I doubt kuemper gets 5.5 million I also think he gets a 3-4 year term.

Would love to see all those RFA signings happen; love the term and money. Same goes for Nick Paul but I suspect that offer doesn't get it done, and Giroux gets more than $7M, especially if the term is less than 4 years. Would like to see Holden signed for another year but unless Zaitsev or Del Zotto gets moved I suppose it's sadly not likely.
Not sure I'd go after Smith of Kuemper, one because it's not realistic, and two because we obviously need significant money one season later for Stützle, Pinto, Zub (and JBD).
Are we really going to keep BOTH White and Ziatsev? Eeeesh, that's a lot of money for two underperforming players. With salary retained White should be moveable, buying him out this year saves Melnyk over $10 million, waiting another year means the savings drops to less than $3.7... that's some serious incentive to pull the trigger.

It'll be interesting to see where Kuemper lands. He's on a $4.5 mil deal in Colorado. He looked a lot more solid in Arizona for some reason.

In an ideal scenario, Zaitsev, White, Murray's salaries somehow disappear, but we might be stuck with them. The buyout option is definitely there. I'm not sure what money Paul will make, but as a middle 6 player with limited offensive upside, I wouldn't want to pay him into the $3 mil. P.S. I am a Nick Paul fan. The Sens pursuit of free agents is hopefully an interesting one next summer, as we need some legit, established players to push this team to the next level, with all due respect to the terrible free agent signings of the past two years. Agree with you on Holden. I'd love him back.

Arizona had a great Defense.

Agree with all this but what's the point to move White if you retain on him? He then become... NOT overpaid... Colin White at 3.5 AAV is a pretty solid bottom-6 forward who can fill C/RW roles in pretty much your whole forward group. But like you said, they might just buy him out as Melnyk needs to meet his bottom line.