Salary Cap: Erik Johnson

[Andrew Wiggin]

New to the boards but have been watching hockey seriously for the last 7 or 8 years. I just was thinking between cap flexibility and the upcoming expansion draft would the Avs ever consider a buyout for Erik Johnson? He is still a serviceable defenseman but he stopped providing top line production (not just points) it seems as early as last year and if it was just salary cap I am sure the Avs could carry the cap hit for the production but if he doesn't waive his NMC there is the expansion draft to consider. What are the optics in these situations for the rest of the team if this is a serious option? Thoughts?

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[Patagonia]

New to the boards but have been watching hockey seriously for the last 7 or 8 years. I just was thinking between cap flexibility and the upcoming expansion draft would the Avs ever consider a buyout for Erik Johnson? He is still a serviceable defenseman but he stopped providing top line production (not just points) it seems as early as last year and if it was just salary cap I am sure the Avs could carry the cap hit for the production but if he doesn't waive his NMC there is the expansion draft to consider. What are the optics in these situations for the rest of the team if this is a serious option? Thoughts?

I just don’t believe a buyout is necessary. He’s a leader for the AVs and many speculate waiving his NMC to protect a youngster. His age and contract, unlikely to be selected for the XDraft.

 

[TheRarestDangles]

Erik Johnson is a true Av. He's our longest tenured player and stayed with the team through all the dark years. I hope he stays and wins with us, because he deserves it.

 

[ETTHAKING67]

No he should stay, he brings more than points with his leadership and defence. One of our only player who can stop the cycle. We the buyout we would still have is salary against our cap and we would need to sign someone to replace him as well.

 

[Freudian]

It's only going to be an issue if he refuses to waive his NTC before the expansion draft. Avs might have t buy him out if that is the case, so they can protect the players they want.

His cap hit is manageable.

 

[McMetal]

I'm not worried about the salary. 6m isn't as much now as it was when the deal was signed, and with cheap defensive talent in Timmins and Byram on the way we can afford to pay a 5/6D that much for the remainder of the deal.

The expansion draft is the wild card. People say we can just ask him to waive but nobody really knows what his answer will be until the protection list comes out. I don't know if Sakic would buy him out: EJ is not a mercenary like Beauchemin and it remains to be seen if he's ruthless enough to buy out a player like that just to save a certain player. We're going to lose someone good no matter what.

 

[Avs9296]

I agree with the rest here. We don't necessarily need him off the team, his cap hit is manageable for now with the cheap d talent coming thru (Makar, Byram, Timmins, Graves, G already locked long term).

What we do need from him is to allow us to expose him in the expansion draft. He won't get picked with his age and contract anyways but it will allow us to keep another one of our better players.

Will EJ risk that though? Will Joe even ask him? We'll see...

 

[TruePowerSlave]

If EJ doesn't waive he needs to go. Protecting a 6 million bottom pairing veteran is absolute madness, it would mean both Graves and Timmins will go unprotected.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Erik Johnson is a true Av. He's our longest tenured player and stayed with the team through all the dark years. I hope he stays and wins with us, because he deserves it.

as a bottom pairing D with limited ice time and responsibility I agree

 

[garno]

Sakic can make a deal with Seattle like take Jost and we give you a pick...... So we don’t lose any of our young D

 

[Bubba Thudd]

Sakic can make a deal with Seattle like take Jost and we give you a pick...... So we don’t lose any of our young D

And Seattle can say, "No thanks, we'd prefer that defenseman you left unprotected."

 

[RoyIsALegend]

He turns 32 next month. It’s just scary to think he will be getting this salary for 4 years.

In 2023, he will be 35 years old collecting $6m from us.

That’s a buyout if I’ve ever seen one.

 

[Hasbro]

He's just a place holder for MacKinnon's raise.

 

[SaltySkywalker]

He turns 32 next month. It’s just scary to think he will be getting this salary for 4 years.

In 2023, he will be 35 years old collecting $6m from us.

That’s a buyout if I’ve ever seen one.

Hopefully we've won the cup by then so it'll be easier for all to swallow when we have to let him go.

 

[McMetal]

If EJ doesn't waive he needs to go. Protecting a 6 million bottom pairing veteran is absolute madness, it would mean both Graves and Timmins will go unprotected.

We can still only lose one of them. The fact is, a player we don't want to lose is going to be selected no matter what we do. Whether that's Nuke, Timmins, Graves, whoever, there's just no way to protect all of our valuable players this time around.

 

[member 149439]

And Seattle can say, "No thanks, we'd prefer that defenseman you left unprotected."

