Phoenix CXXXIII: Colonel Shuffle's Last 'Ownership' Hill To Die On

[Killion]

If they wanted 15/17 they would have given Quebec expansion and give Seattle the coyotes in 2 years. They didn't. NHL controls where the teams are located at and where they move too. They aren't going to move coyotes to Quebec when they got a better option in Houston. If the coyotes have to move they'll be going to houston not quebec.

Yeah I wouldnt be to sure about any of that speculation there tommy. Your applying common sense no question about it however when it comes to this league as Silver Moose alludes to..... Bill Daly, Bettman, Jacobs, King in Calgary, Melnyk in Ottawa, you name them, Merchants of Disinformation; spurious claims. We dont really know why Quebec wasnt granted an Expansion Team unless you buy that that semi-official excuse about Conference Alignment being the obstacle. Something else is clearly going on though yes, that is a factor, just not the main reason or reasons as suggested by the NHL. A lot more to that story than anyone's letting on... just as theres a lot more going on with this franchise, the Coyotes & Barroway than the League would be at all comfortable with being made public, leaking out & hitting the front pages.

Fertitta has signaled he's not about to be writing a blank check to the League & that whatever price they might be looking for with the Coyotes or Expansion is a price thats way too high. The NHL's been dithering, mismanaging, unconscionably prolonging the death spiral of this franchise for the past 6 or 7yrs. They had more than ample opportunity between 09 & 13 to unload them to an experienced, aggressive & savvy buyer who wouldve kept them in Glendale had they the sense to provide flexible terms, written off some of the losses. What they instead concocted nothing short of an outrage, an insult to the fans, to the City of Glendale, market in general, the region.... absolute insanity. And of course it all blew up in their faces & yet their still in Glendale, absolutely no shame, blowing up bridges, yet another fake owner in place selling false hope. Theyve been trying to attract additional local investors, theyve tried to attract US markets to buy & move the club, Portland, Houston, theyve been procrastinating, QC outrageously treated like a 2nd Class Citizen & Market... he who procrastinates & dithers will have decisions made for him & they should be so lucky that Quebec even wants back into the League.

This idiocy... "ohhhh no, no no no, cant be doing that, Conference imbalance, wont do, sorry Quebec".... absolute heaping steaming pile. Its just this side of plausible so... plausible that they deny their application or the Relo of the Coyotes to QC based on that entirely man made & fixable, temporary inconvenience. Something else is going on up there and I'm suspecting the Molsons & Bell the most likely culprits, obstacles.... possibly Melnyk in Ottawa & King in Calgary, before he got his breaks from the city for a new building Katz in Edmonton as well. No ones talking, honest reporters arent asking, digging, trying to get at the truth as there dont appear to be any left anywhere anymore... Regardless, if Fertitta doesnt dig.... if they dont find a local investor with more money than God.... that they wont move that team to QC.... you dont think that they wont switch up Seattles Expansion to a Relocation? I sure do. What are their options if not? Continue propping it up to the tune of $30M-$50M in losses a year beyond 2020 & 2021, indefinitely?

 

[Dirty Old Man]

"If the coyotes have to move..." They don't, at present. They will, in about 18 months.

Unless you're wrong. Which I've seen no reason to believe you won't be, like all the rest. In which case, they won't.

 

[TheLegend]

Watching the Power Of Sports at the moment. It primary focus covers the influence sports teams and individuals within Arizona have working with communities and groups to build youth programs.

Steve Patterson’s segment lasted about three minutes and he mentioned a three year program the Coyotes instituted this year to introduce ball hockey to schools around the state. Their goal is 300 schools at the rate of 100 per year.

Significance of it?? Well they’re looking to be around at least a couple more years.

Sorry Moose... that’s beyond that 18 month window.

 

[Killion]

Watching the Power Of Sports at the moment. It primary focus covers the influence sports teams and individuals within Arizona have working with communities and groups to build youth programs.

Steve Patterson’s segment lasted about three minutes and he mentioned a three year program the Coyotes instituted this year to introduce ball hockey to schools around the state. Their goal is 300 schools at the rate of 100 per year.

Significance of it?? Well they’re looking to be around at least a couple more years.

Sorry Moose... that’s beyond that 18 month window.

