Which teams are best positioned going forward with the salary cap about to explode?

[Ratsreign]

How many years of crap attendance did they have

As many years as they had shitty ownership who never build anything.

 

[FissionFire]

Detroit is in a great position right now.

Larkin is signed at 8.7M until 2031
Raymond is signed at 8.08M until 2032
Seider is signed at 8.55M until 2031

Only Compher and Rasmussen are signed past 2027.

They have core locked up at steals for a long time and a ton of space to add players with very little long-term money committed.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Detroit is in a great position right now.

Larkin is signed at 8.7M until 2031
Raymond is signed at 8.08M until 2032
Seider is signed at 8.55M until 2031

Only Compher and Rasmussen are signed past 2027.

They have core locked up at steals for a long time and a ton of space to add players with very little long-term money committed.

If they're smart, as soon as July 1st hits they're tossing 8 x $8.5M at Edvinsson.

Of course, Edvinsson would probably be dumb to take that too... But a lot of players are just wanting the financial security now.

 

[qc14]

The teams in the best position are teams with ownership that are willing to spend to the cap. There are tons of small market teams who will struggle to break even with the cap floor rising so high. I dont see there being more than 10-12 teams who cap out in 3 years. There are more teams operating on an internal budget than fans realize at a glance.

While I agree with this I'd say it's not necessarily small market = lower internal cap and is more just the owner themselves. I think we'll see some of the "borderline" good owners -- Seattle, Anaheim, Colorado, Carolina, New Jersey, Pittsburgh immediately come to mind -- all of the sudden start to complain about attendance, TV deals, etc ...

 

[WarriorofTime]

While I agree with this I'd say it's not necessarily small market = lower internal cap and is more just the owner themselves. I think we'll see some of the "borderline" good owners -- Seattle, Anaheim, Colorado, Carolina, New Jersey, Pittsburgh immediately come to mind -- all of the sudden start to complain about attendance, TV deals, etc ...

I'd wager most teams spend based on their revenues, and only occasionally dip into the owners' pockets beyond that if they really think they can win a cup in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Ratsreign]

I'd wager most teams spend based on their revenues, and only occasionally dip into the owners' pockets beyond that if they really think they can win a cup in the next 2-3 years.

Or if they’re trying to build a franchise up from a perennial laughing stock into a respectable organization.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Looking around, Ottawa seem to be in a good position. All their core members are signed at reasonable cap hits for 3+ years

Came here to say this. If Andlauer spends to the cap or close to it. Ottawa will be able to spend a bunch of money on depth in 2027-28 while having their core guys locked up on a discount. Assuming they lock up pinto they look like this

Tkachuk 8.21 - Stutzle 8.35 - Batherson 4.98

? - Norris 7.95 - ?

Greig 3.25 - Pinto ~6 - ?

? - Ostapchuk ~2 - Amadio 2.6

Sanderson 8.05 - Yakemchuk .900

Chabot 8 - ?

Kleven ~ 2.5 - ?

Ulmark 8.25
Merilainen ~3

74.03M leaving 39.97 from 114 cap

Remaining budget:

2M for 2 ELC players (7D + 13F)

10M 2nd line RW/LW

7M 2nd line RW/LW

5M 3rd line RW

3M 4th line LW

9m 1/2nd Pairing RD

3m for 3rd Pairing RD

Around 1M for cap flexibility

Looks pretty favourable

 

[Golden_Jet]

Came here to say this. If Andlauer spends to the cap or close to it. Ottawa will be able to spend a bunch of money on depth in 2027-28 while having their core guys locked up on a discount. Assuming they lock up pinto they look like this

Tkachuk 8.21 - Stutzle 8.35 - Batherson 4.98

? - Norris 7.95 - ?

Greig 3.25 - Pinto ~6 - ?

? - Ostapchuk ~2 - Amadio 2.6

Sanderson 8.05 - Yakemchuk .900

Chabot 8 - ?

Kleven ~ 2.5 - ?

Ulmark 8.25
Merilainen ~3

74.03M leaving 39.97 from 114 cap

Remaining budget:

2M for 2 ELC players (7D + 13F)

10M 2nd line RW/LW

7M 2nd line RW/LW

5M 3rd line RW

3M 4th line LW

9m 1/2nd Pairing RD

3m for 3rd Pairing RD

Around 1M for cap flexibility

Looks pretty favourable

1 million for cap flexibility isn’t really flexible, that is easyily gone with just injuries, and doesn’t allow in season moves.
Make it 3-4 million, but with the exchange rate and a new building likely, with the revenues team generates, doesn’t really make sense. Would need more expensive tickets and constant sell-outs.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Came here to say this. If Andlauer spends to the cap or close to it. Ottawa will be able to spend a bunch of money on depth in 2027-28 while having their core guys locked up on a discount. Assuming they lock up pinto they look like this

Tkachuk 8.21 - Stutzle 8.35 - Batherson 4.98

? - Norris 7.95 - ?

Greig 3.25 - Pinto ~6 - ?

? - Ostapchuk ~2 - Amadio 2.6

Sanderson 8.05 - Yakemchuk .900

Chabot 8 - ?

Kleven ~ 2.5 - ?