But it’s Jost lol he’s beloved round here. That must show you how much upside some think he has.

jk just jumping on some Jost bash bus

 

[Pokecheque]

Whatever the case the day he leaves will be a sad day for a guy who gave the team his all and then some and had to endure the franchise's darkest year, and probably won't be around to enjoy the spoils.

I foresee a number of ways this could play out, some are possible, others are unlikely, and a couple have virtually no chance of happening. Thankfully Decision Day is still quite a ways away. Nothing needs to be done until after the end of the 2020-2021 season. But then...

1. He just up and retires. That'd be ideal for the club as then they don't have to pay him and the cap hit comes clean off the books. But no way will he just walk away from what will be $12 million at that point. No way this one happens.
2. Sakic trades him to a team not on his no-trade list, or a team ON that list and EJ just agrees to waive. I don't see this one happening either, not without Sakic adding something to it in order to make it more enticing, and that's even more unlikely. I mean...RHD are always decent value in the league but I still don't see anyone agreeing to take on that contract, not without added incentive. MAYBE something happens if the Avs agree to retain, like, a third of the salary, but I still don't see it happening. This scenario also has the chance to play out kinda ugly on the public stage.
3. He gets sent to Robidas Island and "retires" on LTIR. That presents some maneuvering as his cap hit essentially becomes "dead money" at that point. This is the only way I see him getting all of the $12 million owed to him. I don't see this one happening, but it's possible. He'd also have to agree to waive his NMC, but I doubt it'd be a problem at that point, and no way will Seattle want him then.
4. He waives his NMC, the expansion draft happens, he gets passed over, and he plays out the rest of his contract and either moves elsewhere or retires. I don't see this one happening either as the Avs will be hurting for cap room sooner rather than later and that's a pretty big cap hit for what will then be a #6 defenseman...if that.
5. He gets bought out in 2021, which carries a $2 million cap hit for the next four years. There's obvious drawbacks to this scenario, but I think it's the most likely to happen.

 

[Raucherhusten]

There is no way in hell that Sakic will ever kick EJ off the team. He will kick himself out before he does that to EJ. And rightfully so.

And whoever thinks that Sakic would do that is simply out of his/her mind.

 

[Pokecheque]

There is no way in hell that Sakic will ever kick EJ off the team. He will kick himself out before he does that to EJ. And rightfully so.

And whoever thinks that Sakic would do that is simply out of his mind.

We'll see. Sakic had the luxury in the past of there being pretty low stakes when dealing with players, such as when he dealt away Alex Tanguay. They're much, much higher now. I think Joe will always try to do right by his players, but he's not going to jeopardize a legitimate chance at a Stanley Cup in order to do so. If EJ continues to decline at the rate he's currently at, there's going to be some tough decisions forthcoming.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

We can still only lose one of them. The fact is, a player we don't want to lose is going to be selected no matter what we do. Whether that's Nuke, Timmins, Graves, whoever, there's just no way to protect all of our valuable players this time around.

That still doesn't change the fact EJ should not be protected in the expansion draft.

I would just buy him out no matter what tbh. 6 mil for a bottom pairing guy, no thanks. Even the buyout is team friendly. However, the Avs probably have other ideas.

They are still feeding him way too much ice time this season just because EJ used to be the teams #1D, there is no excuse why he avarages the 2nd most minutes on the team.

 

[Pokecheque]

That still doesn't change the fact EJ should not be protected in the expansion draft.

I would just buy him out no matter what tbh. 6 mil for a bottom pairing guy, no thanks. Even the buyout is team friendly. However, the Avs probably have other ideas.

They are still feeding him way too much ice time this season just because EJ used to be the teams #1D, there is no excuse why he avarages the 2nd most minutes on the team.

If there's a way for them to somehow clear the cap hit completely without it costing too much in terms of assets they should explore that avenue first.

I honestly don't see how they do that though, they'd basically have to find a GM dumb enough to take on that contract and then convince him to do it.

 

[FreshFitted67]

Trade him @ 33% retained. That's the same as a buyout because it costs us 2m per season, but in this case we might get an asset or two out of the deal.

At 4m I think there are some teams willing to take on a veteran defender, think Ron Hainsey for example.

Then we can protect somebody young

 

[Sea Eagles]

Leadership, grit, culture, drive...keep him as long as we can.

 

[MonsterMack]

Leadership, grit, culture, drive...keep him as long as we can.

Are the names of each leg of EJ's walker. The guy is done.

 

[ThatAvsGamer]

6m for a guy who doesn't produce much and isn't that good of a shutdown d man?

Hopefully he doesn't stay and is asked waive his NMC for the expansion