Joined: Jun. 2018
Posts: 111
Likes: 63
So.
Vegas basically magic'ed almost $8M in cap space for a 5th round pick by removing Weber's cap hit from their LTIR pool without taking back any cap (as Mayo was assigned to the AHL). And since none of Lehner, Stone or Patrick are coming off LTIR this regular season they can spend up to that nearly-$8M at the trade deadline on rentals without having to worry about one of those three getting cleared to play & counting against their cap again. All this while still holding on to a 1st, two 3rds & a 7th this year as trade capital.
Meanwhile Arizona gets a contract that is likely fully insured or close to it, so their actual financial obligation is minimal, and they get to hit the cap floor easier without grossly overpaying a free agent or trading for an active player with an albatross of a contract like Zaitsev. Going full-kid rebuild means there likely won't be any won't be any sort of cap squeeze until after Weber's contract ends, as Guenther, Cooley & the other recent high picks will all have their ELCs end at the same time or later. No FA in their right mind is signing there so long as they're at Mullet Arena either, so they've got to hit the floor somehow.
Buffalo's doing roughly the same thing right now with Bishop's contract, they're just not getting heat for it since their build is much further along.
Honestly pretty good & clever move for both sides.