Quote:
Originally Posted by Macindoc
You’re missing a big part of the picture. Gio is gone, but in his place we have significantly more cap space, in a year when the cap is flat, and the additional flexibility gives the Flames an advantage in making trades or in signing free agents, who will have far less leverage this year with most teams up against the cap. In fact, cap space will be one of the most valuable assets a team can have this year. If Tre can continue to show this restraint and let all the other teams with cap space blow their budgets on day 1 of free agency, there should be some bargains to be signed on day 2.
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A challenge is that the Flames paid 6.x for a D that won the Norris. Shortly thereafter, Jones and Makar just signed for 9.x . In a flat cap world
RFAs are commanding UFA dollars
So “significantly more cap space” isn’t really what you seem to think, given that RFA contracts post ELC for elite players are at former UFA levels
Cap space is only as good as what you can get for those dollars. And breaking RFA contracts made that a lot more challenging
So you are right, and at the same time, the market is screwy