09-10 Number Juggling

[Echolalia 2,961]

So I'm looking at our projected salary cap numbers for the 2009-2010 season, and really no other way around sacrifices having to be made.

With just under 15.5 M left to spend for that year, we have to resign, replace, or simply drop from our team Zetterberg, Hossa, Franzen, Hudler, A backup goalie, Sammuelson, and Kopecky. Even if we assume that Zetterberg and Hossa each take unheard of pay cuts and go for 6M a season, that gives us 3.5 million to take care of Franzen, Hudler, Sammy, Koper, and a backup goalie. Now if Franzen plays the way he did from Feb to the Stanley Cup, he alone will be worth at least 3.5 million.

The bottom line is, I don't see any possible way to keep both Zetterberg and Hossa on this team after next year.

So what do you guys think? Who stays, who goes?

[Booster313 138]

You are assuming that the cap won't continue to rise. It went up 6.7 million this past season...another 7million dollar jump would do us wonders.

[Doggy 130]

You are assuming that the cap won't continue to rise. It went up 6.7 million this past season...another 7million dollar jump would do us wonders.

A $7m increase is unlikely but it should go up a bit.

[Echolalia 2,961]

You are assuming that the cap won't continue to rise. It went up 6.7 million this past season...another 7million dollar jump would do us wonders.

But it wouldn't be wise to rely on that. Besides, if the nhl does have it out for the Wings, now would be the perfect time to stop the cap rise

Also: the forum is dead. Lets pretend for now it stays where its at, and get some life in these threads.

[Booster313 138]

7 million isn't unrealistic at all...the cap has gone from 39 million to 56.7 in three seasons! It went to 43million, then 50.1, then 56.7. Even if you average it out it's still 5.9million a year. And the league has zero control over what the cap goes up. We as fans control that. It's directly tied to revenue.

[lfd250 1]

You're forgetting about the lockout. I believe the NHLPA/NHL contract is up after this year. So hold on to your hat.

[B.B. 0]

If Hossa wants to stay, and we want him to stay, we will make it work. As others have said, the cap will rise, and that will help.

One option to clear up a lot of cap space, at a position of strength, is to trade Rafalski and his $6 million cap hit next off season. I'm not saying I would do it, b/c that would leave us thin on the blueline assuming Lids does not play past the age of 40. But, if Lids and the Wings do know that he wants to sign a contract extension, and with the continued development of Kronwall and Stuart, and the anticipated development of Big E, then Rafalski would probably be the guy to go to make room for all of our forwards.

[thedisappearer 291]

If Zetterberg gets $7m (just a number), it's only a $4.5m increase.

[thedisappearer 291]

If Hossa wants to stay, and we want him to stay, we will make it work. As others have said, the cap will rise, and that will help.

One option to clear up a lot of cap space, at a position of strength, is to trade Rafalski and his $6 million cap hit next off season. I'm not saying I would do it, b/c that would leave us thin on the blueline assuming Lids does not play past the age of 40. But, if Lids and the Wings do know that he wants to sign a contract extension, and with the continued development of Kronwall and Stuart, and the anticipated development of Big E, then Rafalski would probably be the guy to go to make room for all of our forwards.

He's got a no-trade clause, right?

[B.B. 0]

He's got a no-trade clause, right?

I looked at his contract details on this website, and it never said he did.

[Guest mindfly]

Wasn't that a 10year deal?

[MacK_Attack 108]

You're forgetting about the lockout. I believe the NHLPA/NHL contract is up after this year. So hold on to your hat.

The NHLPA has the ability to opt-out and re-open negotiations anytime after Sept. 15, 2008 until I believe 90 days before Sept. 15th, 2009, but it's pretty unlikely that will happen. If the NHLPA does not opt-out, then that adds an extra three years to the CBA.

Edited August 1, 2008 by MacK_Attack

[timothy1997 0]

here is the freep article on this topic. Sounds like hossa is the odd man out.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...731083/1118/RSS

[Konnan511 1,736]

We're not keeping Hossa. Problem solved.

Keep Hossa and not re-sign (resign means quit) a chunk of our core is stupid. Plus, no way Raf gets traded lol.

[VM1138 1,921]

It's way too early for this. Does anyone really think we'll have Kopecky and Sammy long-term? No. And with retirements, trades, etc., we have no idea what kind of condition we're in. There are some legit questions to be sure, but really, no one is the "odd man out" yet. It's perfectly feasible to make this work, especially if the cap goes up, we drop Kopecky and Sammy and just do with one or two less roleplayers. We should easily have cheaper replacements for them after this season. For all we know some of the young kids will have breakout years and offer cheap, more reliable alternatives.

[B.B. 0]

We're not keeping Hossa. Problem solved.

Keep Hossa and not re-sign (resign means quit) a chunk of our core is stupid. Plus, no way Raf gets traded lol.

