Salary Cap: 2015-2016 Payroll

[CTC]

We have seen some great growth in our current prospects throughout this season and looking at next year's capgeek stats they are quite a few current regulars becoming RFA's: Mike Hoffman/zBad/Mark Stone/Alex Chaisson, Not to mention our two UFA's in Methot and Condra.

My question is: Where do you think Ottawa will sit at a payroll level next season given that the aforementioned will be up for raises and there is only a differnce of 2.28 million in this years total salary to next year and we still need to decide on Condra and Methot.

Will Ottawa be a >60 million dollar team? Or will we let condro go, trade methot for a draft pick and use the savings to sign the RFA propects and still hover around the 55 million $ mark?

Click to read more...

 

[pepty]

Well we have lots of room,
There are rumours that with the Canadian dollar going down some teams will be squeezed if there is no cap increase net year.
Sens should be fine:

http://www.capgeek.com/payrolls/

 

[Sun God Nika]

Condra is definitely gone, unless he signs for the same cap hit and we get rid of greening somehow.

Still too early on hoffman, and stone to get paid, but I can bet Hoffman is gonna take a 1 year to UFA on the cheap and get outta here, Stone and Zbad are likely going to take bridges.

Methot might stay here, depending if we can move salary out somehow hopefully it being phillips.

 

[Sens Rule]

We have seen some great growth in our current prospects throughout this season and looking at next year's capgeek stats they are quite a few current regulars becoming RFA's: Mike Hoffman/zBad/Mark Stone/Alex Chaisson, Not to mention our two UFA's in Methot and Condra.

My question is: Where do you think Ottawa will sit at a payroll level next season given that the aforementioned will be up for raises and there is only a differnce of 2.28 million in this years total salary to next year and we still need to decide on Condra and Methot.

Will Ottawa be a >60 million dollar team? Or will we let condro go, trade methot for a draft pick and use the savings to sign the RFA propects and still hover around the 55 million $ mark?

Predictions: based on Ottawa wanting to sign them as early as possible.... After the midway point if the season.

Zibanejad $2.75 M per for 3 years. An average NHL salary for a young player.
Chiasson $2.5 million per for 2 years. Having a good season and capitalizes short term
Hoffman $2.25 million 3 years. Team believes in him. He takes $6.75 million to the bank even if he might make more as UFA if he progresses.
Stone $2.75 million for 5 years. Stone takes 13.75 million on long term deal. Stone knows he is a top 6er. Team knows. Takes a big contract because it is like 8-9 million after taxes guaranteed and he is young for big payday in 5 years.
Methot - walks or is traded. Wants too much $$$ and term for a slightly above average NHL defender
Condra - walks. Team moves on. Condra signs with another team as UFA for about a million per for 1-2 years.

 

[CTC]

@ sensrule

I can see the Sens being forced to pay what you predict but if we are serious about keeping Methot and we do sign him in the 4-5 mill range that would put our payroll close to 67-68million. Now we can save some space with waiving/trading Greening but even at that still would leave us around 65 million on a cap of 69million(projected). Melynk/BM have said that we have the internal cap and spending close to the cap next year does not seem like it is in the books, as per Melynk quotes of spending when it makes sense, ie. a cup contender. Given the roster next year would be a more experience version of what we have this year do you think Melynk will actually open the pocket book and move us close to the cap, not sure if I see that happening.
Is it possible that BM tries to put together a strong trade package using our present RFA's to keep our payroll down? For 4 of them it is a contract year so alot of their productivity can be attributed to the players wanting to get paid and we may be able to secure some blue chip prospect or draft picks.
Or do we try and move some more vets, 9MM/Legwand/Greening/Smith to make room for the younger guys and keep the team among the lower spending teams?

 

[Sens Rule]

I can see the Sens being forced to pay what you predict but if we are serious about keeping Methot and we do sign him in the 4-5 mill range that would put our payroll close to 67-68million. Now we can save some space with waiving/trading Greening but even at that still would leave us around 65 million on a cap of 69million(projected). Melynk/BM have said that we have the internal cap and spending close to the cap next year does not seem like it is in the books, as per Melynk quotes of spending when it makes sense, ie. a cup contender. Given the roster next year would be a more experience version of what we have this year do you think Melynk will actually open the pocket book and move us close to the cap, not sure if I see that happening.
Is it possible that BM tries to put together a strong trade package using our present RFA's to keep our payroll down? For 4 of them it is a contract year so alot of their productivity can be attributed to the players wanting to get paid and we may be able to secure some blue chip prospect or draft picks.
Or do we try and move some more vets, 9MM/Legwand/Greening/Smith to make room for the younger guys and keep the team among the lower spending teams?

