I like Pastrnak a lot but this would screw you guys going forward! where will you find the cap to pay Mercer, Holtz, Nemec, Hughs etc when their ELC are up?

I’d hate to lose them but what are the odds that all 4 of those guys become true stars? If they do, we may have to trade them but at least we’d get a haul with a ton of draft capital. Adding pasta makes this team a cup contender with a large window

I’m not sold our goaltending would hold up, I’d also just let Bastian and wood walk since we got tons of young guys that can replace them, Foote, Stillman, Thompson, Moynihan, Zetterlund etc

This is a very young and unproven Dcore for you to say ''Contenders''. Playoff bound imo

You wont
Hit the long term tab and you'll see you're fine until the last 2 years really of Pastarnak's deal
People are still lining up to trade for Toews and Kane so i wouldnt worry too much about it.

Hughes- Paid Already
Mercer - 2 year bridge deal will buy you 2 years to either move Pastarnak or someone else
Holtz - ELC Slide so he's got 3 years still before a bridge deal can be talked about let alone extension long term.
Nemec - 3 years left assuming he plays this year , if not he'll have a ELC slide too

By the time 2/3 without a longterm deal like Hughes can sign Bridge deals
That will bring NJD up to Hischier ,Palat and Marino's deals being up anyways
If they all truly succeed like is being suggested there's no point in brining back any of them
So that's 17.65m right there by the time Mercer, Holtz or Nemec can even leverage a long term deal

Seems almost like NJD GM planned it that way or something lol