This is a bit of a follow up to my initial article, but it has a bit more relevance to matters that will happen in the next few months, as well as a longer term view.

At bare minimum, The Sens will have 7 players retained from the current season at the start of the 2014-2015 season (barring any trades)! Now, initially, I didn't think this was very many players at all, but after looking at the other teams around the NHL, it's actually.

# players currently signed for 2014-2015 season for $ (rounded to the nearest mil)

ANA-7 for 23 million
BOS-13 for 47 million

BUF-7 for 23 million
CAL-6 for 20 million
CAR-8 for 37 million
CHI- 9 for 42 million
COL-7 for 20 million
CLB- 7 for 29 million
DAL- 5 for 20 million

DET- 6 for 21 million
EDM- 4 for 18 million
FLA- 8 for 30 million
LA- 7 for 38 million
MIN- 8 for 30 million
MTL- 10 for 24 million
NAS- 8 for 24 million
NJ- 6 for 24 million
NYI- 7 for 23 million
NYR- 3 for 18 million
OTT- 7 for 27 million
PHI- 11 for 44 million
PHO- 5 for 21 million

PIT- 4 for 24 million

SJ- 7 for 26 million

STL- 6 for 19 million

TB- 9 for 48 million

TOR- 4 for 20 million

VAN- 10 for 46 million

WSH- 8 for 38 million

WPG- 7 for 27 million

NHL Average? 7.13 players under contract for the 2014-2015 season! So it seems that the sens are par for the course overall.

It seems like 6 teams are definitely in a pinch going forward, all of whom have candidates to be bought out under the new CBA.

BOS: Savard, Marchand, Krecj, Lucic, Kelly, Sequin, Peverly,Campbell, Paille, Boychuk, McQuaid, Hamilton, Chara

CHI: Kane, Toews, Sharp, Hossa, Keith, Saad, Seabrook, Oduya, Montador

LA: Richards, Carter, Doughty, Quick, Kopitar, Williams, Stoll

PHI: Bryzgalov, Briere, Voracek, Hartnell, Schenn, Talbot, Simmonds, Pronger, Coburn, Grossman

TB: Lecavalier, Stamkos, St Louis, Malone, Ohlund, Purcell, Carle, Hedman, Brewer

VAN: Kesler, Booth, Burrows, Luongo, Bieksa, Ballard, Garrison, Edler, Hamhuis

Some of these players seem like they would be unlikely to be bought out, but at this point, I think just about anything is possible. In previous CBAs, it would have been unheard of to have a team buy out there superstar, but under a more strict cap system I can see it happening.

I would love to have the Sens try to acquire a defenseman from one of these teams that's going to be right close to the cap. Vancouver or Chicago would be potentially great teams to trade with, because they are in the opposite conference, and are devoid of great offensive prospects. Furthermore, with the cap space we have, and limited amount of experienced defencemen on the team, and the relative backlog on VAN and CHI right now, seems like a trade could work.

To Ottawa:

- Dan Hamhuis

To Vancouver:

- Erik Condra

-Shane Prince

or

To Ottawa:

-Brent Seabrook

To Chicago:

-Patrick Wierchich

-Shane Prince

-Matt Puempel

Thoughts? Who would you target off of teams that are close to the cap?