Trading Stone, Hoffman, Zibby or Chiasson to save payroll is moronic. How would that even work exactly? None will make big $$$

Clearly their contracts are budgeted into the future. Partly why our payroll is so low now.

And if we weren't willing to pay the vets. Phillips, Neil, Michalek, Legwand for a few years we just would not have signed/resigned them recently.

Methot is the one that will be a casualty of payroll if anyone is. If he wants 5.5-6.5 million for 6-7 years. He is likely gone. Unless the team decides to spend near the cap.

 

[tony d]

The last thing this team should do is trade Stone, Zibanejad or any other young talent. We can save money by keeping veterans around that are only on the team on 1 yr. deals.

 

[Boud]

Predictions: based on Ottawa wanting to sign them as early as possible.... After the midway point if the season.

Zibanejad $2.75 M per for 3 years. An average NHL salary for a young player.
Chiasson $2.5 million per for 2 years. Having a good season and capitalizes short term
Hoffman $2.25 million 3 years. Team believes in him. He takes $6.75 million to the bank even if he might make more as UFA if he progresses.
Stone $2.75 million for 5 years. Stone takes 13.75 million on long term deal. Stone knows he is a top 6er. Team knows. Takes a big contract because it is like 8-9 million after taxes guaranteed and he is young for big payday in 5 years.
Methot - walks or is traded. Wants too much $$$ and term for a slightly above average NHL defender
Condra - walks. Team moves on. Condra signs with another team as UFA for about a million per for 1-2 years.

I fon't think that Stone signs a 5 year deal at 2,75, he knows that he'll probably fetch 5-6 in 3 years from now if he continues like he is. I think he'd rather sign a 2 year deal. But I get your point.

 

[starling]

Can we somehow sign SDC? Pretty please?

 

[Savitar]

I wonder if we will have salary cap constraints again

 

[BonkTastic]

I wonder if we will have salary cap constraints again

"All signs point to YES"

magiceightball.gif

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

I doubt we'll have any issues signing our RFAs. Methot is a giant maybe (we may not even want him if this mysterious injury stuff keeps up) and I doubt we'll go into free agency unless there's a MacArthur like player available who wants to come here.

 

[Karlsson2Turris*]

Condra is definitely gone, unless he signs for the same cap hit and we get rid of greening somehow.

Still too early on hoffman, and stone to get paid, but I can bet Hoffman is gonna take a 1 year to UFA on the cheap and get outta here, Stone and Zbad are likely going to take bridges.

Methot might stay here, depending if we can move salary out somehow hopefully it being phillips.

I don't see why Hoffman will be so eager to leave when we've been so patient with him throughout his young career (especially early on when it looked like he had NO finish in his game at all)

 

[ottawa]

The last thing this team should do is trade Stone, Zibanejad or any other young talent. We can save money by keeping veterans around that are only on the team on 1 yr. deals.

Stone is turning out to be a stud, sens would be stupid to let him go under any circumstances

 

[operasen]

Going to be interesting for GM to deal with Zibanejad, Hoffman, Stone, Chiasson at the same time as Pageau, Claesson, Prince and the dozen others on the AHL squad, plus Paul and our draftees.

Lot of ground to cover.

Trade deadline - based on our play to date, Methot and Legwand could be dealt along with a few others not on the Top line, Kid line or current D

 

[CTC]

Exactly my point. If we are supposed to be a budget team until the timing is right, we do not have a lot of options next year with RFA's who will want a 1 way contract/salary demands + our high priced UFA in methot.

We have 18 players signed next year at 53mill. We will need to hand out raises and bridge deals + sign methot. We would have 16 mill to sign 6 players. Now I can see us letting Condra go but based on Melynk's expectations does our present roster with +1 year more of experience make us a contender and then justifies us spending in the 65 mill range? I do not think so.