Yes I saw that. And its about time. "Ball Hockey" or more accurately, "Floor Hockey". Most of it played indoors in the gymnasium. Great introduction to the game and a lot of fun for the kids.... and not to be a Total Downer here TL, but I'm looking at that along with the Dek Hockey program & other introductory as well as their support of HS & Amateur Hockey as "Legacy" programs. Namely that they wont be around in 3yrs, let alone 5 or 20 to actually be in a position to see much of it come to fruition and maybe even Draft or acquire by way of trade or a RFA/UFA signing one or more of the kids who did get their starts through one of these programs.

None the less, its great for the game, great for kids who even if they dont go on to lace up skates & play organized have at least had some exposure to & played the game. But to be connecting a 3yr commitment to such a program & the continued existence of the franchise in Arizona... sorry, but those dots dont connect.... does serve a couple of very important PR & reputational issues though. That their actually wearing white hats & not black despite all evidence to the contrary, so that when they do leave, they can point to things like this, how heartbreaking it is that they are being forced to amscray. "Not our fault. Look at how much weve done, are doing". Ya, cry me a river. The only people I'll cry for are the fans, the taxpayers in the COG.

 

[Bookie21]

"If the coyotes have to move..." They don't, at present. They will, in about 18 months.

.

Do you have some evidence that they're moving in 18 months, or is this a random guess. 18 months ago people were saying they will move in 18 months. If I had a dollar for every wrong relocation prediction in this thread, I'd be very rich.....I've seen it a million times

 

[TheLegend]

Yes I saw that. And its about time. "Ball Hockey" or more accurately, "Floor Hockey". Most of it played indoors in the gymnasium. Great introduction to the game and a lot of fun for the kids.... and not to be a Total Downer here TL, but I'm looking at that along with the Dek Hockey program & other introductory as well as their support of HS & Amateur Hockey as "Legacy" programs. Namely that they wont be around in 3yrs, let alone 5 or 20 to actually be in a position to see much of it come to fruition and maybe even Draft or acquire by way of trade or a RFA/UFA signing one or more of the kids who did get their starts through one of these programs.

None the less, its great for the game, great for kids who even if they dont go on to lace up skates & play organized have at least had some exposure to & played the game. But to be connecting a 3yr commitment to such a program & the continued existence of the franchise in Arizona... sorry, but those dots dont connect.... does serve a couple of very important PR & reputational issues though. That their actually wearing white hats & not black despite all evidence to the contrary, so that when they do leave, they can point to things like this, how heartbreaking it is that they are being forced to amscray. "Not our fault. Look at how much weve done, are doing". Ya, cry me a river. The only people I'll cry for are the fans, the taxpayers in the COG.

Thanks, Dr. Buzzkill.

 

[Killion]

Thanks, Dr. Buzzkill.

.... sorry............ but ya, I'm seeing through this, what
their up to, hidden agenda but no matter... good for the game.

 

[Mightygoose]

Not necessarily hot off the press news...D Backs revised deal approved 4-1

D-backs get deal to leave Chase Field by '22

One of the sites being mention is Tribal lands in Scottsdale near their spring training facility. Is this the same land being talked about as a potential site for a new Coyotes arena?

If so, I think this can add another layer of complication for the Coyotes wanting to build there. If the Suns don't get a new deal downtown, that's 3 possible teams looking and no one seems to be willing to work with the other. Is there enough land to develop for 2 teams to build, never mind 3?

If you're the tribe, why would they move heaven and earth to make a deal with the Coyotes when the D Backs can be available in 2022? Coincidentally, the same year that the Suns can exit TSRA.

If sports are being looked at to drive traffic to other places in the complex, even if the D Backs average 25K a game which is a little less than what they're doing now, that's about 3 times the Coyotes can being in if they sell out every game including the pre season based on the current capacity at GRA ....this would be less risk involved too.

Lots of potential changes on the landscape in the valley it seems. Even bigger question how if ownership can wait this out. Having the D Backs in Scottsdale along with a potential stadium for Phoenix Rising may just saturate the East Valley's dollars, making this endeavor not worth it. They won't stay in the West Valley long term and if no deal being possible downtown either just may squeeze them out.

 

[Stumbledore]

This idiocy... "ohhhh no, no no no, cant be doing that, Conference imbalance, wont do, sorry Quebec".... absolute heaping steaming pile. Its just this side of plausible so... plausible that they deny their application or the Relo of the Coyotes to QC based on that entirely man made & fixable, temporary inconvenience. Something else is going on up there and I'm suspecting the Molsons & Bell the most likely culprits, obstacles....

Killion is rolling closer and closer to the truth. Time to look more closely into his crystal balls.

Er....

 

[Killion]

Killion is rolling closer and closer to the truth. Time to look more closely into his crystals balls.

