This summer entirely depends on the draft lottery: If they win it, then be in "go for it mode". Feel free to hand out $$$ and term as likely smith, mack, bystedt etc go pro and its go time.
If they lose it, then you wanna save the space for next summer by lots of 1-2 year deals. The only player of note I would be willing to bank 7 years on is Sam Reinhart (at 9M per year). other than that, I wouldnt go long term this summer for big money if they lose the draft:
1. Sign Daniel Sprong, 2yr, 5M (2.5/yr)
2. Bring back Duclair, 2yr 6M (3/yr)
3. Foegle 2 yrs, 6M (3m per)
4. Dakota Joshua (though I think hell resign in Van): 2 yrs, 6M (3M per)... I reallllly like him so Id be fine with $$$ and term for him like 5 yrs, 20M)
5. Alex Carrier (1 yr, 3M)
6. Oliver Ekman larsson 2 yrs, 8M (4M per)
That's 18.5M.
Then find some aging vets for 1 yr filler deals for the other 15M in space. Tanev (1 yr, 5M), Bendon Dillon back 1 yr, 4M).
We will stink, but the eye goes the the summer of 2025. Top UFA's to be (unless they resign earlier of course) include: Dreisietl, rantanen, marner, hedman, Boeser, Konecny, Ehlers among others. If the sharks are poised with tons of space to make a run at one (or more) of them, that would be neat. They should have TONS of space and all their top prospects ready to step in by 2025-26.