Richard Cloutier: Making the Oilers Fit Under the Cap in 2013/2014

Cant see the Oil having Cap problems for a few years. Very manageable cap situation and team. Great situation going forward, and this new Cap/CBA couldnt have come at a more perfect time for a young team ready to take the next step.

Shouldn't be that hard for the Oil, teams against the cap now will be struggling though! Some good deals to be had maybe?

Shouldn't be that hard for the Oil, teams against the cap now will be struggling though! Some good deals to be had maybe?
- LeftCoaster

I'm very curious to see what happens when teams fight to get under the cap. There could be a few insane deals out there to be made.

Cant see the Oil having Cap problems for a few years. Very manageable cap situation and team. Great situation going forward, and this new Cap/CBA couldnt have come at a more perfect time for a young team ready to take the next step.
- systemtool

It might be ugly in two years when the Oilers need to extend Nuge, Dubnyk, Petry and Justin Schultz. I have them near the cap ceiling for 2013/2014. If the cap is $60mil for that season, it should roughly increase to $64mil in 2014/2015. Nuge's hit will be $2mil more per season. Schultz could go up the same amount. Petry's could go up $3mil or more. I have no idea what Dubnyk's contract could look like. Without Dubey, that's $7mil additional with only around $5.5mil of room.

All of this being said, Smyth's $2.25mil and Belanger's $1.75mil should also be off the books. Depending on how the Oilers do drafting over the next two seasons, you could see Sam Gagner or Ales Hemsky gone to make cap room. I'd hate to see Nick Schultz go, but he's another player who could be moved if it's a choice between him or Petry.

The Oilers have made some mistakes, but overall put themselves in a good position salary wise.

The Oilers have made some mistakes, but overall put themselves in a good position salary wise.
- doon

Agreed. Tambellini is starting to look brilliant to me, and that's scary. This team is going to be in an amazing position in 2013/2014 and beyond.

They should be ok for two years . The problem comes when Yak Klefblom PVR Schultz RNH Smid and Theo want a raise .

Oilers will be in tough keeping everyone happy. Chances of aquiring UFAs will be slim. Too much home grown talent (not a bad thing)

Plus we are assuming that all these guys are going to develop into super studs in two years. A couple of them might take a few more years. So theyre prices might not be maxed out so fast.

Kings were in better shape than I thought... They'll be at 49m next year. Resigning a few, and giving Brown an extension a year before he hits UFA, they can be under cap.. Assuming that some guys are willing to take a little less to play here still.

Losing Penner, Gagne, Richardson, and Scuderi to free agency, and Bernier to a trade, then resigning Brown for 6 (or 7) years at 4M a year, Lewis for 2 years at 1m, Nolan 2 years for 725K, Voynov 4 years for 2.5M, Martinez 3 years at 1.25M, Drewiskie 1 year 700K... Then Muzzin resigned at 700k and reaclled, and Toffoli recalled.... That'll put them at 58.9M, just over a million left in cap space.

That also includes getting a #2 backup behind Quick... I just put in a million dollar hit, but there's a little bit of wiggle room. They might have to get some mostly crappy aging cheap backup for a year before the cap starts to go back up.



Assuming everyone is willing to play at these prices (which I don't see why not, they're all getting raises, and they're all young and will get more contracts) we should still be in pretty good shape.

This also assumes that the cap will start to go up after the 2013/2014 season. If it goes below 60M then we're effed. If it doesn't go up to about 65M in the next 2 years it'll be hard.

So Lander is gonna be NHL ready next year? I'm just trying to keep up cause the tentative rosters for 18-19' keep changing.

I could see Yak being traded once we see what he can do in the NHL to bring in multiple assests to help round out the team for a championship. He isnt gonna want to play 2nd fiddle to the rest of the guys.

It might be ugly in two years when the Oilers need to extend Nuge, Dubnyk, Petry and Justin Schultz. I have them near the cap ceiling for 2013/2014. If the cap is $60mil for that season, it should roughly increase to $64mil in 2014/2015. Nuge's hit will be $2mil more per season. Schultz could go up the same amount. Petry's could go up $3mil or more. I have no idea what Dubnyk's contract could look like. Without Dubey, that's $7mil additional with only around $5.5mil of room.

All of this being said, Smyth's $2.25mil and Belanger's $1.75mil should also be off the books. Depending on how the Oilers do drafting over the next two seasons, you could see Sam Gagner or Ales Hemsky gone to make cap room. I'd hate to see Nick Schultz go, but he's another player who could be moved if it's a choice between him or Petry.
- Maxbone

I didnt get or like the Hemsky signing for this reason alone. Just imagine how huge Seth Jones would be to this team to go with JSchultz? Of course its unlikely to happen, but the idea of it is salivation worthy.

Kings were in better shape than I thought... They'll be at 49m next year. Resigning a few, and giving Brown an extension a year before he hits UFA, they can be under cap.. Assuming that some guys are willing to take a little less to play here still.