Er....

..... "er" is right Bullwinkle. I'm going to assume someone fed the wrong script into the teleprompter and leave it at that.... as for the rest yes, as Mr. Peabody was wont to say, "Something smells foul", been smelling quite the stench over this whole Quebec affair for several years in fact, back to about 2012 & 2013 when mysteriously they upgraded the boards to NHL standard, media suites & so on at the old Quebec Colisee, spending a bundle, and for what?...

The QMJHL Remparts and with the building slated for demolition? Shovels in the ground a stones throw away on a brand spanking new state of the art NHL facility? Quebecor dropping a billion + on french language broadcast rights?. All this while Anthony LeBlanc, Daly & Bettman were turning the screws on the City of Glendale. Paul Allen wasnt going to pay them what they were demanding, forget Alexander & Houston, the only place they could go if a vote in Glendale got shot down was Quebec, and Quebec was willing, ready & able....

So ya, strange goings on thereafter. Expansion, "deferral"... bizarre. Never did, not buying this "imbalanced conference" excuse. I believed Bettman, still believe in his words about "righting wrongs in Quebec & Winnipeg" and do believe QC could well be the end destination for this club. We'll see. Somethings gotta give or happen. The Coyotes desperately need a massive financial infusion if their going to stick around & after nearly 10yrs, where is it? Why now when the holes even deeper today than it was in 2009? And it just gets deeper ever day, every minute. Debt service clock. Interest rate Barroways on I shudder to think yet he seems oblivious. Dancing on the deck of the Titanic. Partying like its 1999.... all good... working on a new arena... oh, and lookee here, new school program for the kids.... Dek Hockey in Surprize... Luke AFB... Jesus.... couldnt be more obvious. Get real already.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

One of the sites being mention is Tribal lands in Scottsdale near their spring training facility. Is this the same land being talked about as a potential site for a new Coyotes arena?

The spring training facility in question is Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, but it has never been mentioned in connection with the Coyotes (although, in my opinion, that's really the only proper place for the Coyotes to build a new barn if they're building in the East Valley). The Coyotes have been linked to other parcels of tribal land, but as I've mentioned before, we can't think of all of that reservation land as one homogeneous tract of land. Different special interest groups/families in the tribe own different parcels. The Coyotes were linked at one point to land farther south than Salt River Fields but I haven't heard anything about it in months.

 

[MNNumbers]

..... "er" is right Bullwinkle. I'm going to assume someone fed the wrong script into the teleprompter and leave it at that.... as for the rest yes, as Mr. Peabody was wont to say, "Something smells foul", been smelling quite the stench over this whole Quebec affair for several years in fact, back to about 2012 & 2013 when mysteriously they upgraded the boards to NHL standard, media suites & so on at the old Quebec Colisee, spending a bundle, and for what?...

The QMJHL Remparts and with the building slated for demolition? Shovels in the ground a stones throw away on a brand spanking new state of the art NHL facility? Quebecor dropping a billion + on french language broadcast rights?. All this while Anthony LeBlanc, Daly & Bettman were turning the screws on the City of Glendale. Paul Allen wasnt going to pay them what they were demanding, forget Alexander & Houston, the only place they could go if a vote in Glendale got shot down was Quebec, and Quebec was willing, ready & able....

So ya, strange goings on thereafter. Expansion, "deferral"... bizarre. Never did, not buying this "imbalanced conference" excuse. I believed Bettman, still believe in his words about "righting wrongs in Quebec & Winnipeg" and do believe QC could well be the end destination for this club. We'll see. Somethings gotta give or happen. The Coyotes desperately need a massive financial infusion if their going to stick around & after nearly 10yrs, where is it? Why now when the holes even deeper today than it was in 2009? And it just gets deeper ever day, every minute. Debt service clock. Interest rate Barroways on I shudder to think yet he seems oblivious. Dancing on the deck of the Titanic. Partying like its 1999.... all good... working on a new arena... oh, and lookee here, new school program for the kids.... Dek Hockey in Surprize... Luke AFB... Jesus.... couldnt be more obvious. Get real already.

The part of that that still gets me is the new boards at Colisee Pepsi. No reason for that unless there was an expectation of the team coming there. Despite what's been said about Seattle, I still think they were going to Quebec if COG didn't vote them that lease. Coupled with the deferred application, it still feels like something is happening there, but the NHL is maintaining plausible deniability until it happens.

