Honestly, Bobby Ryan is probably worth about $4.5-$5 million per year, at least as of right now. Barring another drop off even further. He's still a 40+ point player, if he plays an entire season, but he's only played 62 regular season games in both of the last two seasons.
For what it's worth, he had a bit of a rise in production this past year from the year before. He scored 25 points in 62 games in 16-17, he scored 33 points in 62 games in 17-18. He had 15 points in 19 playoff games in 2017. So he had 40 points in 81 games that year. Produced at a 44 point pace this past year.
So I think 40 points is probably something he can do if he plays 80 games. I think he would have been signed if he was bought out, but it might have been more of prove it contract, but I still think it would have been more than $1 million per year. It's not like he's as old as Cammalleri.
So *IF* we were to eat his contract to get EK (not saying I'd do it), we'd really be eating like 3.5-4M, since we'd be getting a 4M-ish RW, which we could probably use.
Just brainstorming here... What if we were to trade for Hossa's dead contract and pick up an asset, then turn around and trade him as part of a deal to Ottawa for EK and Ryan? They don't really care about cap space as much as actual money, and Hossa would only be taking up space. In fact, they can probably use it to hit the cap floor.
At the same time, we gain EK, Ryan (a RW which we might be able to use), and whatever asset we get from the Hawks, or the asset could be used as part of the deal also.
So something like:
1. Trade a 7th for Chicago's 2nd and Hossa.
2. Trade Hossa, Severson, our 2019 1st, Chicago's 2019 2nd for EK and Ryan.
Maybe that doesn't do it but you get the idea. Acquire Hossa to get an additional asset to soften the blow of the trade to Ottawa.