I'll probably take some **** for this because of my 'team friendly" ideas, but damn, looking a few of the last contracts handed out by other teams, Pittsburgh Jake Guentzel for example getting $6M per year extension, with a career high of only 48 points, I have to admit, Dylan Larkin, our soon to be Captain, has a VERY team friendly contract! Zetterberg retiring or not!
Comparing Guentzel's contract to what lies ahead of us, AA is gonna cost us some bucks in 2020, as will Mantha. Gus Nyquist DOES deserve a raise (I still hope he garners us a 1st PLUS at the TDL before we re-sign him though.)
IF we do manage to draft Jack Hughes, thank GOD he'll be on a ELC for three years...we are going to need all the cap we can spare within the next 5-7 years! Maybe Karlsson isn't the way to go...