Quoting: TrueCanuck
Tampa's not exposing a veteran top 4 defenceman and losing him for nothing when they're in win now mode still for at least a few years and have spent the last 2 deadlines looking for a top 4 defenceman. They're not gonna spend the next few deadlines looking for 2 top 4 defenceman. That's not how you win cups.
So what is your plan for losing 10M in cap? Because trading from the below list, given the protections they have, is going to cost a lot of other assets, and will overall cost more than just giving up McDonagh
Palat: 5.3M until 2023, 20 team trade list
Gourde: 5.167M until 2025, full NTC until 2022
Johnson: 5M until 2024, 20 team trade list
Killorn: 4.45M until 2023, 16 team no trade list
In addition to trading these guys, they're also going to lose someone good to Seattle. So is your plan to lose Cernak or Foote to Seattle, gain 3M in cap space, and then still have to trade two of Palat, Killorn, Johnson, all of whom can really limit the destinations? Having to attach a 1st to lose Johnson, since teams see how over the cap Tampa is.