Yep, go big or go home. If you can't get Tavares there's no point in pretending that you can go on a Cup run with the likes of Bozek or whoever else is available. You're better off staying out of the free agent market altogether and focusing your energies on gutting the expensive contracts on your roster, stockpiling picks and building from the ground up. It won't be pretty and it won't turn around in a year but if they commit to it and don't waver it will bear fruit 5 or so years down the road.
If, by some miracle, you get Tavares to sign, then you can't do what Bergevin did after he got Weber (i.e. nothing) If you sign Tavares you have to go full dotard on the win now strategy. To that end you mortgage whatever future you have for all the present you can afford under the cap and you go for it. Really go for it. And if you win, the inevitable collapse is okay because you'll have that banner in the rafters. Of course, if you fall short then you're screwed for the foreseeable. It's a huge gamble. But I'm fine with them taking that risk provided that they don't do any half-measures. Go for it or don't. But don't go halfway and then wimp out.
I disagree. Tavares, at 27, is good for another 7 years and in his prime for another 3 years, maybe up to five, IMO.
While I agree that making a move to contend doesn't stop with the addition of Tavares, it can be done over a couple of more years, a piece added at a time. Of course, there would need to be more than Tavares this season already, but seeing as we are not only two pieces away from truly contending for a Cup, picking from what is available the offseason alone, going all in with all of you eggs in this basket, may not be the right course of action.
I say add Tavares if he agrees to sign, move someone for a genuine #2 C à la ROR, re-sign Danault as 3rd line C, keep the 3rd overall pick if it's a winger that can play immediately at the NHL level (to be on the rise across the following three seasons) -- either Zadina, Svechnikov or, just a bit of a reach, Wahlstrom.
Move for a medium term upgrade on D, à la Brodie for the left side 1st pairing role.
Then, keep a pulse on developments throughout the season and make an upgrade on D if possible, look for an addition or two at the deadline that can consolidate the D and maybe even a winger position, even if only as rentals.
The following offseason, look to make medium term additions to solidify the lineup, even re-signing a rental or two if they fit the team's needs and aren't signed to unnecessary term.
Planning to have an unbeatable team in three years time, while still contending in the meantime with enough necessary changes (predicted, again, on Tavares signing with us) is smarter than going all-in in one offseason, if only because you would have to settle on pieces that might be available at this time when, not very long after, another better piece could have become available instead.
So, yes, make sure you make other moves to contend, not just Tavares and pray things will eventually work out on their own, but not some maddening refont à la Gainey's topsy turvy offseason not that long ago, just for the sake of saying you tried your best as fast as possible.
