The 2022-23 New Jersey Devils...Cap

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Obviously still time before we start delving into this more heavily, but suffice it to say things will be a little different moving forward than they've been over the past several years.

Whenever there were cap fears in the past, they were based off events that hadn't happened yet:  How are we going to keep Hall?  What kind of contract is Palms going to want?

Now we know there's money that's figuring into the the Devils' cap for several seasons:

Hischier:  5 more years @ $7.25 million per

Hughes:  8 more years @ $8 million per

Hamilton:  6 more years @ $9 million per

The above (as of now, according to the $82,500,000 cap limit listed on Capfriendly) will account for almost 30% of the cap on their own.

Hard to think that arbitration-eligible Bratt's not only getting re-signed, but that he's getting resigned for plenty good money and term...say $6.5 - 7 million for 5-6 years.  Suddenly that's close to 40% of the cap being taken up by 4 players (to be expected...some guys are simply going to get paid, especially if they're deserving).

Two other arb-eligible RFAs:  Wood and Zacha.  Just one fan speculating, but I'm guessing that each one gets one year, in an "avoid arbitration" settlement.  For Wood, it will be a "stay healthy and show me" deal, to see if he can be a bottom-6er here going forward, who can also provide a little offense along with his trademark grit...I think the Devils hang onto him.  Zacha I think gets moved, and I'm OK with that.  Can't pay everyone and the Devils have given him enough years to become consistent...next year is his Age 25 season.

Jesper Boqvist is a RFA...I can't say that I have any real strong feelings about him either way.  He's entering his Age 24 season and though he's gotten over 100 NHL games so far, nothing about him really screams "Gotta keep him!" to me.  Wouldn't surprise me to see him signed to a one or two-year, two-way deal...eventually he gets picked off through waivers, or moved as a throw-in in some future deal.  

Vesey's a UFA...he did fine and if he stays will get a raise, but can't see him making more than $1 - 1.5 million.  Probably kids who can come up and do what he does for less money.  I'm guessing the Devils say "Thanks for the solid year" and move on.

PK's obviously a goner...can't see Gillies coming back either (he may not even be in the NHL next season, though guys like him sometimes have unlimited lives, for whatever the reasons).  The remaining UFAs are the kind that you don't care much at all if they're back or not...that would be Kid Ray and Colton White.

Severson goes UFA after 2022-23...are the Devils OK with paying him $6+ million for 5 years or so?  Because someone will offer at least that to him...UFA D who can provide some offense are ripe to be overpaid.  Graves also goes UFA at this time, and Siegs will be an arb-eligible RFA as well.  Right now I definitely want to keep Graves and Siegs.  Severson at bigger money scares me, but I get the feeling he's going to get it to stay.  REAAAAAAALY hope the next coach can fix the mental lapses.  

Forwards Sharangovich, McLeod, and Bastian are all arb-eligible too after 2022-23.  Not too worried about raises for the latter two...yes, they would make more, but their roles are defined (4th-liners) and 4th-liners only make so much.  I need to see Sharangovich be productive over a full season before I worry about what he'll make.  

There's two players making nearly $8 million combined who are more or less the Deadwood Twins:  Tatar and Johnsson.  We know the deal with both...neither brings much of anything.  Tatar has 9 points over his last 31 GP, and Johnsson has 12 over his last 40 GP.  The hope here is that Fitz finds a way to shed one or both...not so much because of pure cap concerns, but because these guys take up roster spots without really justifying why they should.

Basically, the Devils should still be OK for a while...Holtz will be in on an ELC deal, as will L Hughes.  Mercer's still cheap for the next two years (too early to say what kind of RFA contract he'll get).  Can't see Ty Smith getting a massive raise when he becomes an RFA.  

The biggest question is what the hell happens in net.  Mac is an arb-eligible RFA in 2023, and Bernier of course is a UFA at the same time.  I have no idea if either of these guys are still Devils by then.  Or if Daws has a future.  Nothing but question marks there...both in talent, and in how much is spent on the position.

New Jersey Devils Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Edited March 29, 2022 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[mfitz804]

This is a lot to respond to, I'll just throw out some highlights. 

I would expect Wood to get a 1 year deal somewhere just below $4m. If I am not mistaken, though, he then becomes a UFA. If they want to give him a longer deal at that price, I am ok with 2-3 years on him.

Zacha can go play in the KHL, or whatever is left of it. 

Boqvist I don't care about. He has 1-2 good games in a  row and people get all excited, and then he disappears again. He's not worthless, but I would rather upgrade that spot. 

