It's a salary dump... but seriously why in God's name do you make that trade?
It's a salary dump, absolutely, but Demers is a pretty good #4. He makes the Arizona D look a lot better overall, and he's far better than Connauton.
Demers put up more assists than McGinn had points. And FLA retained on top of it. If McGinn gets back to that mid-high 30s in points, then it doesn't look
as bad, but FLA is putting the hurt on themselves. I don't see what it's about. They're not shedding much salary, and it's only a year or so less.
Some combination of:
OEL - Hjalmarsson
Goligoski - Demers
Chychrun - Schenn
Clendening
is a lot better than having Connauton on the 3rd pairing with Schenn. You have 3 pretty quality pairs there and lots of puck movement. Plus you have the extra option in Clendo.
I'd add a vet up front and call it an offseason.