Speculation: Caps Roster General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines/etc) | 2024-25 Summer Edition

[Kolzilla]

Colorado could've kept Rantanen easily after all. lmao.

I think that was more a situation of not paying a higher percent of the cap on him over MacKinnon.

 

[JayBeagleFanAccount]

give nik ehlers a blank check this offseason

 

[Misery74]

I think that was more a situation of not paying a higher percent of the cap on him over MacKinnon.

They have to pay Makar in two years. That will be a heavy tab.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

I think that was more a situation of not paying a higher percent of the cap on him over MacKinnon.

It could be the same with us and Ovie.

 

[Misery74]

Just wait until inflation hits and McMichael is making ~$9M.

This is a fair point. Sell high on this guy in the offseason.

 

[hb13xchamps]

I think that was more a situation of not paying a higher percent of the cap on him over MacKinnon.

Is the rumored $14-$14.5 million on a $95.5 million cap really a higher percentage than MacKinnons when he signed though?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

They have to pay Makar in two years. That will be a heavy tab.

He’s signed for 2 more after this season. 29 when he starts the new contract. Will be interesting to follow.

 

[Melkor]

I'm with those who think the Caps need to invest into talent up front. If there's a chance to sign a top caliber player this summer while keeping Chychrun- you do it and worry about everything else later. Also the hardest of passes on that Lindgren contract. Better yet go scout some KHL games and sign some undrafted dude for league min, 50/50 chance he'd end up the same or better.

 

[kicksavedave]

Caps should give Rantanen or Marner $15M ...

I think the most interesting thing in all of this is that right now almost every team is capped out. How many are going to have owners willing to go to the new ceiling? I'd lean towards Ted being one of those owners. He was willing to dip into the luxury tax for an awful to mediocre Wizards team for years.

Probably 20 other teams are saying this same thing, including Carolina and Toronto.

Colorado could've kept Rantanen easily after all. lmao.

I'm sure Rantanen's agent knew the Cap was going up this much when he made his demands. Its also just possible Rantanen didn't want to stay in Colorado at any price.

Colorado isn't blatantly stupid. They won a Cup a few years ago.

 

[kicksavedave]

I think 10 million on goaltending is in fact, insane but let’s see what happens. If they pay him 4 AAV, that is a mistake. Seems like a great dude but he isn’t going to be the starter moving forward.

For several years, Caps fans complained about the FO cheaping out on minimum wage goalies and suffering the results. Now today we are leading the entire NHL in team GAA, and people want to cheap out on the backup goalie, and go back to what, another minimum wage guy? For what its worth, Charlie's GAA with the Caps had dropped from 3.05 to 2.67 to 2.61 in his three seasons here.

$4M may be a bit high, but he's earned and deserves a decent, not minimum wage contract. And we need a quality backup goalie. I trust the FO to get it right.

 

[Melkor]

They put Haman on waivers to terminate contract..what number of players they got signed up for this season right now? I wonder if that's one of the moves to facilitate a trade to bring a player for some picks or something

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

For several years, Caps fans complained about the FO cheaping out on minimum wage goalies and suffering the results. Now today we are leading the entire NHL in team GAA, and people want to cheap out on the backup goalie, and go back to what, another minimum wage guy? For what its worth, Charlie's GAA with the Caps had dropped from 3.05 to 2.67 to 2.61 in his three seasons here.

$4M may be a bit high, but he's earned and deserves a decent, not minimum wage contract. And we need a quality backup goalie. I trust the FO to get it right.

I do too and there is no way in hell he gets 4 AAV.

 

[MileHighCapsFan]

Was he playing that poorly down in Hershey? Do they have some of these prospects coming to take his place? Need to free money for another move? Roster limits?

Genuinely interested about this. Seems random.

 

[wickedwitch]

Was he playing that poorly down in Hershey? Do they have some of these prospects coming to take his place? Need to free money for another move? Roster limits?

Genuinely interested about this. Seems random.

I assume it's mutual so he can go play overseas.

Conveniently, it gives the Caps an extra contract slot. Less conveniently, the Caps have no LD depth in the organization.

 

[Calicaps]

I assume it's mutual so he can go play overseas.

Conveniently, it gives the Caps an extra contract slot. Less conveniently, the Caps have no LD depth in the organization.

Just added him to the last prospect poll so that figures.

 

[MileHighCapsFan]

I assume it's mutual so he can go play overseas.

Conveniently, it gives the Caps an extra contract slot. Less conveniently, the Caps have no LD depth in the organization.