I don't see Vesey coming back. 

PK and Gillies are gone. I think PK will get a 1 year deal for far less than what he's been getting paid, like maybe a $1-2m deal, from someone willing to take the chance that he has something left. I don't know who that team is, or what they're thinking, but I feel like its possible it may happen. Gillies will be in the AHL or more likely, ECHL. 

If Severson would take $6m x 5, I'm in. Potential to be a steal of a deal if he produces like this year, and a very moveable contract if we decide he's no longer a part.

Tatar and Johnsson both need to go. 

I reserve all judgment about what happens in net until we know if Blackwood is healthy and if Bernier can return. I suspect we will get a healthy Blackwood, and we'll know what we have there rather quickly, I suspect we will not be seeing Bernier again, and if we do, we will wish we hadn't. I don't know if Daws makes the squad, obviously he needs more seasoning but if Bernier can't go, and if Blackwood doesn't come back this season, Daws will have a bunch of NHL games under his belt and maybe you do keep him at the NHL level going forward.

Of note, of course, is the HUGE change we need to make that has nothing to do with cap, the coaching staff. To get the best out of the above players, I believe a clean sweep is needed. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

20 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

This is a lot to respond to, I'll just throw out some highlights. 

I would expect Wood to get a 1 year deal somewhere just below $4m. If I am not mistaken, though, he then becomes a UFA. If they want to give him a longer deal at that price, I am ok with 2-3 years on him.  

Yeah, I was thinking 1 year @ $3.5 million, and then the Devils consider re-signing him once he goes UFA.  I get the feeling Miles would be interested in sticking around. 

Zacha can go play in the KHL, or whatever is left of it. 

I can see him getting dealt for Jake DeBrusk...it'd be a two-year tryout for Jake, one-year tryout for Zacha.  Zacha gets re-signed strictly so the Devils can move him.

Boqvist I don't care about. He has 1-2 good games in a  row and people get all excited, and then he disappears again. He's not worthless, but I would rather upgrade that spot.

Yeah, if he goes, I don't see us ever saying "Man there's one we let get away!" 

I don't see Vesey coming back.

Me neither, he served a purpose.  Can probably go with someone from within who's younger.

PK and Gillies are gone. I think PK will get a 1 year deal for far less than what he's been getting paid, like maybe a $1-2m deal, from someone willing to take the chance that he has something left. I don't know who that team is, or what they're thinking, but I feel like its possible it may happen. Gillies will be in the AHL or more likely, ECHL.

Yeah PK will likely get a discount deal somewhere, with that team hoping he does enough to either justify keeping him, or if he signs with a bad team, that team hopes to flip him for a pick during the season.  His cap hit will make it FAR more palatable than it was this year. 

If Severson would take $6m x 5, I'm in. Potential to be a steal of a deal if he produces like this year, and a very moveable contract if we decide he's no longer a part.

Seves is still a maddening player...even with the offense (which this year could be a fluke...he's never put up this kind of offense before), I'd still be nervous about giving him that kind of money.  But I've already accepted that he'll be back...now it's about how do his enduring weaknesses FINALLY get addressed?  

Tatar and Johnsson both need to go. 

Yes, they bring absolutely nothing.  Johnsson doesn't even bring the occasional goal...he's scored two in his last 40 GP.  TWO!  I have no idea how Fitz finds a taker for either one...Johnsson still isn't old, and did score 20 goals once...maybe someone is fooled enough by that to offer a bag of dirty pucks.  

I reserve all judgment about what happens in net until we know if Blackwood is healthy and if Bernier can return. I suspect we will get a healthy Blackwood, and we'll know what we have there rather quickly, I suspect we will not be seeing Bernier again, and if we do, we will wish we hadn't. I don't know if Daws makes the squad, obviously he needs more seasoning but if Bernier can't go, and if Blackwood doesn't come back this season, Daws will have a bunch of NHL games under his belt and maybe you do keep him at the NHL level going forward.

Yeah with this part it's all question marks.  That's why I didn't even really speculate...right now we could be right back to B&B, or both could be gone.  I just don't know.

Of note, of course, is the HUGE change we need to make that has nothing to do with cap, the coaching staff. To get the best out of the above players, I believe a clean sweep is needed.

They can't be back.  Simple as that.

