This may or may not have been thrown out here before, but what if the flames chased after Thomas Vanek and signed him with the complete and total intention of trading him for value later in the year.
For example, sign him for 5 years at
$9m for 2014-2015
$5.85m for 2015-2016
And $4.5m - $5m for the remaining three years.
Then, when it comes time for deadline day this next year, send him on his merry way and retain ~25% of his salary through the 2016-2017 season.
I may have just broken every salary cap rule in the book in suggesting this, but if I'm not mistaken this falls within the rules?
By the time we no longer retain salary, Calgary should be trending upwards and be needing that cap space. Until then though, we keep that cap hit on the books to keep the teams head above the cap floor. And, unless the market for top-end forwards is as much a dud next deadline as it was this, we could be looking at a nice return in picks. On Vanek's end, he'd have to deal with 3/4 year in a market with no chance at playoffs, but would be shipped to a contender and make a boat load of money at the same time. And Calgary would have a UFA that could fill a hole for a younger player developing in abbotsford who can then make the jump when he leaves.
That, or I should just go back to reading instead of posting
