There is a trade that I have been turning over in my mind for a couple of weeks. It gets complicated by relative values and cap needs etc. I did it in steps so I will go through it here the same way.
NYI get
Laine
Jets get
Pulock
There are 2 major flaws there. 1) NYI still haven't got enough cap space to sign Barzal. 2) That is not enough for Laine.
Isles also send us Beauvillier. I think that gets the value up to about right for Laine, or close enough. It also gets the Isles some, but still not enough, cap space.
So we also take Ladd's contract. Hold on. Don't burn me at the stake yet.
We don't do that for free.
They add Wohlstrom for that. It is 3 years at 5.5. That is worth that price. And, importantly, they now have enough cap space to sign Barzal. Call Laine and Pulock a wash on cap hit. They have 8.9 minus Laine's 6.75 = 2.15 + Beauvilliers 2.1 = 4.25 + Ladd's 5.5 = 9.75.
We do not have enough cap space though. With the addition of Pulock we can afford to move Pionk, no problem. We can't take any cap back though. Sens have lots of cap space and could use an upgrade at RD. They have 3 2nds next draft. I think the earliest one would be sufficient. If not Sens there are a couple of other teams who would probably be interested. We also have to buy out Perreault. Pulock filed for arb so we are eligible for the second buyout period. That gives us enough space for everyone.
NYI give up Pulock, but they have Dobson plus some good D prospects. They can afford that loss. They get to keep Barzal happy and add a big scoring threat to their scoring deprived team.
Jets give up Laine. Definitely a big loss. But we gain Pulock, the 1RD we need. He fills Pionks roster spot. Beauvillier takes Perreault's roster spot plays 2 LW, with Ehlers moving into Laine's spot. Wohlstrom is a coming top 6 RW. When he is ready he can move Ehlers back to LW or replace Wheeler when Wheeler declines.
A big part of what we pay is the dead cap space we take on. We can afford it though because we don't have any big raises on the horizon until it has expired.
I assume this needs to get done before Pulock's arb hearing on Nov 6.
Connor - Scheifele - Wheeler
Ehlers - Stastny - Wohlstrom
Beauvillier - Copp - Roslovic
Harkins - Lowry - Appleton
Morrissey - Pulock
Samberg - DeMelo
Forbort - Poolman
OK, done. Rip me apart.