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In looking at Detroit’s need for upgrades next year along with several players seemingly confirmed to move on in free agency, Capfriendly offered an interesting glimpse of the end of this year, and the start of next.
If you go down the list of “available” cap space at year’s end, only 10 teams had 1 million or more. And, of course, Colorado and Las Vegas were among the first to announce significant roster returns over the past week with the cap no longer in play.
That meshed well with a report that at least 10 teams are going to have to pay penalties for bonuses that put them over the cap this past season. The amounts aren’t insane with Edmonton leading the pack at 3.45m (could be another 100k depending on how deep the playoff run is). Still, the team boasting potentially the best all around player some of us may ever see is entering next year with 13 signed players and roughly 10m in estimated cap room. I say estimated because this still assumes the “minimum” cap growth that has been voted down.
In good faith, we move forward and see a team that needs to have at least 6 or 7 players signed with around 10m in space. And then, Draisaitl’s ask for his post 2025 contract has been floated as being in the 13m realm.
Detroit also has 13 players signed but has roughly 29m to work with and raises for Seider and Raymond are going to be costly. The probable departures of Kane, Sprong and Fischer are disappointing but I don’t think the market is going to yield what players are hoping for. Just as we saw Bertuzzi part company after rejecting a multi year deal in hopes for higher $, the past season wasn’t what he’d been looking to prove. Hronek is going to do well, but the pie is shrinking across the league.
At the end of the summer there was purportedly a quote that there were 22 fewer NHL spots due to the stagnant cap. I remembered being endlessly frustrated at this thought. The source was supposed to have been an agent and it is so fraught with ignorance for league finances/player take home that an agent should know better. Since the inception of escrow as a “make even” start digging to find a year when players didn’t refund part of their salary. Good luck. The years after the shut down saw 3 straight 20% withholding and now the players (based on the Memorandum of Understanding after suspending season play) are locked in at 6% for 3 years with rumors of a possible rebate “If projections hold”.
Assuming the quote was correct, this year could see a further reduction. Players will hit free agency and the most sought after additions have a few friends. Utah, Nashville, Buffalo, Chicago and Calgary all seem to have some space to work with. Detroit is listed as having space but we know at least 2 players who are going to be a priority.
This brings me all the way around to Detroit’s issue at center. This hasn’t always been a favored take, but the Copp signing in particular is brutal in this arena. There was a bit of a bidding war for A.C.’s services but heading into core surgery, the players seems to have been unable to find the “next gear”. I like the Compher signing, but if there is a way to move Copp (and/or Holl) it may be wise to do so.
Most of you know the game well enough. By the end of the playoffs , a high cap (high value) player will need 5-6 months of recovery time and may well be completely healthy just as soon as those cap restrictions are gone. This strategy is getting scrutiny and soon enough even that may be a difficult game to play.
For Detroit’s center position, the time between now and the draft should play a crucial part in how they move forward. There are teams who need picks, but more importantly who need space. In my various side chats Feds came up with an interesting scenario regarding St. Louis that I will publish soon. Now I need the rest of you.
Somewhere, a centerman isn’t going to get what they’re hoping for. This is still somewhat of a “plug” as Detroit hopes that Kasper and/or Danielson will develop into a legitimate top 6 player. As it stands, it seems that Detroit has a spread of 3rd and 4th line centers with Larkin being the top 6 stand out. Veleno stepped up defensively and in a checking role but the need for one more top 6 center is there.
Be it by trade or space opened up by moving personnel, I want to see some of your wish lists. If there are teams with less than 10m and need that to sign 5-7 players, deals may well be there to be made. Give me your best shots and we’ll do a review of some possibilities.
Also, do you think there will be an uptick in players who wish they’d signed extensions as the free agent market takes shape? Agents are there to get the best deal possible. unfortunately, sometimes it leads to less than savory results. Thanks again for stopping by, we’ll get this figured out!
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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