Speculation: Over CAP teams discussion

[Jetsetter]

The start of season is not that far away. With a number of teams over the cap, you'd think that these GM's who've played the patient route on pulling the trigger on making those painful decisions are going to be in a increasingly pressure packed situations. If those GM's with cap space play their cards hard, this might get very interesting over the next few weeks.

An interesting thought for teams just below the cap can add draft picks and medium talented prospects to swoop down to upgrade their top 6 forwards or 4 to 6 top dmen. They may be able to out manoeuvre the non-playoff teams for older very talented players.

What do you think your team can put together to upgrade your team talent over the next few weeks?

Click to read more...

 

[Schemp]

LTIR on several of these teams.

 

[10Ducky10]

Teams can pick up Hoffman for free and probably on a short deal if need be.

Although, I'd love to see Chevy make a deal for a bona fide 1RHD.

 

[TGWL]

Teams are waiting on NHL to finalize this season before making bad panic decisions.

 

[Ledge And Dairy]

Teams are waiting on NHL to finalize this season before making bad panic decisions.

This ^

Until GM's know when the season ends they dont know if any of rheir players are out the entire season or not. For example; Ben Bishop is out until some time in April, if the regular season also ends around the same time they can choose to use that LTIR cap space now.

 

[McJedi]

Patience isn’t a virtue anymore. NHL doesn’t have a schedule. Doesn’t even know if they can play in Canada.

not sure the league will start on January 13th. Until this stuff is settled, I can’t see this over the cap teams making decisions to buy cap space.

the Rangers were very smart to dump staal when they did. Detroit blew that deal. Could have waited longer for a better package. Nice first mover advantage for NYR.

Tampa tried with waiving Johnson, but teams knew they’d be able to extract assets from Tampa to do so.

 

[Byrddog]

Teams are waiting on NHL to finalize this season before making bad panic decisions.

While this has been true today is the last best chance before camp to get anything done. Next week is toast with the holidays after today nothing gets done until after new years and most report to camp on the 3rd. And yes all of this hinges on travel in Canada but Do not count Buttman out here. If he has to move teams to the US to start the season there are more than enough sheets of ice to get that done especially since there will be no fans in seats. Unless the BOG shuts him down the season will start on Jan 13 for the good or bad. He browbeat the players association into submission and will do the same with the BOG unless they fire him.

 

[My3Sons]

I think you will see a flurry of LTIR moves once we know a season will actually happen. If VGK couldn’t get any takers m MAF with a second and Johnson went unclaimed for free teams with cap problems have to realize it won’t be easy to move cap so they will do anything possible to bury it. Even if sending a guy down to the minors only saves about one million ona bigger contract if the team can do that and have one less roster player I wouldn’t be surprised to a bit of that to shave a few cap dollars. Teams will put themselves at something of a competitive disadvantage rather than expend real assets to move cap so the GMs of those teams can avoid embarrassment. Let’s face it, the GMs are probably more interested in keeping their jobs than actually winning.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Leafs will just send a couple guys down

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Patience isn’t a virtue anymore. NHL doesn’t have a schedule. Doesn’t even know if they can play in Canada.

not sure the league will start on January 13th. Until this stuff is settled, I can’t see this over the cap teams making decisions to buy cap space.

the Rangers were very smart to dump staal when they did. Detroit blew that deal. Could have waited longer for a better package. Nice first mover advantage for NYR.

Tampa tried with waiving Johnson, but teams knew they’d be able to extract assets from Tampa to do so.

Detroit needed to know they could land an okay defenseman in Staal to help for planning what they did in FA. They didn't blow anything. Rangers got a cheap price by going first... but the Wings actually have a need for the dump piece they are taking too. A lot of the panic moves that might happen prior to the season are going to be "This is highly discounted, let's jump on it".

 

[HBK27]

Which teams still need to make moves to get under the cap?

The best analysis I've seen on the situation was Mirtle's article from two months ago, but obviously things have changed:

The NHL's salary cap crunch: How much do all 31 teams have left to spend?

Tampa is obviously the elephant in the room and needs to shed the most salary.

Mirtle also had two other teams in cap hell at the time - Vegas (post Nate Schmidt trade) & the Islanders. Vegas is currently listed as being over by $974K with only a 21 man roster, so it appears they'll need to make a move. Lehner is coming off surgery, but expected to be ready for camp, so I don't think having him start the season on LTIR is part of the solution.

The Islanders currently have $3.9M in cap space plus can now use Boychuk's $6.0M LTIR, so looking at basically $9.9M of cap space to work with to sign Barzal & fill out 2 other spots in the 23 man roster, so they seem to be OK.

Mirtle also listed 9 teams as being very close to the cap: Toronto, Montreal, Washington, St. Louis, Calgary, Colorado, Vancouver, Arizona, Buffalo. It looks like several of these teams could start the season cap compliant, but wouldn't be able to field a full 23-man roster. Montreal, for example, is projected to have less than $400K in cap space with just a 21-man roster.

So are Tampa and Vegas the only 2 teams that still absolutely MUST make a move to get under the cap or are there any others?

