Proposal: Vancouver cap relief from Buffalo

[Forge]

Isn't Buffalo already not in a great spot money wise given they apparently have given themselves an internal cap?

 

[Dirty Dog]

Why not take Eichel and Dahlin too?

 

[Johnsie19]

Virtanen is "elite"?

Elite skillset. His mix of size and speed is in the top 5% of the league. Decent shot too. Not elite now, but a potential game breaker if he can develop a little.

 

[Johnsie19]

Buffalo is reported to have an internal cap in the low $70s. They aren't taking cap dumps. Every dollar they save now means one more dollar they can spend later.

Any cap dump during the pandemic is going to cost a lot more than normal. And the making the cap floor argument is BS. Buffalo has 10 players signed for $47 million. They can easily make the floor by filling out the rest of the roster.

You're missing that Eriksson's actual salary amounts to 5 mil over two yrs (2.5 per). His cap hit is 6. He could save a team money who just want to get to the cap floor.

 

[Stimpythecat]

You're missing that Eriksson's actual salary amounts to 5 mil over two yrs (2.5 per). His cap hit is 6. He could save a team money who just want to get to the cap floor.

And you're missing the fact that Buffalo will have no trouble getting to the cap floor. They have 10 players signed for just over $47 million. A full roster of 13 more players and $13.1 million needed to get to the cap floor.

That cap floor argument is bunk.

 

[Johnsie19]

And you're missing the fact that Buffalo will have no trouble getting to the cap floor. They have 10 players signed for just over $47 million. A full roster of 13 more players and $13.1 million needed to get to the cap floor.

That cap floor argument is bunk.

It's not an argument it's just something to consider. It also makes sense just in the sense of weaponizing the cap space you have. The 6 mil cap hit doesn't really hurt Buffalo at all especially when you consider they wouldn't be paying that. So then it just comes down to what assets can you get for this exchange. Virtanen has good upside and draft picks are always welcome no matter what team you are.

 

[Satanphonehome]

You're missing that Eriksson's actual salary amounts to 5 mil over two yrs (2.5 per). His cap hit is 6. He could save a team money who just want to get to the cap floor.

And this is why the Sabres (and other teams in a similar situation) might tolerate Eriksson. They want to cut salary, not cap.
If the Sabres have an internal salary budget of $72 million and Erickson's salary is $1 million, then they can probably absorb his cap hit of $6 million under the cushion their salary budget gives them under the $81 million cap.

That said, the OP's ask is slanted too much to Vancouver

Eriksson, Demko and Virtanen for Montour and Hutton

 

[Stimpythecat]

It's not an argument it's just something to consider. It also makes sense just in the sense of weaponizing the cap space you have. The 6 mil cap hit doesn't really hurt Buffalo at all especially when you consider they wouldn't be paying that. So then it just comes down to what assets can you get for this exchange. Virtanen has good upside and draft picks are always welcome no matter what team you are.

You're the one that brought it up as a reason for Buffalo to do the cap dump when making the cap floor is irrelevant for buffalo.

His cap hit is 6. He could save a team money who just want to get to the cap floor.

No team except for maybe ottawa is going to have trouble hitting the cap floor.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

If a team can weaponize cap and get something good out of the deal it’s worth at the very least to listen... it’s one thing If it’s just eriksson straight up (nobody in their right mind would go for that). The other team could also offload a player who’s over stayed their welcome too (ie Canucks take back some wasted cap space or eat salary, etc.) These situations are best suited for teams who are rebuilding/ cheaper owners/ don’t foresee spending to cap in next 2 seasons.

 

[tsujimoto74]

It's not an argument it's just something to consider. It also makes sense just in the sense of weaponizing the cap space you have. The 6 mil cap hit doesn't really hurt Buffalo at all especially when you consider they wouldn't be paying that. So then it just comes down to what assets can you get for this exchange. Virtanen has good upside and draft picks are always welcome no matter what team you are.

It could very well hurt next year when Dahlin comes off his ELC. That's the thing, moving 1 year of a dump like Eriksson is always expensive (see, e.g., Marleau, Bickell). Moving 2 years is at least twice as hard, maybe even more so. Doing it in the middle of a pandemic with a flat cap? Yeah, I'm gonna need a whole lot more than Virtanen and a 2nd.

Buffalo may be trying to cut payroll, but we're also still trying to improve our team.

 

[Johnsie19]

It could very well hurt next year when Dahlin comes off his ELC. That's the thing, moving 1 year of a dump like Eriksson is always expensive (see, e.g., Marleau, Bickell). Moving 2 years is at least twice as hard, maybe even more so. Doing it in the middle of a pandemic with a flat cap? Yeah, I'm gonna need a whole lot more than Virtanen and a 2nd.

Buffalo may be trying to cut payroll, but we're also still trying to improve our team.

