1) The first deal could be any team looking for a little extra LTIR room to make a move at the TDL. I picked Tampa as they're the tightest up to the cap and they do like to add, no matter how good they are. This deal is based on the VGK-TOR Clarkson trade.
2) Philly has a hole on RD from Niskanen's retirement, and Demers is probably the least expensive middle-four option. The return of a third is what Demelo brought in for Ottawa last season, with Bigras to balance contracts.
3) Florida's real good (and I'm happy to see it) and they should add to a strong roster. Caggiula is a feisty player who would bring a little extra sandpaper for playoff hockey. Cousins got a fourth last year, so I added that with Juulsen, who's buried in Florida.
4) Turris isn't working in Edmonton. Arizona's about as pressure-free a market as can be, and Caleb Jones can be a long-term solution on LD for the desert dogs. In exchange, Edmonton gets a pair of picks and a replacement 3C in Brassard who I believe will fit in better in Edmonton. Jones is the stickiest point here, but I did see him as worth more than a second, plus the Oilers risk losing him in the ED.
5) Another Demelo-style deal, but with Goligoski returning to Dallas. I added some retained salary to make it more palatable for the Stars.
6) Yes, I know Chicago is in a rebuild. Yes, I know adding at the TDL is the last thing teams want to do when rebuilding. However, I feel this can work for a few reasons:
a) Chicago may have the best chance of getting Hjalmarsson to waive his NMC to go there
b) Chicago is actually in a decent spot and has a chance to make it.
c) Hjalmarsson with no retention is unexpensive. Smith's a cap balancer, Carlsson's a bottom-
pairing guy and as for the prospect, take your pick Blackhawks fans.
It's just an idea, but one I don't think is too crazy. Hjalmarsson gets one last ride with the boys.
7) Definitely the most controversial. Giving up a first as a lottery team doesn't happen on purpose. However, Skinner may have the worst contract in the league. Sabres fans will point to his deployment and his puck luck, but nothing makes me think Skinner will be deployed as fans would wish or that he'll be making his own luck anytime soon. As it stands, he's an anchor. The yotes pull up and take that anchor with a prospect and a first, and the Sabres now have an extra nine mill of flexibility to fix their roster/re-sign Hall/ re-sign Dahlin. Put whatever lottery protection you'd like on the pick. Oesterle and Smith help balance the cap for one year, while Crouse can help rebuild the Sabres anemic bottom-six.
8) The Caps tenders aren't what they need them to be. Enter Raanta, the best TDL goalie there is. Raanta instantly becomes the starter, and a real good one at that. The yotes get a first in exchange along with an overpaid Hagelin whose contract could block re-signing Vrana next year.
ED list Yotes: Kuemper; Chychrun, OEL, Jones; Keller, Schmaltz, Dvorak, Skinner, Garland, Kessel, Pitlick (I believe Hayton is exempt. If not, put him here)
Exempt: Soderstrom, Hayton
Exposed: Turris, Larsson, Fischer, Hayden, Carlsson, Juulsen, Hill
OEL is a top4 D-man. Skinner is a 3rd liner at best. Do the math. Oh and Skinner is older
What? OEL is not good defensively and is solely a PP QB and hes starting to decline there and he is definitely older than Skinner. Skinner is also not a 3rd liner, thats part of the problem currently, his usage in Buffalo is terrible
WSH doesn't have any cap space. I'd bet they're hoping that sometime this season they get peak performances from Samsonov, Anderson, and/or even Lundqvist, who is skating on his own, again.