 

[gstommylee]

The part of that that still gets me is the new boards at Colisee Pepsi. No reason for that unless there was an expectation of the team coming there. Despite what's been said about Seattle, I still think they were going to Quebec if COG didn't vote them that lease. Coupled with the deferred application, it still feels like something is happening there, but the NHL is maintaining plausible deniability until it happens.

New boards at Colisee Pepsi doesn't mean a NHL team was coming. NHL was not going to create a much larger alignment imbalance of the league. 13/17 is just out right ridiculous based on the current alignment. NHL was not going to make detroit and columbus move back to the western conference.

Everything was pointing out that Seattle was a landing point for the coyotes unfortunately this is all a moot point now and Quebec is still not going to get the coyotes.

It is better for the NHL to keep the franchise in the US somewhere in a western city especially when the US national TV deal is coming up for renewal. There is no benefit for the NHL to have one less US team and 1 more canada team in terms of the US tv deal. Houston provides more benefit for that tv deal.

 

[MNNumbers]

Same song, Tommy. You were seriously wrong about what was happening with Hansen. Your a huge Seattle supporter. We all know that.

Let me ask you this.....if Bartoszek had purchased the Coyotes for Seattle in 2013, and been playing in Key, where would you be now? Seattle city was never going to approve Hansen. How do you rebuild Key when the team is already there.? It doesn't make sense.

Nope. I'm still thinking there were discussionsv with Quebec at that time. No reason to put in new boards on total spec. There was a chance..... Also, no reason to build that shiny new NHL building if there were no discussions.

I agree that 13-17 would be awkward. But, when the 2015 expansion came out, Bettman said...Well, we've done 14-16. We could do 15-17.

So I still think, in spite of all the negativity here toward Quebec, that the league hasn't forgotten them.

And, Tommy, concerning Houston.. think about Fertitta basically saying he isn't interested at current prices the other day. Coyotes aren't selling for less than 500 or 650. The league controls that franchise, not Barroway. No way they sell at discount. The one driving force in all NHL history has been more money in my pocket for the owners. No discounts.

 

[Killion]

New boards at Colisee Pepsi doesn't mean a NHL team was coming. NHL was not going to create a much larger alignment imbalance of the league. 13/17 is just out right ridiculous based on the current alignment. NHL was not going to make detroit and columbus move back to the western conference.

Everything was pointing out that Seattle was a landing point for the coyotes unfortunately this is all a moot point now and Quebec is still not going to get the coyotes.

It is better for the NHL to keep the franchise in the US somewhere in a western city especially when the US national TV deal is coming up for renewal. There is no benefit for the NHL to have one less US team and 1 more canada team in terms of the US tv deal. Houston provides more benefit for that tv deal.

Why would the Colisee' drop millions on upgrades to the boards & other infrastructure when the building had a Date to the Wrecker's Ball? The only high end hockey going on in there was the QMJHL's Remparts & what was in place entirely serviceable. You cant just explain such an expenditure away as being moot, meaningless, irrelevant. Smoking gun lying in the lobby of Gila River Arena... Gary Bettmans finger prints all over it... a dead Coyote right over there wearing a Nordiques jersey.... an Acme Shipping label in Garys' handwriting pinned to its neck addressed to;

Pierre Karl Peladeau,
C/O Videotron Center
250 Wilfrid Hamel Blvd.,
Kebec Kebec Kanada
G1L 5A7

C.O.D.

A 1st year Law Student gets a conviction on that one tommy.... Then, you empirically state the City of Quebec "is never going to get the Coyotes".... and you, I... no one here knows that. Its an option. The door isnt closed on QC and as for unfortunately everything pointing to Seattle receiving the team a few years ago... I didnt buy that bogus fake news story for one second. Wasnt gonna happen. The nightmare that would have unfolded unimaginable. The Coyotes taking a huge step backwards into the confines of an NBA arena, and one that was left in a bigger mess than a Pyromaniacs Convention by the Sonics? Are you kidding me? What an entrance, what a way to start off in Seattle. No chance. That was nothing more than the NHL playing games through the press, willing sycophantic wannabe owners in Ray Bartoszek & Anthony Lanza out of Westchester NY, personal friends with league & team personnel and doing their Buddies a solid in spreading disinformation. "We were 48 hours away from calling in the moving trucks" they said. Ha? Remember that? Dumb Skinhead Bartoszek, he was 48 hours away from finding a rock to slither back under when he'd have had to put up. What a joke.

