Speculation: Islanders incoming cap crunch

[majormajor]

After this offseason's bonuses,
Boychuk is $5.25m total spread over two years.
Ladd is $9m total spread over three years.
Both can be bought out for 2/3 of that cost.

So it does make sense that these two would be moved to a non-cap team. But the price to unload this offseason might be brutal. Many teams are looking to unload. Last year unloading Marleau's $6m cost the Leafs a first rounder. So what's the price to unload $14.25m?

 

[Gurglesons]

Your situation is much, much, much different.

No it isn’t. Tampa’s cap is much easier to navigate given the value of the players they have. I remember people were saying Gourde was a cap dump.

Isles will need to gut their defensive depth if they want to move out pieces. Luckily Dobson looks good.

 

[Gurglesons]

Curious - why would Barzal ever sign a two year contract? Everyone knows how good he is and what he brings.

Because he gets closer to UFA and still probably gets like 8 mil on a two year deal.

 

[DropTheGloves]

After this offseason's bonuses,
Boychuk is $5.25m total spread over two years.
Ladd is $9m total spread over three years.
Both can be bought out for 2/3 of that cost.

So it does make sense that these two would be moved to a non-cap team. But the price to unload this offseason might be brutal. Many teams are looking to unload. Last year unloading Marleau's $6m cost the Leafs a first rounder. So what's the price to unload $14.25m?

If Ladd is put on LTIR due to his knees, that leaves Boychuk to buy out or trade ($5.25M in real money) and maybe even a third player is moved. I don't see it costing them a first to do it though.

 

[seabass45]

After this offseason's bonuses,
Boychuk is $5.25m total spread over two years.
Ladd is $9m total spread over three years.
Both can be bought out for 2/3 of that cost.

So it does make sense that these two would be moved to a non-cap team. But the price to unload this offseason might be brutal. Many teams are looking to unload. Last year unloading Marleau's $6m cost the Leafs a first rounder. So what's the price to unload $14.25m?

Just FYI: buyout cap cost is rough for both of these guys, according to Capfriendly at least. It's front-loaded in the first years so it ends up not being worth it if the issue is getting under the cap.

 

[majormajor]

Just FYI: buyout cap cost is rough for both of these guys, according to Capfriendly at least. It's front-loaded in the first years so it ends up not being worth it if the issue is getting under the cap.

Yes, I think the buyout would be a consideration only for a non-cap team looking to pick up assets in exchange for taking on Ladd and/or Boychuk.

 

[seabass45]

Worth noting that Boychuk played 64 regular season games this season (missing a few after taking a skate to the face), was in their first playoff game lineup and got bounced due to a probable concussion. He didn't come back until late against the Lightning because the Isles were doing fine with Greene. Depending on what happens with the cap crunch, he *could* be in our regular lineup next season, and I'm not as nervous about that as I was when he first signed this deal. I would put him behind Pulock, Mayfield, and Dobson but he can still play, it's not a Ladd situation.

That doesn't mean teams will be lining up to make something work but it's a situation where the Isles might be able to do something creative (like the Schneider trade mentioned earlier).

 

[seabass45]

So what does an overpay look like? 2nd + B/C prospect? Just trying to get an idea

I'm open to trading Cizikas and this sounds good, even though I honestly have no idea what other teams might propose. Hard to figure out the value of heart-and-soul guys who make life a living hell for other teams, kill penalties, and score zero goals in the playoffs.

 

[mrinsane]

Leddy and Cizikas to Detroit or Edmonton

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I kind of feel like one of the big problems about retaining Boychuk is that we're at the stage where Dobson simply has to start getting more shifts on that right side.

It's time for him to not only be our future, but start to be more of our near future as well.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The Ladd and Boychuk contracts are the two bigger issues. Ladd in particular. If Lou can somehow get rid of those two, suddenly that's decent space cleared.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don’t know... Devils fans how about Boychuck for Schneider? Same cap hit, but less salary.

Boychuck is absolutely still a contributing player (still a top six, great shot and terrific teammate). I apologize sincerely if I’m misreading the situation but Schneider looks done.

Isles buyout Schneider and end-up paying about the same salary wise as retaining Boychuck, but convert the cap hit to 2-mil per for four years.

I could see this happening, Cory sure looks done and it would make sense to trade him to another team for a contract that too unpleasant for them to buyout because of bonuses.

 

[Forge]

I don’t know... Devils fans how about Boychuck for Schneider? Same cap hit, but less salary.

Boychuck is absolutely still a contributing player (still a top six, great shot and terrific teammate). I apologize sincerely if I’m misreading the situation but Schneider looks done.

Isles buyout Schneider and end-up paying about the same salary wise as retaining Boychuck, but convert the cap hit to 2-mil per for four years.

I'd do that as a devils fan

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

I'd do that as a devils fan

It makes sense from both teams' perspectives in my opinion.

 

[Djp]

If Schneider is considered injured you can’t buy him out

 

[teddygmr]

Leddy and Cizikas to Detroit or Edmonton

actually Leddy would be a great fit in Edmonton!

