The NY Islanders held two different leads in Anaheim on Monday night.
Who cares that John Tavares and Thomas Vanek each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders? Per usual, the woeful Islanders collapsed and the Ducks scored two goals, including a shorthanded winner from Cam Fowler, in the final 33 seconds of the second period to take a 4-2 lead. Game. Set. Match.
“That’s the turning point in the game,… head coach Jack Capuano said. “We couldn’t overcome it.…
The vultures are circling overhead as the Islanders have now lost 10 games in a row. To compound the depression and anxiety, the Islanders have only won 3 of 19 games since November 1st. The Thomas Vanek trade hasn’t helped the Islanders one iota. I dare say that Garth Snow injured his team when he traded a most valuable guy in the room in Matt Moulson.
Expect big changes to the Islanders bench and roster when they lose their 11th straight game tonight. No rest for the weary as the Sharks will have their way with the bleeding Islanders tonight in San Jose.
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Thirty NHL owners agreed unanimously to ratify the NHL's new 12-year, $5.2 BILLION Canadian TV contract with Rogers Communications.
Let the party begin! The owners and players will all benefit from this record-setting financial bonanza.
Initial reports had the NHL salary cap inflating to $68-$69 million for the 2014-15 season.
This season's cap shrunk to $64.3 million after the NHL lockout was settled last January. The pre-lockout salary cap was set at $70.4 million.
There are some pundits and NHL economists who are predicting that the NHL salary cap will be rising to $85-$87 million in the next five years. Some observers predict a $90 million cap by the time the Rogers deal ends in 12 years.
TSN's Darren Dreger reported from the NHL Board of Governors meetings on Monday night that next season's cap may grow to $71 million (12% increase year over year) in 2014-15.
2014-2015 NHL salary cap projection delivered at Board of Governors meeting.Upwards of $71 million next season. CDN TV rights also ratified.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 10, 2013This would be a substantial lift from this season's $64.3 million salary cap. The projections may be plus or minus $500,000. Who cares. All teams will have $6+ million in their budget with which to go out and buy, if they so choose, another top salary player.
If the cap is indeed $71 million, then the floor will be set in the $52 million range.
Lets use Ryan Miller as an example.
The Sabres may want to make a long term proposal to their starting goalie to stay and play for another 5-6 seasons, and in effect retire in a Sabres sweater. Miller could accept their offer, or he may decline it. Should he do so, there will be more suitors for his services than there were projected to be before this new multi-billion TV contract was agreed to between the NHL and Rogers Communications two weeks ago.
Miller is earning $6.25 million in this his final season of his Buffalo contract. He will become UFA in July 2014. Cap-scraping teams like St.Louis and Chicago could trade for Miller now, and use the new TV money to invest immediately to Miller's next long term contract which is projected to be in the 6 year / $7.5 million per season range. Teams like Nashville, NY Islanders and Minnesota can now participate on the open market for Miller, that is if he gets to the open market. I'm expecting a team to trade for Miller in the near future and to 'rent" him for the rest of the season, at which time he will be re-signed to his long term nirvana of cash.
UFAs to be may want to accept trades at the trade deadline and then hold on to see what kind of bidding wars will be the result of more buyers later.
Here's a list of 15 red-hot 2014 UFAs who can now be had with the new cash infusion from the Rogers deal:
Alex Steen Thomas Vanek Joe Thornton Patrick Marleau Ryan Callahan Dan Girardi Paul Stastny Jarome Iginla Mikhail Grabovski Steve Ott Matt Moulson Derek Roy Dion Phaneuf Mason Raymond Dustin Penner
Money will no longer be an option.
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