Never too soon to start planning for the future. I'm sure PC and Co. are already doing their due diligence.
I post this everytime salary cap discussions come up, because it seems to get so little reference. There still exists the potential for the salary cap to come down, depending on the new CBA.
In late June, the teams will be given the salary cap for the 2012-13 season. Thanks to strong Canadian markets, a strong Canadian dollar, compelling playoff races and an enhanced profile around the United States, league revenues continue to rise. And that means the salary cap will also go up. Estimates from a variety of sources suggest the cap could go to $69 million or $70 million, up significantly from the current salary cap of $64.3 million.
The first salary cap coming out of the lockout that preceded the ratification of the current collective bargaining agreement was $39 million.
The problem for GMs, especially those like Holmgren or Stan Bowman in Chicago or Ken Holland in Detroit, whose teams regularly spend to the cap, is that the widespread belief is that by the time the new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out, the cap will be significantly lower as the league will be pressing to reduce the share of hockey-related revenues given to the players.
How much lower?
Who knows?
But GMs will face the specter of needing to acquire players in free agency and sign current players and build a team without the benefit of knowing what the landscape will look like vis a vis the cap.
Talk about working with a blindfold. So if there was a buzzword that accompanied the oft-repeated "business as usual," it was flexibility, as in GMs talked about the need to avoid boxing themselves in financially.
Until the new CBA is agreed upon, it's going to be a very strange off-season. I wouldn't be surprised to see Chiarelli carry what looks like an inordinately high balance of 'cap space' until the CBA is figured out....I just hope any criticisms of 'unused' cap space take this into account, if and when that time comes.
The Bruins are at the point where they are focused on playoff performance rather than regular season performance. So much will depend on how guys play in the playoffs when it comes to evaluating who to keep and who to move. And of course the CBA will play a role as well. There are more than a few players whose fate with the team could easily rest with how they perform in the playoffs.
I'll second that. Like to tweak a little. But, bring him back. Maybe Caron to replace Paille. A semi-skilled grinder to go with Kelly and Peverly for that 3rd line. Not sure about Poo until I see him in the playoffs.
The Parise and or Suter to Boston ship sailed when the team locked up Krejci, Peverley and Boychuk to lucrative extensions this year - not a complaint by the way. The only way that either becomes a possibility is if the team decides to part with some of or one of the better paid players on the roster (Thomas), which is something that I would not be be on-board with at the moment (lets see how the next few months play out).
The approximate $10 million the Bruins have in real cap space for next season (assuming Savard is on LTIR / IR and Hamilton makes the jump; this figure also hasn't been adjusted for bonuses nor is it taking into account cap fluctuation in either direction) should be used to retain their own guys (Rask, Kelly, Pouliot, Campbell, Zanon, and Paille - in that order). This is also assuming that Rolston decides to hang his skates up, which is no guarantee. Goal scoring is not a problem with this team nor are they lacking two-way forwards, so additional offense and sound defensive play at forward at a large cap hit is not necessarily a drastic / glaring need.
The real decisions that they should be focusing on are the summer 2013 UFAs (Thomas, Horton, Ference, and Khudobin) and RFAs (Lucic, Seguin, Marchand, and Caron). Chiarelli's modus operandi is usually to get RFAs locked in before their current contracts expire, so I have no doubt that we won't be worrying about some of the aforementioned at this time next year.
I don't think we can spend too much cash as some of our core players will become FA after next season.
Lucic
Seguin
Marchand
Ference
Horton
Caron
Thomas
you spend too much on a big name FA, and you won't be able to sign too many of your own players that you know work in the system. you know seguin will be commanding big time $ soon...marchy will definitely get another raise and lucic will get a raise as well
This is the post to pay attention to, specifically the top 3 names.
Right now, for 2013-2014 these players are signed.
Since the CBA is up for renewal, you cannot guarantee what the cap will be in 2013-2014. Let's conservatively assume it goes down to $60 million from the $64 million it is now.
That leaves the Bruins 24.6 million in cap space (including Savard for now) to sign 8 forwards, two defensemen, and two goalies.
