Salary Cap: 2013-14 Payroll, Contracts, Free Agents

[Troy McClure]

Are you guys prepared for another batch of stopgap defenders? Because that's probably what's gonna happen until Oleksiak and friends are ready.

And we don't even know if Oleksiak and friends will be anything better than stopgap defenders.

 

[BigG44]

Are you guys prepared for another batch of stopgap defenders? Because that's probably what's gonna happen until Oleksiak and friends are ready.

Yes ... and people should seriously consider this. Unless something crazy happens, Dallas' best move is to acquire better stop gaps. Maybe it will be Oleksiak, maybe it won't. They've got to draft and develop though.

... and Niskanen is not taking $4 million. He's playing too well right now, and he'll likely have a career year in points. The market will easily overpay him because he's likely considered the best two-way, offensive D in the class, and he's a right shot. I don't want to believe he'll get over $5, but he might. In reality, he should be pretty darn close to $5 though.

This is a league that severely overpays defenders, and no one has cap concerns next season ... at least not significant ones. Plus, the majority of the NHL still has 1 or 2 compliance buyouts to give them even more flexibility.

 

[BigG44]

As far as Niskanen goes acquiring him ... Robidas was better in his 2nd stint with the team. Most of the Robidas hate was that he was played out of position. If you trust that Dallas can and will locate better players so Niskanen is playing out of the 3 or 4 spot, the risk could be worth it.

This is a different Dallas team. It's not like he'd be coming back to the same coaching staff or even a recognizable roster. Right shot, serviceable defenders don't grow on tress so you at least have to consider it. My primary concern is the contract he'll sign ... same concern I have for all free agents.

Is Niskanen's risk less than Girardi .... maybe. That's debatable for sure. Would you rather go young and with a smaller contract via trade like Wiercioch? I think that's worth discussing as well. I think if you say, let's over spend on a guy like Fayne to get a rightie in the $2 million range and give Wiercioch a real shot at playing big minutes ... I do like that a bit better than paying $5 million to Girardi or Niskanen, but for sure Niskanen belongs in the discussion of options they should look at.

A huge part of player acquisition is risk management, IMO. It seems reasonable to expect Wiercioch will blossom with minutes and the ability to stay in the lineup ... that's no sure thing. Fayne seems like a guy that can play an honest 18 minutes, and maybe he has potential for more ... or maybe he's just a product of NJ's defense first system that will look awful on Dallas' up tempo team. Maybe Niskanen like Goligoski only looks better because he's playing for the Penguins.

 

[Cin]

I think I'm just completely over defensemen from the East. We need two-way D who can also clear the front of the net. Niskanen certainly doesn't fit that mold.

 

[txomisc]

I think I'm just completely over defensemen from the East. We need two-way D who can also clear the front of the net. Niskanen certainly doesn't fit that mold.

Honestly we could use good defensemen of every type.

 

[Hull Fan]

Are you guys prepared for another batch of stopgap defenders? Because that's probably what's gonna happen until Oleksiak and friends are ready.

That depends on how patient Nill is, and how available some of these guys are. If there's a great sell off there's no way Dallas is only taking back picks and non-NHL ready prospects. You'd think some cap money would have to be sent back if either of Daley, Goligoski, or Cole are traded. Which means a 2 million dollar healthy scratch in Wiercioch seems like an ideal target, because Ottawa's money pinching owner isn't going to want to pay a guy that much money to sit.

I also think the least likely of my above proposal is Chiasson for Despres, NYI making Nelson available and Fayne signing here, cause he'll have more than a few teams chase him. So those could be spots that have to be filled internally.

I cannot imagine Nill would think it remotely acceptable to roll into next season with 5/6ths or even 4/6ths of this defense back and tell his owner, the fans, and his players this year really will be different. At least with my scenario you can say growing pains, have a year to watch the new guys and our own prospects and figure out what's going to work and what won't. Then you can trade what you don't have to fill the 2nd line center hole and the spaces left by Cole and Peverley.

I refuse to believe that a group with Dillon, Fayne, Rundblad, Wiercioch, Connauton, Klingberg, Gonchar, Jordie, Nemeth, etc cannot be at least a step up from the mess we've fielded for most of this season.

 

[Rune Forumwalker]

Maybe Niskanen like Goligoski only looks better because he's playing for the Penguins.

That's my fear and why I don't want to risk it.

I think I'm just completely over defensemen from the East. We need two-way D who can also clear the front of the net. Niskanen certainly doesn't fit that mold.

Also this.

