44 Million dollar cap...how do we spend it?

[ASUCHRIS]

Thoughts?

 

[Kel Varnsen]

How much is already committed?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

How much is already committed?

$19M to 10 players, not including our RFAs.

 

[boondockdrunk]

Here are some of the guys I say we take a look at:
Restricted FA
Jarret Stoll, C, Edmonton (23 years old)
Ales Hemsky, RW, Edmonton (22 years old)
Scott Gomez, C, New Jersey(26 years old)

Unrestricted FA
Zdeno Chara, D, Ottawa (29 years old)
Brian Savage, RW, Philly (HAHA just kidding)
Jeff Halpern, C, Washington (30 years old)
Sergei Samsonov, LW, Edmonton (29 years old)
Petr Sykora, RW, Rangers (29 years old)
Martin Straka, LW, Rangers (33 years old)


Resign (*=restricted)
Oleg Kvasha, LW
*Mike Comrie, C
*Ladislav Nagy, LW
*Fredrik Sjostrom, LW
*Paul Mara, D

Of course this is just a list of the players who I think could really help our team. I think we need another goal scorer along with Nagy (my top choice would be Samsonov). I do not think that we will get any of those young restricted free agents, but it could be extremely hard for Edmonton to resign all of the players on their team and one might fall to a team in our cap space situation.

 

[boondockdrunk]

Does anyone have information on all the NHL team's cap space?

 

[spikecop02]

Zdena Chara, Jason Arnott, or how about Corey Stillman if available?

 

[boondockdrunk]

Top 25 Free Agent List

Sadly, Chara and other players I have on my wish list are not mentioned here. Apparently, we are after defensemen Witt and Kubina. This is really surprising since we need forwards to put the puck in the net. Now this list is just speculation which I hope is wrong.

 

[boondockdrunk]

$19M to 10 players, not including our RFAs.

An updated list puts us at $22,510,600 to 11 players. Now, our entire salary for last year was $31,944,345 and that is a better estimate to what the managing group is going to top out at than the total $44 million cap.

At this very moment, the front office needs to get some more wingers on the team. I think that resigning RFAs Nagy and Comrie is something that needs to be done.

Here is a list of my lines for the team (with the resigned players in bold):


Nagy Comrie Johnson
________ Reinprecht Doan
Kvasha Scatchard Sjostrom
Nash Ricci Thomas

Morris - Michalek
Ballard - Boynton
Spiller - Rivers
Seidenberg

Curtis Joseph
David LeNeveu

The listed defensemen don't necessarly need to play with the same pairing. In addition, I left a blank with the second line because I hope that we sign some good FA left winger to fill in that spot. In this off-season, I can see the Coyotes' spend up to about $34-35 million which will allow them to sign either two decent players (one forward and one defenseman) or just one good player (Left winger).

I do not think that Sjostrom will ever be able to reach his potential as he falls into making a career on the lines of the production Sanderson gave us this year (about 45 points). However, I do not see very many options for the club at this point in time.

I think that LeNeveu is just about ready to be the new goalie for the Coyotes, but since we signed Cujo for another year I see Sauve leaving. The best outcome would be to allow LeNeveu more time in the minors to get full playing time, but the previously stated way saves us about $200,000.

Placing Thomas on the line with Ricci and Nash isn't going to help the team too much, but atleast he will be getting playing time.

The final thing to note is that paying Ricci $1.52 million a year to play as poorly as he does really hurts.

 

[Scott MS]

The final thing to note is that paying Ricci $1.52 million a year to play as poorly as he does really hurts.

Yeah, he does a real bad job killing all those penalties . . . I don't get your point here. Ricci is a solid role player used primarily for penalty kills and face-offs. Far better, in my opinion, than Nash.

 

[Scott MS]

I think that LeNeveu is just about ready to be the new goalie for the Coyotes, but since we signed Cujo for another year I see Sauve leaving. The best outcome would be to allow LeNeveu more time in the minors to get full playing time, but the previously stated way saves us about $200,000.

LeNeveu is alright, but he's progressing pretty slow. Look at a guy like Cam Ward, who's about the same age, but has stepped up, taken the starting role, and led his team to a cup -- still as calm as ever.

Lenny looks awfully shaky every time he starts for the Coyotes. In the games I saw him play, I wasn't impressed. Cujo was clearly the best goaltender on the team the entire season.

