Most of that "dead cap" with its eternally revolving cast of characters--was Pearson dead cap last season? Sutter last night? Beagle so far this season?--is coming off the books in a year or two and has little influence on the Markstrom and Tanev deals. Those deals would not have restricted the Canucks in any way from signing Pettersson or Hughes. The Canucks added 10 million in contacts this summer, for this year and next, which could have gone to Markstrom and Tanev. The Canucks simply made an evaluation, favoring Schmidt over Tanev, and Demko's prime as aligning better with our young core than Markstrom's. So again, you're just deflecting from the question, just like those who argue they would have "super negotiated" Markstrom and Tanev into discounted deals. But it is good information that people refuse to answer the question directly, suggesting fear that Benning's evaluation will be proved correct in time.