2014 free agency thread

[dudacek]

I know it's early, but the season is lost and the chatter is already started in other threads.

I used Capgeek to put together this primer for easy reference. I'll try to edit it as we move along. If you see any errors and omissions, let me know.

Projected cap is $71.1 million. Floor is projected at about $52 million.

 

 

Anaheim: ($3.5 million to spend per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $21.7 million

Players under contract: 17

Key free agents: Koivu, Selanne, Penner, Winnik, Silfverberg (RFA), Perreault (RFA), Hiller

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Souray, Fasth, Allen, Beauchemin, Sbisa,

 

Boston: ($1.5 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $9.1 million

Players under contract: 17

Key free agents: Iginla, Thornton, Smith (RFA) Krug (RFA), Bartkowsi (RFA)

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Krecji, Campbell, Paille, Soderberg, Boychuk, McQuaid, Hamilton (RFA)

 

Buffalo: ($3.6 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $34.1 million

Players under contract: 14

Key free agents: Conacher (RFA),Ennis (RFA), Konopka, Foligno (RFA), Scott, D’Agostini, Tallinder, McBain (RFA), Sulzer,

Bad contracts: Leino ($4.5), Stafford ($4)

Pending 2015 free agents: Stafford, Enroth, Stewart,Neuvirth,

 

Calgary: ($3.2 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $35.5 million

Players under contract: 12

Key free agents: Camalleri, Butler, Russell

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Glencross, Backlund, Brodie, Rammo

 

Carolina: ($2.1 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $22.5 million

Players under contract: 12

Key free agents: Tlusty (RFA), Gerbe (RFA), Hainsey, PItkanen, Komisarek, Khodubin, Peters

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Sekera

 

Chicago: ($1 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $7.3 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: none

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Kane, Toews, Kruger (RFA), Saad (RFA), Oduya, Leddy (RFA), Roszival

 

Colorado: ($3.6 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $29.2 million

Players under contract: 15

Key free agents: Stastny, O’Reilly (RFA) Giguere, McGinn, Sarich, Barrie (RFA)

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Hejda

 

Columbus: ($3.2 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $22.1 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Mackenzie, Johansen (RFA), Nikitin

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Dubinsky, Foligno, Lestestu, Bobrovsky (RFA)

 

Dallas: ($2.9 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $20.6 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Whitney, Fiddler, Eakin (RFA), Robidas

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Horcoff, Cole, Peverley, Gonchar

 

Detroit: ($3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $21.3 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Legwand,Alfredsson, Bertuzzi, Cleary, Eaves, Sheahan (RFA), Tatar (RFA) Quincey, DeKeyser (RFA), Gustavsson

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Nyqvist (RFA), Smith (RFA)

 

Edmonton: ($2.7 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $33.8 million

Players under contract: 11

Key free agents: Smyth, Schultz, Schultz (RFA)

Bad contracts:

Pending 2015 free agents: none

 

Florida: ($3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $36.8 million

Players under contract: 11

Key free agents: Gomez, Kulikov (RFA), Gilbert, Gudbranson (RFA), Thomas

Bad contracts: Campbell ($7.1)

Pending 2015 free agents: Fleischmann, Kopecky, Upshall, Bergenheim, Shore (RFA), Bjugstad (RFA), Huberdeau (RFA), Jovanovski

 

Los Angeles: ($2.2 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $15.3 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Gaborik,Lewis, King (RFA), Frattin (RFA), Mitchell, Greene

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Williams, Stoll, Clifford, Toffoli, Regehr, Martinez, Muzzin (RFA)

 

Minnesota: ($3.5 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $21.7 million

Players under contract: 17

Key free agents: Neidereiter (RFA), Stoner, Heatley

Bad contracts: Heatley

Pending 2015 free agents: Brodziak, Harding, Coyle (RFA), Grandlund (RFA), Brodin (RFA)

 

Montreal: ($4.3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $25.9 million

Players under contract: 17

Key free agents: Gionta, Eller (RFA), Markov, Subban (RFA), Bouilon, Murray, Diaz, Vanek

