In an interview earlier this week, Ken Holland discussed the 2020-21 salary cap and the road ahead for the organization. “An $85.5 million-dollar cap versus an $81.5 million-dollar cap – four million dollars – is a fairly significant amount of cap space for everybody. So, it’s going to be tight and we’re going to try to find players that can play. You need cheaper players on your roster, you always do.”
THE ATHLETIC!
Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. I am proud to be part of The Athletic. Here are the most recent Oilers stories.
- New Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Notes from Oilers’ scrimmage: McDavid flies, Jones adapts, Athanasiou stalls
- New Lowetide: Imagining the city of Edmonton with the Oilers in a deep playoff run
- Lowetide: Ken Holland’s roster construction options over the next five months
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Inside the bubble: Details on where and how NHL players will live in Edmonton
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Q&A: Marco Sturm on Leon Draisaitl’s evolution and his impact on German hockey
- Jonathan Willis: Evan Bouchard’s AHL debut has him on track to become a No. 1 NHL defenceman
- Lowetide: Philip Broberg fortunate to arrive with Oilers under mature management
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: A ‘different’ Oilers initiation leaves Olivier Rodrigue wanting more
- Scott Powers and Daniel Nugent-Bowman: What to know from training camps as Blackhawks and Oilers prepare to meet
- Lowetide: Though shy offensively, Gaetan Haas is an intriguing playoff option
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Setting the record straight: Why Caleb Jones revealed his COVID-19 test
- Lowetide: Zack Kassian’s role on Oilers top line must include responsible play
- Lowetide: What should Oilers fans expect from Connor McDavid in the playoffs?
- Jonathan Willis: Oilers get good cap news: Long-term outlook is tight but workable
- Lowetide: Dave Tippett’s postseason strategy against the Blackhawks
VALUE DEALS HOLLAND CAN COUNT ON
Ethan Bear, Kailer Yamamoto and Caleb Jones had impressive seasons in 2019-20 and should offer value next season. Bear needs a new deal but Holland likely offers a bridge because there’s too much month at the end of the money.
Gaetan Haas and Joakim Nygard are signed to deals for next season at less than $1 million but the two men aren’t in the projected starting lineup for the playoffs. Things could change but at this point the most accurate thing we can stay about the two men is that they’re in the mix for bottom-six work in 2020-21.
Tyler Benson, Cooper Marody and Ryan McLeod are in good spots for NHL jobs next season. Vulnerable forwards include Alex Chiasson, James Neal and Riley Sheahan (who is without a contract).
The other player who should be mentioned is Evan Bouchard. A player like Matt Benning might be vulnerable for the offseason with Bouchard ready to step in. I have listed him as Edmonton’s No. 1 prospect two years running but the team has been very patient with him (after an early misstep). I don’t know when he’ll arrive but at less than $900,000 (with a potential performance bonus of $500,000) having him on the roster over Benning could represent a saving of up to $1 million next season. Kris Russell is also vulnerable.
If Tyler Ennis and Riley Sheahan can be brought in around $1 million, that moves Marody and Benson to the Bakersfield Condors (and I do think something like that will happen). Assuming Russell and Chiasson can be traded without adding cap dollars (that might mean moving Jesse Puljujarvi in the Russell deal), the team above would have a cap of about $80,000,000.
Note: The roster choices above aren’t mine, but I do believe Holland will bring Smith back unless the big goalie struggles in the postseason. I held off on adding Sheahan because it’s possible the organization goes in a different direction.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
We kickstart the weekend at 10, TSN1260. Blue Jays opening day! NHL playoff action is eight days away! Steve Lansky from BigMouthSports will talk about the NHL bubble, the Jays and the return of Mike Tyson. Matt Iwanyk will chat Edmonton Football Club, the Yankees and the NHL’s in-game look. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
…like Benning with his 15 goals scored over the last 4 seasons lol
Are you kidding me?
The presence of James Neal vaulted the Oilers into the number 1 PP in the NHL?
Neals role on that PP is easily filled by any number of Oilers.
So then why keep Benning as 3RD if the coach isn’t willing to play him at 2RD in an emergency.
You just proved my argument.
Oilers PP wasn’t historically good before Neal joined the team – the other 4 members were on PP1……
Of course, Drai is a more important member of the PP but the argument to just take away Neal’s stats and assume that others can replicate them for nominal money is a stretch.
You nailed it at the end, Tippett tried every right shot D-man, including Joel Persson before he finally moved Russell over to the right side for a stretch. That includes Matt Benning who played a few games with each of Klefbom and Nurse this past season.
I don’t think Holland goes in the 2020/21 season without a fourth NHL-proven (or presumed NHL-ready) right shot d-man. Benning (or replacement) is likely there plus Bouchard.
