[ComixZone]

Assume these are the signings when the players are used:

Hall (7 years, 8M per)
Holtby (1 year, 2.75M on a show-me contract that he may want)
Brodie (6 years, 4.55M per)
Mangiapane (2 years, 2M per)
Jankowski (1 year, 1.75M)

For comparison sake, which roster do you take:

Gaudreau (6.75) - Monahan (6.375) - Lindholm (4.85)
Mangiapane (2) - Backlund (5.35) - Tkachuk (7)
Hall (8) - Bennett (2.55) - Dube (.778)
Lucic (5.25) - Ryan (3.125) - Phillips (.733)
13th forward

Giordano (6.75) - Brodie (4.55)
Valiamki (.894) - Andersson (4.55)
Kylington (.800) - 6th defenceman
7th defenceman


Rittich (2.75)
Holtby (2.75)

$3,027,501 in cap-space ($457,500 potential bonuses owed) + the assets gained from trading Hanifin (use Hamonic's deal as the market setter, so 1st + 2nd + 2nd)

Vs.

Gaudreau (6.75) - Monahan (6.375) - Lindholm (4.85)
Mangiapane (2) - Backlund (5.35) - Tkachuk (7)
Lucic (5.25) - Ryan (3.125) - Phillips (.733)
Dube (.778) - Jankowski (1.75) - Bennett (2.55)
13th forward


Giordano (6.75) - Brodie (4.55)
Hanifin (4.95) - Andersson (4.55)
Valiamki (.894) - 6th defenceman
Kylington (.800)

Rittich (2.75)
Holtby (2.75)

$4,327,501 in cap-space ($457,500 potential bonuses owed)

I take that first roster (and the assets gained) every day. If you want to trade Gaudreau (say 1st + 1st + 2nd) and sign Hall, I still take the first roster for a year and then say trade Gaudreau after that for a small fortune.