How good are those prospects? I don't know them.

And how do they get rid of other monies to fill the roster?
- wreckage

I think Sompii is rated higher. Goncalves is more of a wild card. Yzerman did an excellent job of drafting. JBB has let players like Barre-Boulet, Katchouk, Raddysh and Foote develop in Syracuse. They should all be NHL ready. If Palat isn't included in the Seattle deal, JBB will likely have to trade him for a 2nd and a 3rd. 1 year left at 5.3 mil. A team will get a good deal there. He does have a NTC.

I think Sompii is rated higher. Goncalves is more of a wild card. Yzerman did an excellent job of drafting. JBB has let players like Barre-Boulet, Katchouk, Raddysh and Foote develop in Syracuse. They should all be NHL ready.
- gergeswillems

According to capfriendly they need 2fw, 2d and 1g min just to make a full GameDay roster and are already 3.5 over the cap. Looks like a really tough offseason to me.

According to capfriendly they need 2fw, 2d and 1g min just to make a full GameDay roster and are already 3.5 over the cap. Looks like a really tough offseason to me.
- wreckage

It's tough but not impossible. They were in much worse shape last off season when Sergachev, Cernak and Cirelli were RFA's. JBB got all 3 to sign bridge deals.

congrats to the bolts and the NHL for its brilliant "hard" cap rules and loop holes. Almost 18 million over the cap for the playoff run and cup win...be fun to watch how this team becomes cap compliant: they are going to lose at least 4 quality players or more.

Tampa has handed out NTC and NMC's like candy. Those clauses should the exception and not the rule. Yeah, all of these cap-issues are self inflicted. Lightning shot themselves in the foot to get two Cups. That second Cup win is going to make the coming roster massacre easier to stomach though.
- GalacticStone

Sounds like what Chia-Pet did to Boston before he went to screw up the Oil.

I'm not sure where this $18 million over the cap number is coming from. Kucherov had hip surgery that generally takes 5 months minimum to heal and he makes $9.5 million a year, not $18 million a year.
- dctill

Wasn't just Kucherov. TB Cap hit during the playoffs was around 100M.

Wasn't just Kucherov. TB Cap hit during the playoffs was around 100M.
- Nasty_Duck

True, but Gaborik and Nilsson were on Robidas Island and never played a game. On-ice cap hit was well over the limit, but not close to $100m. That 100 figure includes Gaborik and Nilsson.

It's tough but not impossible. They were in much worse shape last off season when Sergachev, Cernak and Cirelli were RFA's. JBB got all 3 to sign bridge deals.
- gergeswillems

JBB and his capologists will make it work somehow. I've resigned myself to the fact that Palat is going to be forced out to become The Man somewhere else.

He's been one of my favorites since he first played. Great guy who is scared of spiders. LOL. Very underrated forward and he will be very difficult to replace.

Well since you didn't answer that proposed question I'll have to assume that you would also delay surgery, imagine that.

Furthermore, what you just said here about how perfect the timing was that he came back exactly when the playoffs start, have you taken even a moment to critically think about that? Who am I kidding of course you didn't, why would you think it through when a glancing thought arrives at the result you want. So how about this, have you considered that Kucherov was not fully rehabbed at the time he came back?

What makes you think he was lol? I get it, I really do. People like you want it to be some big conspiracy and wont accept anything else no matter what because you need an excuse and something to point your finger at.

**WARNING REAL LIFE VERSION OF EVENTS**

- Last season ended late.
- Kucherov tries to work through the injury with shots to see if he could forgo
surgery.
- Decides that the shots weren't helping and goes for the surgery in December.
- Season starts in January.
- Recovery from surgery expected to take 4-6 months.
- Playoffs start in May.
- December to May = 5 months.
- At this point Kucherov has recovered enough to be able to play.

**WARNING CRACKHEAD CONSPIRACY VERSION OF EVENTS**

- Facing cap constraints Brisbois meets with Kucherov in a VIP suite of Mons Venus.
- Brisbois after puffing on a Cuban Cigar tells Kucherov he needs to have surgery or
else Vinik will steal his wife.
- Instead of surgery, Kucherov goes into hiding.
- Season starts.
- Playoffs start, Kucherov mysteriously repels from the rafters onto the ice.
- Kucherov reveals he was in the hyperbolic time chamber and is now 5x more
powerful.
- Bettman secretly had performance enhancing drugs mixed in with Montreal's
vaccines to ensure all other Canadian teams would fall.
- People are convinced Kucherov is a massive cheater.
- Brisebois smirks still smoking his cigar.
- After a river of tears and butthurt from opposing fans & player, Lightning Repeat.
(This is the only actual true event).


Thus there is only two groups of people. Those who can see that the circumstances of the shortened season are what gave the Lightning an edge, and people with asterisks next to there names that are certified crackhead conspiracy theorists.
- Izzo

Pretty much. But I don't think crack is involved. That narrative is powered by acute untreated butthurt that has progressed to Stage Four Rectal Rage.

