Carlson is going to get a lot better offers than 4 years $5M a year, expect him to be in the $6-7M range a year and likely 5-7 years. Green also is signing for more than $3M a year and just 2 years. He's probably looking at around what you gave Carlson $5M for 4 years, maybe even slightly more.

Tavares also can't sign for 8 years unless it's with the Islanders.

You're right that the Knights can add a UFA or two next summer. I'm not sure whether they'll be bidding on the most expensive guys available, though.

McPhee believes in building through the draft. Next fall he'll have three first round pick forwards to debut from this summer, and if things go badly enough to have that kind of a yardsale this spring, maybe a high enough pick in this coming draft to make the jump right away. That's probably four spots on the second and third line that go to develop talent.

If Neal and Marchesault aren't re-signed, there will be a lot of options to build a decent top line next summer.

Shipachyov will have to have a monster year this year for Kovalchuk to come to Vegas. That would be something, though. Otherwise, the Russian Olympian might be more likely to try to join Tarasenko in St. Louis, Kucherov in Tampa, or Ovechkin in Washington. I mean, for the right price, he'll play anywhere, but that's half of what he made last trip to the NHL.

I'd skate Green ahead of Engelland, and hopefully Theodore ahead of Chara. Chara will be 41 next summer. Might be better off signing Garrison or trading for Orpik, who will be a sprightly young 37 year old, and whose salary Washington may or may not look to unload next summer.

If you take Tavares and Kovalchuk out of the above, and give Green and Carlson better deals, I think it could happen, and it'd still be a whole lot of stars to mentor the whole lot of young, talented forwards Vegas is going to start bringing along next year.