News Article: Salary Cap could fall $1.3M, however Bettman projects $71.5M Cap

[sjci]

The most recent alarming news came via David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail, who after speaking with an anonymous NHL Governor, reported that because of the currency hit due to the floundering Canadian dollar, the league will lose roughly $73.61 million dollars off the first year of the 12-year, $5.23-billion Canadian broadcast deal signed with Rogers Media in November, 2013.

Because of the struggling dollar, players are paying a greater share of their revenues into escrow. It is now very possible that the players do not vote for a five percent salary cap escalator – an option protected by the CBA – to limit escrow payments.

“If the players do not exercise the escalator, as is now expected, next season’s salary cap would be $68.1-million (U.S.) based on the NHL’s projections in March, which counted on the Canadian dollar staying at 80 cents,†Shoalts wrote.

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A major loss on the Canadian TV deal for 2014-2015 will have an impact on the salary cap, currently $69-million (U.S.) per team this season. The cap is based on the league’s total hockey-related revenue (HRR), so it’s difficult to estimate the specific effect of the Rogers deal, but based on the league’s own calculations, it could result in a $1.3-million (U.S.) drop per team in the cap for next season.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-as-canadian-dollar-declines/article24040463/

Compensation for RFA's 14-15

Notable RFA's (using NHLNumbers.com)

Stepan, Derek
Hagelin, Carl
Miller, JT
Fast, Jesper
Silfverberg, Jakob
Etem, Emerson
Del Zotto, Michael
Namestnikov, Vladislav
Boedker, Mikkel
Sustr, Andrej
Kuznetsov, Evgeny
Johansson, Marcus
Bennett, Beau
Spooner, Ryan
Hamilton, Dougie
Galchenyuk, Alex
Saad, Brandon
Kruger, Marcus
Toffoli, Tyler
Shore, Nick
Jones, Martin
Nyquist, Gustav
Jurco, Tomas
Tarasenko, Vladimir

This could be the year we see a number of RFA offer sheets, especially if the cap does go down.

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EDIT: Bettman projects Salary Cap number

Click to read more...

 

[Sabre the Win]

Toffoli, Tarensenko and Nyquist strike me as the best candidates for Buffalo since we need depth on the wings, however Derek Stepan could step in as 1C for a year to shelter Eichel as the 2nd line centre or should I say Stepan Stepan.

I'd be willing to give up the other first for at least one of those players, preferably Tarensenko.

 

[Bps21*]

You can't give up the other first in an offer sheet. It has to be your pick that belongs to you.

 

[Sabre the Win]

You can't give up the other first in an offer sheet. It has to be your pick that belongs to you.

Technically they do belong to us tho?

 

[sjci]

You can't give up the other first in an offer sheet. It has to be your pick that belongs to you.

I think he means trade that 1st for an RFA, rather than just offer sheet them

But yeah, don't know why a team would do that, especially if the compensation going to them would be greater than just a 1st. Also the draft picks have to be your own that you send back. So you can't offer sheet a guy, then pick which of our three 3rds or whatever are worse.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Hmm if you guys say so, I don't understand why St Louis or Islanders 1st wouldn't be ours since they were traded to us. They are Sabre property now but if you can't do that then I don't know what I would offer or if it would even be worth it.

 

[dotcommunism]

A team must give up its own draft picks in any offer sheet compensation. Acquired picks cannot be used (unless it's a team re-acquiring picks that originally belonged to them). But aside from that, any offer sheet would have to be after this year's draft, so this year's draft picks are completely irrelevant

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Hmm if you guys say so, I don't understand why St Louis or Islanders 1st wouldn't be ours since they were traded to us. They are Sabre property now but if you can't do that then I don't know what I would offer or if it would even be worth it.

First off, you can't sign any RFA to a contract until after 1 Jul at which time those 1st round picks are either traded or spent. 2nd, the compensation is taken from the year that the contract is signed ie 2015-16 season so the picks are from the 2016 draft unless it involves multiple 1st round picks which are then taken sequentially.

According to the CBA you must have your own originally assigned picks to be used as compensation, meaning Buffalo would have to reacquire its 2nd round pick if trying to offer a RFA contract that reaches that compensation amount.

The reasoning is fairly simple, if you offer a RFA contract and it forces you to forfeit your 1st round pick to the other team, what would preclude you from trading that pick at the deadline for a lesser 1st and pick up additional assets?

 

[Sabre the Win]

Ok thanks for the clarification

 

[Husko]

No interest in a 1st round offer sheet. The second round pick range is tasty though.

 

[Bps21*]

If you already know your team is great offer sheets probably wouldn't phase you...late 1s and all that...

But if you are ****** and need to get better...this is just another closed avenue. You can't throw offer sheets around with your 1 involved when you just posted back to back 50 loss seasons no matter how good you think your 18-21 year old roster can be.

So if you are...say...us... Offer sheeting top RFAs? Nope. Still on no trade clause lists? Yep. Destination for top UFAs? Nope. Thank god they keep changing the lottery rules and odds...you know...to keep things fair for everyone...

 

[Sabre the Win]

Yeah I wouldn't give up 2016 first and the way offer sheeting goes and looking at that list I'm doubtful a lot of those names aren't signed before any offer sheets get thrown out like for Tarensenkos case, I would assume St Louis would shed Oshie and Ott to keep Tarensenko.