 

[spikecop02]

Jason Arnott

his stats from last year very good.

32 goals, 44 assists, -76 points

 

[boondockdrunk]

Yeah, he does a real bad job killing all those penalties . . . I don't get your point here. Ricci is a solid role player used primarily for penalty kills and face-offs. Far better, in my opinion, than Nash.

No doubt that he is far better than Nash, but he is also making more than a million more than Nash. The thing I have against Ricci is that when we signed him he was expected to be a team leader, win face-offs, and kill penalties. However, while he has been in Phoenix all he has done is take bad penalties and display a large lack of speed, which is needed in the 'new' NHL (probably why he was a -22 last year). He can pretty much no longer play in 5 on 5 because he is so slow, and thus is confined to the penalty kill (where he can stay in his own zone and not break out). That is not really the type of player who is signed for over 1.5 million.

Jason Arnott

his stats from last year very good.

32 goals, 44 assists, -76 points

I would not mind Arnott at all. He can play both C and RW along with being a legitamate scoring threat. There are some questions about his desire, but he could improve this team by leaps and bounds. He made 3.9 million last year, so he is well within our price range.

Mark Parrish is a player who can also help our team as an affordable goal scorer. He can play on the second line opposite of Doan and put up around 50 points a season. He made only $2 million, so he is a cheap winger who could possibly score 30 goals.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

LeNeveu is alright, but he's progressing pretty slow. Look at a guy like Cam Ward, who's about the same age, but has stepped up, taken the starting role, and led his team to a cup -- still as calm as ever.

Lenny looks awfully shaky every time he starts for the Coyotes. In the games I saw him play, I wasn't impressed. Cujo was clearly the best goaltender on the team the entire season.

Id say LeNeveu is progressing at a natural pace for a goaltender. Goaltenders have a rather long progression curve, just look at guys like MA Fleury for the Pens or Kari Lehtonen. Both are much bigger prospects than Lenny, and havent been able to take on the full time starter role yet. Even Ward hadnt been the clear cut #1 over Gerber until the playoffs started. Rookie goalies like Ward that make the huge jump and carry a team in the playoffs happen only about once a decade (Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall). Another year in the minors isnt going to help LeNeveu a whole lot, but splitting time with a dependable player like Cujo certainly will. A couple years in the minors followed by a year or two of sharing goal duties with a vet before taking over as a full time starter is a pretty normal thing for young netminder, Lenny should be just fine.

One of the few issues the players actually won in the lockout battle was the gradual lowering of the age for free agency. A concern of that is, will it be worth it to grow your own goalie anymore? Typically, goalies take a couple years more of development time over skaters, so by the time a goalie has become a steady starter, he's almost ready to become a free agent. Why put in all that time developing a young goalie if there is a real possibility he is going to leave soon after his breakout? In theory, you could just ditch the development process and pick a young tender off of free agency. Now, I dont think teams will ever stop trying to develop their own goalies, but the advantage of doing so has certainly been diminished. Something to watch for in the future, for sure.

 

[Scott MS]

No doubt that he is far better than Nash, but he is also making more than a million more than Nash. The thing I have against Ricci is that when we signed him he was expected to be a team leader, win face-offs, and kill penalties. However, while he has been in Phoenix all he has done is take bad penalties and display a large lack of speed, which is needed in the 'new' NHL (probably why he was a -22 last year). He can pretty much no longer play in 5 on 5 because he is so slow, and thus is confined to the penalty kill (where he can stay in his own zone and not break out). That is not really the type of player who is signed for over 1.5 million.

I will agree with you that he is probably overpaid for what he contributes, but I think he contributes in a few areas where other guys haven't. Plus, it's pretty obvious he's unable to skate an entire shift and often gets off the ice early, as compared to the other guys on his line.

 

[boondockdrunk]

With Ed Jovanovski signing, here is how the cap situation looks. So far, Phoenix has spent a total of $29,010,600 out of a possible $44 million cap. They won't reach that amount, but are expected to spend in the mid-30's.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

With Ed Jovanovski signing, here is how the cap situation looks. So far, Phoenix has spent a total of $29,010,600 out of a possible $44 million cap. They won't reach that amount, but are expected to spend in the mid-30's.

