2 Comments

1. BPB on March 11, 2020 at 1:23 pm

   Great article Lyle. Truly interesting to read, paints a bright picture for the not too distant future for the Senators.

   Wish the immediate future was as bright for the DRW!

2. George O on March 11, 2020 at 3:15 pm

   BPD, the Wings will be a team to watch closely at the draft. If they get the 1st overall I don’t see Yzerman dealing that for anything offered by another team. However, should they drop to 4th – as has happened with the last place team the past two years – there could be some wheeling-dealing at the tables.

   With the exception of Gagner, I don’t see any great attempt to hang onto any of his other UFAs (Ericsson – $4,250,000 and 36 y/o, Daley $3.166,666 and also 36 y/o, Goloubef – $800,000 and plucked off waivers, 30 y/o – unless he’s seen as a a depth 7th-type D-man at a short-term and modest increase – and Howard $4,000,000 and 35 y/o – unless he’s prepared to take a significant cut in pay and short-term).

   Of his 8 RFAs, 7 of whom have arbitration rights, Mantha ($3,300,000) is one obvious for-sure keeper and I seriously doubt – as others have indicated in the rumors thread – that there will be an offer-sheet – along with Fabbri ($900,000), Bertuzzi ($1,400,000) and 6′ 2″ 200 lb D-man Bowie ($1,000,000).

   That combined $6,600,000 current cap hit is, however, going to cost Yzerman a lot closer to $12.5 mil off the estimated $37,740,834 in cap space he has (assuming it rises to $84 mil – no guarantee now with the world in an economic tailspin). With 11 players covered heading towards next season, those 4 would bring it to 15 with $25,240,834 left to sign 8. Keeping UFA Gagner shouldn’t cost a whole lot more than his current $2,835,00 unless some other team needing C depth decides to go crazy.

   Any way you cut it, it is going to be a tough two or three years in the Motor City.