The Adam Fantilli standoff is officially over. The first line center inked a 6-year, $13.75 million AAV deal on Thursday. Everyone from GM Don Waddell, the players, the coaches, and the fans are elated. However, that $13.75 million dollars per season put the CBJ $1.205 million over the $104 million salary cap limit. Coupled with the fact that the team would like to sign defenseman Carson Soucy, the team needs to find a way to get under the salary cap prior to the start of the season.
During preseason, the team is allowed to be over the salary cap limit. However, the team has until Monday (9/28) by 5:00 PM EST to get their final roster under the salary cap limit. That’s when the final 23-man roster should be set.
In order to become cap compliant, the team has 3 primary options.
1. Utilitze long-term injured reserve.
This seems like the most logical option for the team to use. The team has multiple players who are injured and expected to miss significant time. Those players include Isac Lundestrom ($1.3 million), Elvis Merzlikins ($5.4 million), and possibly Dante Fabbro ($4.125 million). We don’t know the extent of Fabbro’s injury, but he did hit regular IR this afternoon.
The primary issue with this approach is that, once any of those players become healthy and are ready to join the team, another move will need to be made in order to become cap compliant. So basically this approach would be delaying any moves until later in the season.
At the Fantilli signing press conference, GM Don Waddell said that they do not plan to utilize LTIR in order to become cap compliant. So this approach appears to be the least likely option.
2. Send NHL players to Cleveland.
This approach would entail cutting a player (or two) with a one-way NHL contract down to Cleveland. Half of that players salary would then go against the cap while the other half does not. That’s what is called buried cap.
The prime player to be sent to Cleveland would be Miles Wood ($1.25 million buried cap). He didn’t have a strong season last season after Rick Bowness took over. He seems to be a bubble player this year based on training camp. So there is a strong possibility that he could be cut from the team.
Other players that could be sent to Cleveland include Luca Del Bel Belluz ($860k AAV), Danton Heinen ($1.0 million AAV), and Jake Christiansen ($975k AAV). LDDB and Heinen would not have a buried cap due to their 2-way contracts (so their entire AAV comes off of the salary cap). Christiansen would have a buried cap of $487.5k.
All of those players would need to clear the waiver wire prior to being assigned to Cleveland. If claimed, their entire salary would be off the CBJ salary cap and would ease the entire cap crunch.
3. Make a trade.
While sending players to Cleveland may be the easiest option, there is a risk of losing quality players for nothing on the waiver wire. In order to recoup assets, GM Don Waddell may try to trade a player (or two) in order to become cap compliant.
Prime trade candidates include Miles Wood ($2.5 million AAV) and Jake Christiansen ($975k AAV).
It is also possible (although highly unlikely) that a team trades for Elvis Merzlikins ($5.4 million AAV) and places him on LTIR. That is one way for another team to become cap compliant while also not really adding to their roster. This is the other team assuming that Elvis will miss a majority (if not all) of the season. I doubt this happens, as it is more common around the trade deadline.
If any trade is made, it would likely be for prospects or draft picks, as the team cannot take any significant salary in return.
This seems like the least likely approach, as other teams know they can fill out their roster on the waiver wire and/or are trying to become cap compliant themselves.
Regardless of the approach taken, GM Don Waddell has some decisions to make. Should make for an interesting few days leading up to Monday’s deadline.
Add us as a preferred source on Google