Interesting, and a good thing in my opinion, for the GM to let everyone know what the heck is going on. Wonder if Toews or Kane try and bail. Very rich contracts would limit the pool of potential suitors.
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Kane is due only 20.8mil over the final three years of his deal. Chicago could retain 25% which reduces the cap from 10.5 to 7.875aav and would only have to pay out $5.2 total in actual cash to make it happen.
Toews has the same structure. I'm not sure he'd have a huge market even at 7.875aav, though. Kane would. I'm sure they could get a heap of assets for him with 25% retained. If they went to 50% on Toews, they'd like get a haul.
It would mean their salary cap is 7.875 lower than the rest of the league for the entire three years of flat-cap. Not ideal.
But if they get Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone style returns like Ottawa did, it would probably be worth it. At those reduced rates, I could see that happening, too.