As for Houston who if they did buy the Coyotes, Tilman there, who's no Dummy, he's pretty much maxed out with having dropped and leveraged, borrowed a considerable amount in buying the Rockets & acquiring the contract to run the Toyota Center. Youve read, posted on that thread, you know what he's said about hockey south of the Mason Dixon etc, does he strike you as someome prepared to dig deep to buy an NHL franchise? If having Houston rather than Arizona on side was that attractive to broadcasters, to NBC, that they be falling all over themselves wanting to up the ante' for broadcast rights dont you think the NHL would then have had a friendly NBC Executive explain that to Fertitta? That the grossly over-inflated price being asked comes back to you in spades because were going to quadruple our investment in the NHL..... with ratings tanking.... with Arizona pulling in 3am infomercial ratings... Dallas not doing much better in that department but somewhat better.

Once long ago TV ratings, securing that all elusive mega broadcast contract the reason given for the NHL's first major Expansion in 67/68. But really, had nothing to do with that, everything with avoiding multiple anti-trust lawsuit's, full body cavity search by the US Justice Department & the FBI. They rigged Expansion, inside job, the Norris/Wirtz criminal cabal off-loading deathtrap arenas they owned & so on & so on. For 50yrs theyve chased this elusive Scarlet Pimpernel of a broadcast contract and their no closer today then they were then to ever seeing it happen. Outside of the old Rust Belt 06 markets, unless their teams doing damage & in the hunt for the Cup, ratings non-existent. Laughable... That arguments a non-starter.

 

[Stumbledore]

..... "er" is right Bullwinkle.

Bulwinkle is a distant cousin. He never did get the right hat to pull out even one rabbit.

 

[mesamonster]

Anyone have any idea how the 2018-19 salary cap of $78-82MM is going to impact how Chayka fills out his roster? Will he be more concerned about making the floor or is he going to expand the budget to include some FA signings?

 

[Killion]

Anyone have any idea how the 2018-19 salary cap of $78-82MM is going to impact how Chayka fills out his roster? Will he be more concerned about making the floor or is he going to expand the budget to include some FA signings?

If you'd be so kind as to post the Cap's for 16/17, 17/18 & 18/19, top & bottom & what the Coyotes spent so people have some context that would be helpful mesa. Not everyone follows that closely. This past season, it was $75M at the top, $55.4M at the bottom... and of course given the state of financial affairs in Arizona... and with the same old same old uncertainty hanging over the franchise, not easy to attract top end talent. Lots of bidders for the Slim Pickins that are available.

I think it would be unreasonable to expect any major signings this off-season. They did seem to turn the corner a bit second half of this year & hopefully they can maintain that momentum to start next season as its obviously situation critical, cant afford another lousy start. Hits where it really hurts at the gate, not good for the youngsters & their development. Anyone wishing ill on any team in the NHL to me isnt much of a fan & despite all the problems, surely dont want to see the players or game suffering, those who do attend at least getting some bang for their bucks. .500 Hockey would be good, a target they can hopefully achieve. Regardless of what you or anyone else thinks about Chayka & Tocchet, you have to admire their work ethics, enthusiasm. The fans deserve the best they & the players can deliver.

 

[Roadrage]

I would think Chayka may be hunting for some Datsuyk/Pronger type contracts out their (Johan Franzen's $4MM anyone?). They do have Ribeiro's buyout @ $2MM for another 2 seasons until 19/20. Coyotes projected cap hit for 18/19 as of today is $52MM committed to 17 players. 4 UFA's and 3 RFA's. From what I see, if they decide to keep all their journeyman UFA's, it will be with minimal raises. Max Domi is coming off of his ELC of $860K so he's in line for a decent bump up. Dave Bolland is still listed on the IR so there is possible cap relief of $5.5MM for this upcoming season only. My guess is the floor will be around $60MM if ceiling is projected to be between $78-82MM.

 

[TheLegend]

If you'd be so kind as to post the Cap's for 16/17, 17/18 & 18/19, top & bottom & what the Coyotes spent so people have some context that would be helpful mesa. Not everyone follows that closely. This past season, it was $75M at the top, $55.4M at the bottom... and of course given the state of financial affairs in Arizona... and with the same old same old uncertainty hanging over the franchise, not easy to attract top end talent. Lots of bidders for the Slim Pickins that are available.

