EHM The Blue Line

Playing as GM of St. Louis Blues, right now at FA market before 2022/23 season. I trade for rights for Shane Bowers three seasons ago. Now 23 yo player (Calder Trophy winner, one full season in AHL and two full in NHL - 44 goals, 112 points, 70 +/- in 161 NHL games). Now he is without contract and demanding 2.5M per year (three years contract). Which I would give him, but board will accept only 2.1M per year (even I am at 59M av. club salary). My question is, any way to sign him by his demanding numbers?

Also, I am kinda struggling with first line centers, no matter what, all my centers prospects (NHLers too, traded for lot of centers because of this) are struggling with avarage 6.00-7.00 rating and almost every second match they have 5.0 rating. No matter which one i put there. Wingers in first line are doing great, Tarasenko with 3rd Maurice Richard Trophy in 3 last seasons and Serron Noel (21 yo prospect - also Calder Trophy winner) with 7.80 rating in his first year. Don't know what I need to do there.

What is his status on the team? If he's a core player, make him key then offer anpther contract, the board will permit a higher contract.

He is still on 'hot prospect' status, but changing it on regular, core or key doesn't change anything, still caped at 2.1m. I can put contract worth 12m on Seguin's table, but can't give my player 2.5m

Did you check your team finances? The organization might just not have the money to pay.

Have you asked your board for more money?

Team finances were just fine to sign him and more superb. players on FA market. Yes, I also asked for mroe money, but like few months before FA started.

EDIT: I did not had patient to carry his rights and don't sign him. So i traded his rights to Vegas for couple of first rounders. Also, after month into new season. Vegas did not sign him too, don't know, maybe it is just player issue, who know.

I had this kind of issue, too. When exactly did you offer the contract?

Because I had the issue, that I offered the contract first somewhere between February and April. Later in mid June, once the season was over... and in June my board was totally ok with the money the player wanted in his new contract. You know, maybe team accounting just needed some more time to go through all the numbers and stuff.