 

[Altimus]

Leafs will just send a couple guys down

You've been Bracco'd

 

[BruinsBtn]

Teams are undoubtedly waiting to figure out how rosters are going to work with extra players and who will count against the game and who won't. Along with any possible changes to waivers.

 

[YP44]

taxi squads and expanded rosters will help alot of clubs

 

[themelkman]

taxi squads and expanded rosters will help alot of clubs

From what they are saying, the expanded rosters will only allowed to be 1.4 mil in a single players caphit. This is the number that can normally be buried in the AHL. This prevents teams like Tampa just sending guys like Johnson to the taxi roster to get cap savings

 

[Fogelhund]

Teams are undoubtedly waiting to figure out how rosters are going to work with extra players and who will count against the game and who won't. Along with any possible changes to waivers.

taxi squads and expanded rosters will help alot of clubs

This is pretty much the whole current story. Until teams understand what the rules of the Cap game are this year, including taxi squads, how the taxi squad counts against the cap, or not, waivers, etc... I doubt any big moves, or signings will be made. Hopefully the NHL figures out everything soon, including Canadian Division, if they will play, what the rules will be, and so on.

 

[Lacaar]

When you factor in LTIR etc. Which teams are really in a position where they have to do something? Like something a bit drastic or whatnot.. I guess I consider drastic when 1st rounders are involved to unload salary.

Tampa and Vegas(if Lehner Healthy to start season)?

Usually it's wow how are they gonna get under the cap.. and then they do.. and it's not even terribly exciting how they do it.
Someone comes down with gingivitis or something.

 

[Fatass]

taxi squads and expanded rosters will help alot of clubs

Yup, those taxi squad rosters will help a lot for sure. I’m wondering if the players on the expanded roster (over the 23) will get their NHL salary, or their AHL salary? And I’m guessing 23 players will count against the cap, and the rest of the taxi squad guys (23-30 maybe?) won’t?

 

[Fatass]

When you factor in LTIR etc. Which teams are really in a position where they have to do something? Like something a bit drastic or whatnot.. I guess I consider drastic when 1st rounders are involved to unload salary.

Tampa and Vegas(if Lehner Healthy to start season)?

Usually it's wow how are they gonna get under the cap.. and then they do.. and it's not even terribly exciting how they do it.
Someone comes down with gingivitis or something.

Or the teams paper players, who don’t need waivers, down to the AHL for one day.

 

[drw02]

Patience isn’t a virtue anymore. NHL doesn’t have a schedule. Doesn’t even know if they can play in Canada.

not sure the league will start on January 13th. Until this stuff is settled, I can’t see this over the cap teams making decisions to buy cap space.

the Rangers were very smart to dump staal when they did. Detroit blew that deal. Could have waited longer for a better package. Nice first mover advantage for NYR.

Tampa tried with waiving Johnson, but teams knew they’d be able to extract assets from Tampa to do so.

Wings could've maybe extracted a little more value but it's a 1 year dump at less actual salary than the cap hit and Rangers weren't nearly as desperate as some of these other teams are. And Yzerman has stated he sees some value in Staal, we'll see how that works out but can see how it made some sense from his pov

 

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

We will see some more cases of Hossariasis and Lundqvistiosis before the season starts.

Especially in the hot cities like Tampa, Phoenix and Vegas.

 

[57special]

When players like Hoffman, Granlund, and Haula are available for free, and probably at bargain prices, I don't see it being easy for teams like TBL to move guys Palat and Johnson.

Those saying that teams just have to LTIR... can't teams get in trouble with the league unless the player in question is actually injured? Otherwise, teams like MN will be LTIR guys like Parise for the final 3-4 years of his contract when his actual salary is a pittance.

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

Feels like the only team that needs to worry is Tampa Bay. Even for them they can move Killorn and easily be under the cap it’s more a matter of getting their RFA’s signed.

Arizona - LTIR Hossa

Vancouver - LTIR Ferland or waive 2 players if he’s healthy.

St. Louis - LTIR Steen

Washington - LTIR Lundqvist

Vegas - LTIR Lehner and waive one player once he’s healthy.

Anaheim - LTIR Kesler

Winnipeg - LTIR Little

Edmonton - LTIR Klembolm

New York Islanders - LTIR Boychuk

 

[Advanced stats]

Next week is toast with the holidays after today nothing gets done until after new years

You actually believe the league and PA won't talk next week? You realize most people are working a good chunk of next week, and especially the NHL and PA, trying to hash out a plan.

I'd imagine they'll talk all weekend and get something planned by Wednesday or so

 

[Byrddog]

You actually believe the league and PA won't talk next week? You realize most people are working a good chunk of next week, and especially the NHL and PA, trying to hash out a plan.

I'd imagine they'll talk all weekend and get something planned by Wednesday or so

I was not referring to the union and league talking about getting a start to the season. The issue for Tampa now is teams waiting for those talks to resolve and some certainty before the last handful of teams lock there rosters in. Currently there are two teams that Tampa can deal with Detroit and New Jersey and neither are going to pull a trigger on a deal until they are sure there is a season coming. And this also hinges on the players agreeing to waive the NTC's for those teams. When we signed Sergichev I felt sure there was another deal in place but it appears there never was or it fell apart.