Yeah that sounds like as good a reason as any. Just odd/random timing. As you say, takes away our LD depth prior to the playoffs - so surprised we agreed.

 

[hb13xchamps]

I’m sure he’s going back overseas. The few games I’ve seen of his this year he didn’t play the greatest and then he ended up getting banged up. Frees up a contract spot but they also need another D on an NHL contract you’d presume. Only 2 Hershey guys on NHL contracts in Iorio and Bear

 

[Kolzilla]

Is the rumored $14-$14.5 million on a $95.5 million cap really a higher percentage than MacKinnons when he signed though?

Not sure, but me and math aren't the best of friends

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Saad to Vegas

 

[caps4cup]

As if Protas’s contract wasn’t good enough already. Strome and Sandin’s contract extensions also looking even better and PLD will be close to getting paid 2nd line money in 3 years.

Thompson’s contract also looks better now. If he continues to play at a starter level the next 3 years (not even the Vezina candidate he’s been this year), his cap% in 27-28 will be equivalent to a 4.55mil cap hit this year.

They’re in a really, really good spot right now with some young talent on the way and a lot of money available. I’d still be wary of overpaying guys like Dowd and Lindgren though. Spend the extra money at the top of the lineup and sign depth players (like Raddysh, Duhaime, or the original Lindgren and Dowd contracts) that are similarly effective but might not be as heralded.

 

[Roshi]

Yeah that sounds like as good a reason as any. Just odd/random timing. As you say, takes away our LD depth prior to the playoffs - so surprised we agreed.

Might factor for timing that the ”TDL” in most of European leagues is closing soon.

Sounds like HHA just wanted to get back overseas.

 

[Misery74]

Not a fan of paying $10m for goaltending, but believe in this brain trust.

We pay these guys nothing this year. All the more reason to all in. We lose this advantage once this postseason ends.

 

[Roshi]

As if Protas’s contract wasn’t good enough already. Strome and Sandin’s contract extensions also looking even better and PLD will be close to getting paid 2nd line money in 3 years.

Thompson’s contract also looks better now. If he continues to play at a starter level the next 3 years (not even the Vezina candidate he’s been this year), his cap% in 27-28 will be equivalent to a 4.55mil cap hit this year.

They’re in a really, really good spot right now with some young talent on the way and a lot of money available. I’d still be wary of overpaying guys like Dowd and Lindgren though. Spend the extra money at the top of the lineup and sign depth players (like Raddysh, Duhaime, or the original Lindgren and Dowd contracts) that are similarly effective but might not be as heralded.

Yes for regularly doing a one or two bargain pin finds, also yes for keeping the ones that are homeruns.

Again, and i seem to be repeating this alot and have no idea why ive picked this hill lol, but that 1-2 mills ”extra” is so easily lost in the grand scheme that i just cant find myself worrying about having the security of having a good goalie every night. We currently have a 2 mill guy buried in Hershey, and noone even notices, thats how marginal it is - and also reminds that not all bargain pin finds hit the mark.

Our cap structure right now easily allows us to make this bet, without it really affecting elsewhere. This doesnt stop us from signing Chychrun and updating a top6 winger or 3C.

We have possible cap casualties in less effective roles too, if it starts to look like we really need another mill. Ones that are likely replacable inhouse from ”the pipeline”. And who knows, maybe Lindgren is interesting trade chip by his own if the right fit comes to play.

Just saying that ”saving” an extra million and signing an unkown bargain pin backup for (in case) something thats not currently even on the table feels just unnecessary risk.

 

[alphabetical]

Is the rumored $14-$14.5 million on a $95.5 million cap really a higher percentage than MacKinnons when he signed though?

Mackinnnon signed 12.6M starting when the cap was 83.5M, so 12.6/83.5 = 15.09% of the cap.
Rantanen projects to 14M or 14.5M with a cap of 95.5M, so 14/95.5 = 14.66% of the cap and 14.5/95.5 = 15.18% of the cap.

 

[RedRocking]

Caps should give Rantanen or Marner $15M ...

I think the most interesting thing in all of this is that right now almost every team is capped out. How many are going to have owners willing to go to the new ceiling? I'd lean towards Ted being one of those owners. He was willing to dip into the luxury tax for an awful to mediocre Wizards team for years.

Yea, the weekend of the trade, Friedman was talking about this. Some teams will have an internal cap, and won’t touch 100M. He suggested that the Avs were one of those teams, and were hiding behind the “can’t pay a winger more than MacK or as much as centers like Draisaitl.”

I hope Ted doesn’t cheap out going forward. Surprising that Carolina, of all teams, are willing to spend this much.