Speculation: Yzerman is handcuffed by Chris Illitch into making/not making moves

[Henkka]

but we're essentially a cap team. he's spending the money

Yeah, it does not sound reasonable.

Only thing about this Stamkos-rumour, which came on my mind, was using money somehow more over the cap.

Like that deferred money thing. Paying 4 year money in three years, which was kind of possible, and GM has to ask from the owner, if we use more money than the cap allows.

"How to figure out the 4th year" in Stamkos-case could have been something like that.