If we're going to play fantasy:

Chiasson to Pittsburgh for Despres.

Whitney +4th to Phoenix for Rundblad

Robidas to Anaheim for a pick/prospect.

Goligoski and Jokipakka to NYI for Grabner and Brock Nelson.

Daley to Ottawa for Wiercioch and 2nd in 2015.

Garbutt for a pick. Fiddler for a pick.

Sign Mark Fayne to a 4 year 3.75 million dollar contract.

Buyout Aaron Rome. Re-sign Sceviour.

I'm down with most of that or to something similar.

Trade Garbutt, Fiddler, and Robidas. I'd assume the first two would be picks, but apparently Fiddler could get more? Perhaps Robidas could play well enough before the deadline to get a Roy/Jagr time return.

Whitney + for Rundblad. Anything could be the plus really, just not Chiasson or any similarly big young guy.

Flip Goligoski for a guy like Grabner.

Sign Fayne, Greene, or a similar UFA D.

Dillion-Daley
UFA-Connauton
Rundblad-Gonchar
Benn

Still needs another D like Dillion, Fayne, Greene, etc. Hopefully Oleksiak can turn into that in the future, if not the start of next season.

 

[aloonda*]

at what point do the stars try to extend the seguin/benn/nichuskin deals? a year out from their end? I don't want to lose any of them

 

[BigG44]

at what point do the stars try to extend the seguin/benn/nichuskin deals? a year out from their end? I don't want to lose any of them

NHL rules only allow 1 year out.

Nichushkin - July 1st, 2015
Benn - July 1st, 2016
Seguin - July 1st, 2018

 

[aloonda*]

NHL rules only allow 1 year out.

Nichushkin - July 1st, 2015
Benn - July 1st, 2016
Seguin - July 1st, 2018

you always come through G

 

[aloonda*]

just saw garbutt was extended

didn't see how much

I like this move

 

[BigG44]

Dallas has 32 contracts right now in 2014-15:

Contracts
1. Seguin, Tyler
2. Horcoff, Shawn
3. Benn, Jamie
4. Cole, Erik
5. Peverley, Rich
6. Nichushkin, Valeri
7. Garbutt, Ryan
8. Chiasson, Alex
9. Sceviour, Colton

10. Gonchar, Sergei
11. Goligoski, Alex
12. Daley, Trevor
13. Rome, Aaron
14. Benn, Jordie
15. Connauton, Kevin

16. Lehtonen, Kari

17. Oleksiak, Jamie
18. Faksa, Radek
19. Campbell, Jack
20. Peters, Taylor
21. Ritchie, Brett
22. Bystrom, Ludvig
23. Nemeth, Patrik
24. Klingberg, John
25. Molin, Emil
26. Jokipakka, Jyrki
27. Stransky, Matej
28. Vance, Troy
29. McKenzie, Curtis
30. Lagace, Maxime
31. Morin, Travis
32. Guptill, Alex

Restricted Free Agents
33. Labrie, Hubert
34. King, Tristan
35. Eakin, Cody
36. Glennie, Scott
37. Dillon, Brenden
38. Button, Ryan
39. Smith, Austin
40. Roussel, Antoine
41. Gaunce, Cameron - Potential Group 6 UFA
42. Jeffrey, Dustin

Unrestricted Free Agents
43. Whitney, Ray
44. Fiddler, Vern
45. Nilstorp, Christopher
46. Petersen, Toby
47. Wathier, Francis
48. Mueller, Chris
49. Fortunus, Maxime
50. Thomas, Tim

Draft picks that we lose rights if they remain unsigned by June 1st
51. Winther, Mike
52. Lindell, Esa
53. Smith, Gemel
54. Troock, Brandon
55. Kiviaho, Henri
56. Sinitsyn, Dmitri
57. Payne, Cody

 

[BigG44]

My guess:

Lock to Sign
Maybe
Not Sign

Restricted Free Agents
33. Labrie, Hubert
34. King, Tristan
35. Eakin, Cody
36. Glennie, Scott
37. Dillon, Brenden
38. Button, Ryan
39. Smith, Austin
40. Roussel, Antoine
41. Gaunce, Cameron - Potential Group 6 UFA
42. Jeffrey, Dustin

Unrestricted Free Agents
43. Whitney, Ray
44. Fiddler, Vern
45. Nilstorp, Christopher
46. Petersen, Toby
47. Wathier, Francis
48. Mueller, Chris
49. Fortunus, Maxime
50. Thomas, Tim

Draft picks that we lose rights if they remain unsigned by June 1st
51. Winther, Mike
52. Lindell, Esa
53. Smith, Gemel
54. Troock, Brandon
55. Kiviaho, Henri
56. Sinitsyn, Dmitri
57. Payne, Cody

That would put Dallas at 39 to 48 contracts.

