Wage cap to escalate to $52m?

[sawchuk]

It seems that while the lock out did have benefits for the smaller market teams, those teams in bigger markets will eventually be able to spend more.

Cap to go up?

[Deleted]

Thats more like it ;D ;D

[sawchuk]

pidge said:

Thats more like it ;D ;D

Exactly.

I don't see why the bigger market teams should be effectively punished because they can generate more revenue.

[Deleted]

Thats why we ve had a bad couple of seasons for our standards , this is just playing into the lessers teams hands aty the end of the day

[Yotes]

pidge said:

Thats why we ve had a bad couple of seasons for our standards , this is just playing into the lessers teams hands aty the end of the day

Surely its who you spend the money on, rather than how much you have to spend. We spent the full cap last year, didn't get the players we needed (like a replacement for Joseph), and ended up with our worst finish since leaving Winnipeg.

Also, I wouldn't mind a bad season like yours; Conference winners, and then finalists, and only narrowly lost to the eventual winners. Sounds pretty good to me.

[BIG-BAD-TONE]

We may be able to buy a decent goalie now as well as keep our top lines intact
Talk of Vincent Lecavalier being sold to finance the team has now ended as he has been given a new contract by Tampa

[Dan]

hitman said:

Talk of Vincent Lecavalier being sold to finance the team has now ended as he has been given a new contract by Tampa

Has he? I've had a look but can't seem to find anything that suggests this. He's still got a couple of years to run though if i recall correctly...?

If i were you, i wouldn't continue to over-stock on your top line. You badly need a new goalie, your defence is in tatters most of the time and whilst you're scoring plenty you won't win anything without a good NM.

[BIG-BAD-TONE]

I'm sure if you read it again I do say buy a new goalie and keep the top lines intact
Nothing about over stocking the top lines mate

[Dan]

hitman said:

I'm sure if you read it again I do say buy a new goalie and keep the top lines intact
Nothing about over stocking the top lines mate

Chill out. I can recall you mentioning keeping your top line together somewhere else, that's what i was on about. Keeping your top line in tact would be the wrong move for you. Trade Richards before his NTC comes in or trade Vinny now, get some excellent pics/players or both and build from there.

[BIG-BAD-TONE]

I see what you are saying but I don't think now is the right time to split the top guys up
We looked sharp in the playoffs and but for some realy dodgy looking goaltending could have gone a lot further
I also feel the defence is not that bad just need someone who can be a leader like big Dave used to do

[Dan]

When you're paying Vinny, St Louis and Richards near the max salary, you're not going to be able to afford a real star goalie or defenseman without really nuking the rest of the squad. Then again, we're crap and we don't have anyone near cap max.

[Dan]

hitman said:

We may be able to buy a decent goalie now as well as keep our top lines intact
Talk of Vincent Lecavalier being sold to finance the team has now ended as he has been given a new contract by Tampa

Is there anything behind the last sentence after all?

[Alf Garnett]

upshall said:

When you're paying Vinny, St Louis and Richards near the max salary, you're not going to be able to afford a real star goalie or defenseman without really nuking the rest of the squad. Then again, we're poor and we don't have anyone near cap max.

And to be fair Dan nobody remotely close to warranting such a salary. Gagne is good ,very good at times but not superstar class IMHO.

[Dan]

Haha, that's what i meant to say. There are very few superstar class players in the league. It's all about the players you're with. Stick Gagne in LeCavaliers spot in Tampa and he'll score 50 goals too.

[Dan]

Ah right, i get ya. Still don't think that'd stop him being traded if a good enough deal comes in. They've said they'll try and keep the top line together, but if someone comes in with a couple of firsts and a prospect, they could get Richards or LeCav.

[BIG-BAD-TONE]

upshall said:

hitman said:

We may be able to buy a decent goalie now as well as keep our top lines intact
Talk of Vincent Lecavalier being sold to finance the team has now ended as he has been given a new contract by Tampa

Is there anything behind the last sentence after all?

$27.5 million contract over four years was signed before last season started that's what i meant making it very difficult to split the top earners up unless someone comes in to match thier salary

I can see your team making big improvements this year and be a lot stronger

[Dan]

Well, the trade would mean someone takes on that contract. I can see people paying it too, i can certainly see us going for it.

[Yotes]

TORONTO/NEW YORK – The National Hockey League Players’ Association and the National Hockey League announced today that the Team Payroll Range established for the 2007-08 League Year, pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, provides for a Lower Limit of $34.3 million, an Adjusted Midpoint of $42.3 million and an Upper Limit of $50.3 million.

tinyurl.com/23eryr

[Dan]

$50m?? Excellent news, means we could sign this top centre without having to dump.

Seems a million over what was expected.

[sawchuk]

I found an article on Jason Allison's intent to return to the NHL this coming season and given he's quite a productive player, he'd be a decent pick up for any team willing to give him a contract.

Link

I always rated him especially during his time in Boston and he didn't deserve half the rubbish he got in Toronto last year. I'd be happy for the Leafs to sign him, despite having virtually no speed in his skating.