Speculation: Impacts of a rising cap on the upcoming Trade Deadline and Free Agency

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
Since making the list there has been a few names that have had slow starts to the season and now I am wondering if they could also be available. A name I am watching is Jack Quinn. He dominated juniors and the AHL and had success early in his start with Buffalo but has had injuries and a slow season seeing his ice time cut recently and been healthy scratched the past 2 games. Lindy seems like he has had it with this group and with Helenius, Rosen, Ostlund and Wahlberg still in the pipeline he might be available.
 
If this is true, we would have roughly $15 million in cap space with our only unsigned players being: Luke Glendenning, Cam Atkinson, Michael Eyssimont, Nick Perbix, Jonas Johansson, & Gage Concalves (rfa).

Of those ufa's you'd probably only realistically sign Eyssimont and (maybe?) Nick Perbix, who each could be had for probably around 1.5 million, leaving us with $12 million for 3-5 roster spots (with the potential for an extra $850k if we ship out Sheary). Unfortunately the ufa crop is pretty terrible outside of the top end, but when was the last time we've had this much space to make upgrades?
 
If this is true, we would have roughly $15 million in cap space with our only unsigned players being: Luke Glendenning, Cam Atkinson, Michael Eyssimont, Nick Perbix, Jonas Johansson, & Gage Concalves (rfa).

Of those ufa's you'd probably only realistically sign Eyssimont and (maybe?) Nick Perbix, who each could be had for probably around 1.5 million, leaving us with $12 million for 3-5 roster spots (with the potential for an extra $850k if we ship out Sheary). Unfortunately the ufa crop is pretty terrible outside of the top end, but when was the last time we've had this much space to make upgrades?
Need to sign bottom 6 players with grit , tenacity, and some skill.
 
97 million Kucherov will want 17 million per year on his next deal then lol
The cap is also likely to take another big jump after 97mil when the CBA ends , could be in the $110m ballpark in 26-27 which is when he is elligible for an extension
 
If this is true, we would have roughly $15 million in cap space with our only unsigned players being: Luke Glendenning, Cam Atkinson, Michael Eyssimont, Nick Perbix, Jonas Johansson, & Gage Concalves (rfa).

Of those ufa's you'd probably only realistically sign Eyssimont and (maybe?) Nick Perbix, who each could be had for probably around 1.5 million, leaving us with $12 million for 3-5 roster spots (with the potential for an extra $850k if we ship out Sheary). Unfortunately the ufa crop is pretty terrible outside of the top end, but when was the last time we've had this much space to make upgrades?
Honestly the trick may be a trade. Take on a slightly overpaid player-type.
 

I was kinda close, got 27-28 right but didnt' expect them to smooth it over a 3 year period vs 2. Guessing it was mostly due to teams not being willing to spend up to a 100 mil cap like Friedman reported, sounds like Colorado could be one of those teams and why Rantanen walked. We are probably going to start to see a divide in the teams with deeper pockets and those that don't. All of the other points I made about needing to sign players at the TDL vs FA still stands though, there will still be a shortage of talent in the near term. Also an updated list of who I would want/ be okay with (don't even know if all of these players are available)
Top 5:
1) Garland
2) Hayton
3) Foerstser
4) Rakell
5) Tuch

1) Casey
2) Andrae
3) York
4) Maatta
5) Kesselring


The rest:
Mercer
O'Reilly
Bjorkstrand
Trocheck
Cates
Perfetti
Peterka
Quinn
Evans
Doan
Zetterlund
M. Geekie
Fabbro
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peacefool
One final roster before the TDL:
I know that JBB won't go this all-in but I would like to see it before the prices get out of hand when teams realize how much they will have to spend to get players in FA. I feel like selling the farm in this instance is okay because even if we did develop a prospect like Kurth, there would be no room in the top 9 for them or in the top 4D.

Isaac Howard: I have been really impressed with Howard's development this season. He actively looks engaged off the puck and it has translated into more scoring. He also looks faster and more dynamic than in his prior NCAA years, returning to NTDP form. He would look great with Cirelli and Hagel but if he doesn't look ready in his short stint before the playoffs he could play on the 3rd line or be taken out for Chaffee.

Rickard Rakell: He has amazing underlying analytics, 55.3 DFF% and 5.20 Relative DFF% so he is dominating in high danger chances and doing well even relative to his teammates on a line with Crosby. He is also being given tough minutes and still excelling so he would be great in a 2nd/3rd line role. His contract is great with lots of term and would be even better if we could get retention. The Penguins are going into a rebuild and they are going to have to hit the rising cap floor so it could make some sense. He will be 34 when his contract ends so I am not really concerned about age. He is also a Right shot and has played some from the left circle so he could be a solution to the powerplay.

Ryan O'Reilly: A lot like Rakell, he has good underlying numbers and has been playing as a 1C for Nashville so in a 2nd/3rd line role he will be a lot more effective. He is great at faceoffs so Glendening would not have to go out in pressure situations and solid defensively so he could be on the 2nd PK unit. He is a bit old but he seems like a player that would age well and the contract ends when he turns 36 so he wouldn't be too old.

Olli Maatta: He would be a solid rental 3LD, decent defensively and wouldn't be too expensive.