I think it would be unreasonable to expect any major signings this off-season. They did seem to turn the corner a bit second half of this year & hopefully they can maintain that momentum to start next season as its obviously situation critical, cant afford another lousy start. Hits where it really hurts at the gate, not good for the youngsters & their development. Anyone wishing ill on any team in the NHL to me isnt much of a fan & despite all the problems, surely dont want to see the players or game suffering, those who do attend at least getting some bang for their bucks. .500 Hockey would be good, a target they can hopefully achieve. Regardless of what you or anyone else thinks about Chayka & Tocchet, you have to admire their work ethics, enthusiasm. The fans deserve the best they & the players can deliver.

Mesa keeps trying to push the mantra of “The only way to win a Cup is to spend spend spend to the max cap.”

Was just perusing the Cap Friendly and looking at the Cap Hits (which factors in LTIRs and such) the four finalists this year you have Washington and Tampa up there at the max ($74.9, $74.3) but Winnipeg and Vegas are towards the middle ($69.9, $68.7)

As a reference... the Coyotes were at $58.8. But then you look at second biggest spender in Chicago at $77.6 - $2.67 LTIR (Hossa) and they ended up as a lottery team with them.

 

[TheLegend]

I would think Chayka may be hunting for some Datsuyk/Pronger type contracts out their (Johan Franzen's $4MM anyone?). They do have Ribeiro's buyout @ $2MM for another 2 seasons until 19/20. Coyotes projected cap hit for 18/19 as of today is $52MM committed to 17 players. 4 UFA's and 3 RFA's. From what I see, if they decide to keep all their journeyman UFA's, it will be with minimal raises. Max Domi is coming off of his ELC of $860K so he's in line for a decent bump up. Dave Bolland is still listed on the IR so there is possible cap relief of $5.5MM for this upcoming season only. My guess is the floor will be around $60MM if ceiling is projected to be between $78-82MM.

Raanta and Kuemper both got raises already which accounts for about an increase of $4M. OEL will be looking for a substantial raise for the following year, plus more of the ELCs will be coming off at that time.

Don’t really think Chayka will need to be taking on any dead contracts to make the floor (didn’t need Bolland to make it had it come to that), but he’ll definitely have space for it if it can get him another piece out of a team who’s in cap hell (*cough* Toronto *cough*)

 

[cheswick]

Mesa keeps trying to push the mantra of “The only way to win a Cup is to spend spend spend to the max cap.”

Was just perusing the Cap Friendly and looking at the Cap Hits (which factors in LTIRs and such) the four finalists this year you have Washington and Tampa up there at the max ($74.9, $74.3) but Winnipeg and Vegas are towards the middle ($69.9, $68.7)

As a reference... the Coyotes were at $58.8. But then you look at second biggest spender in Chicago at $77.6 - $2.67 LTIR (Hossa) and they ended up as a lottery team with them.

Winnipeg may be mid-cap this season due to the youth in their lineup, they sure won't be going forward. Elhers raise alone brings them to the cap. Not to mention Morrisey, Trouba and Hellybuck all being RFA's this off season. Laine and Connor the year after.

 

[Roadrage]

Raanta and Kuemper both got raises already which accounts for about an increase of $4M. OEL will be looking for a substantial raise for the following year, plus more of the ELCs will be coming off at that time.

Don’t really think Chayka will need to be taking on any dead contracts to make the floor (didn’t need Bolland to make it had it come to that), but he’ll definitely have space for it if it can get him another piece out of a team who’s in cap hell (*cough* Toronto *cough*)

Raanta and Kuemper's raises are already factored into the $52MM for upcoming season. OEL will not affect upcoming seasons cap as he is already signed. They are still projected to be about $8MM below the cap floor for upcoming season.

 

[TheLegend]

Winnipeg may be mid-cap this season due to the youth in their lineup, they sure won't be going forward. Elhers raise alone brings them to the cap. Not to mention Morrisey, Trouba and Hellybuck all being RFA's this off season. Laine and Connor the year after.

But the point is you don’t need to spend to the max every year to make it. And it doesn’t guarantee success. Winnipeg proved the former, Chicago the latter.

 

[TheLegend]

Raanta and Kuemper's raises are already factored into the $52MM for upcoming season. OEL will not affect upcoming seasons cap as he is already signed. They are still projected to be about $8MM below the cap floor for upcoming season.

I understand that.

But if you were to take the current roster at $58.8 and went into next year with zero roster changes the cap hit would end up being $4MM more would it not??

We both know there will be changes and Domi will get paid more coming off the ELC. There will be some promotions from Tucson (more ELCs) and subtractions of RFAs and UFAs. I’m expecting Chayka to make one or two significant moves by the draft. Even so I don’t believe they’ll have any issues making the floor.