Losing Penner, Gagne, Richardson, and Scuderi to free agency, and Bernier to a trade, then resigning Brown for 6 (or 7) years at 4M a year, Lewis for 2 years at 1m, Nolan 2 years for 725K, Voynov 4 years for 2.5M, Martinez 3 years at 1.25M, Drewiskie 1 year 700K... Then Muzzin resigned at 700k and reaclled, and Toffoli recalled.... That'll put them at 58.9M, just over a million left in cap space.

That also includes getting a #2 backup behind Quick... I just put in a million dollar hit, but there's a little bit of wiggle room. They might have to get some mostly crappy aging cheap backup for a year before the cap starts to go back up.



Assuming everyone is willing to play at these prices (which I don't see why not, they're all getting raises, and they're all young and will get more contracts) we should still be in pretty good shape.
- bluecoconuts

If Brown has another good season he isnt gonna be making 4mil. Esp when other teams like Buff and NYI would be right after him along with other teams for sure. Voynov is a wild card in this. If he has a break out year he could be looking for more to. Martinez i could also see making more. Willie Mitchell will also be coming off the books in another year. We'd also have to re up Matt Greene. We dont have another meat head like him in the system. Everyone loves him. I still think we are gonna be in good shape moving forward.

I didnt get or like the Hemsky signing for this reason alone. Just imagine how huge Seth Jones would be to this team to go with JSchultz? Of course its unlikely to happen, but the idea of it is salivation worthy.
- systemtool

I still think Hemsky is tradeable. Wont be to valuable unless he has a good year and stays healthy. Gagner is def tradeable and I think EDM will hold onto him as long as poss due to him getting better every year. His value just keep increaseing.

Yakupov looks like he will fit right in...

If Brown has another good season he isnt gonna be making 4mil. Esp when other teams like Buff and NYI would be right after him along with other teams for sure. Voynov is a wild card in this. If he has a break out year he could be looking for more to. Martinez i could also see making more. Willie Mitchell will also be coming off the books in another year. We'd also have to re up Matt Greene. We dont have another meat head like him in the system. Everyone loves him. I still think we are gonna be in good shape moving forward.
- poisondhearts37

Greene and Mitchell come off the books after the 2014/2015 season so I didn't touch them. Brown deserves far more, which is why I would try to lock him up a year before he hits FA so he doesn't get all the money thrown at him (like what they did with Quick... Hopefully he takes a hometown discount and doesn't try to grab 6 million. Although they could pay him 5.5 pretty easily and still fit. It's just close.

Voynov and Martinez are hard ones. Voynov hopefully they'll say that he's young, and if he keeps playing they'll reward him with a big pay day. Martinez will be a little harder.

Does anyone know why Yakupov looks like he can't handle a puck at all in the WJ?

That guy's getting traded!!

I still think Hemsky is tradeable. Wont be to valuable unless he has a good year and stays healthy. Gagner is def tradeable and I think EDM will hold onto him as long as poss due to him getting better every year. His value just keep increaseing.
- poisondhearts37

Not if teams are being squeezed down to 60 million cap as it is. Big ticket for an oft injured, under performing player that is turning 30.

Gagner, agreed. Definitely tradeable.

Not if teams are being squeezed down to 60 million cap as it is. Big ticket for an oft injured, under performing player that is turning 30.

Gagner, agreed. Definitely tradeable.
- systemtool

There will always be teams far under the cap looking for a little excitement. Im just saying tradeable. Not saying hes worth the moon.

There will always be teams far under the cap looking for a little excitement. Im just saying tradeable. Not saying hes worth the moon.
- poisondhearts37

Most of those teams have internal budgets, cap space aside. Technically Scott Gomez is tradeable too, and Mike Komisarek, but lets not get carried away and try to be logical about this.

I didnt get or like the Hemsky signing for this reason alone. Just imagine how huge Seth Jones would be to this team to go with JSchultz? Of course its unlikely to happen, but the idea of it is salivation worthy.
- systemtool

Pretty simple. Yakopov and the Oilers first (10-15) for #1 overall.
It's a high price, but it will pay off massively in a few years.

Pretty simple. Yakopov and the Oilers first (10-15) for #1 overall.
It's a high price, but it will pay off massively in a few years.
- clarkysduster

I would do that.

I would do that.
- doon

Problem is I don't think whoever has the 1st overall would **cough Columbus cough**

Then again, if the new rules go through and we don't make the playoffs, we still technically have a chance at 1st overall.

Not if teams are being squeezed down to 60 million cap as it is. Big ticket for an oft injured, under performing player that is turning 30.

Gagner, agreed. Definitely tradeable.
- systemtool

I'd love to see a breakdown of how the cap ceiling teams expect to get to 60 cap.

Or man even crazier, if revenues go down... Less than 60