There may not be a bunch of buyouts next offseason as teams deal with the flat cap
Dan Rosen of NHL.com: (mailbag) Despite a flat salary cap again next season, don’t believe there will be a large number of buyouts for two reasons.
First, there is the expansion draft, so a team will get some relief there. Secondly, a buyout still can be costly to the cap and well as money paid out. They can help a team with getting cap compliant but it still costs them.
Teams may look to send players to the minors and get the $1.075 million in cap savings. Attaching an asset with a player is another route to clearing cap space. That can be costly in terms of the draft pick or the prospect/player you have to give up.
The Canadiens still have some time to get under the cap
Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette: The Montreal Canadiens have recently added more depth with the low cost signings of Michael Frolik and Corey Perry – both for one-year at $750,000.
The Canadiens now sit just over a $1 million over the salary cap ceiling and will need to make a move by the start of the season to become cap compliant. Some players on NHL contracts may end up having to go on the taxi squad.
Don’t expect a Penguins trade before the start of the season
Josh Yohe of The Athletic: Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford believes they “are still Stanley Cup contenders” even though some may be righting them off.
The Penguins have a good top-six but there are questions about their bottom-six. Rutherford doesn’t expect the Penguins to make any trades before the season starts.
“I would say it’s highly unlikely,” he said. “I’m to a point right now where I like our team, but you don’t really know what you have until you see them on the ice. So, I want to see them play and see what we have. Trading will be more complicated this season because there’s going to be a period of time before new players can join a team.”
Kasperi Kapanen may not arrive in time for the start of training camp because of issues with his immigration papers. He is still in Finland.
There had been some hope that forward Zach Aston-Reese (shoulder) would be able to return to the lineup about a month into the season, but Rutherford said it might be closer to two months.