Speculation: Weaponizing Cap Space

[ginner classic]

Looking through all current contracts, I came up with the following list. I expect some debate on Zaitsev, Zajac and Oshie. I do not expect the Canucks to be active in this regard, but here is the whole list with bolded that could be of interest. The idea with the list is to generate picks/prospects by taking bad contracts or dump our bad contracts to adjust positional depth.

Short term cap dump (1-2 years)
Ryan Callahan
Patrick Marleau
Martin Hanzal
David Backes
Michael Stone
Erik Gudbranson
Ilya Kovalchuk
Brendan Smith
Marc Staal
Ryan Spooner
Dmitry Kulikov
Bandon Dubinsky
Travis Zajac

Short term contracts causing issues (1-2 years)
Michael Frolik
Craig Smith
Nick Bonino
Andrej Sekera
Kris Russel
Brandon Manning
Brandon Sutter
Zach Bogosian
Mike Hoffman
Yanic Perrault

Long term contracts causing issues
Kyle Turris
Bryan Little
Tyler Johnson
Colin Miller
Andrej Palat
Alex Killorn
Nikita Zaitsev

Long term poison contracts
Milan Lucic
Brent Seabrook
Andrew Ladd
Karl Alzner
Kyle Okposo
Patric Horqvist
Jack Johnson
James Neal
Miko Koskinen
Jay Beagle
Loui Eriksson
TJ Oshie
Frams Nielsen
Jeff Carter
Jonathan Quick
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Martin Jones
Kyle Okposo
Ryan Suter
Zach Parise
Alex Wennberg
Bobby Ryan
Corey Schneider

LTIR causing issues
David Clarkson
Nathan Horton
Roberto Luongo

LTIR not causing issues
Henrik Zetterberg
Johan Franzen
Stephen Johns
Marian Hossa
Ryan Kesler
Marian Gaborik
Clarke MacArthur

Click to read more...

 

[Superlative Soup]

Benning has had plenty of opportunity to do this in the past and it's never happened. Don't see why he would start now.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

I feel this thread is pointless as Benning has never shown any interest in taking on bad contracts for assets. Once when he was asked about this he said something like why would I do that if I can just sign free agents.

 

[m9]

In a fantasy land where Benning actually used his cap space for things like this..

Filter the list down to guys with 1-2 years left. Then filter the list down to guys who would be useful as playoff depth. Target those guys as that's your chance to double-dip by getting an asset to take on the contract & then maybe get another one at the trade deadline in their contract year.

 

[Green Blank Stare]

I'd try to weaponize it by signing Panarin and trading for Subban.

 

[me2]

I feel this thread is pointless as Benning has never shown any interest in taking on bad contracts for assets. Once when he was asked about this he said something like why would I do that if I can just sign free agents.

Weaponising cap space over the last 5 years could have brought in multiple firsts but none of those firsts would have helped Benning compete in that next season. Benning wants to compete next year, so you are bang on, he's not doing it this offseason either.

 

[passive voice]

well we're lookin at all the avenues to improve our team whether that's free agency or, yknow, trades, so

 

[Fire Benning]

Benning has yet to display this sort of creativity, he operates under the “why do this when we could just overspend in free agency on our own bad players” philosophy.

 

[Bubbles]

Pretty sure Benning doesn't know what a salary cap is.

 

[ginner classic]

The entire premise of this thread is so ridiculous given Benning doesn't ever do this and gives every indication he doesn't even understand why it's a thing, and nobody noticed so far that one of the names on his first list was Erik Gudbranson.

I hereby make a motion to have the OP permanently deported to CalgaryPuck.

If you are going to be a wanker about it you are going to end up on the same ignore list as all the BenningBros.

I totally get the nihlism. I've been there. However, I have to assume that at some point, the team will make some semi logical moves, even if completely by accident.

 

[The Drop]

Hartman Dayal had a great article about it on the Athletic. I believe it’s called “Project Petey Pt.II”.

Getting a guy like Joseph from TB in addition to JT Miller (cap reasons they want to move him) and Callahan as a cap dump could be a great move.

 

[ginner classic]

Hartman Dayal had a great article about it on the Athletic. I believe it’s called “Project Petey Pt.II”.

Getting a guy like Joseph from TB in addition to JT Miller (cap reasons they want to move him) and Callahan as a cap dump could be a great move.

I thought about putting JT Miller on the list. I think TJ and Callahan could move 1st though. I also think the Killorn contract is worse.

 

[ginner classic]

Weaponising cap space over the last 5 years could have brought in multiple firsts but none of those firsts would have helped Benning compete in that next season. Benning wants to compete next year, so you are bang on, he's not doing it this offseason either.

A few things have changed this year. The cap not moving up is causing some real issues for more teams. They have to find homes for those contracts and there are not many teams with the room to take them.

Make no mistake, I don't think Benning is bright enough to come up with this on his own. I think it'll be brought to him. Marleau being an example.

There are also some productive players that could get dealt if pure cap dumps are not possible. Calgary can't move Neal, so maybe they will have to move Frolik (for example). Canucks are one of the few teams in a position to benefit.

