Clear Out the Old Growth
The last thing I have to do to get ready for next season is get rid of the players I no longer want on the team.
They are great guys and I have nothing against them, they just take up too much valuable cap space for what they bring to the team.
It costs me a 3rd in 2027 but I send Ryan Reaves to the Utah team, whatever they end up being called.
The Devils signed Keefe, so they bizarrely give me a 3rd rounder in next year's draft for David Kampf. I laugh like a maniac!
The Penguins are more than happy to give me a fourth in next year's draft for Calle Jarnkrok, which I am only too happy to accept.
Finally, I send Connor Timmins to the Hurricanes where he likely becomes a star, but I'm happy with the cleared cap space and the seventh rounder in next year's draft.
None of these moves makes my team better, but it does create room to have some competition for jobs, and if we still need to make moves in-season, that's also fine.