Superstars like Gaudreau rarely hit free agency. And players of the caliber of Tkachuk usually are not traded. This has been a strange FA period though I have generally been happy with what Francis has done. I like the Burkavosky addition but am not too sure about Schultz, yet. The other adds were just cheap depth signings on 1 year deals.
I prefer not to take on players like Klingberg unless they agree to a 2 year deal. I have no interest in Kessel (defensive liability) or Kadri (too expensive, old and not a need since drafting Wright).
I am interested in someone like JVR who is on an expiring contract, still useful and should land us assets from Philly to take that contract on. Any similar players that teams with cap issues (TML, TBL, etc.) want to offload are what we should entertain. Some teams are looking to create cap space to sign Klingberg or Kadri, trade/extend Tkachuk, and those are also teams we can hopefully make deals with for useful players/assets.
I don't necessarily care about us using this cap space to make us better this season but more about gaining picks/prospects for using some of that cap space. We don't have any big contract renewals coming up next season either (I have an inkling one of Soucy/Dunn is moved this TDL), so taking on a 2-year cap dump (for really good assets) is something we can entertain.
The cap space is supposed to go up again in 2024-25, when Beniers next contract will kick in, and by then, we will have Schultz, Wennberg, Donskoi, Eberle all off the books (potentially even earlier if they are traded).
I am hoping that players like Eberle, Donskoi, Soucy, Wennberg have solid seasons not just because I want our team to do well but also because I want them to get positive trade value since I am not convinced these players are part of our future when we actually get competitive. If we can flip them between this TDL to the next, it could set us up really well.
1) Schultz was a guy they brought in as a cheaper/lesser version of Klingberg who can move the puck a bit and is a natural RHD.
I don't expect much of him(besides 3rd pairing duties and the odd point here and there), but it's just better overall to stay away from handing out huge deals to nearly 30 year olds.
Though; I'm not sure why you don't talk to Carolina and offer them a 3rd or 4th round pick for the rights of Ethan Bear, who fits that bill as well and also fits way better age wise.
2) JVR.
I think that ship has sailed as the Flyers don't have to move him anymore given that those free agency prices aren't available to them anymore.
I'm also not interested in him and his cap hit if there isn't a very nice incentive included as well.
3) Yeah, spending to the cap doesn't make too much sense for us, given where the team is right now, and it would also take a way the possibility of gaining something while other teams need to offload salary or a player they can't sign.
So yeah to gaining more picks using our cap space.
4) I'm not sure how much cap space we'll have in two years.
We're currently at around $8.5 - $9M in cap space and that without Geekie being resigned etc.
I just hope we keep the flexibility like we've got right now with contracts running out at the moment we've got to resign our younger guys.
5) Well, yeah.
You always want your guys to do well so the team plays well, the fans have (way more)fun than last season and those players got some value around the league.
BTW: Talking about having cap space and, right now, not spending to the cap.
I watched a video by the HockeyGuy today and according to capfriendly we have currently
- 8 teams over the cap
- 3 teams with less than $1M cap space
- 9 tams with between $1M to $5M cap space
Meaning that 20 out of 32 teams are currently either over the cap or, best case between $1 - $5M under the cap.
And even with LTIR something will have to give until the start of the season.