After an initial underwhelming burst to start things off, the free agent market seems to have completely fizzled out. With a number of teams pushing up against the cap both for 2015-16 and also looking forward, the 2015 free agent frenzy could suddenly be a buyers' market. And suddenly ten days into free agency perhaps there are some players and agents who are just a little bit anxious to just get a decent deal done and figure out where to book a plane ticket to for two months from now.
On Facebook last week, I posted a chart that showed the Hurricanes actual opening day salary for 2014-15 versus where the team stands for 2015-16 as of right now.
The short version is that the Canes are about $6.5M below last year's opening day roster salary. I have not heard Ron Francis talk about an internal budget, but it would seem reasonable that he would be trying to stay at or a little bit below last season's number after another playoff money miss and challenges selling tickets and renewing season ticket holders. For the sake of argument, let's say that if he can make a strong case for it improving the team and revenue that he can negotiate his way to spending the same as last year. He can fall back on the fact that with big contracts coming off the books, he will have much greater flexibility to cut some costs next summer.
So going with that theme and a budget of roughly $6M, is it time for Ron Francis to capitalize on some anxiety of waiting free agents and pounce? I think it makes sense for a number of reasons:
1) By signing free agents to short-term deals, he can improve for 2015-16 without sacrificing the future like he would in trades.
2) In fact, by signing a couple 1-year deals, Francis gets the best of both worlds. Ideally, the new players help the Canes push into the playoffs. If they don't, their 1-year inexpensive deals can easily be flipped for modest futures next March.
3) The Hurricanes franchise does not have the luxury of doing a long rebuild or telling its fan base that it is going this route. This team needs to at least take a shot at 2015-16 as long as it can be done without sacrificing the future.
4) Especially at forward, it might help avert a situation like 2014-15 where a couple (or maybe even one) key injury jettisons the whole season because of the lack of NHL-ready depth in the system at forward right now.
So with that in mind, if I am Ron Francis, I get on the phone today and see what my options are for making the maximum impact for 2015-16 for $6M without committing too much past that.
I think it's this:
1) If it is an option, go sign Christian Ehrhoff for two years at about $3.5M/year. He made $4M last year which seems fair, but in a strange alternate universe that surely will not last, I think he can be had for a bit less maybe.
2) Go sign the best two offensively capable forwards you can get for $1.5M each. The options include Boyes, Fleischmann, Roy and Tlusty (who probably costs a little bit more).
If Francis does this, I think the team is in as strong of a position as possible given financial constraints for a 2015-16 push. NONE of the future is given up in these free agent deals. And my math says that there is still one slot available at both forward and defense for the youth to win/earn NOT be forced into because we have no other options.
What say you Canes fans? Do you think a modest $6M shopping spree could boost the team to a higher level? Or are you in the camp of just going with what we have and letting the kids win spots and then sink or swim?
Twitter=@CanesandCoffee and @CarolinaMatt63
Go Canes!