Quoting: Mikescott22
I mean you are going to need young cheap guys with Rust getting a bigger contract. If Malkin and Letang each take a mil less then you can spend 2.5-3 on a third liner. But Poulin and Nylander have been doing well in the AHL gotta have that next wave of talent.
at 5x6 do you really want Rust to resign. He's already 30.
It's better to cut ties, you got the best years out of him if the plan is signing him till 35 to begin with. Let someone else make that mistake. The longest deal I would do is 3 years. Truth be told I'm more partial to letting him walk depending on the price tag.
It's complicated when you waste cap on ERod. He's another guy, you just let him leave. That's ok. He's not that good and not worth a 3m+ salary
As for Poulin he does not look NHL ready, and Nylander has already played at the NHL level very unimpressed.
You move out a guy like Kap for one who's been less productive in Comtois and give up a prospect. These aren't winning moves.
Fact is this team can keep Heinen next year. Kap should be back and you got 2/4 of your mid 6 wingers.
You move Zucker unretained, and you can fill out the the other two in FA.
Depending on what the deal with Rust is you replace him too. You got Rakell and Vatrano on the market. . Namestnikov is available.
If you take Rusts current cap hit and add in what is wasted on ERod you can find a decent replacement for Rust on a better deal.
There is all kind of forward help out there next year. . Giroux might be able to be had on a steal, Nichushkin can be had.
A lot of these guys will come cheaper than Rust will, and will be cheaper than Zucker once he is moved out.
The real secret of building this team next year is moving zucker out and replacing him with someone cheaper. Other than that everything else should be just fine even if you have to replace rust.
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