Gotta go with Demko. Six years of developing him and when asked upon the greatest stage playing 3 straight elimination games he showed his superstar potential. Him being 24 and fitting in better age wise with the young core should make the choice easier. Money then can be used on resigning Stecher and Tanev.
Even signing 1/3 of the top UFA guys isn't a slam dunk. Not given the $3 mill likely due for Jake.
Between Leivo, Fantenberg, Markstrom, Tanev, Schaller/TT, as UFA and Virtanen, Gaudette, Motte, Stecher as RFA, money leaving has to equal money coming back onto the roster.
Jake - $1.25 mill to $3 mill is $1.75 mill more
Gaudette - $900K to say Troy Terry's $1.45 mill is $550K more
Motte - $950K to say $1.1 mill (injury plagued season) is another $150-$200K more
Stecher - $2.235 to say $2.5 mill is $250K give or take
Leivo - gone, so replacement at $900K is $600K savings
Fantenberg - in/out at the same cap hit. no savings
Markstrom at $3.67 mill. Guessing $5.5 minimum, so around another $2 mill - $2.3 mill more
Tanev - $4.45 mill - likely $5 mill give or take to get him. At least $500K to $750K more.
Toffoli - fit him in due to late season addition. Made $2.7 more than Schaller's $1.9 mill So much more extra cap space to free up to afford him even at his current cap hit.
And that's keeping the roster as is basically. Plus have to be ready to free up as much cap in 2021 to sign Peter/Hughes