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Fisher, Cullen, Wilson, Smith

 

Nashville: ($3.2 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $23.7 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Del Zotto (RFA), Ellis (RFA)

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: none

 

New Jersey: ($2.3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $24.9 million

Players under contract: 13

Key free agents: Bernier, Carter, Jagr, Zidlicky, Fayne, Brodeur

Bad contracts: Clowe ($4.8), Ruutu ($4.7)

Pending 2015 free agents: Ryder, Brunner, Salvador, Greene

 

New York Islanders: ($3.7 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $34.7 million

Players under contract: 14

Key free agents: Martinek, Nabokov

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Visnovsky, Carkner

 

New York Rangers: ($2.3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $29 million

Players under contract: 10

Key free agents: Brassard (RFA), Boyle, Zuccarello (RFA), Kreider (RFA), Girardi, Stralman

Bad contracts: Richards ($6.6)

Pending 2015 free agents: Stepan, Hagelin, Staal, St. Louis,

 

Ottawa: ($3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $24.4 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Michalek, Phillips, Corvo, Lehner (RFA), Hemsky ($5)

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Spezza, Ryan, MacArthur, Methot, Anderson

 

Philadelphia: ($1.6 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $12.6 million

Players under contract: 15

Key free agents: Downie, Schenn (RFA), Timmonen, Meszaros, Gill, Emery, MacDonald

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: none

 

Phoenix: ($3.2 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $22.5 million

Players under contract: 16

Key free agents: Morris, Halpern, Vrbata

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Vermette, Boedkker (RFA), Michalek

 

Pittsburgh: ($1.9 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $15.4 million

Players under contract: 15

Key free agents: Goc,Jokinen, Sutter (RFA), Pyatt, Glass, Orpik, Niskanen, Vokoun, Stempniak,

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Bennett (RFA), Martin, Adams, Fleury

 

San Jose: ($2.3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $11.7 million

Players under contract: 18

Key free agents: Wingels (RFA), Boyle, Demers (RFA), Hannan

Bad contracts: Havlat ($5)

Pending 2015 free agents: Havlat, Kennedy, Stuart, Braun

 

St. Louis ($2.9 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $23 million

Players under contract: 15

Key free agents: Roy, Berglund (RFA), Morrow, Schwartz (RFA), Sobotka (RFA), Elliott, Miller

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Paajarvi (RFA), Tarasenko (RFA), Jackman, Leopold

 

Tampa: ($2.3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $18.5 million

Players under contract: 15

Key free agents: Johnson (RFA), Killorn (RFA), Salo, Aulie (RFA), Lindback (RFA), Callahan,

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Malone, Brewer, Bishop

 

Toronto ($2.1 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: : $21.6 million

Players under contract: 13

Key free agents: Bolland, Raymond, Kulemin, McClement, Ashton (RFA), Holland (RFA), Franson (RFA), Ranger, Gardiner (RFA), Reimer (RFA)

Bad contracts: Clarkson ($5.2)

Pending 2015 free agents: Kadri, Bernier

 

Vancouver ($1 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $9.5 million

Players under contract: 18

Key free agents: Santorelli, Kassian (RFA), Tanev (RFA)

Bad contracts: Booth ($4.2)

Pending 2015 free agents: Richardson, Booth, Matthias,

 

Washington: ($5.1 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $10.2 million

Players under contract: 21

Key free agents: Grabovski, Orlov, Halak,

Bad contracts: Erat ($4.5)

Pending 2015 free agents: Ward, Johanssen (RFA), Fehr, Beagle, Green Erskine, Holtby (RFA)

 

Winnipeg ($3 million per roster spot)

Room under projected cap: $23.8 million

Players under contract: 15

Key free agents: Jokinen, Setoguchi, Frolik, Stuart, Ellerby (RFA)

Bad contracts: none

Pending 2015 free agents: Slater

Edited April 11, 2014 by dudacek

[LastPommerFan]

Offer Sheet Kassian.

