You can't pay someone 8.5 million to play on McDavid's wing. You need cheap players to play with McDavid and Draisaitl to center other cheap players. Which is what Pittsburgh does.

What Pittsburgh does isn't put cheap wingers. McDavid may be somewhat comparable to Crosby but Draisaitl is no where near Malkins skill level maybe kessel though. Kessel isn't cheap and he plays with them, Pittsburgh doesn't hire cheap people to play with Malkin and Crosby, just not their strategy, its getting superstars. In this case, Tavares would be getting a Superstar, the thought of him being a free agent is very cool to think about because he can drastically change any team into a better one. No matter what team you chear for, his departure would be interesting except if your an isalnders fan of course. Vancouver could get him though, they've finally shown this past summer that they can make good signings. Next year with the Sedins alone possibly retired is 14 million in cap space, they have a bunch of other players that become FAs too.

I'm confused. Was that a deadline deal? Because if Tavares hits free agency, you don't need to give up any assets to get him - just money. So you can retain your two high picks (yay!) and Ostap Safin (yay!) and trade Nugent-Hopkins for cap reasons for more picks and prospects (yay!).

Pittsburgh has 1 winger being paid over 6 mil...I wouldn't really consider that "getting superstars". Kessel was in an unfavorable situation in toronto and Pittsburgh capitolized on it. What Pittsburgh is doing is, trusting the young players ie. AHL players, to play with the superstars. You need entry level contracts (under 1 mil) through out the line up so that you can afford to "over-pay" on other players salaries(middle 6 and 3-4 defensemen). And doing what ever you have to do to not over pay on term.

McD is the next generational superstar, he can play with anyone. They should not waste time and money on finding players to play with him, but rather invest in players for Draisatl and Strome and sure up a stronger blueline.

Well I consider getting Malkin, Crosby and Kessel as getting superstars, and hornqvist, hagelin, sheary, guentzel, Kunitz, rust, are not AHLers. Getting Mcdavid, Draisaitl and Tavares are getting superstars.

Is the cap expected to raise another 2 million or did you just raise it so you would be under cap?