A) I answered.... they accept or get traded. Look at the haul Nash brought at the deadline. Lee will probably accept.
B) Beauvillier gets a bridge deal. By 19/20 you trade a signed Lee/Eberle and replace them with Bellows/JHS
C) Pulock isn't getting a 5m contract because he hasn't deserved it and would have a gigantic set if he expects that much
D) A solid shutdown C can be had for less than 1.5m on the UFA market
E) Covered this
F) **** NO!!!! What is the obsession with bad players around here?
G) I'd argue the bigger problem with this team is behind the bench and in the front office. But adding a 4th line C and middle pairing D isn't going to prevent any of this from happening.
I covered this..... when cap becomes a problem (if it does) you always have the option of trading Lee/Eberle. If they sign that contract they will absolutely be moveable.
A\ Okay, that's an option.
B\ I'm just gonna repeat myself very shortly here - if Beau can repeat/improve his performance from the second half of this season, I'd like to see him among our core players and for me that means the kid is getting locked for 8 years. If he doesn't, then I'm completely fine with a bridge deal.
C\ Look, I just said it's rumored. I don't think he should get that, but there's a possibility he will.
D\ Less than $1.5M on the UFA market means at least $2-2.5M for the Isles, because no one wants to come here and we need to overpay them.
E\ Where? Because I can't find this.
F\ Well, we need to fill the defence with someone (someones). Not a fan of him staying, but...
G\ Oh yes, the biggest problem with this team is behind the bench and in the front office. Completely agree. That said, we're losing de Haan (which is stupid), Boychuk will only get worse, I don't even want to imagine how Leddy will look like next season... We need at least one top pair d-man, someone solid to replace de Haan and a little bit of depth, because right now we have only four d-men signed for next season (though Pulock for sure will be getting re-signed, we just don't know the term/money). Unless we want Davidson and Hickey back.
And yeah, the biggest problem our defence had this season was Weight and his stupid system. They would perform considerably better with a solid defensive system in place that would include all players on the ice (which would mean our forwards would have to behave better defensively as well). That still doesn't mean it's a playoff caliber defense.
But trading Lee/Eberle is not only about cap management for me. It's also a way to get certain assets that will help adress the issues this team has. If we're gonna somehow get the top pair d-man and a goalie, they won't come in cheap. I would even try to re-signed Nelson, who I don't want to see on this team, just to have him as a nice stat to sweeten the trade or something. Accumulate draft picks and try to trade for players that we need, because UFA market is not a viable option for all of these.