Atlantic Motion https://t.co/IFzaTKQOBg pic.twitter.com/EZ3V5a4PnP
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) August 6, 2016
Welcome to the Olympic break portion of the sizzling Summer of '16.
Business activity has been on a steady simmer setting all summer long.
Now that rookie development camps have been conducted, NHL GMs, Hockey Ops men and their scouting staffs now have a finite and clear picture of what their organization has in terms of talent.
Let the roster and organizational depth chart tinkering begin.
There is still much work to be done.
There is this unrestricted free agent college kid from New England-- who shall remain nameless-- that a dozen NHL GMs are tripping all over themselves to sign next week. The kid hasn't skated a lap on an NHL rink yet, however, he has been all the rage ever since April when he skated away the NHL club that drafted him in the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft.
The NHL hasn't seen this type of hype and drama for a non-NHL free agent since eight seasons ago Fabian Brunnstrom arrived from Sweden to deafening levels of drum rolls. Only to flame out.
The trade market will activate once the college kid signs with his desired NHL team because the teams that miss out on wooing him will then need to go to the Plan B and Plan C options to secure a top six winger.
Before you know it, the Labor Day holiday weekend will be here. Then, the World Cup of Hockey. The gates to NHL training camps will open a week later than normal due to the World Cup this season.
While you and I have been soaking up the sun, surf, sand and sasparillas, many NHL general managers have been attending to unfinished business. In June, 25 RFAs filed for salary arbitration. Last Sunday, defenseman Tyson Barrie and the Colorado Avalanche agreed to terms on a new four year contract extension just before the arbitrator rendered her salary ruling. Barrie was the one and only RFA to have his case heard by the arbitrator while the other 24 RFAs accepted new contract terms in advance of their scheduled arb hearings.
Today, there are several high profile restricted free agents still on the market including Buffalo's Rasmus Ristolainen and Zemgus Girgensons. Ristolainen is on his way to becoming a Norris Trophy candidate and his AAV will likely be in the $5.75 to $6.5M range on a six to eight year deal. Girgensons will have to settle for a two year bridge deal or a one year “show me don't tell me… contract in the $1.8M AAV range. In Tampa, Nikita Kucherov is about to break the bank. Kucherov literally pulverized his ELC and has earned a substantial pay raise to the tune of $6M to $6.5M per season, beginning in 2016-17. Nikita Nesterov will be an easier deal to do in the $1.8M AAV range. Calgary's Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau are still patiently waiting for their next contracts while will be a combined $15M to $16M per season moving forward. Winnipeg's Jacob Trouba is still unsigned. The Jets are pushing a short “show me… deal while Trouba wants Seth Jones money at $5.75 AAV over multiple years. Anaheim's Hampus Lindholm also is sitting and waiting. Lindholm, like Ristolainen will get what he is asking for which is a long term contract in the $5.75M to $6.5M AAV. Lindholm will also be mentioned in the Norris voting in future years.
There are still trades to be made. Buffalo and Evander Kane are nearing the point of irreconcilible differences. I see a divorce in the not too distant future. Vancouver, Anaheim, Colorado, Calgary, Philadelphia, and Florida are potential landing spots for the enigmatic, problematic power forward. The NY Rangers and Rick Nash may be on their way to a break-up. San Jose and St. Louis are suitors for Nash. Kevin Shattenkirk has been on the radar screen of the NY Rangers and Boston Bruins since the NHL draft in Buffalo. Scott Hartnell will likely get dealt from Columbus in the weeks to come. Vancouver, San Jose, and Philadelphia have inquired about the power forward. Ben Bishop will likely have to be punted from Tampa in order to create salary cap space to fit Nikita Kucherov's new contract under the salary cap. Jimmy Howard will most likely get turfed in Detroit. Howard has three years remaining on his deal. The Red Wings are nearly $5M OVER the salary cap right now.
In order to sign RFAs, UFAs, and to make high impact trades, NHL general managers need salary cap space.
Today, I give you the Atlantic Division teams and their respective current salary cap situations, primary assist to General Fanager:
Boston Bruins
Cap Space Remaining: $6,731,666 All RFAs have been signed Needs: Puck distributing top four D.
Buffalo Sabres
Cap Space Remaining: $8,150,476 Unsigned RFA: Rasmus Ristolainen, Zemgus Girgensons Needs: Top 6 LW, Top 4 LD
Detroit Red Wings
Cap Space Remaining: $4,867,042 OVER the cap. Must shed a $5M salary by start of regular season. Howard $5,291,666 AAV
Florida Panthers
Cap Space Remaining: $4,329,167 All RFA signed Needs: Top six scoring winger
Montreal Canadiens
Cap Space Remaining: $1,430,359 Needs: Depth D-man
Ottawa Senators
Cap Space Remaining: $8,780,833 Unsigned RFA: Cody Ceci Needs: Top 6 scoring forward
Tampa Bay Lightning
Cap Hit Remaining: $6,591,666 Unsigned RFA: Nikita Kucherov, Nikita Nesterov
Toronto Maple Leafs
Cap Hit Remaining: $55,916 All RFA signed Needs: Scoring forward