 

[MadDog2020]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Jesper Boqvist is a RFA...I can't say that I have any real strong feelings about him either way.  He's entering his Age 24 season and though he's gotten over 100 NHL games so far, nothing about him really screams "Gotta keep him!" to me.  Wouldn't surprise me to see him signed to a one or two-year, two-way deal...eventually he gets picked off through waivers, or moved as a throw-in in some future deal.  

I don’t know…. Boqvist has shown improvement. His skating is night and day from what it was. I think I’d like to take a longer look at him as the future 3C. Mercer needs to stay on the wing in the top six. 

[mfitz804]

10 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

I don’t know…. Boqvist has shown improvement. His skating is night and day from what it was. I think I’d like to take a longer look at him as the future 3C. Mercer needs to stay on the wing in the top six. 

I certainly think Mercer’s days as a center should be over, as long as we have Nico and Jack he should be playing beside one or the other. 

Talking about how Boqvist’s skating has improved conjures memories of Tedenby, Josefson, and others who did little more than skate well. 

Edited March 29, 2022 by mfitz804

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

6 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

I don’t know…. Boqvist has shown improvement. His skating is night and day from what it was. I think I’d like to take a longer look at him as the future 3C. Mercer needs to stay on the wing in the top six. 

I don't necessarily think the Devils are done with him...I could see 1-2 years, maybe $800-900k per season, two-way deal.  Problem is I can see him not really doing enough to stick up here, then it's waiver time, then someone snatches him up.  But it's not like he commanding much in a trade.

Agree that I think Mercer's future in the NHL is as a wing...at least it is here.  Which is absolutely fine with me.  I can see him getting a nice bridge deal but it's just too early to say with two more ELC years.  

[SterioDesign]

Yeah im not really sold on Boqvist so far. He may improve more and then i was wrong. But he just feel like a guy that does just enough to stick around but not a stapler on the team

As for having a big chunk of cash strapped among a few players. It's only a problem when those players are not getting the job done anymore and that your depth can't pickup the slack. And for as long as all those long term guys are mostly on the good side of 30, it shouldn't be a problem IMO

[Jimmy Leeds]

1 hour ago, mfitz804 said:

This is a lot to respond to, I'll just throw out some highlights. 

I would expect Wood to get a 1 year deal somewhere just below $4m. If I am not mistaken, though, he then becomes a UFA. If they want to give him a longer deal at that price, I am ok with 2-3 years on him.

Zacha can go play in the KHL, or whatever is left of it. 

Boqvist I don't care about. He has 1-2 good games in a  row and people get all excited, and then he disappears again. He's not worthless, but I would rather upgrade that spot. 

I don't see Vesey coming back. 

PK and Gillies are gone. I think PK will get a 1 year deal for far less than what he's been getting paid, like maybe a $1-2m deal, from someone willing to take the chance that he has something left. I don't know who that team is, or what they're thinking, but I feel like its possible it may happen. Gillies will be in the AHL or more likely, ECHL. 

If Severson would take $6m x 5, I'm in. Potential to be a steal of a deal if he produces like this year, and a very moveable contract if we decide he's no longer a part.

Tatar and Johnsson both need to go. 

I reserve all judgment about what happens in net until we know if Blackwood is healthy and if Bernier can return. I suspect we will get a healthy Blackwood, and we'll know what we have there rather quickly, I suspect we will not be seeing Bernier again, and if we do, we will wish we hadn't. I don't know if Daws makes the squad, obviously he needs more seasoning but if Bernier can't go, and if Blackwood doesn't come back this season, Daws will have a bunch of NHL games under his belt and maybe you do keep him at the NHL level going forward.

Of note, of course, is the HUGE change we need to make that has nothing to do with cap, the coaching staff. To get the best out of the above players, I believe a clean sweep is needed. 

Oh my.............I agree with everything here. Careful

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, SterioDesign said:

Yeah im not really sold on Boqvist so far. He may improve more and then i was wrong. But he just feel like a guy that does just enough to stick around but not a stapler on the team

As for having a big chunk of cash strapped among a few players. It's only a problem when those players are not getting the job done anymore and that your depth can't pickup the slack. And for as long as all those long term guys are mostly on the good side of 30, it shouldn't be a problem IMO

Yeah I'm not saying that this is a problem as of now...if anything, I think to a fan, we're fine with all three of those guys being paid what the are.  And we'll be fine with Jesper getting his.  It just means we'll need some cheap guys (or ELC players) to produce as well.  And we'll have to expect that certain guys could become casualties...I think the first guy on this list with be Zacha.    