He has scored at 4th line rates at 5 on 5 the last few years. At the same time, he proved to be a big part of the best PP in the league this year and PP goals count.
He’s a bottom 6 five on five player that can score on the PP – he’s probably worth around $2M on a short term contract.
We’ll just go by your guesses then
This is a terrible argument.
Draisaitl IS NEEDED on the powerplay. He is one of the key drivers on it.
Neal, or Chiasson, are very small parts of the leagues best PP. The Oilers PP would function just fine without them.
Surely you can see this?
And if they are better than Bouchard on the right side next season do you think the coach will insist on playing Bouchard ahead of them because he shoots right?
Your thinking is very rigid. The coach says he prefers lefty righty, so you interpret that to mean all of our RD have to shoot right?
Let’s look at last year when Larrson went down.
How many people thought Bear was ready for top 4 minutes? Maybe Bouchard is ready next season.
And if he’s not, and Larrson or Bear gets hurt, what makes you so sure that Benning moves up to 2RD? Cause that’s not what happened last year. Tippet essentially tried everyone there except Matt Benning. Including Joel Persson!
I feel like you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth a bit.
Neal is a 4th line winger who’s absolutely not good enough to play with Nuge at 5on5.
Then Neal is a 20 goal scorer who’s worth more than $2M.
I get that both can have some truth but it’s tough to argue both sides on consecutive days.
I don’t think your numbers are accurately setting out the cap situation of the teams. The Rangers have $14.3M of cap space, yes, but that is with only 15 players on the roster – they need to add 8 players including Strome and DeAngelo who will likely cost close to $10MM.
I’m not going to go through each of the teams but I imagine the scenario is the same for most.
2/3 of NHL teams were either over the cap this season using LTIR or within a few hundred grands. Ya, there is cap space as contracts fall off but those players need to be re-signed (usually at a raise) or replaced.
Take Drai off the PP and he’s got 27G and 66P – still great numbers but not Hart Trophy.
He’s not “needed there” but he’s good there and produces there.
We don’t know if they can play the right side better than Bouchard right now – and “right now” is actually next season.
That post was taken out of context – that post was in relation to having enough wingers for three scoring lines if Nuge was placed at 3C.
Neal still scored 19 goals and would have been over 20 in a full season (even with playing injured and then missing time due to injury). He is a 4th line scorer at 5 on 5 but was a part of 2nd best PP in history.
I would love to be rid of Neal’s contract but to take on 6 years of a dead $2M cap hit is egregious to me and not a great option.
I really like that lineup. Trying Neal with Benson could be found gold (and a great playoff story). Khaira or Haas as their center would be okay for now. I like the combo of Benson’s vision with Neal’s one-timer on the right wing. If Benson can’t play C, it would be nice if they found a 3C with a bit of a goal scoring touch or if they drafted one this fall. Connor Zary would appear to be a perfect match, a puck possession pivot who scored 38 goals this season.
You really are the Tucker Carlson of this comment section. Your goal is clear, your execution is actually not bad, but it still begs the questions: why bother? and Isn’t there something better to do?
I want Neal to pop 8-10 goals these playoffs in a long run for the home team.
Then maybe just maybe there’s a steal of a real deal where we can unload him for 2-2.5 retained.
I’d start him on PP1. Time to pump some tires.
OP’s terming for couple is the same as the NHL having 93% of the league qualify for the playoffs lol
Oilers 10th defender does this in his sleep. You should seek therapy.
Habs will have something like $19 million in cap space this off-season. Domi to sign.
Rags will have $14.3M in space, Strome and Deangelo to sign.
Red Wings have $35.3M in space. Mantha the biggest name. Howard too if they choose to ink him.
That was the first three I checked… *keeps looking*
Buffalo has $34.3M. Lots of UFAs they could wave goodbye to.
Devils have $26M. Panthers $21M. Sens $39.5M. Avs $22.4M. Kings $20.7M. Sharks $14.8M. Cowtown $16.9M. Minny $16.2M, Dallas $19.5M. Jets $15.5M.
lol…Are we at a couple yet?
Eh Team,
Taking this a bit further to illustrate how his production dropped off after a good start, Neal scored 3 goals and 5 assists 5 v 5 after the 8th of November.
Take Neal off the powerplay and he has 7G- 7A this year. That’s really easy to replace. And they don’t need him on the powerplay.
Neal isn’t producing 20 goals next year either. Benson is more than adequate to replace Neal.
Depends whether they get back the early season Neal or the post injury Neal imo.
One is not replaceable for $2M while the other does make sense to buy out.
We will know more by the end of the season I would think.
Yeah, you said that.