Assuming Lids lets us know beforehand that he plans on playing an additional 2-3 more years after his current contract, then it is a no-brainer to trade Raf (assuming we want to keep Hossa). Think of it this way, are we really not going to keep Hossa and solidify our top 6 forwards for the next 5 years so we can keep a guy who may only be our 3rd best D-man? Add to that, that we would still have a great top 6 and I don't see the problem...

Lids- Stuart

Kronwall- Big E

Quincey-Meech

Kindl/ Vet UFA

Or something to that effect. You don't pass on a chance to have 3 top 15 forwards if you can manage a way to get it done.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

lets wait and see how this all folds out, maybe after hank puts up more numbers than the hoss and still takes a rather large home town discount hossa might follow suit and take a nice discount.

Lets wait til next june to worry about this

[Guest Shoreline]

Bowman will complete his role of "turning heel" against the Blackhawks, assisting the Wings in getting Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, re-signing them for a league minimum contract, for Andreas Lilja and an autographed Steve Yzerman jersey. It would be a tough go for the Wings, as they may have to give up a lot to get those two young kids, but I think they'd manage it.

Edited August 1, 2008 by Shoreline

[Jericho613 74]

If anyone can make Hossa, Zetterberg, and Franzen work its Holland. If Hossa is the odd man out which is pretty obvious, then who cares, enjoy the year that he's here. If everyone plays as well as they did last year, its gonna be a fun year of tons of highlight plays.

[stud_defenseman 1]

Bowman will complete his role of "turning heel" against the Blackhawks, assisting the Wings in getting Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, re-signing them for a league minimum contract, for Andreas Lilja and an autographed Steve Yzerman jersey. It would be a tough go for the Wings, as they may have to give up a lot to get those two young kids, but I think they'd manage it.

LOL, I said this in another thread.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Assuming Lids lets us know beforehand that he plans on playing an additional 2-3 more years after his current contract, then it is a no-brainer to trade Raf (assuming we want to keep Hossa). Think of it this way, are we really not going to keep Hossa and solidify our top 6 forwards for the next 5 years so we can keep a guy who may only be our 3rd best D-man? Add to that, that we would still have a great top 6 and I don't see the problem...

Lids- Stuart

Kronwall- Big E

Quincey-Meech

Kindl/ Vet UFA

Or something to that effect. You don't pass on a chance to have 3 top 15 forwards if you can manage a way to get it done.

You do if you want to have the leagues best defence. Defence wins championships. Look at how great teams do with awesome offense and average Defence. They may get to the odd Stanley Cup, but 8 out of 10 times the better defensive team wins out. If KH can keep all the pieces together, then obviously I will be ecstatic, but I am a realist.

[Doggy 130]

You don't pass on a chance to have 3 top 15 forwards if you can manage a way to get it done.

Exactly. It worked for Ottawa.

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

Assuming Lids lets us know beforehand that he plans on playing an additional 2-3 more years after his current contract, then it is a no-brainer to trade Raf (assuming we want to keep Hossa). Think of it this way, are we really not going to keep Hossa and solidify our top 6 forwards for the next 5 years so we can keep a guy who may only be our 3rd best D-man? Add to that, that we would still have a great top 6 and I don't see the problem...

Lids- Stuart

Kronwall- Big E

Quincey-Meech

Kindl/ Vet UFA

Or something to that effect. You don't pass on a chance to have 3 top 15 forwards if you can manage a way to get it done.

no

we won the cup without Hossa, we can do it again, defense is what makes this team good. Not to mention that Rafalski is the best defensive partner lidstrom has ever had and will be our future #1 guy when Lidstrom retires. A good defensive corps can take a mediocre offense to the finals potentially, a good offense can't do the same for a mediocre defense.

[octopusonice 0]

It's way too early for this. Does anyone really think we'll have Kopecky and Sammy long-term? No. And with retirements, trades, etc., we have no idea what kind of condition we're in. There are some legit questions to be sure, but really, no one is the "odd man out" yet. It's perfectly feasible to make this work, especially if the cap goes up, we drop Kopecky and Sammy and just do with one or two less roleplayers. We should easily have cheaper replacements for them after this season. For all we know some of the young kids will have breakout years and offer cheap, more reliable alternatives.

You had me at 'this'

[55fan 5,133]

Nah, we sign them all to small contracts with insane bonuses for the playoffs (which don't count until the playoffs, and can be counted towards next year's cap), then we rotate everyone who makes $4mil+/year on "conditioning stints" in GR (2 weeks each, no clearing waivers, don't count against the cap) for "middle body injuries" or some such thing.

All that money off the cap, everyone is more rested for the playoffs, win the Cup, pay off the bonuses with the money saved by the conditioning stints, and There You Have It.

Yes, I'm kidding. I'm playing along with the "let's keep the boards alive since we're all bored members" theme.

Edited August 1, 2008 by 55fan