I guess the only way it works is if you're not going to be a cap team. If you think you will be at the cap next season then you probably wouldn't do it. If you are going to be spending under because you are a franchise hit particularly hard by covid then you probably consider getting assets for that cap space, especially if they don't amount to real dollars spent.

 

[Johnsie19]

You're the one that brought it up as a reason for Buffalo to do the cap dump when making the cap floor is irrelevant for buffalo.

That was just one reason.

No team except for maybe ottawa is going to have trouble hitting the cap floor.

We might be surprised. Covid has hit everyone hard, some teams owners harder than others.

 

[Stimpythecat]

We might be surprised. Covid has hit everyone hard, some teams owners harder than others.

I agree it's hit teams and ownership hard.

But looking at capfriendly, filling out full rosters should put every team except for maybe ottawa over the cap floor.

My point is, using the cap floor argument is irrelevant to buffalo.

 

[Johnsie19]

I agree it's hit teams and ownership hard.

But looking at capfriendly, filling out full rosters should put every team except for maybe ottawa over the cap floor.

My point is, using the cap floor argument is irrelevant to buffalo.

Good point. But the point is also valid albeit slightly less so if you are not a cap ceiling team. And again if it's not Buffalo it is another team. Adding more assets I don't feel is necessary if the goal is just to get rid of Eriksson.

 

[Stimpythecat]

no one is taking Eriksson without a major sweetener. Because Vancouver is highly motivated to get rid of that contract.

 

[Qwijibo]

Elite skillset. His mix of size and speed is in the top 5% of the league. Decent shot too. Not elite now, but a potential game breaker if he can develop a little.

That’s a homer view of things. There is nothing elite about Virtanen

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

And you're missing the fact that Buffalo will have no trouble getting to the cap floor. They have 10 players signed for just over $47 million. A full roster of 13 more players and $13.1 million needed to get to the cap floor.

That cap floor argument is bunk.

There is also the possibility the reported internal budget is just not true?

 

[Stimpythecat]

There is always that possibility.

But given so many teams are independently reporting staff salary cuts and letting people go, not to mention players go, how likely is that given all the insider reports?

 

[Beerz]

Elite skillset. His mix of size and speed is in the top 5% of the league. Decent shot too. Not elite now, but a potential game breaker if he can develop a little.

I'd argue his "mix of size and speed" is only top 9.6% in the league.

 

[Beerz]

There is always that possibility.

But given so many teams are independently reporting staff salary cuts and letting people go, not to mention players go, how likely is that given all the insider reports?

Trimming fat is always good. It can be done while still investing fully into the actual team.

I'm still not convinced there is an internal cap. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Guttersniped]

You're missing that Eriksson's actual salary amounts to 5 mil over two yrs (2.5 per). His cap hit is 6. He could save a team money who just want to get to the cap floor.

No team is going to need help reaching the cap floor by 6m to the point that trading for Eriksson is a good idea. Certainly not Buffalo.

I thought Schneider trade makes sense because Vancouver can trade Eriksson for Cory and then buy him out and only have a 2m cap hit. That strategy isn’t perfect either since the 2m cap hit penalty last four years but it’s a more realistic trade scenario.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

Buffalo doesn’t have as much cap space as it appears. They have like 10 players under contract for next season right now, with a bunch of RFA’s to get signed including Reinhart and Olofsson.

They also desperately need to improve the team, which means signing some UFAs or trading for someone.

And they may have an internal cap as low as $11+ million below the actual salary cap ceiling.

I feel like every dollar is precious right now.

Btw Kevyn Adams (Sabres GM) said the mountour not being qualified thing was a bogus rumor. He’s not the type of player you just don’t qualify (IMO). I could see him being traded though.

 

[Diaspora]

You can't retain for only 1 year of the contract. Any amount you retain applies to all remaining years.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[Canucks1096]

Forget about Eriksson

I will do Virtanen for Montour, + Canucks will need add something since top 4 D have more value than middle 6 winger

 

[Diaspora]

How does Buffalo plan to start competing and pay Dahlin next year with 12M locked up in 2 anchors?

Montour/Virtanen salary a wash. Staal will likely come off books for 21. Give Dahlin a two-year bridge and pay through the nose in ’23. Same with Jokiharju. Replace Ristolainen with a prospect or cheaper free agent or trade proceeds. Eriksson off books in 22, KO in 23 in time for better times and the cap to start growing again in 24.

Sabres get a 20-goal 2RW, can be 3RW if Thompson or one of the center prospects sticks there.

If Miller and a 5th get Virtanen, then do it. I don't think Canucks take it. The underpayment on the cap dump evens it out.

Nothing to say that Sabres cap can't be $81m but actual salary around $75. The owner says cut money. Salary cap isn't money. GM works with what the boss is willing to pay.