Theyre at risk of losing more than miller if they dont come up with a solution to the drama there sooner than later. Deciding to just leave an entire team to spend an indefinite period of time in a locker room with that situation festering while they’re continually dealing with the questions and drama around it is…not a great idea. Certainly isn’t a great selling point to free agents, and it could easily lead other guys to want out just to get away from it. The longer this goes on the more collateral damage it causes. Besides, the need to find a new home for jt or ep isn’t the primary reason offers on jt aren’t great. Yea, the offseason might bring more suitors and a more competitive market in a jt deal, but he also holds the cards on who he’d waive for. More interested parties doesnt necessarily mean a more competitive market unless jt would waive for several of them. Even then, the return will still be underwhelming. The offseason won’t change the fact that he’ll be a 32 yr old making 8m for a lot more years. Teams aren’t offering young players/prospects making way less that have decent to high probability of reaching his level. They aren’t offering high first round picks.
It’s going to be some combo of solid middle/bottom 6 types, bottom 4 dmen, later 1st/2nd picks, non blue chip prospects, underperforming young project players. That…or maybe an exchange for someone else’s overpaid, aging, high cap hit with term. That’s a limited market though and most of them have ntc’s so that has to work on both ends…guys like huberdeau, mika, kadri, nurse, stephenson…or maybe 2 bad contracts with lower cap hits. That’s what’s realistic. Ep is the way to go if they want to max their return value. He’ll get some great pieces - prob a bit more than eichel because of his injury uncertainty, but they’ll be young players who may or may not turn into the same level of player.