I would be interested in younger players like Foerster, Cates, Hayton, etc. but I don't know if they're available and they have some contract uncertainty whereas Rakell and O'Reilly are locked up to good contracts in a rising cap.

year 1 2025 tdl.png

year 1 2025 tdl trades.png


In year 2 with this team they will have a lot of cap space to spend. I feel like Duke and Huuhtanen have deserved looks on the roster which leaves 3LD and 3RD. I feel like Raddysh is a serviceable 3RD if he were to be paired with a good partner and Gavrikov is an excellent defensive D-man. It would be stacking the left side but Hedman and McDonagh are getting older and this would be a move preparing for the future. I also didn't like any of the RD's that are available in FA, Pionk could be okay but I would much rather have Gavrikov. If we were to split the money between 3LD and 3RD there could be some options like Maatta and Kovacevic, but again I think I would prefer getting Gavrikov and preparing for the future. Lyon would be a serviceable backup for near league min and Reilly is a really underrated d-man that is solid defensively.

year 2 2026.png
 
If this is true, we would have roughly $15 million in cap space with our only unsigned players being: Luke Glendenning, Cam Atkinson, Michael Eyssimont, Nick Perbix, Jonas Johansson, & Gage Concalves (rfa).

Of those ufa's you'd probably only realistically sign Eyssimont and (maybe?) Nick Perbix, who each could be had for probably around 1.5 million, leaving us with $12 million for 3-5 roster spots (with the potential for an extra $850k if we ship out Sheary). Unfortunately the ufa crop is pretty terrible outside of the top end, but when was the last time we've had this much space to make upgrades?
Holy shit if thats true, amazing. You're going to see some depth guy salaries inflate a little bit I think. Really gives us a chance to add another defender too, which I assumed was out of the picture.

One final roster before the TDL:
I know that JBB won't go this all-in but I would like to see it before the prices get out of hand when teams realize how much they will have to spend to get players in FA. I feel like selling the farm in this instance is okay because even if we did develop a prospect like Kurth, there would be no room in the top 9 for them or in the top 4D.

Isaac Howard: I have been really impressed with Howard's development this season. He actively looks engaged off the puck and it has translated into more scoring. He also looks faster and more dynamic than in his prior NCAA years, returning to NTDP form. He would look great with Cirelli and Hagel but if he doesn't look ready in his short stint before the playoffs he could play on the 3rd line or be taken out for Chaffee.

Rickard Rakell: He has amazing underlying analytics, 55.3 DFF% and 5.20 Relative DFF% so he is dominating in high danger chances and doing well even relative to his teammates on a line with Crosby. He is also being given tough minutes and still excelling so he would be great in a 2nd/3rd line role. His contract is great with lots of term and would be even better if we could get retention. The Penguins are going into a rebuild and they are going to have to hit the rising cap floor so it could make some sense. He will be 34 when his contract ends so I am not really concerned about age. He is also a Right shot and has played some from the left circle so he could be a solution to the powerplay.

Ryan O'Reilly: A lot like Rakell, he has good underlying numbers and has been playing as a 1C for Nashville so in a 2nd/3rd line role he will be a lot more effective. He is great at faceoffs so Glendening would not have to go out in pressure situations and solid defensively so he could be on the 2nd PK unit. He is a bit old but he seems like a player that would age well and the contract ends when he turns 36 so he wouldn't be too old.

Olli Maatta: He would be a solid rental 3LD, decent defensively and wouldn't be too expensive.

I would be interested in younger players like Foerster, Cates, Hayton, etc. but I don't know if they're available and they have some contract uncertainty whereas Rakell and O'Reilly are locked up to good contracts in a rising cap.

View attachment 982564
View attachment 982565

In year 2 with this team they will have a lot of cap space to spend. I feel like Duke and Huuhtanen have deserved looks on the roster which leaves 3LD and 3RD. I feel like Raddysh is a serviceable 3RD if he were to be paired with a good partner and Gavrikov is an excellent defensive D-man. It would be stacking the left side but Hedman and McDonagh are getting older and this would be a move preparing for the future. I also didn't like any of the RD's that are available in FA, Pionk could be okay but I would much rather have Gavrikov. If we were to split the money between 3LD and 3RD there could be some options like Maatta and Kovacevic, but again I think I would prefer getting Gavrikov and preparing for the future. Lyon would be a serviceable backup for near league min and Reilly is a really underrated d-man that is solid defensively.

View attachment 982566
Thinking out loud here, i'm warming up to the idea of O'Reilly here, he might give you the ability to run 11-7 in the playoffs too. Having to deal with Point/Cirelli/ROR down the middle could be fun.
 
Holy shit if thats true, amazing. You're going to see some depth guy salaries inflate a little bit I think. Really gives us a chance to add another defender too, which I assumed was out of the picture.


Thinking out loud here, i'm warming up to the idea of O'Reilly here, he might give you the ability to run 11-7 in the playoffs too. Having to deal with Point/Cirelli/ROR down the middle could be fun.
Those numbers were from over a month ago. The NHL projections came out much more recently.
 
Does anyone know what our actual deadline cap space is going to be? I feel like the number keeps changing everyday
it depends on if JoJo can get healthy so we can assign Tomkins to the AHL. If we can send him down we will have $6,067,045(still including roster players that would get sent down or possibly traded) and if we can't send him down then we would have $5,107,520. This number would also be impacted if we made a trade sooner than the trade deadline because the longer we wait the more cap we accrue.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad