[SuperMatt18]

If payroll goes from $82M to $62M if you commit to a true rebuild I think you can mitigate some of the financial risk.

If anything the real financial risk is spending to the cap, missing the playoffs, and attendance dropping anyways.

Which is more of a real risk for this org right now IMO

TBH I'm a bit surprised Edwards didn't use Tkachuk and Gaudreau leaving last season as a flash point. I thought for sure he might use it as a way to try to gain support for the arena. "We can't keep our top talent because of our arena", "We can't spend to the cap anymore because the arena doesn't provide the same type of revenue streams that the Oilers have access too".

Then use that as an excuse to re-build and cut our spending as you try to time your contention window with the opening of a new arena.

Really it would have made a lot of sense for this org to try to do it that way - but as others seem to say the only long term plan Edwards has is "Make the playoffs"