Stastny is making 6.6 now. There's no reason to think that he's going to take a pay cut of any sort to sign anywhere.
Additionally, elite front line centers are getting contracts that start with an 8 not 7. Stastny will not an 8 to start his annual salary.
Finally, If Richards was a 28 year old player making 6.66 per producing the numbers he is producing now, I would have no issues keeping him for the next 6-7 years.
Stastny being a better player today, will and should get more in terms of annual dollars than Richards. He's a more competent and reliable player in defensive zone.
People keep mentioning that with the cap going up, paying a guy like Boyle 2.5mil wouldn't be such an awful thing..so what's saying that Stastny, in a higher cap world, won't get 8mil? Especially from a guy like Sather who has money to throw around.