Now assume you target Lucic, Seguin and Marchand as your top three extensions. If they equal or pass their performance of 2011/12 in 2012/13, each could be at minimum $5 million per season to re-sign. That $15 million reduces the Bruins cap space from 24.6 million to $9 million to sign 5 forwards, two defensemen and two goalies. Now let's assume Rask gets extended at $3 million per season, and Hamilton makes the club. Without a change in the CBA, Hamilton's deal is probably similar to Seguins so it's $3.5million. So that's $6.5 million more for those two in cap space.
So now the Bruins are at $2.5 million to sign 1 goalie, 1 defenseman and 5 forwards. Now there is some breathing room with the Savard LTIR relief, but still, at free agent market prices, $6.5 million to fill 1 goalie, 1 defenseman and 6 forward slots isn't a lot, and doesn't leave you with a ton of wiggle room.
Even if you remove the CBA uncertainty and the cap stays at $64 million or goes higher to $68, you get some breathing room, but it's not a ton. You still only have $14.5 million to fill 8 roster spots. If you sign a guy like Parise or Suter, the minimum for them is at least $7 million, and it'll probably be more like $8 million. (Blame Buffalo for their ridiculous inflationary signings last year) Say the Bruins do sign one of those guys, with the severe cap, that means the Bruins are -$1.5 million to sign 1 goal, 1 d-man, and 5 forwards (remember this is for 2013/14) so you have to trade someone. With the status quo cap, the Bruins would have $4.5 million to sign 1 goalie, 1 d-man and 5 forwards. The only way the team could sign a Parise or Suter without dismantling the core, is if the CBA is fine and the cap goes up to $66 or $68 million. And that seems highly doubtful.
Basically you face the choice of going for it all in 2012/2013 and then having to make some hard Blackhawks like choices for 2013/2014 if you go after Parise or Suter.
That's why most likely, Chiarelli will not go after the big ticket guys and be like Belichick, looking for affordable depth to fill in around the core.
Only way i see Parise coming here is Horton going the other way, top 6 is set.
With that being said, they will try to re-sign players and go from there.
I wonder if the fans of a team could sway the front office by buying player merchandise before the free agency period. Lets say the Leafs sold 10k Parise Jerseys ahead of time. Would that not put some pressure on the front office?
If we can get Jokinen for what he makes now 3 mill that would be a steal but I doubt it. He'd probably be demanding 4 mill plus but Jokinen as our third line center would make the team so dynamic both in all zones. The Bruins would have the most depth on center in the league
I wonder if the fans of a team could sway the front office by buying player merchandise before the free agency period. Lets say the Leafs sold 10k Parise Jerseys ahead of time. Would that not put some pressure on the front office?
Well, one billboard in Denver cost $5,000.00... You can imagine what that translates into Taxachusetts dollars.
We need to contact Budweiser and have them use their billboard on the Garden to start the "The Great American Lager wants to bring The Great American Player to Boston" campaign with a huge picture of Parise's face and underneath it says "July 1st. Get it done Chiarelli."
we don't need parise and we don't need suter. i get that they are both awesome players, i like them a lot too, but it doesn't make sense. let Hamilton develop, the kid is going to be a stud and our defense is already solid. Chara, Boychuk, Seidenberg, McQuaid, Ference and Hamilton with Krug and Cross is an impressive core. not very flashy, but still very solid. our offense is okay too, i think we need to add more depth and wouldn't be opposed to another top 9 player, but with the cap potentially going down and all our young offensive players contracts expiring too i would rather save room for the guys we know work here and won us a cup then bring in new guys.
i don't mean to rain on anyones parade but i just don't see it making sense. i think the priority for PC should be Kelly, and then Campbell. one interesting UFA could be Gaustad. if PC can't sign Kelly i think he could be an decent replacement. PC used to talk about adding size at center, and he would certainly do that.
Only way i see Parise coming here is Horton going the other way, top 6 is set.
With that being said, they will try to re-sign players and go from there.
Parise is a UFA and Horton has a full NTC. ::is confused::
I would love to see them sign Parise. Although I think the bidding war for him will be high and the Bruins may not be willing to offer what it takes. I think Parise to some degree makes Horton expendable so I would look to trade him at some point if they landed Parise.
While I think Suter or Weber would be nice, I think the team needs a Parise type player more than another defenseman (but Suter would be nice if Parise doesn't work out).