So that means people has to move: I am thinking if we can move Greening/Legwand/Smith that would bring us to 23.5mill under the projected 69 mill cap, we could then sign the RFA's and Methot to bring us close to where we sit now. We would not have a logjam at center and we could have players play their preferred position and then backfill the 4th line with two more AHL players who are on the precipice of breaking out.
Fits the owners expectations and does not allow us to lose players that IMO could not be afforded to lose based on who would take over.

 

[CTC]

Also noting Murray's health does he step aside and allow Dorion to continue the plan or will Melynk bring someone in new and then potentially make significant changes based on their beliefs/values for a hockey team? If murry stays on this year it will set the agenda for the next couple years but if he retires and we get someone new with so much potential change happening this summer we may end up with a very different team, IMO.

 

[Icelevel]

Stone is turning out to be a stud, sens would be stupid to let him go under any circumstances

stone always was a stud and was never going to be traded

 

[operasen]

Exactly my point. If we are supposed to be a budget team until the timing is right, we do not have a lot of options next year with RFA's who will want a 1 way contract/salary demands + our high priced UFA in methot.

We have 18 players signed next year at 53mill. We will need to hand out raises and bridge deals + sign methot. We would have 16 mill to sign 6 players. Now I can see us letting Condra go but based on Melynk's expectations does our present roster with +1 year more of experience make us a contender and then justifies us spending in the 65 mill range? I do not think so.

So that means people has to move: I am thinking if we can move Greening/Legwand/Smith that would bring us to 23.5mill under the projected 69 mill cap, we could then sign the RFA's and Methot to bring us close to where we sit now. We would not have a logjam at center and we could have players play their preferred position and then backfill the 4th line with two more AHL players who are on the precipice of breaking out.
Fits the owners expectations and does not allow us to lose players that IMO could not be afforded to lose based on who would take over.

And if Englund or Wikstrand push for a spot, the D will be quite crowded. Paul, etc on the forward end.

Pageau will need a spot, or we lose him. Puempel should push for one and Prince does not want to be an AHL lifer so he may move on as well. That's another full line with

Puempel - Pageau - Paul/Prince

should replace Michalek and two of the Smith - Legwand - Neil grouping

 

[ottawa]

stone always was a stud and was never going to be traded

I was replying to someone, not implying he would be

 

[operasen]

Interesting to watch this rebuild. We are actually doing it.

Ceci and Lehner last year broke out.
Hoffman, Stone are out this year (with a little time at the end of last year)
Lazar will be outstanding when he finds the net; meantime just drives that line.
Borowiecki has transitioned nicely

Chiasson has potential and is still basically a kid. Same with Zibanejad. Both need to progress this year to the next level. These two are still work in progress to see where they fit in the total picture

Wiercioch is being shut out. But Cowen has found his game.

Next year we will have Puempel, Pageau, Paul, Prince, Robinson and Lindberg pushing for spots; plus Claesson, Englund, Wikstrand and Harper on the D.

Lets say three of them make it, that would be a 50%+ turnover. Quite dramatic rebuild in 3 years. And if we are talking another three next year - will impact the current setup as vets will need to move out to make room.

Given that MacArthur, Turris, Ryan, Karlsson, Anderson are staying along with the kids, the pressure will really be on Smith, Legwand, Michalek, Neil, Phillips and the like to stay relevant.

Without a trade returning a roster player, I see our 2015/16 lineup something like

MacArthur - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - Lazar - Ryan
Smith - Zibanejad - Neil (last year for Smith & Neil)
Puempel - Pageau - Chiasson
Prince
with Robinson as Binghamton call-up; Paul, Lindberg as longshots to stick ala Lazar

Borowiecki - Karlsson
Cowen - Ceci
Claesson - Gryba
Phillips (last year) with Englund, Wideman as call up from Binghamton)

Lehner, Anderson

Gone: Legwand, Condra, Greening, Michalek, Methot, Wiercioch,

 

[Canadian Time]

Interesting to watch this rebuild. We are actually doing it.

Ceci and Lehner last year broke out.
Hoffman, Stone are out this year (with a little time at the end of last year)
Lazar will be outstanding when he finds the net; meantime just drives that line.
Borowiecki has transitioned nicely

Chiasson has potential and is still basically a kid. Same with Zibanejad. Both need to progress this year to the next level. These two are still work in progress to see where they fit in the total picture

Wiercioch is being shut out. But Cowen has found his game.