 

[Wilch]

Jimbo loves taking on cap dumps, except he's the one adding to the deal.

 

[mathonwy]

Jimbo uses cap space like he uses vitamins. To help him out but not as his staple.

 

[tradervik]

Remember when the Canucks acquired Ehrhoff from San Jose for essentially a low 2nd round pick and Brad Lukowich's salary? How about Carolina getting Teravainen as compensation for taking Bryan Bickell off Chicago's hands (Chicago got 2nd and 3rd round picks)? This year appears to be a golden opportunity to make at least one if not multiple deals of a similar nature. Just sit patiently and wait until August. Trade Hutton and Tanev for whatever picks you can get, then use those picks to pry out good young(ish) players from teams in bad cap situations. Even Benning should be able to understand how it works.

 

[Hoglander]

I honestly think that the only way in which we will weaponize cap space, is weaponizing it for another team by saving them from signing
Gardiner or Myers to a massive contract.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

I am all for this! We will see if Benning has the guts to do this though. He really has yet to think outside the box on much. There’s so many options out there I worry that he gets so blinded by the short game and forgets about the big picture.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

If you are going to be a wanker about it you are going to end up on the same ignore list as all the BenningBros.

I totally get the nihlism. I've been there. However, I have to assume that at some point, the team will make some semi logical moves, even if completely by accident.

I care deeply.

Next time post in one of the current management or fantasy roster threads to cut down the irrelevant clutter.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

This is not a thing Jim Benning understands / is interested in.

 

[ginner classic]

I care deeply.

Next time post in one of the current management or fantasy roster threads to cut down the irrelevant clutter.

If it's irrelevant to you, don't read it. It's a timely and relevant subject on its own, and does not require your blessing.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Looking through all current contracts, I came up with the following list. I expect some debate on Zaitsev, Zajac and Oshie. I do not expect the Canucks to be active in this regard, but here is the whole list with bolded that could be of interest. The idea with the list is to generate picks/prospects by taking bad contracts or dump our bad contracts to adjust positional depth.

Short term cap dump (1-2 years)
Ryan Callahan
Patrick Marleau
Martin Hanzal
David Backes
Michael Stone
Erik Gudbranson
Ilya Kovalchuk
Brendan Smith
Marc Staal
Ryan Spooner
Dmitry Kulikov
Bandon Dubinsky
Travis Zajac

Short term contracts causing issues (1-2 years)
Michael Frolik
Craig Smith
Nick Bonino
Andrej Sekera
Kris Russel
Brandon Manning
Brandon Sutter
Zach Bogosian
Mike Hoffman
Yanic Perrault

Long term contracts causing issues
Kyle Turris
Bryan Little
Tyler Johnson
Colin Miller
Andrej Palat
Alex Killorn
Nikita Zaitsev

Long term poison contracts
Milan Lucic
Brent Seabrook
Andrew Ladd
Karl Alzner
Kyle Okposo
Patric Horqvist
Jack Johnson
James Neal
Miko Koskinen
Jay Beagle
Loui Eriksson
TJ Oshie
Frams Nielsen
Jeff Carter
Jonathan Quick
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Martin Jones
Kyle Okposo
Ryan Suter
Zach Parise
Alex Wennberg
Bobby Ryan
Corey Schneider

LTIR causing issues
David Clarkson
Nathan Horton
Roberto Luongo

LTIR not causing issues
Henrik Zetterberg
Johan Franzen
Stephen Johns
Marian Hossa
Ryan Kesler
Marian Gaborik
Clarke MacArthur

Two is the magic number.

If the Canucks are interested in weaponizing cap space, I’d focus on two years contracts.

Taking on x=1 year contracts = teams likely not giving us much in the way of assets.

Taking on x>2 year contracts = Canucks being at risk for having future cap complications.

Taking on x=2 year contracts = Canucks receiving good compensation for helping teams, while getting said poo contracts off the books by the time Pettersson needs to be re-upped.

Two is the magic number.

 

[ginner classic]

I am all for this! We will see if Benning has the guts to do this though. He really has yet to think outside the box on much. There’s so many options out there I worry that he gets so blinded by the short game and forgets about the big picture.

I think he is primarily blinded by the limitations of his brain. I think he's going to get a lot of deals brought to him some that look like this. If he whiffs on free agency (and I hope he does), any offers might look more compelling than sitting on his thumb. I don't see the pressure amping up until after the draft, so maybe no picks can be had before the draft. However 2020 picks are still helpful in trades he may want to make.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

I am all for this! We will see if Benning has the guts to do this though. He really has yet to think outside the box on much. There’s so many options out there I worry that he gets so blinded by the short game and forgets about the big picture.

I dont think this is true actually.

His age gap strategy was something pretty out there, obviously backfired tremendously and set our rebuild back years. But it was so outside the convenient practice box that you can barely see the box anymore.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

I dont think this is true actually.

His age gap strategy was something pretty out there, obviously backfired tremendously and set our rebuild back years. But it was so outside the convenient practice box that you can barely see the box anymore.

I guess that’s one way to look at it. Guess I was more thinking that he hasn’t looked outside the box on creative ways to make this team better by adding productive assets. Short and long term.