 

[TehDoak]

That certainly puts Buffalo is position to do some damage. I still don't think offer sheets are effective (or smart) way to conduct business, but, I do think it will open doors on players teams might not otherwise trade.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

That certainly puts Buffalo is position to do some damage. I still don't think offer sheets are effective (or smart) way to conduct business, but, I do think it will open doors on players teams might not otherwise trade.

The best thing is to offersheet then try to work out a trade to protect next years first.

Either way I dont see it happening. Chances are Buffalo will be looking at a lottery pick next year.

 

[threeVo]

Who on that list doesnt get matched at the 3.3mil APY level though? No one i would be interested in having for that much. The top guys are def getting 6-7 mil from their clubs and i have 0 interest in risking losing multiple 1sts

 

[stokes84]

Offersheets are unlikely, but trades for vets with contracts are much more likely. I look to the Blues first, especially if they lose to Minnesota. Oshie, Berglund and possibly even Backes could be available.

 

[TehDoak]

Offersheets are unlikely, but trades for vets with contracts are much more likely. I look to the Blues first, especially if they lose to Minnesota. Oshie, Berglund and possibly even Backes could be available.

Philly, LA, San Jose all are pretty strapped.

 

[CatsforReinhart]

Philly, LA, San Jose all are pretty strapped.

Buffalo should work out a trade with LA and take Richards off their hands but other then Teffoli their is not much sabres would want that LA would trade.

Would be happy to take Courturier or Simmonds from the Flyers.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Offer sheets are too risky in both compensation value and in terms of GM relations. For Buffalo, with potentially high value picks still on the way, it doesn't make much sense. It wouldn't make any sense to give up top picks in compensation for a C that may only be a placeholder (ie - Stepan). It would only make sense to offer sheet a no-doubt top talent that will be a great player for a max term deal (ie - Toffoli, maybe Tarasenko). Even then the compensation will probably have to include a Buffalo 2nd, which they don't have.

Bottom line is don't expect Murray to bother, despite the possible increase in opportunity. OTOH, Murray may be able to be more active via trade because of the money crunch. Not sure how many truly good players will be made available though, maybe just scraps.

 

[Woodhouse]

Offersheets are unlikely, but trades for vets with contracts are much more likely. I look to the Blues first, especially if they lose to Minnesota. Oshie, Berglund and possibly even Backes could be available.

Philly, LA, San Jose all are pretty strapped.

Yeah, I'm more interested in taking the OP one step further and listing the movable contracts that would free up cap space for those teams to sign their RFA's. Those are the players GM's will be targeting IMO more so than the RFA's.

 

[stokes84]

Looking at LA, vets that they might unload would be Voynov and Richards first. After that, Martinez, Brown, possibly Carter or Gaborik.

Has anyone been following what the deal is with Voynov? Yeah, the guy seems like scum, but hey, he could be a great addition to the defense.

 

[Team Cozens]

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-as-canadian-dollar-declines/article24040463/

Compensation for RFA's 14-15

Notable RFA's (using NHLNumbers.com)

Stepan, Derek
Hagelin, Carl
Miller, JT
Fast, Jesper
Silfverberg, Jakob
Etem, Emerson
Del Zotto, Michael
Namestnikov, Vladislav
Boedker, Mikkel
Sustr, Andrej
Kuznetsov, Evgeny
Johansson, Marcus
Bennett, Beau
Spooner, Ryan
Hamilton, Dougie
Galchenyuk, Alex
Saad, Brandon
Kruger, Marcus
Toffoli, Tyler
Shore, Nick
Jones, Martin
Nyquist, Gustav
Jurco, Tomas
Tarasenko, Vladimir

This could be the year we see a number of RFA offer sheets, especially if the cap does go down.

I like the strategy of going after RFA within the East. This is our competition and we can screw them over. It's not about getting the player as much as making the other team over pay. Montreal, NYR, Boston... Detroit.
IE - Dougie Hamilton is worth $4 million and you offer $6.6

Obviously, you want to have that player and are comfortable paying that salary and giving up that compensation.

Would love Stepan, Galchenyak or Hamilton.

 

[TehDoak]

Yeah, I'm more interested in taking the OP one step further and listing the movable contracts that would free up cap space for those teams to sign their RFA's. Those are the players GM's will be targeting IMO more so than the RFA's.

Philly:

Big RFA's: Del Zotto
No NMC/NTC contracts:
D
McDonald (5M/yr till 2020)
Streit (35+, 5.25M till 2017)
F
Voracek (4.25 UFA in 2016)
Schenn (2.5 M RFA in 2016)
Read (3.625 till 2018)
Couturier (1.7 M till 2016)

Albatross contract(s):

Lecavalier (4.5 M till 2018, NMC/NTC)
Umberger (4.6 M till 2017, NTC)


With trading Coburn and likely pending Pronger relief, they have gotten themselves SOME space, however, the D situation is a murky puddled mess.

 

[Djp]

Toffoli, Tarensenko and Nyquist strike me as the best candidates for Buffalo since we need depth on the wings, however Derek Stepan could step in as 1C for a year to shelter Eichel as the 2nd line centre or should I say Stepan Stepan.

I'd be willing to give up the other first for at least one of those players, preferably Tarensenko.

Don't forget about Saad.

 

[old kummelweck]

Oh man.... that's the writing on the wall for the Blackhawks, Bruins, Kings, Lightning and Canucks.

Why shoot for offer sheets? You may be able to get a guy like P. Kane or Krejci via young assets.