People have never heard of Occam's Razor. It's easier to believe some conspiracy theory nonsense than pick the most obvious answer. Was it convenient for the Lightning? Yes, without a doubt. But no rules were broken - only bent. People keep saying "He was healthy before the playoffs" because he had been skating in practice before the playoffs started. He was not cleared to play by team or league doctors, but could skate.

Show me the proof if this was some conspiracy involving doctors and the league to shove a small market team into the finals. Where is the proof besides Twitter butthurt and a lot of speculation and suspicion? No proof anywhere. Show me the emails. Show me the texts. Let's hear the taped conversations. Where is the whistleblower? (*crickets*)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfwEHN7rEvY

That Kusherov post-game presser was hilarious. F-ing must watch TV there. Kush haters will have rage strokes while watching it, so that makes it better.

Shirtless. Drunk. In rare form.

Takes a dig at the Vezina voters.

Takes a dig at Montreal fans. (underserving I thought. He could have left that one out). Montreal fans deserved some celebration. Let them have it. No harm done.

Heaps more praise on Vasi.

Acts generally amused and continues drinking on camera.

Frequently talks to people off-frame and generally acts half-pissed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfwEHN7rEvY

That Kusherov post-game presser was hilarious. F-ing must watch TV there. Kush haters will have rage strokes while watching it, so that makes it better.

Shirtless. Drunk. In rare form.

Takes a dig at the Vezina voters.

Takes a dig at Montreal fans. (underserving I thought. He could have left that one out). Montreal fans deserved some celebration. Let them have it. No harm done.

Heaps more praise on Vasi.

Acts generally amused and continues drinking on camera.

Frequently talks to people off-frame and generally acts half-pissed.



- GalacticStone

The #1 bull poop lines were cracking me up and i am far from a Kucherov fan. Just a happy man drunk talking to much and swearing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfwEHN7rEvY

That Kusherov post-game presser was hilarious. F-ing must watch TV there. Kush haters will have rage strokes while watching it, so that makes it better.

Shirtless. Drunk. In rare form.

Takes a dig at the Vezina voters.

Takes a dig at Montreal fans. (underserving I thought. He could have left that one out). Montreal fans deserved some celebration. Let them have it. No harm done.

Heaps more praise on Vasi.

Acts generally amused and continues drinking on camera.

Frequently talks to people off-frame and generally acts half-pissed.



- GalacticStone

The slamming of what was left of his beer and smooth slide away down the table of the upright empty can, then cracking open another was the best part.

Congratulations Tampa Bay Lightning, well deserved.

Now that Tampa has shown us what can happen when you've been given unfair ability to circumvent a salary cap, the NHL needs to make 2 fixes for next season so that this bullpoop doesn't happen again.


1. Salary cap hits should count against teams AFTER taxation. For example, if Tavares makes 10.5 million in Toronto, but actually takes home only 7, then the 7 is what counts against the cap. This puts every team on equal footing, instead of giving teams like Tampa, Dallas, and Arizona (among a few others) a leg up when it comes to spending.

2. The cap counts in the playoffs. You don't have to cut anyone, but you can only DRESS a lineup that would be allowed within the cap on night 1 of the NHL season. For example. If McDavid is out for LTIR, and he comes back for the playoffs, then his 12.5 million or whatever he makes has to come back out of the lineup to make room for him.

Otherwise, really, what is the point of having a cap if once the games actually start, you can completely nullify it?
- Lato649

What a load of crap. Did you whine when the Blackhawks did it? Of course not. And the tax crap is old. When Toronto tried to sign Stamkos, they brought in all of the corporations that guaranteed him sponsorship dollars way above what he could save with tax dollars. So the big market teams have that advantage. But the big markets are used to being able to buy talent and haven’t learned how to grow talent and whine when smaller market teams use their quirks to their advantage.

Next, you will whine that our lifestyle gives unfair advantage. Pretty nice when Killorn did his Dock talk on his jet ski while others were locked away.

The slamming of what was left of his beer and smooth slide away down the table of the upright empty can, then cracking open another was the best part.
- Ratsreign

Heck of a player. Really enjoyed his time in the moment. Luv to have him on my Leafs. The puck is magic on his stick

The slamming of what was left of his beer and smooth slide away down the table of the upright empty can, then cracking open another was the best part.
- Ratsreign

You figure the blood is pumping after a game, slamming a few quick drinks will hit pretty hard and fast, even if you have a tolerance. Dude was probably one or two sheets to the wind at the presser and entirely poopfaced before the night was over.

Now that Tampa has shown us what can happen when you've been given unfair ability to circumvent a salary cap, the NHL needs to make 2 fixes for next season so that this bullpoop doesn't happen again.


1. Salary cap hits should count against teams AFTER taxation. For example, if Tavares makes 10.5 million in Toronto, but actually takes home only 7, then the 7 is what counts against the cap. This puts every team on equal footing, instead of giving teams like Tampa, Dallas, and Arizona (among a few others) a leg up when it comes to spending.

2. The cap counts in the playoffs. You don't have to cut anyone, but you can only DRESS a lineup that would be allowed within the cap on night 1 of the NHL season. For example. If McDavid is out for LTIR, and he comes back for the playoffs, then his 12.5 million or whatever he makes has to come back out of the lineup to make room for him.

