Being on a budget didn't stop him from the Rask or Darling signings. That's 8 million dollars we could really use, be it directly on players or revamping our scouting, coaching, etc.
The whole Darling argument is interesting. He likely doesn't sign without the money we paid him and would almost certainly have gotten it somewhere else....or close to it. In hindsight, not "trying before buying" now looks silly, but those risks are taken often.
I don't get the criticism of the Rask signing. He was coming off of a 48 point season and looked to be poised to be a 45-55 point high end 2C. He falls back to earth a bit with a 45 point season. Sure he's having a significant down year, but that happens. I'm not defending Victor in particular, but 40 point centermen get paid $4 million and more in this league (look at Johansson, Anisimov, C. Smith, Bonino, and Perreault for example).
Lindy will get something like 4,5 around 5 years
Hanifin will go for a bridge deal, most likely 2 or 3 years around 3 million
TVR might get 2x2
Aho also will be eligible to sign a contract on July 1st, and I bet his deal gets done before any of the others.
Aho: $6x6
Hanifin: $5x7
Lindy: $5x4
TVR: $2.5x3
If Lindy puts up another 40+ season, I'd be fine w/a Rask type of deal for him. I suspect his camp would push of a bridge or a bridge +1 deal for a little more ($4.25 million per year). Hanifin still remains more potential than actual performance. As much as it is a gamble I'd offer him a 2 or 3 year bridge deal of not more than $3.25 or $3.5 million per year. While I might be willing to sign TVR to a 2 or 3 year deal, I'm not as concerned about that as McKeown has looked very good in Charlotte this year. Frankly, he can probably go somewhere and get $2 million to $2.5 million somewhere, but I'm not sure we have to be the guys paying that. If he's willing to sign for $1.5 or $1.75 million then I'd consider that deal.