[dudacek]

Two things jumped out at me:

1) Gary Bettman ###### the Sabres again. The new CBA and TV contract means pretty much every team is out of cap jail.

Every team will have room to sign their key guys this summer if they want to.

 

2) The Kane dream isn't a total fantasy. The Hawks can sign both guys this summer and probably will. But unless Toews and Kane give the Hawks a discount, Bowman will almost certainly have to dump another one of his key guys to make it work in 2015. Hossa will almost certainly become available.

[tom webster]

Two things jumped out at me:

1) Gary Bettman ###### the Sabres again. The new CBA and TV contract means pretty much every team is out of cap jail.

Every team will have room to sign their key guys this summer if they want to.

 

2) The Kane dream isn't a total fantasy. The Hawks can sign both guys this summer and probably will. But unless Toews and Kane give the Hawks a discount, Bowman will almost certainly have to dump another one of his key guys to make it work in 2015. Hossa will almost certainly become available.

 

Bowman proved it once. He keeps the guys he wants to keep and reloads the depth players. The cap could go up another $6 million or more in 2015.

[dudacek]

Bowman proved it once. He keeps the guys he wants to keep and reloads the depth players. The cap could go up another $6 million or more in 2015.

That's absolutely right. Another $6 million would be about all that he needs.

Right now he is praying for the Canadian dollar to rebound.

[LGR4GM]

Bowman proved it once. He keeps the guys he wants to keep and reloads the depth players. The cap could go up another $6 million or more in 2015.

I doubt it. With the new tv deal and the refresh from fans after the lockout, this year was gauranteed to be the biggest jump. I bet the cap goes from something like 71mil to 73.5-74

[inkman]

I doubt it. With the new tv deal and the refresh from fans after the lockout, this year was gauranteed to be the biggest jump. I bet the cap goes from something like 71mil to 73.5-74

...and just like every good team in the modern salary cap era, they will keep their major players while moving their depth and young players for cheaper depth and even younger players.

[LGR4GM]

...and just like every good team in the modern salary cap era, they will keep their major players while moving their depth and young players for cheaper depth and even younger players.

O I agree they will be able to do it. I just think the cap isn't going to sky rocket again.

[dudacek]

...and just like every good team in the modern salary cap era, they will keep their major players while moving their depth and young players for cheaper depth and even younger players.

 

Thing is, the Hawks are loaded with upper and lower-class contracts. They don't have much in the middle class to cut.

And in addition to Kane and Toews, they will also have to Saad a good raise.

 

Even if you replaced four $2 million players with four $1 million players, you only save $4 million.

With those three, you are probably looking at $8-10 million more just to keep them.

 

Unless the cap jumps by a lot, I still think they would rather trade Hossa for a couple potential Saads. It's just smart cap management.

Should we have any interest?

[Huckleberry]

Well for callahan as well as kane the only thing that can make them sign with the sabres is because they want to play for their local team.

Chances of that happening might be slim because they both have got something good going on with their current teams. but you can always hope :P

Edited February 1, 2014 by Heimdall

[inkman]

Thing is, the Hawks are loaded with upper and lower-class contracts. They don't have much in the middle class to cut.

And in addition to Kane and Toews, they will also have to Saad a good raise.

 

Even if you replaced four $2 million players with four $1 million players, you only save $4 million.

With those three, you are probably looking at $8-10 million more just to keep them.

 

Unless the cap jumps by a lot, I still think they would rather trade Hossa for a couple potential Saads. It's just smart cap management.

Should we have any interest?

As of right now, if the cap doesn't increase between '14-'15 (which it will), the blackhawks have $30 million to sign Toews, Kane, Kruger, Pirri, Leddy, and whatever filler they use to fill in for Handzus, Oduya, & Rozival. I don't see the issue.