Otherwise, really, what is the point of having a cap if once the games actually start, you can completely nullify it?
- Lato649

Simplify the play-off requirement that the player has to play .....say 10-15% of the regular season games. And the black aces and NCAA prospects are reqired the same amount in their leagues before they can jump into the NHL play-offs. Simple!

Tampa has handed out NTC and NMC's like candy. Those clauses should the exception and not the rule. Yeah, all of these cap-issues are self inflicted. Lightning shot themselves in the foot to get two Cups. That second Cup win is going to make the coming roster massacre easier to stomach though.
- GalacticStone

You are making Poile's point!

Well since you didn't answer that proposed question I'll have to assume that you would also delay surgery, imagine that.

Furthermore, what you just said here about how perfect the timing was that he came back exactly when the playoffs start, have you taken even a moment to critically think about that? Who am I kidding of course you didn't, why would you think it through when a glancing thought arrives at the result you want. So how about this, have you considered that Kucherov was not fully rehabbed at the time he came back?

What makes you think he was lol? I get it, I really do. People like you want it to be some big conspiracy and wont accept anything else no matter what because you need an excuse and something to point your finger at.

**WARNING REAL LIFE VERSION OF EVENTS**

- Last season ended late.
- Kucherov tries to work through the injury with shots to see if he could forgo
surgery.
- Decides that the shots weren't helping and goes for the surgery in December.
- Season starts in January.
- Recovery from surgery expected to take 4-6 months.
- Playoffs start in May.
- December to May = 5 months.
- At this point Kucherov has recovered enough to be able to play.

**WARNING CRACKHEAD CONSPIRACY VERSION OF EVENTS**

- Facing cap constraints Brisbois meets with Kucherov in a VIP suite of Mons Venus.
- Brisbois after puffing on a Cuban Cigar tells Kucherov he needs to have surgery or
else Vinik will steal his wife.
- Instead of surgery, Kucherov goes into hiding.
- Season starts.
- Playoffs start, Kucherov mysteriously repels from the rafters onto the ice.
- Kucherov reveals he was in the hyperbolic time chamber and is now 5x more
powerful.
- Bettman secretly had performance enhancing drugs mixed in with Montreal's
vaccines to ensure all other Canadian teams would fall.
- People are convinced Kucherov is a massive cheater.
- Brisebois smirks still smoking his cigar.
- After a river of tears and butthurt from opposing fans & player, Lightning Repeat.
(This is the only actual true event).


Thus there is only two groups of people. Those who can see that the circumstances of the shortened season are what gave the Lightning an edge, and people with asterisks next to there names that are certified crackhead conspiracy theorists.
- Izzo

It's actually not that complicated

End of last season

Nikita: Hey Julian I need hip surgery

Julian: I got an idea, why not wait till just before the start of the season, we can LTIR you, you can have the regular season off and be ready for the playoffs, and It'll get us out of our cap bind and keep the team together

Nikita: Sound good. Lets do it

4 months later....

Nikita: Hey Julian, Hips feeling good enough to skate on but there's 9 weeks left in the season

Julian: That's not gonna work. Just keep skating getting ready to play, just keep telling the docs it doesn't quite feel right yet, they know what's up. Got to keep you on LTIR

Day before the playoffs start

Julian: Hey Nikita, How's the hip

Nikita: 100% boss...wink, wink

It's actually not that complicated

End of last season

Nikita: Hey Julian I need hip surgery

Julian: I got an idea, why not wait till just before the start of the season, we can LTIR you, you can have the regular season off and be ready for the playoffs, and It'll get us out of our cap bind and keep the team together

Nikita: Sound good. Lets do it

4 months later....

Nikita: Hey Julian, Hips feeling good enough to skate on but there's 9 weeks left in the season

Julian: That's not gonna work. Just keep skating getting ready to play, just keep telling the docs it doesn't quite feel right yet, they know what's up. Got to keep you on LTIR

Day before the playoffs start

Julian: Hey Nikita, How's the hip

Nikita: 100% boss...wink, wink
- TheGame316

It's a plausible theory (arguably), but there is no proof or evidence other than speculation like this.

To be true, not only would Kuch and Briesbois need to be in on it, also the team doctors, therapists, masseuses, staff, and league-appointed doctors. I just don't see that many people being able to keep their mouth shut in this day and age. Where is the whistleblower?

It's a plausible theory (arguably), but there is no proof or evidence other than speculation like this.

To be true, not only would Kuch and Briesbois need to be in on it, also the team doctors, therapists, masseuses, staff, and league-appointed doctors. I just don't see that many people being able to keep their mouth shut in this day and age. Where is the whistleblower?
- GalacticStone

You would just need the head team doc. There isn't a "league doctor" that does any kind of assessments

My point is, none of this even needs to be said or talked about. If the lot of us on some loser hockey forum can figure out the implications and how to make it work, The GM of a hockey team, The player in question, and the team doc (who knows where his paycheck comes from) can certainly figure it out as well. The doctor isn't even legally doing anything wrong. He's just "listening to his patient" and I doubt Kuch or Julien will ever make a comment hence it will further taint their cup