OK so I worked pretty hard on this. I think this is the most competitive team possible while still having a solid cupboard of prospects. This team is compliant in every sense; all positional requirements are met, the salary cap is respected ($7,396,217 remaining), and in fact every single player is already under contract. Every player is slotted at his natural position and even the defensemen are each playing their natural side. I've made no trades.
Starting Lineup:
David Perron (STL) - Eric Staal (MIN) - James Neal (NSH)
Matt Moulson (BUF) - William Karlsson (CBJ) - Michael Grabner (NYR)
Carl Hagelin (PIT) - Alex Burmistrov (ARI) - Lee Stempniak (CAR)
Reid Boucher (VAN) - Shawn Matthias (WPG) - Alexandre Burrows (OTT)
*Nick Shore (LAK)
Calvin de Haan (NYI) - Jason Demers (FLA)
David Schlemko (SJS) - Sami Vatanen (ANA)
Nate Schmidt (WSH) - Andrej Sustr (TBL)
*Trevor van Riemsdyk (CHI)
Calvin Pickard (COL)
Kari Lehtonen (DAL)
*Shore and van Riemsdyk swap in and out depending on whether the team carries a 13th forward or 7th defenseman.
Prospects:
C - Hunter Shinkaruk (CGY)
LW - Kerby Rychel (TOR)
LW - Jujhar Khaira (EDM)
LW - Taylor Leier (PHI)
RW - Stefan Noesen (NJD)
D - Nikita Nesterov (MTL)
D - Xavier Ouellet (DET)
G - Malcolm Subban (BOS)