If Jones and Russell can play the right side better than Bouchard right now, why are you so sure that the coach will play Bouchard ahead of them.
Wait now… This guy
IS worth more than $2M per?
Ryan kind of has this covered. But literally no one said anything about buying out Russell. You can search the thread.
I don’t think anyone suggested buying out Russell – the buyout cap hit for next season would be $3M.
There would be more savings by burying him in the AHL (not that they could though – NMC).
The math for a buyout certainly isn’t there but he’s definitely not cheap, via-a-vis the cap, which is what matters for on-ice product.
There are arguments on both sides of this one and I’m on the side that a $2M dead cap hit for six years is too egregious even with the $3.8M savings for the first 3.
I’m not so sure 20 goals can be found that cheaply.
Kinger_Oil.redux,
You’re too funny.
I can’t wait for the upcoming “I called it again” post.
Meanwhile, The fact that Chiarelli made the last year of the contract buyout proof with the signing bonus is old news.
After the jays win their first game I go to my regular sites to get details. Nothing up on the Jays.
– as for the jays playing in Buffalo I get the whole we are in the big leagues we need to play in the big leagues. But they can make a sick temporary structure adjacent with amazing gym kitchen lounge where the players can hang
– Russell : buying him out when the cap is tight to play a rookie isn’t the same as Sek IMO. He’s so cheap next year. And that has value. I go on record as saying they don’t buy him out. The math doesn’t favour this approach
Sutter is an NHL player when healthy – he’s a better 3C option than anyone Khaira, Sheahan or Haas when healthy.
Russell has a NMC so cannot be send to the AHL without consent (and it would only save just over $1M on the cap).
I wouldn’t – that leaves Bouchard as the third right shot D on the depth chart and no right shot D in the organization even close to NHL-ready (well, except Berglund who won’t be available).
Yes, I know, both Russell and Jones “can play the right side” but both of them have shown to be inferior players on the right side and our head coach values leftie/rightie.
A Neal buy-out seems like an obvious solution. Cap savings of $4m over each of the next 3 years, then a cap hit of $2m over the following 3 years. Net savings of $6m pushes the cap consequences 3 years down the round. Plus Neal can be replaced for less than $2m/year easily.
There’s plenty of Canucks blogs out there you should move to
No one care what Blowdoll Gafferty are for breakfast
Except Sutter isn’t an actual NHL player. Looks like he will be a healthy scratch in the play-in round. If Russell isn’t accommodating bury him in the AHL (or taxi squad or whatever exists at the start of next season)
You really need to leave
I’ll just leave this here.
https://twitter.com/FarhanLaljiTSN/status/1286856608744529921?s=20
If they can trade Russell, great.
But if they can’t, I’d rather have Jones and Lagesson at less than a million, than Benning at 2 million.
Exactly my point.
Thanks.
Mike Smith is done and will easily be replaced
So we really don’t care about your trolling
Except there aren’t many such teams – maybe a couple.
Almost all teams have the upper cap limit as their limiting factor – there are very very few that are even able to take on bloated contracts (low cash outlay or not).
Ottawa and maybe Florida if they shed cash outlay at the owners’ request – don’t imagine either are not on Rusty’s prohibited list.
Yes, the cash outlay for a team acquiring Russell is only $1.5M, however, the cap hit is still $4M and, even when the cap was projected to increase, there were few teams that weren’t restricted by the upper cap limit and, now, there are very very few.
If Rusty wanted to, he could weaponize his NTC and essentially block any straight up trade and force the Oilers to retain in order to get the move done (or take bad bad cap).
I think the best case is bloated contract for similar bloated contract – Russell for Sutter for example – neither player worth near their cap hit but both have some value on the ice and are NHL players.
But there were no teams that needed to get to the floor this year. Not even close actually (the cap floor is $60.2M, the lowest payroll in the NHL was $72.7M). I’m not sure that will change going forward.
It’s quite possible there are teams that won’t spend to the cap, so his real salary could be more relevant (vs Cap) to some teams but it won’t be a terribly long list I wouldn’t think.
I would imagine many budget teams will want cap hits while taking low cash payments.
Get to the floor and discount salary. For an NHL caliber player.
One thing Chia did right.
I think Russell is tradeable too, but his $4M cap hit is far more important than his $1.5M/$2.5M salary though, right? His cap hit doesn’t become $1.5M once his bonus is paid, unfortunately. That’s the real hurdle.
That would be nice.
Your veracity at best is questionable. Not worth the time it takes to check. There will be people that continue to interact with you I will no longer be one of them unless it is to call your crap!
A lot of shuffling prior to replacement. Not disagreeing but could be a detriment to the team as well.
Mike Smith….902…even less to write home about and his blacktop ran out years ago.
Demko is 24…just getting started.