Next year we will have Puempel, Pageau, Paul, Prince, Robinson and Lindberg pushing for spots; plus Claesson, Englund, Wikstrand and Harper on the D.

Lets say three of them make it, that would be a 50%+ turnover. Quite dramatic rebuild in 3 years. And if we are talking another three next year - will impact the current setup as vets will need to move out to make room.

Given that MacArthur, Turris, Ryan, Karlsson, Anderson are staying along with the kids, the pressure will really be on Smith, Legwand, Michalek, Neil, Phillips and the like to stay relevant.

Without a trade returning a roster player, I see our 2015/16 lineup something like

MacArthur - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - Lazar - Ryan
Smith - Zibanejad - Neil (last year for Smith & Neil)
Puempel - Pageau - Chiasson
Prince
with Robinson as Binghamton call-up; Paul, Lindberg as longshots to stick ala Lazar

Borowiecki - Karlsson
Cowen - Ceci
Claesson - Gryba
Phillips (last year) with Englund, Wideman as call up from Binghamton)

Lehner, Anderson

Gone: Legwand, Condra, Greening, Michalek, Methot, Wiercioch,

Good post. This is indeed how a good rebuild works and it's been fun to watch it unfold. Obviously not every one of those prospects will make the jump forward, but if they do it's a great problem to have.

The only bit I disagree with is that I think Methot will get signed and stay. Teams need some veteran presence and he will become part of the leadership imo.

I like the mix of players that are coming along, hard working with character.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Only way Methot is moved is if we are getting another top 6 forward back. He's still our best LD.

Keep Boro as bottom pair with Gryba, they'll be one of the best in the business and you need that depth to make any noise in the playoffs.

But yes, the roster is coming around nicely. Puempel should be able to be ready to make instant impact next year. Hoffman should have progressed and Paul will be given year in AHL before taking duties in NHL while Pageau should be fully ready to accommodate a role.

Things looking up for Sens indeed.

 

[WhiteLight*]

Clarke MacArthur ($4.650m) - Kyle Turris ($3.500m) - Bobby Ryan ($7.250m)
Mike Hoffman ($2.500m) - Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) - Mark Stone ($2.500m)
Matt Puempel ($0.863m) - Mika Zibanejad ($2.500m) - Alex Chiasson ($2.750m)
Shane Prince ($0.851m) - Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.700m) - Buddy Robinson ($0.925m)
Zack Smith ($1.888m)

Marc Staal ($5.750m) - Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) - Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Fredrik Claesson ($0.800m) - Eric Gryba ($1.250m)
Mark Borowiecki ($1.100m)

Robin Lehner ($2.225m)
Jhonas Enroth ($1.500m)

SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $54,889,667; BONUSES: $1,347,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $14,110,333


Staal could be Sekera or Ehrhoff

If Puempel and/or Prince isn't ready, then keep Michalek and/or sign someone else. If Claesson isn't ready, keep Wiercioch. If Robinson isn't ready, try Schneider or keep Condra. Should have a better idea of all of this at the end of the year

 

[BigBush*]

Clarke MacArthur ($4.650m) - Kyle Turris ($3.500m) - Bobby Ryan ($7.250m)
Mike Hoffman ($2.500m) - Curtis Lazar ($0.894m) - Mark Stone ($2.500m)
Matt Puempel ($0.863m) - Mika Zibanejad ($2.500m) - Alex Chiasson ($2.750m)
Shane Prince ($0.851m) - Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($0.700m) - Buddy Robinson ($0.925m)
Zack Smith ($1.888m)

Marc Staal ($5.750m) - Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Jared Cowen ($3.100m) - Cody Ceci ($0.894m)
Fredrik Claesson ($0.800m) - Eric Gryba ($1.250m)
Mark Borowiecki ($1.100m)

Robin Lehner ($2.225m)
Jhonas Enroth ($1.500m)

SALARY CAP: $69,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $54,889,667; BONUSES: $1,347,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $14,110,333


Staal could be Sekera or Ehrhoff

If Puempel and/or Prince isn't ready, then keep Michalek and/or sign someone else. If Claesson isn't ready, keep Wiercioch. If Robinson isn't ready, try Schneider or keep Condra. Should have a better idea of all of this at the end of the year

Or, how about, maybe the only guy we have a realistic chance of signing, Mark Methot?