I’ve already covered this straw man argument in this very thread. You don’t get into cap jail overpaying your top of the roster guys like Pasta, McAvoy, or Sway because those are longer term deals that end up saving you money later.
Where you get into cap issues is by taking on shitty contracts via trade like Peeke, or Korpisalo, and by overpaying bottom pairing defensemen like Zadorov.
That’s how you f*** your cap up.
some truth to that but not always the case.
1. 2022 the flames signed Johathan Huberdeau to 8 years 10.5M cap hit per year. 5 years leading up to the contract had goals of 27, 30, 23, 20 (Covid), 30. he then signed and the last two years has goal totals of 15 in 2022 and 12 in 2023. if his production stays on this trend they have a 10.5M cap hit until 2031 for locking up a core player to a long term deal.
That trend will not end up saving them money later for locking up a core player long term.
2. 2022 Oilers sign goalie Jack Campbell to a 5 year $25M contract. was supposed to be their long term goalie fix. Played 4 seasons with LA and TO before signing with the oilers. Had about 133 of NHL games exp.
year games SV%
2018 31 .928
2019 26 .904
2020 22 .921
2021 49 .914
boy those number of games and good save % reminds me of another young goalie i know.
after signing with the oil he played 36 games in 2022 with a save % of .888 then in 2023 5 games .873 was then bought out in 2023 and is now dead cap space of 1.5M or more through 2030.
That didn't end up saving them money later for locking up a core player long term.
3. Capitals Tom Wilson signed 7 years 45.5M or $6.5M hit a year can't get 20 gaols anymore and is a -13 and -19 last two years singed though 2031-2032 will be 37.
That has not and will not end up saving them money later for locking up a core player long term.
4. Sean Couturier Philly signed 8 years 62M in 2021 $7.75 cap hit until 2030-2031
after two years of 30+ goals then another 22 goals and 18 now had 6 and 11 in the last two years with a -10, -6 and -4 rating.
That has not and will not end up saving them money later for locking up a core player long term.
5. zach parise signed 13 year 98M will MIN $7.5 cap hit. 9 years later bought out 2021. dead cap space by year
2021-2022 - $2.4M
2022-2023 - $6.4M
2023-2024 - $7.4M
2024-2025 - $7.4M
similar for suter in min. Both thought to be the core locked up long term both caused Cap hell and did not save the team money later.
for every long term deal that works out to save the team money there is an example of one that didn't and cost the team long term dead cap space.
just because you feel a guy is core and will stay playing at the same level for 8+ years does not mean it will always work out that way. I hope Pasta & Mac stay at the level although to be honest Mac has me a bit nervous after his playoffs last year.
How many long term contracts are you willing to gamble on at the same time?
what if like Min two of them drop totally off at the same time and your only option is to buy them out and pay dead cap space for the next 10 years. You can't ASSume it will always save the team cap space long term unless your batting 1000 on every long term deal you give out.