If you end up being incredibly top heavy with a cohort of players earning top salaries, then you need to draft and develop properly, with guys coming in on their rookie contracts and contributing meaningfully at budget rates. Instead, what we have are idiots running the show and the draft, and we end up picking suspects or completely wrecking the development trajectories of otherwise reasonably skilled players through hapless, ham fisted development. This clown show at the top will need to PAY other teams to take our shite contracts and shite players with 1st rounders, which should instead be used to draft guys who as aforementioned should come in and contribute at a cheaper ticket than mid-career or veteran washouts with high price tags.
Really not sure about if Draisaitl re-signs but if he does, it will come at a huge premium and that means they need to shed more salary again. Agree wholeheartedly with McDoused's post, they will need to pay dearly for Draisaitl. Just don't know what it means for this team if they fail again this post-season (provided they remain in to at least make it..).