Re: contracts. It is hard to explain but it's combination of 2 things. For teenage players, the K doesn't count until they play certain amount of nhl games (usually 10, but might have been lowered for the short season). Then, with the older players, their K's don't kick in because they signed them for next season & are on ahl pto's until then. Not the best explanation, but a quick one.
Kryg counted last season because as part of the deal, they agreed to activate the K & put him on the nhl roster right away to burn a year & have him reach rfa a year early.
By my unofficial count, they started the year at 47, lost thomas & macdermid, gained pandolfo, daugavins, jagr & redden. That would make 49 with 1 spot left for soderberg, sweden willing.