[mfitz804]

31 minutes ago, Jimmy Leeds said:

Oh my.............I agree with everything here. Careful

 

We have to do something about this. People will get the wrong idea. 

32 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Yeah I'm not saying that this is a problem as of now...if anything, I think to a fan, we're fine with all three of those guys being paid what the are.  And we'll be fine with Jesper getting his.  It just means we'll need some cheap guys (or ELC players) to produce as well.  And we'll have to expect that certain guys could become casualties...I think the first guy on this list with be Zacha.    

I think Zacha will be gone for reasons other than the cap long before he becomes a cap casualty...

[SterioDesign]

It's really all about balance. I've been saying that the setup they had in MTL was really not ideal for a win now team in the last few years. They basically had 15m of the cap spent on their goalies. And at that time they were lacking depth and struggled to score. And with a 10.5m goalie... not giving you the results a 10.5m goalie should give you... and having to pay a backup almost 5millions.... that means that every single games... you either have 10.5m or 5m sitting on the bench not contributing. Not ideal when you're lacking in other departments. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

I think Zacha will be gone for reasons other than the cap long before he becomes a cap casualty...

Oh I think he’s gone this offseason.  Bratt’s getting paid.  I strongly suspect Seves will too.  Zacha started to put himself into that conversation, but has taken himself back out of it…I think permanently.  So he’ll get a one-year deal and be moved.  He’s a “cap casualty” in that I think there will be enough money wrapped up in more desirable core players that he no longer has a chance of an extended payday here…that’s what I was going for.

[CarpathianForest]

I worry Blackwood will end up getting the yips like Schneider

[Nicomo]

I still don’t think there’s any way Bratt is getting less than what Nico did. I’d offer him 7.5 (right in between Nico and Jack), and hope he takes it. 

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, Nicomo said:

I still don’t think there’s any way Bratt is getting less than what Nico did. I’d offer him 7.5 (right in between Nico and Jack), and hope he takes it. 

Nor should he. 

[SterioDesign]

I know it's way way way way way way easier said than done and even easier saying for me watching all this from my couch. But i really hope this young group would see the potential they have and do like Mackinnon did (and the red wings back then) and take smaller contracts so that the team can afford a better team so they can win.

Like hughes at 8m, nico at 7.25m, bratt at 7.5... then eventually hopefully luke hughes around the same thing in a few years.

Cause... we i know its easy to lose sight off with jack being incredible at the moment... but there's a slight chance that Jack Hughes won't be the best player on our team in a few years... it might be Luke. Which is very exciting

Edited March 30, 2022 by SterioDesign

[MadDog2020]

Speaking of the cap- it’s going up: https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhls-salary-cap-to-rise-to-82-5-million-for-2022-23?fbclid=IwAR0DQS773WlRCKdl2lwGPdATs_cTeI4dZ5lT1hurC_4MkEX9nPu2Mz4pr0o

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 hours ago, MadDog2020 said:

Speaking of the cap- it’s going up: https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhls-salary-cap-to-rise-to-82-5-million-for-2022-23?fbclid=IwAR0DQS773WlRCKdl2lwGPdATs_cTeI4dZ5lT1hurC_4MkEX9nPu2Mz4pr0o

Yeah Capfriendly actually had that info in their site already…that helps to make it easier to cut Tatar, should it have to come to that.

2 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

I know it's way way way way way way easier said than done and even easier saying for me watching all this from my couch. But i really hope this young group would see the potential they have and do like Mackinnon did (and the red wings back then) and take smaller contracts so that the team can afford a better team so they can win.

Like hughes at 8m, nico at 7.25m, bratt at 7.5... then eventually hopefully luke hughes around the same thing in a few years.

Cause... we i know its easy to lose sight off with jack being incredible at the moment... but there's a slight chance that Jack Hughes won't be the best player on our team in a few years... it might be Luke. Which is very exciting

With Jack, we got a little “lucky”, if you think about it…if his rookie year wound up being more last season, and his second season more like this year, with his third season being what we all hope his fourth season will be…he’s probably signed to $10 million or so per year.  He’s really broken out after he signed.

What’s great is that the Devils have managed to avoid one of those $10+ million AAV cap hit deals, so far.  It feels like Nico and Jack’s deals are extremely fair and even likely to be relative bargains (already feels that way in Jack’s case).  Even if Bratt gets over $7 million, it won’t feel like too much (as long as he can stay fairly close to being as productive as he’s been for most of this season).

