Accruing cap space for the trade deadline
Puck Pedia: “Based on the tentative dates for the season, season is 115 days vs 186 days most years. That means each day a player is on an NHL roster counts 0.87% of their annual cap hit against the team’s cap – 0.54% last year. Each day is worth more than usual.
Accruing cap space with non-game day moves helps more. A $1M player on taxi squad/minors for 30 days saves $261K cap hit vs $161K in normal year. If trade deadline is still ~80% into season, $261K accrued cap space = $1.3M annual cap hit that can be added at deadline.
In normal year, a $1M Cap Hit in minors for 30 days, accruing $161K of savings, would be $730K annual cap hit that could be added at deadline. Each day is worth more, so accruing cap space during year is potentially worth more at deadline than usual.”
Kovalchuk back in the KHL?
Aivis Kalnins: Ilya Kovalchuk‘s agent said that he will be signing with Avangard Omsk of the KHL.
A fit for Fleury in Washington?
Tom Callahan of Vegas Hockey Now: The Washington Capitals now find themselves in a position where they need to find a backup goaltender after Henrik Lundqvist announced that he won’t be playing this season due to a heart condition.
Would there be a fit for Washington with Vegas Golden Knights Marc-Andre Fleury?
The Capitals will LTIR Lundqvist ($1.5 million) and Michal Kempny (out 6-8 month, $2.5 million), giving them $4 million of LTIR space. The Capitals could send back a contract to even out Fleury’s $7 million contract (two-years left).
Capitals forward Carl Hagelin has three years left on his deal at a $2.75 million. The Golden Knights could retain up to $3.5 million of Fleury’s salary.
Kempy would be another option. The 30-year old defenseman has two years left on his deal. He had surgery in October after tearing his Achilles.
It wouldn’t make sense for the Capitals (or for the Golden Knights for that matter) to trade defenseman Nick Jensen and his $2.5 million salary.