Ulmark 8.25
Merilainen ~3

74.03M leaving 39.97 from 114 cap

Remaining budget:

2M for 2 ELC players (7D + 13F)

10M 2nd line RW/LW

7M 2nd line RW/LW

5M 3rd line RW

3M 4th line LW

9m 1/2nd Pairing RD

3m for 3rd Pairing RD

Around 1M for cap flexibility

Looks pretty favourable

You're off on Batherson who expires after 2026-27, with Brady and Chabot a season behind after 2027-28. If Yakemchuk is ready to play Stanley Cup Playoff level top 4 minutes as a 21 year old in a RHD slot, the biggest area of need, that may go a long way to determine how good Ottawa can be at their apex.

 

[Dread Clawz]

And i'm happy as hell for them . How many years of crap attendance did they have while Tampa was thriving . Hope they have now set a foundation of fans for when things go down hill eventually which happens to all teams .

Great to see .

However many years it was, it's irrelevant. This thread is about which teams are best positioned to take advantage of the coming booming cap, and will spend to the upper limit.

 

[behemolari]

The whole Florida cup winning core is locked under 10mil like forever, this is not even close contest.

People assume their team is somehow getting better because of more room to spend. No they wont, there is only so much talent available and nothing else happen than free agents command much more money. Those who have core already locked will benefit no one else.

 

[Al Lagoon]

The Wild get the increased cap and $14-$15m back.

Should make extending Kaprizov and Rossi, plus adding a free-agent feasible.

 

[Silky Johnson]

You're off on Batherson who expires after 2026-27, with Brady and Chabot a season behind after 2027-28. If Yakemchuk is ready to play Stanley Cup Playoff level top 4 minutes as a 21 year old in a RHD slot, the biggest area of need, that may go a long way to determine how good Ottawa can be at their apex.

Good call on Batherson. A little thiner but still lots of room.

Chabot is on this team, as I am talking about 27-28.

Halliday or Montgomery may be able to eat bottom 6 minutes so that could open up around 4M to replace/resign Batherson. That would be about a 9M budget.

Agreed that Yak is not a sure thing but the hope that he can be a 4D in his 3rd pro year is not crazy. Getting contribution from your ELC's definitely helps building a contender.

The point is they will have the CAP room to add 3 to 4 impact players to their existing core with potentially better depth players.

 

[frisco]

To me, it is not the teams that already have good contracts in place and not fighting the cap currently that will gain from a higher cap. Teams right up against the cap now like Edmonton who was sweating to fit McDavid and Bouchard in with extensions. They'll be the ones to really benefit. Now, with an expanding cap they can re-sign those guys without having to dump contracts.

Florida, Toronto. Those type of teams.

And I think there might be 3-4 teams that a higher cap floor might doom them from a financial standpoint. Winnipeg jumps to mind.

My Best-Carey

 

[Silky Johnson]

1 million for cap flexibility isn’t really flexible, that is easyily gone with just injuries, and doesn’t allow in season moves.
Make it 3-4 million, but with the exchange rate and a new building likely, with the revenues team generates, doesn’t really make sense. Would need more expensive tickets and constant sell-outs.

Maybe. Depends on TV/Streaming/Gambling deals.

But mostly I think Andlauer with spend to the cap regardless if the team can be a contender.

Plenty of contenders were tight to the cap to start the season 3/4 million in space is a luxury. However, you could start the season with lesser roster and add an impact player at the deadline. Depends on the option you have at the time.

 

[Golden_Jet]

However many years it was, it's irrelevant. This thread is about which teams are best positioned to take advantage of the coming booming cap, and will spend to the upper limit.

It’s not necessarily about spending to the max, it’s more about who have their best players locked up for long term, at good deals, that will allow those teams to be in better position than others.

 

[Dread Clawz]

It’s not necessarily about spending to the max, it’s more about who have their best players locked up for long term, at good deals, that will allow those teams to be in better position than others.

That's part of it. That's why Florida has to be in the top 5. They have a battle-tested group that's all locked up and is about to get massive reinforcements.

 

[gritdash60]

Wings have Seider at 8.5, Larkin at 8.7, Raymond at 8 (this one is ridiculous), Holl, Gustafsson and Petry coming off.

Edvinsson, Kasper and Johansson at ELC, If the Ilitch family wanna throw some money around, they can get who ever they please.

Guys been talking shit about yzerplan, but now it really comes in to fruition when the placeholder contracts go out and Wings have their core locked with bazillion on cap space.

 

[Osakahaus]

Controversial take

The Islanders

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Controversial take

The Islanders

...until Lou buys up all the 35+ crowd in Free Agency...cuz experience matters...

 

[Osakahaus]

...until Lou buys up all the 35+ crowd in Free Agency...cuz experience matters...

I think Lou should retire after this season, but i said that the past two offseasons

a smart isles team goes hard after Rantanen btw

 

[Derailed75]

Because you possibly underestimate those teams? None of these owners are poor. Very few of them are content to be perennial also-rans.

For example, every time someone questions Carolina's ability to spend money, we get some sort of quip from Tom Dundon like "These people don't understand how much a billion dollars is."

Do I think he'd spend frivolously? No. He's demonstrated staunch fiscal shrewdness. But, if it made sense? If he thought it was the difference between making the playoffs and going deep, possibly winning a Cup?

He absolutely could and would go dollar-for-dollar with the Leafs, confident he spends wiser and more savvy than they do.

Also he has spent to the cap every single season, even used LTIR. The teams value has increased from 420 million when he bought ut to 1.29 Billion in 7 years. I think we can stop the small mindedness