 

[Frozen Failure]

Dallas has 32 contracts right now in 2014-15:

Restricted Free Agents
33. Labrie, Hubert NO -1
34. King, Tristan NO -1
35. Eakin, Cody YES
36. Glennie, Scott MAYBE
37. Dillon, Brenden YES
38. Button, Ryan NO -1
39. Smith, Austin NO -1
40. Roussel, Antoine YES?
41. Gaunce, Cameron - Potential Group 6 UFA I WOULD
42. Jeffrey, Dustin MEH -1

-5

Unrestricted Free Agents
43. Whitney, Ray BYE!! -1
44. Fiddler, Vern BYEEEEE!! -1
45. Nilstorp, Christopher KBYE -1
46. Petersen, Toby KBYE -1
47. Wathier, Francis KBYE -1
48. Mueller, Chris Maybe
49. Fortunus, Maxime AHL contract -1
50. Thomas, Tim KBYE TIMMY -1

-6

Draft picks that we lose rights if they remain unsigned by June 1st
51. Winther, Mike I SUPPOSE +1
52. Lindell, Esa WHY NOT +1
53. Smith, Gemel YES +1
54. Troock, Brandon MAYBE
55. Kiviaho, Henri SIGN TO REPLACE NIHLSTORP +1
56. Sinitsyn, Dmitri SIGN +1
57. Payne, Cody MAYBE?

+4 to +7

Yeah we're close on the contract count. Shouldn't be too nuts I suppose.

 

[Starry Knight]

I wouldn't sign Payne

 

[BigG44]

I wouldn't sign Payne

I was leaning towards no chance. I can't find any details about why, but I know he's been a healthy scratch this year at least twice.

 

[Cin]

What's Desrosier's status? When is he finished with juniors? Only asking because of Kiviaho.

 

[Ambassador Of Fun]

What's Desrosier's status? When is he finished with juniors? Only asking because of Kiviaho.

He should still be eligible for 2 more years of juniors if I'm not mistaken. Should probably just have left this for BigG to answer.

 

[usefulfiction]

What's Desrosier's status? When is he finished with juniors? Only asking because of Kiviaho.

I believe he can go pro after next season.

 

[piqued]

Yep, he'll go pro for 2015-16.

 

[BigG44]

He's eligible for two more years, but one would be an overage. More than likely he'll go pro in 2015-16 like piqued said after 1 more season. He cannot play in the AHL next season under any circumstance until his team's season in the Q is complete. That said, unless major injuries strike, they were tied for the 2nd most points in all of the Q this year, and most of their top talent is Desrosiers age meaning they'll all likely be back in the Q unless they immediately jump into the NHL ... unlikely. They could have a very good team next season ... even better than this year.

I don't see Kiviaho and Desrosier's fates being tied though. Either Kiviaho is good enough to sign or he's not. Dallas already has one below average prospect in Lagace in net though, and one of Finland's goalie coaches called Kiviaho a career backup.

Ultimately if I was betting they don't sign him unless he just impressed the hell out of them at the rookie camps last summer.

 

[BigG44]

Dowling gives Dallas 33 players under contract. I'm excited for a guy, but realistically he is a guy that will play 90% of this contract if not 100% of this contract in the AHL. There just isn't realistically a spot for an undersized, offensive center who will be 24 years old at the beginning of the season in the Dallas lineup. He will though be a solid guy to bring along wingers like Morin has for Texas.

 

[Rune Forumwalker]

Why is Jeffrey a maybe? His not being one of the first injury callups after being assigned to the AHL makes it seem unlikely he'd be re-signed, IMO.

 

[aloonda*]

Why is Jeffrey a maybe? His not being one of the first injury callups after being assigned to the AHL makes it seem unlikely he'd be re-signed, IMO.

he seems to have the hockey iq, but no legs, maybe if he can fully recover from his injury he might be worth it, but so far he is a very very poor man's horcoff to me

would younger legs be a better bet?

 

[Hull Fan]

I don't see the need to keep Jeffery. He's a guy who isn't special in any way and takes up a contract spot from maybe someone who is special. Dallas will have plenty of guys they could call up because of injuries. There seems to be no reason to tender Jeffery a contract this summer.