 

[My3Sons]

I have a hard time seeing Lou acquire a player for the purpose of buying him out. I also think this is a meh deal with only a small incremental usage improvement and a savings of a few dollars for NJ. Sure it’s something but the sort of deal you settle for if nothing else works out and given this would help the NYI more I’d expect NJ to ask for a late draft pick as a sweetener.

 

[Whileee]

I have not seen 1 NYI fan post suggesting Leddy ($5.5m), would return a top prospect. i have read suggestions saying a 2nd & 3rd or 2 second rounders.
I think LHD Leddy or RHD Boychuk are the most likely to go.

Cizikas ( $3.5m) is a ufa next summer.
Clutterbuck & Uncle's Leo each have 2 yrs/ $7m left and would require a sweetner to move.
Bailey ($5m) is having a strong postseason, which can only help if the isles do decide to try and move him.
Ladd ($5.5m), spent much of the season riding the buses in Bridgeport. Now that the July 2020 signing bonuses have been paid, Ladd has 3 yrs/$9m in actual cash left. Would Ladd prefer riding the ahl buses for the next 3 yrs or LTIR? Will Lou offer a high pick to a cap fl team to take Ladd or Boychuk's ($5.5m-$6m) cap hit?
I see plenty of wiggle room to free up salary.

Below is a link to Barzal's April 2020 comments, where he says he expects to sign a new NYI contract. And if anyone is watching Barzal's recent bubble playoff interviews, where he says how he and his teammates are loving the bubble experience, you get an idea of how tight this Isles group is.So long as the isles treat Barzal/Pulock fairly and don't sour them on the organization...I expect both to sign.


Barzal feels he'll sign with Islanders, hasn't had talks during pause
"To be honest with you guys, I don't think there's been too much communication, and not because there's anything negative or anything, it's just [general manager Lou Lamoriello is] getting ready for a playoff run right now, and I'm still worried about this season as well," Barzal said Friday. "I'm not too too worried about it, just because I don't think the season is over yet. I think we're still going to be playing.
"There's bigger things we've got to worry about right now in terms of heading to the [Stanley Cup] Playoffs this year. But at the same time, whenever we're ready to sit down and get it done, I'd love for that to happen. At the same time, I'm not a person that's just going to rush this thing or get nervous about it or whatever. I'm just going about my day, and it'll happen when it happens."
Lamoriello said last month the Islanders would match an offer sheet if Barzal were to sign one.
"My first year, we weren't in the playoffs I think with 11 or 12 games left. It was really no fun. You just really didn't have a sense of competitiveness, whereas being in the playoff fight the last two years has been a blast for me and my teammates. I was pretty confident we were still going to make the playoffs."

The Isles can't just LTIR Ladd for convenience. If he is able to play, they need to either have him in the roster or bury him in the AhL, which saves them a small amount of cap space.

 

[hotpaws]

The Isles can't just LTIR Ladd for convenience. If he is able to play, they need to either have him in the roster or bury him in the AhL, which saves them a small amount of cap space.

he wouldn't be the first player to be put on LTIR for "convenience" and it shouldn't be too hard to find a medical condition at Ladd's age and the physical type of game he played

 

[CREW99AW]

The Isles can't just LTIR Ladd for convenience. If he is able to play, they need to either have him in the roster or bury him in the AhL, which saves them a small amount of cap space.

He has had back surgery and surgery on both knees.
He spent much of this past season buried in the ahl.
He has not given the isles even 1 good season in his yrs on LI,so I expect he will be stashed in the ahl to save $ if the isles are unable to move him.
Then it will be up to him to decide between the ahl or LTIR.

 

[hotpaws]

He has had back surgery and surgery on both knees.
He spent much of this past season buried in the ahl.
He has not given the isles even 1 good season in his yrs on LI,so I expect he will be stashed in the ahl to save $ if the isles are unable to move him.
Then it will be up to him to decide between the ahl or LTIR.

Lou made the same offer to Robidas and Lupul in Toronto when he no longer wanted them on the roster ,

 

[danteipp]

Lou made the same offer to Robidas and Lupul in Toronto when he no longer wanted them on the roster ,

It seems like a rather straightforward decision. Ladd simply cannot play at the NHL level anymore, given his physical issues, and he could barely stay healthy while getting frequent rest and time off in the AHL against lesser competition.

He can either head to LTIR for the upcoming season and make his full salary while being with his family or maybe being groomed for a role in the Isles front office, if that is an avenue he wants to pursue, or he can hang out in the AHL and ride the buses around the Northeast.

Given his litany of injuries, I assume he would fail a standard physical and can be deemed unfit to play. I am sure Lou has a doctor in mind for that job.

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

Senile Lou will suffer his moronic contract signings now. Nobody is going to be taking his crappy contracts to bail him out.

 

[Merrrlin]

Unfortunately they moved all their picks which would have made trading Ladd/Boychuk much easier.

 

[Pure Slaughter Value]

Senile Lou will suffer his moronic contract signings now. Nobody is going to be taking his crappy contracts to bail him out.

That's funny considering the players with contract problems needing to be moved weren't signed by Lou.