[GreenLantern2814]

I had nothing to do this morning, so I had a look at our capgeek page. For reference, we entered the season with the 2nd lowest payroll in the league, and $15.3M in cap space.

At the end of this year, our free agent situation is really manageable.

2014-15 UFA/RFAs

UFA: Glencross, Ramo, Diaz, Setoguchi, Big Ern.
RFA: Backlund, Baertschi, Bouma, Byron Jooris, Reinhart, Ferland.

Potential UFA Cap relief: $7.5M

Glencross and Ramo are the biggest names of our UFAs, clearly. I can't imagine the management wants to have Glencross around for another four or five years at $4+, which is what he'll receive on the open market. Ramo can still grab the starting job back as far as I'm concerned, but if he's not the clear cut guy by the deadline he's probably traded. Hiller is a starting goalie in this league, and a good stop-gap.

Backlund is the only RFA who should receive a significant raise over his current deal. Currently has a cap hit of 1.5M, I can't see him back for less than 4.5M.

Baertschi, Bouma, and Jooris are all still very much in a 'show me' stage, and benefit more from contracts that aren't prohibitive to keeping them up on the big club. Bouma I could see getting around $1.5, everyone else hovers around the 1M mark.


In 2015-16, things get really interesting.

UFA: Jiri Hudler, David Jones, Mark Giordano, Kris Russell
RFA: Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, Joe Colborne, Markus Granlund.

Potential UFA cap relief: $14.62M


Ho Lee ****. Murray Edwards, get your good pen ready.

Obviously Gio stays. My guess is he gets a 4 year deal worth $8M/per, or thereabouts. Close to market value for an early 30s star player. By letting Hudler and Jones walk, Gio's raise ends up having a net zero effect on our cap. Russell I would like to keep as well, maybe something in the 4x4 range?

The RFAs are fascinating - I get the sense Monahan and Gaudreau will sport Toews/Kane style identical contracts for the rest of their careers, but I have no idea how their deals will look. Hopefully they both take 2-year bridge contracts, but the way things are going, they're going to get PAID. Granlund and Colborne probably get 2-year $2.5M/per deals if they continue to trend upward. Maybe a little more for Colborne.

2016-17 is the year of defensive salary relief.

UFA: Mason Raymond, Brandon Bollig, Dennis Wideman, Deryk Engelland, Ladislav Smid.

RFA: Nobody currently on the roster.

Potential UFA cap relief: $16.05M

Between Wideman, Engelland and Smid, we have a total of 11.65M coming off the books. Throw in Raymond, who seems like our annual 'winger being pushed out by younger talents' candidate, and that number comes up to $14.8M in cap space without factoring in any increases to the ceiling.

This team should arguably begin looking to load up after the 2015/16 season. Stay the course for now - I think most of us would agree, this season is found money. The focus should remain on seeing what our prospects are at this level. So far, they're really effin good.

After 2015/16, we should see the team step up and add an impact player. Either a veteran top 4 D a la Brent Seabrook, or a top line veteran forward. Preferably both. If we can't have both, bolster the D - the forwards may be able to take care of themselves.

Hope springs eternal. Don't really have a conclusion. But conversely, I didn't have much else to do, either.