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Blue Jackets' Playoff Strategy

Ha! Yeah, I was definitely trying to read too much into it!

Last year we saw the team as a whole ramp up their hitting and physical play, especially Datsyuk and Kronwall. With Datsyuk's play this season, can you imagine if he has been holding back?

Alright, I'll be the first to admit I don't get it. "Green" because this is the first time in the playoffs? ... but I do not understand the significance of "blue", or why they need to study it?

Apologies if this is already posted, but here is a summary of Columbus' understanding of the NHL playoffs: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/multi...lObject=4318846

I have to admit the 1st round matchups in the East are a bit more compelling. Montreal vs. Boston and Pittsburgh vs. Phily especially. High skill teams that absolutely hate each other. The closest the West has is Anaheim vs. San Jose - two teams that are not too fond of each other at all. But Detroit does pack in the rating, no matter who they play, and Columbus will gett "Cinderella Story" headlines with their first win... as if.

Any trade Holland does will be for draft picks and prospects at most. I have a hard time seeing him take on any roster players or salaries. I like Eva's lines - and a possible current roster player in addition, if the owners and NHLPA vote to trigger the automatic 5% cap increase for next year (which would give almost an extra $3m for Holland to work with). I would also keep Chelios at the league minimum (over one of Meech or Lebda).

It makes players at that 30 year age a lot more valuable because you can sign them to contracts like this. No chance in hell you'd be able to sign an early 20s star player to a decreasing salary, as they would never go for it. It is completely unfair, because this loophole favors a franchise like Detroit more so than any other team. 1) As the oldest team in the league, these decreasing contracts can be applied to more of Detroit's players 2) Detroit is a high revenue team and Ilitch is an owner not afraid to spend the cash to front load these contracts, whereas lower revenue teams would not be able to do so 3) Detroit is a winning destination sought out by free agents, and is far more likely to find players willing to sign at a discount This will be stricken from the CBA, but god bless Holland for milking it for all its worth until then!

I liked Cleary a lot more when he was fighting to earn a place on this team. Still hope we see more of the '07 postseason Cleary than the '08. Holland has said he will make a trade. Draper, Stuart, Cleary, Rafalski all have NTCs at this time. I doubt any of them are moved, though I certainly would not be heart-broken if Holland found a way to get one of them to waive it. Maybe Stuart would for a West Coast team? Filppula, Kronwall and Lilja do not have NTCs, as well as Meech and Lebda. Filppula and Kronwall make enough that it would be tempting to trade them, though Kronwall has been an "untouchable" in trade offers for years. Lilja is just too much of a value to realy consider trading, and Meech and Lebda will only be traded to clear room for Ericsson, not for cap space. Hudler is somewhat tradeable (trade his rights prior to free agency, for example) and there is RFA compensation should he receive an offer sheet. The owners and the NHLPA will vote as to whether to trigger the automatic 5% increase in the cap this summer - it could happen, as revenues did increase this year accordingly. Holland could enjoy as much as a $59.5 salary cap next year - which will go a long ways in preserving as much of this team as possible.

I kinda like that Holland is now essentially forcing Hossa's hand. You say you will sign for less? Well you'll have to to stay on this team, since we have already signed Zetterberg and Franzen. It will be no secret what the Wings can afford. I'm not sure Hossa will take what is needed to stay, which is not the end of the world for the Wings.

I had hoped for less, but it's still a pretty darn good signing. Pittsburgh threw $3.5m at Satan - how much do you think they would pay for Franzen? There are a lot of teams that would kill for a scoring winger who has size, a nose for the net and can actually play defense. Edmonton? Vancouver? I would not be shocked if he received offers approaching $6m... not saying that's a good signing fr Franzen, but I think he would easily be a hot item.

I love how Havlat did not even bother trying to go in on Lidstrom

Lidstrom will be a free agent and will more than likely be taking less money. Same with Holmstrom.

Did Holland basically just state Howard will be up nexy year? IE. no Conklin.

The cap is expected to go up next year. Like I said, Filppula needs to be traded, which may or may not happen.

Franzen 3.9 - Flip 3 = .9 difference. If you are suggesting I have not been over the numbers, you are dead wrong. It can work.

Not necessarily - with Franzen at $3.9m, Flip's $3m really stands out. If he is traded, you can still get Hossa.

After the 5 years they can trade him or put him on waivers and send him down to the minors. Franzen still gets his money, but at least the cap hit is off the books.

Your questions are arbitrary, subjective and utterly asinine... but I'll give it a whirl. 8, 6, 10, 8, 30

It's a decent contract, I just think after Zetterberg's contract it is not up to the "OMG! Holland is a genius" level we were hoping for.

If that is the case, I am not nearly as excited about it.

It's not that simple. 1. Take the actual salary due for each remaining year. 2. Take the Averaged Player Salary (cap hit) for the current contract 3. Calculate the buy-out amount (two-thirds) 4. Spread the buy-out amount evenly over twice the remaining years of the contract 5. Take the number in #1 and subtract the number in #4. This is the buyout savings. 6. Take the cap hit from #2 and subtract the buyout savings from #5. This calculation has to be done for each year - meaning that the cap hit on a buyout will not necessarily be the same for all years. It can even be negative (meaning the team gets a credit). The cap hit on a buyout is only the same for all affected years if the remaining yearly salary is the same for all years. If it varies, then the cap hit on a buyout will vary.

Just a slight correction on this ... Buying out contracts like this is actually not the way to go. It is very complicated, but you would be on the hook for quite a number of years. When a player is bought-out, the team the player is currently playing for buys out the rest of his contract for 2/3rds of the value left on it. If he has 3 million left, the team pays him 2 million and the player is a free agent. Take Yashin's contract with the Isles. He had 4 years left and was bought out for 17.6 mill (2/3rds of the rest of his contract) When buying out a contract, the team takes a cap hit of double the years left divided by the contract. 2.2 per year for 8 years. (17.6 / (4x2) = 2.2) The Wings would definitely not want to buy out a contract like Zetterberg's or what I expect Franzen's to look like. One thing to note on a deal like Zetterberg's. It does for all intents and purposes eliminate the possibility of a buy-out under current rules. Detroit would have to carry at least $5.4M in dead cap space in the last two years if they buy the contract out. In fact, if they buy it out with more than 2 years on the deal, the cap hit in the last two years would exceed the original $6M number. Lecavalier's deal is even worse in this regard.

Correct, though the NHL can reject a contract which is designed to supercede the cap (like a 20 year contract for a 30 year-old). Holland could also trade Franzen towards the end of his career for a cash-strapped team in need of a high cap hit, but low salary, in order to hit the cap floor. I see very little risk with these type of contracts, and a lot of reward. I agree. This coupled with the long-term Zetterberg contract leads me to believe Holland has a master plan. Think about it: We could literally be getting Zetterberg + Franzen for a comparable cap hit of Malkin or Crosby, long term.