Where GMs go wrong is shelling out $11.5 million AAV for the Karlssons of the world…he’s signed to that for six more seasons after this one, at which point he’ll be 37…you just know there’s going to be multiple decline years in there, and so far Karlsson hasn’t been anywhere near as productive with the Sharks as he was with the Senators.  Hamilton could potentially have a similar career trajectory, but at least his hit isn’t quite as insane (and due to the Devils signing him as another team’s UFA, will only be on the hook for seven years at the $9 million hit, while Karlsson’s hit is for the max 8 years).  

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

And re:  Karlsson and the Sharks...check out the Sharks, and who they have their big money tied into (specifically their ages - YIKES!):

San Jose Sharks Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

They might be stuck having to trade 2023 RFA-to-be Timo Meier this offseason...how the hell are they going to pay him too?!

 

[mfitz804]

3 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

And re:  Karlsson and the Sharks...check out the Sharks, and who they have their big money tied into (specifically their ages - YIKES!):

San Jose Sharks Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

They might be stuck having to trade 2023 RFA-to-be Timo Meier this offseason...how the hell are they going to pay him too?!

 

Zacha for Meier, the trade is one for one. 

[2ELIAS6]

I think everyone’s big concern is what happens in goal. If mac isn’t what he was even before his injury and we have no options for a solid goaltender doesn’t really matter much about what we have in front of him. We will be fvcked once again. 

[mfitz804]

5 minutes ago, 2ELIAS6 said:

I think everyone’s big concern is what happens in goal. If mac isn’t what he was even before his injury and we have no options for a solid goaltender doesn’t really matter much about what we have in front of him. We will be fvcked once again. 

This is true. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, mfitz804 said:

Zacha for Meier, the trade is one for one. 

Would you do the Devils 2022 first + Holtz?  Probably what it will take to get them to listen.  

The big issue with Meier of course is the Devils would suddenly have another expensive contract.  I think if push comes to shove I'd rather give Holtz a chance, as he should be relatively cheap for a while. 

7 minutes ago, 2ELIAS6 said:

I think everyone’s big concern is what happens in goal. If mac isn’t what he was even before his injury and we have no options for a solid goaltender doesn’t really matter much about what we have in front of him. We will be fvcked once again. 

Yeah for sure, one of these seasons the Devils have to get at least league-average goaltending for the balance of the season.  That keeps not happening.

MB3 brought this up a while back and I'm sure Florida would absolutely hate hate HATE to ever do this (Knight taking over for Bob just makes way too much sense...I don't think Florida really wants to trade him), but they have a ton of UFA coming up, and NO first-round picks over the next three drafts (and just ONE second-rounder)...I didn't really how empty their draft pick cupboard was.  Do you believe in Knight enough to offer Florida two 1sts + a 2nd + Blackwood + at least something else worthwhile?  Devils would really have to bowl them over to get them to move Knight I'd think.  

[mfitz804]

1 minute ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Would you do the Devils 2022 first + Holtz?  Probably what it will take to get them to listen.  

The big issue with Meier of course is the Devils would suddenly have another expensive contract.  I think if push comes to shove I'd rather give Holtz a chance, as he should be relatively cheap for a while. 

I think I would pass on that. 

2 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

MB3 brought this up a while back and I'm sure Florida would absolutely hate hate HATE to ever do this (Knight taking over for Bob just makes way too much sense...I don't think Florida really wants to trade him), but they have a ton of UFA coming up, and NO first-round picks over the next three drafts (and just ONE second-rounder)...I didn't really how empty their draft pick cupboard was.  Do you believe in Knight enough to offer Florida two 1sts + a 2nd + Blackwood + at least something else worthwhile?  Devils would really have to bowl them over to get them to move Knight I'd think.  

I don't think there's any way on Earth they are trading Knight, but you are probably right about what it would cost. I am not sure I would do the two firsts, I would try to do one. But ultimately I think you have to do something like that to have a chance.

Not that you have a chance. 

[MadDog2020]

41 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

They might be stuck having to trade 2023 RFA-to-be Timo Meier this offseason...how the hell are they going to pay him too?!

Haha riiiiiiiiiiight. How they’ll pay him is they’ll LTIR some dudes, buy some other dudes out, and/or trade less valuable pieces to make space. Teams don’t trade players like Timo Meier because of the cap. They manipulate the cap to keep these kinds of players. It’s a tale as old as time. There is ALWAYS a solution that keeps these types of players where they are. 

Edited March 30, 2022 by MadDog2020