At this point, and it is easy for me to say because it is not my money, if they are not making the dance this year I would eat salary and see if you can get a better return
Does a 4.5 million dollar a year Gio for the playoffs and one more year get you a 1st and a top prospect? Do it if it does as you can make that move to a contender who may want to make a run this year and have Gio at that price available for the expansion draft. A team like Florida who has not won in a long time may be interested in him at that price for Tippett and a 1st or 2nd.
Does eating 1.5 million on Johnny get you an extra first rounder or an additional top end prospect do it. A team like Philly may throw in Farabee, Frost and a 1st at that price.
Not sure you would want to eat salary with Monahan as there is an extra year, but move him too. If you are going with Lindholm and Backlund down the middle, coupled with the likelihood that you are picking up probably a couple centers in the 18-23 age range there is no room for him.
It is one additional year of mediocrity but if you add two additional assets for eating 3 or 4 million of salary you may end up with 6-8 decent prospects in the 18-23 year old range that can compliment Dube, Mangiapane, Valimaki, Anderson, Pelletier, Hanifin, Tkachuk. If you team is any good in 2 years you can repackage some of the assets you acquired for the veteran or two you think you need to make a run.
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