Allen.
Even high end prospects will be hard pressed to replace a 70 point guy + experienced 2 way players.
It will be tough to not take a step back.

See my post above. Your suggestion doesn't solve it.

Also - You have to replace Allen and Tatars roster spots.

Even if replaced with league min deals you only save $6,400,000.

Ok... First off the guys coming in don't have to replace the production of Danault, Tatar etc. They have to replace that of Suzuki, KK and those getting promoted who will be expected to increase their production. So more along the lines of 30-40 or so points which isn't exactly the most difficult thing to find.

Secondly, simply moving Byron and/or Kulak would be an easy way to open up a decent chunk of space short term.

IMO (just from your team above):
Remove Tatar
Shave $2.5M off KK(bridge)
Remove Armia
Shave $1M off Lehky

Sum total =$14M saved/ ~$1.7M cap space with 2 spots to fill. That's without trading away any contracts which would make things even easier.

Quite possible I think.