Pastrnak, wherever he signs, will be in the $9 million to $9.5 million range.

too early to know and act as if this is factual. 11 may be on the high end, but markets change drastically year over year.

I’m confused by the motivation of the trade. Is NJD trading Blackwood’s rights away or is Chicago wanting him?

Cap will be $83.5 million next year. And won't rise considerably until after escrow is balanced, which is expected in 2025-26 season.

League-wide cap went up a ton last year. We are just now getting to real flat-cap years...and effects aren't fully there on salaries yet (think of it as a trailing indicator).

This is true (assuming he takes a bit of a paycut to go to a contending team).

If not, he makes 11+ very easily.

People said that about Gaudreau too. I told them $9.5 million.

I imagine we will only see a few guys come close to $11 million for a few years.

2023: MacKinnon
2024: Matthews
2025: Draisatil
2026: McDavid

Everyone else in the next few free agency periods will be under $10 million.

Don’t need orlov imo since Luke Hughes will hopefully be with the team as a regular by that point. Also possible involvement in a sexual assault case aside McLeod is just bad.