Edited February 1, 2014 by inkman

[dudacek]

I see at least $9 million each for Toews and Kane. That's $12 million left to sign/replace the six you mention, plus Brandon Saad, who will be coming off his ELC and may not be cheap. Like I said, they can do it, but they may be better off long-term using Hossa's money on a couple more Saad types. Teams have to guard against being stuck with no one coming when their window closes. The Canucks are there. The Sharks could go either way.

[mjd1001]

Once again, I'm not for Callahan. If you think/want the Sabres to be serious contenders starting in 2-3 years (who knows, it may be longer), that will put him on the downside of his career (especially with his injury history). I'd rather spend the money on locking up the players on your roster that you want around for sure (all under 26 years old though) and, depending on how the system works, overpaying for extensions on players you trade for or give offers sheets to for anyone under 26 year old only.

 

I guess my theme is, if you have to spend to get to the floor, ONLY on players 26 or younger.

[dudacek]

So what are the Sabres going to do with their own free agents?

 

I think every single one of our UFA's will be allowed to test the waters.

D'Agostini, Scott and Tallinder could be back if we don't find upgrades.

Konopka and Sulzer are gone.

 

As for the RFAs, Foligno and Ennis will be re-signed, as will Deslauriers and Ruhwedel, but the rest of them are very questionable.

Luke Adam should be allowed to walk.

I'd be happy to see McBain walk as well. That said, I'd rather see him in the 6/7 role than McCabe or Risto or Pysyk next year.

I don't see Corey Conacher in Buffalo's long-term future, but he could placehold a roster spot in Buffalo and would be a helluva weapon for the Amerks.

Matt McKenzie and Nick Crawford might be needed in the AHL but do you waste an NHL contract on them?

[Andrew Amerk]

Scoot.

 

Sabres need to re-sign that guy.

[Hoss]

Bit early for this. But I think Ennis will get a solid deal. Foligno better get a prove-it deal because he's been pretty bad for a while now.

Scott should be gone. Tallinder is either or.

McBain is either or.

 

[dudacek]

I forgot Hackett. Are we going to give him another shot, or do we go with Makarov and Lieuwen in Rochester next year?

[Hoss]

I forgot Hackett. Are we going to give him another shot, or do we go with Makarov and Lieuwen in Rochester next year?

 

That'll be an interesting conundrum this offseason. I think Lieuwen should go if any of them go. Makarov could go back to the WHL for another year.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Tankalicious

[dudacek]

That'll be an interesting conundrum this offseason. I think Lieuwen should go if any of them go.

Except Lieuwen and Makarov have contracts.

[Hoss]

Except Lieuwen and Makarov have contracts.

 

Yea. Doesn't mean they can't be moved.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Tankalicious

[Huckleberry]

2015 will be very interesting looking at things, might be able to not only bring in kane, but nick foligno as well.

 

Callahan in 2014. Can you imagine a 3rd line of Foligno - Girgensons - callahan starting 2015 ?

[JJFIVEOH]

I mentioned this on another thread. Lieuwen has had concussion issues. He's only 22 and on at least his 3rd concussion. From what I've read, one of the concussions set him back a long time and at one point was concerned about getting back to form to move up the ranks. Now that he just had another one they might have to look at the possibility that he'll never play again.

[Andrew Amerk]

2015 will be very interesting looking at things, might be able to not only bring in kane, but nick foligno as well.

 

Callahan in 2014. Can you imagine a 3rd line of Foligno - Girgensons - callahan starting 2015 ?

 

Part of signing Callahan and giving him the money that he wants would mean top line minutes.

[qwksndmonster]

Part of signing Callahan and giving him the money that he wants would mean top line minutes.

Good for Callahan, wanting top line minutes. That seems like a shutdown line that would get minutes against other teams' top lines, anyways.. That's not a diminished role.

[shrader]

That'll be an interesting conundrum this offseason. I think Lieuwen should go if any of them go. Makarov could go back to the WHL for another year.

 

Did you mean the ECHL? Makarov will be 21 in a couple days and is too old for junior hockey. Anyway, they'll keep all 3 of them. They'll need that many in the system anyway and it is far too early to give up on a 24 year old Hackett.