Kyle Dubas Reveals Major Offseason Roster Building Plans

"I think that, with the cap, the areas that you probably would see us spend more would be acquisition by trade and then signing players that other teams might not be able to fit.

I think the effect in free agency is probably going to be somewhat of a spike in salary, and so you'll dry up the cap space rather quickly. And those players are mostly in that late-20 to early-30 category.

So, it could do two things. Number one, I think it's going to allow us to maybe trade for players that other teams can't afford, that are restricted free agents, and then sign them longer-range ourselves using that cap space that way so that you're signing a player that's 23, 24 for seven or eight years versus going into free agency for someone who is 27 to 32 and getting them for seven years.

So I think that would be the more likely route... and, you know, the owners have been excellent. There's no limitations on the player budget and spending.

So, we just need to use it in the right spot, not just say we were a cap team but to use it towards getting us back to our goal. The offer sheet stuff, I think teams will be better-positioned this year to guard against them because of the cap going up.

I think everyone is excited because, last year, St. Louis used that function masterfully so, I think, given the flat cap and the situation that Edmonton was in, and that helped their franchise. I think, for us, it's going to have to be more via trade, would be my guess. So, that was the beginning of the strategy of acquiring all the draft capital we have."