No need to buy Mojo or Gaudreau out. Just waive em to Iowa.

Gaudreau especially, it's no difference in the cap hit beyond the first year, but it's twice as long with a buyout.

Agreed, just send them through waivers. Or Mojo could be traded fairly easily, I'd think.

And I don't think Flower would need to be paid 3.5 again. 2M or so, is my thinking. Otherwise this looks alright. I really do wonder whether Heidt makes a push for the team, especially if Mojo/Freddy are jettisoned.

Yeah the issue with Mojo is that they won't actually waive him. I think if he was given the ultimatum of "AHL or trade", he would waive the NTC, but Guerin isn't gonna do that. Even if it works on paper and in theory.

Heidt probably won't be ready IMHO, but it will be fun to see if he can get his 9 games and what he does with them.

Tbh, one thought I had with Heidt (if he does impress but maybe not quite full-time) is if they'd ever consider something like what Anaheim is doing with Carlsson - a deliberately reduced schedule. You obviously want him playing, but I do wonder if 40-45 NHL games is better than 68 WHL games for a guy like him.

Good thought. I suppose it depends on whether he looks like he belongs in those first 9 before the ELC starts ticking. We all know how that usually goes, but the fact that they signed him after only one year of junior after getting drafted tells me they might have that type of plan. And everyone would rather see him and/or the other kids than a re-tread like Mojo on the second line. I'm not too worried either way, next year is another year of waiting time before the cap room finally comes back.

Yeah and realistically, optimizing the ELC isn't the end all be all. If burning a year means a better development path, I'd strongly consider it. You can always send him back to the WHL later in the year, if it isn't working as well as you'd like. Though I do imagine we'll have a pretty good idea one way or another after camp, preseason, 9 games, etc.

And you're right about next year being another lame duck, let's all wait for the dead cap to expire season.

Exactly. If he kills it immediately, it will be Faber all over again where you don't give a damn about burning a year and then you decide what to do with Mojo/Freddy who are on cheap deals anyway. Doubtful that happens in 24-25, but ya never know. I'm excited that these kids will finally be showing their stuff soon.