Here is a nice article describing a bunch of stuff this season when it comes to waivers and taxi squads:
This is very interesting as well! Taxi squad DOES count against the cap if they are over a certain salary, just like the AHL:
They are already back from Europe, if the AHL season does not start or is delayed by a lot, they'd be sitting around more if they weren't on the taxi squad. At least being on the squad, they can practice and travel with the NHL team, and at any moment be inserted in the lineup due to injury or sickness. Yzerman did say, if the AHL season gets going, he'd rather they be playing than being on the squad, so when/if that happens, then we will see how interesting it all gets and who comes to the taxi squad!