The salary cap remains to be seen but there will be an increase so it will help a little.
No, you don't want to overpay for someone asking for too much. If Kulemin asks for 3.5m or 4 would you sign him? A guy who got 20 points this past season? Would you give McClement 2 or more? Or Raymond and Ranger at over 1m? Or how about Bolland apparently wanting 5-6?
Yes Lupul and Clarkson are overpaid, we get it but 1 was signed by Burke and the other was done by Nonis. If someone wants too much, you let them go and before people say"we should have traded", that doesn't mean Nonis didn't try, it takes 2 people to make a trade and hindsight is 20/20
Show me the team next year with signings and how much they'll earn, or the upgrades at that position to make this team better than they were this year. Hint, just getting rid of players and using young players won't make us better, so that's one more year gone