Bingo! Maybe for the right price the Canucks would eat a small amount (say $1-2M). But for a team to eat a significant amount of salary for 5 years, they must be prepared for a long-term structural rebuild. Vancouver is likely hoping to become relevant again in that 5 year window, so there is now way they'll eat $5M+ in salary. Maybe a team like Chicago, Anaheim, Arizona, Columbus is thinking they are 4-5 years away. Smarter move for San Jose is to eat 50% and extract a greater return. Sharks future is ugly so might as well stockpile picks and start over.
- Cooleus

I think Grier wants a short rebuild of just a few years. He probably won’t have a job after a 5 year rebuild. Grier doesn’t want to eat salary and help a division rival. EDM will have trouble making other moves in the future if SJ balks at taking on too much salary.He wants picks and prospects but he wants to accelerate the process. Imo eating 50% is a non starter.