Next season:
Rakell - Getzlaf (NMC) - Perry (NMC)
Ritchie (RFA) - Henrique - Kase (RFA)
Cogliano (NTC) - Kesler (NMC) - Silfverberg
X - X - Eaves (?)(NTC)
Fowler (NTC) - Montour (RFA)
Lindholm - Manson (NTC*)
X - X
Holzer
Gibson - Miller (NTC)
* Start of 19-20 season
Total cap hit: $63 million
Total salaries: $68.8 million
Estimated cap space: $12 million
Guys fighting for roster spots:
Roy (RFA), Kossila (RFA), Kerdiles (RFA), Welinski (RFA), Jones, Steel, Terry (?), Larsson, Pettersson, Mahura, Megna, Blandisi, Fiore, maybe more?
The "crew" is definitely not going to change a lot, that much is certain. As it currently stands, we only have four roster spots available, and could have a LOT of guys competing for those. One doesn't have to be a genius to realize that we may have a problem here.
One thing is certain though -- IF we choose to extend some of these guys, this is absolutely the last chance for Roy, Kossila, Kerdiles, Welinski, Blandisi and Megna to crack the NHL roster. They'll soon lose their waiver exemption status, if they haven't already, and we're all perfectly aware of how Bob likes to handle those situations...
Not sure if $12 million is enough to sign our key RFAs and fill the vacant roster spots, especially when Bob is on tape saying that he wants to somehow bring in another "Josh Manson", and that he wants to add another goalie on a long-term contract. Bob will no doubt nickel and dime Ritchie onto a bridge deal of some sort, but I'd look for longer-term contracts for Montour and Kase, perhaps somewhere in the $3 million AAV range each?
If the money isn't enough, the attention then turns to Silfverberg and Henrique, who only have a year remaining on their contracts and have relatively large salaries ($3.75 and $5.5 million, respectively). Silf's play as of late has definitely put him on the trade board, if he doesn't pick up the pace I'd say there's a fairly good chance that he's getting dealt during the offseason. No idea what Bob does with Henrique, but one thing is for certain -- if that NJ 3rd rounder is all that he has to show from that Vatanen trade, he's going to look like an absolute idiot. IMO he either has to extend Rico or trade him to get some futures, but he can't afford to just let Rico hit UFA.