That also doesnt include our restricted free agents that we still have to sign.

RFAs:
Ladislav Nagy
Mike Comrie
Fredrik Sjostrom
Dennis Seidenberg
Josh Gratton
David LeNeveu

Signing all of our guys we probably push close to $40M.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Well, hopefully they pick up at least one dominant scorer...we had some real problems putting the puck in the back of the net last year.

 

[Scott MS]

I'd like to see the team go after Legace or Gerber in goal. I don't think anybody expects LeNeveu to be backup next season and why not get another quality guy in the rotation.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I'd like to see the team go after Legace or Gerber in goal. I don't think anybody expects LeNeveu to be backup next season and why not get another quality guy in the rotation.

Gerber and Legace will both get more than backup level money.

 

[boondockdrunk]

That also doesnt include our restricted free agents that we still have to sign.

RFAs:
Ladislav Nagy
Mike Comrie
Fredrik Sjostrom
Dennis Seidenberg
Josh Gratton
David LeNeveu

Signing all of our guys we probably push close to $40M.

Right. The list I gave was for players who are currently on next year's payroll. So the RFAs, who yet to have a contract with the team for next year, would not be on it. That being said, I can see someone being shipped out in order to cut some salary. Sadly, I think the most logical players would be Doan (who I do not think is going anywhere), Dave Scatchard (2.1 million), and Morris ($3.9 million). I like all three but I know that it is not possible for us to keep them and still try to sign an elite forward.

 

[Scott MS]

Gerber and Legace will both get more than backup level money.

I was not thinking of them as a backup, though. They would compete with Cujo for the #1 spot. After all Cujo is only on board for one more year.

 

[Scott MS]

Right. The list I gave was for players who are currently on next year's payroll. So the RFAs, who yet to have a contract with the team for next year, would not be on it. That being said, I can see someone being shipped out in order to cut some salary. Sadly, I think the most logical players would be Doan (who I do not think is going anywhere), Dave Scatchard (2.1 million), and Morris ($3.9 million). I like all three but I know that it is not possible for us to keep them and still try to sign an elite forward.

Scatchard seems grossly overpaid for what he's contributed. I think re-signing Comrie and Nagy and replacing Scatchard would be the best route.

Regarding Doan, he's clearly worth what he's being paid. Considering Marc Savard got $4M a year for 5 years from the Bruins, Doan's $3.2M salary is probably a good deal for the organization.

 

[boondockdrunk]

With Roenick's recent signing, and the information about Jovo recieving $7 million this year instead of 6.5 (the total salary does not increase) the Coyotes' cap has reached $30,710,600. With all the RFA that are left to sign (ie Nagy and Comrie) Phoenix has little to no money left to send in free agency. That is if we are to believe that they want to stay in the mid-to-high 30s in terms total salary (going on what Barnett has stated).

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

With Roenick's recent signing, and the information about Jovo recieving $7 million this year instead of 6.5 (the total salary does not increase) the Coyotes' cap has reached $30,710,600. With all the RFA that are left to sign (ie Nagy and Comrie) Phoenix has little to no money left to send in free agency. That is if we are to believe that they want to stay in the mid-to-high 30s in terms total salary (going on what Barnett has stated).

In the NHL the cap hit is equal to the average salary over the duration of the contract rather than what the player's current salary is. In other words, the Jovo cap hit is still $6.5M even though the contract is front loaded. I am fairly certain of this.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

According to my very unofficial total, we have just under $32M committed to 15 players. Nagy, Comrie, Sjostrom, LeNeveu, Seidenberg, Gratton and possibly Saprykin still need to be resigned. That is about another $10M right there, so it appears our spending is done. However, it wouldnt be very surprising to see a trade or two go down, I don't think a month ever goes by without Barnett trying to make a deal.

It also looks like there is little chance Sanderson will be resigned. Real shame, we could have used those 25 goals of his.

Those hoping the Coyotes will kiss and make up with Geoff Sanderson — who turned down a two-year contract extension, then failed to reel in any of the free agent money being tossed around the NHL — will be disappointed. Phoenix has emptied the war chest and Sanderson appears headed to Chicago for less than he could have gotten here.
Everybody loses. Sanderson enjoyed Arizona and one more scoring wing could give the Coyotes enough up front to lean on their revamped defense and thrive.

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