Because, you sign him to a certain deal (rumoured to be lie 5-5.5 mill) then that term plus cap hit hurts later on. It's less about balancing the ELC's and then realizing what role someone will play. Let's assume we get Matthews. If we sign Kadri to a 5 year deal at that cap hit, and inevitably Nylander beats him out at the 1 or 2 C, what's the point of having a guy like Kadri as a third line centre, when that's clearly overpaid for a guy at that position and cap hit? The logic behind moving him is that instead of using that cap and wasting him on the third line in the future, you get assets for him and you have free cap regardless for guys like Marner and Nylander.
