How is it “literally not possible”? Right now, they have just under $12M in capspace and that’s not including the expected $4-5M cap increase. If they can move Boeser/Garland and Myers/Pearson in the last years of their deals they can make it work. The question is, does it make sense to retain Bo at his likely ask?
Lemme rephrase that.
There is literally no way they can keep Horvat/Kuzmenko and still field a credible or qualified team. Here's some quick estimates on just retaining the team they have now. That's just the on ice product they have at this moment with moderate retention/increases in play based on production. This is give or take a half million
Let's say the cap does go up. Without ANY bonus overages, the Canucks will start next season with a maximum of $12.93 million. Maximum bonus overages shows the Canucks starting with a maximum of $10.93 million.
Let's play conservatively here and say that the Canuck's cap space will be $11 million
Their expiring RFAs are: Hoglander, Lockwood, Dermott and Bear.
Hoglander should potentially get $2 million, a 1 million increase, that's now 10 million.
Dermott when he played was solid and will probably get a small bump to 2 million, meaning 9.5 million left. Lockwood must be kept. Let's say he gets a 2-3 year extension to $1.25 million, that's 9 million.
Ethan Bear...can't say enough good things about him right now and they absolutely can not lose him which means he's getting a bump to $3 million 7.8 million left
7.8 million million left,
Expiring UFAs are: Horvat, Schenn, Kuzmemko, Lockwood.
Schenn is a leader, a warrior and worth every single penny he gets. Let's say they keep him for 2-3 years at $1.25 million as well, 7.45 million left.
Burroughs? They need RHD so badly he's kind of essential now and has played his way in to an increase at 18 mins a night average.
Kuzmenko right now is playing like a first line winger and will IF retained be worth league minimum for a ppg winger to $7 million. 1.45 million left.
Horvat has essentially played himself in to a comparable $8 million contract with Miller. That's a $2.5 million increase. -1 million left.
They have not addressed the issues we have on the blue line at all. They have not increased our depth at all or have anything on the bottom 6 that is worth being called a quality 3c that can take defensive minutes. Or larger checking wingers for the 3rd line either.
So IF they can move x, y or z they still have not improved their team at all. Have no depth to speak or, or prospects at all and are already most likely tight to the cap due to the inevitability of taking back a bad contract or two in trading Boeser/Myers at a minimum. Finding a .75 ppg winger and a stable healthy top 4 rhd (sucks but on the Nucks Myers is a top 4) in free agency while every team in the league is looking for the same is just not going to happen.
So yes, I guess in theory they can somehow maintain the status quo by somehow managing to clear the space to retain Kuzmenko and Horvat but then what?
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