Up front, we have the following under our control for next season if we wish:
Nash
St. Louis
Brassard
Stepan
Hagelin
Kreider
Dorsett
Zuccarello
Boyle, Pouliot and Carcillo are UFA, and Richards is a likely buyout candidate. That leaves us with eight forwards. Miller, Kristo, Fast and Lindberg will have opportunities. I'm sure we'll add through trades and free agency, but the young guys don't necessarily have to displace anyone to make next year's team.
If we tendered a contract to all of our RFAs and kept Richards (both unlikely), we only have 41 contracts. You bring back Boyle and Pouliot, you're still only to 43. Graves and Duclair could slide and drop it back down to 41. Missiaen, Stajcer, Wilson and Beach probably don't receive a QO. Bourque, maybe. There are tons of spots available, and we'd be wise to hold onto young, cheap assets.