Those aren't cap hits... Weber has a cap hit of 7.8, Toews and Kane 10.5...
- FlyersGrace

fair. also remember the cap increases every year and if the CAD does even a little better it will jump more. I don't think McJesus' important to the Oilers can be understated and they need to do whatever they can to keep him

That all depends on how the lines shake out and if they have chemistry. With the added depth we should see improved scoring from top to bottom.
- ClaudeFather

You'd like to think so. Patrick and Lindblom haven't played an NHL game yet. No one has any idea what they will add scoring wise. There just isn't a way to estimate. Is it a lock these guys make the roster? Who knows.

Re: PK minutes

Simmonds really excelled in a PK role last year so I think he'll be back on it. If Laughton is here I think he's on it too. Raffl would be my other guess. And Coots is always around if need be. I'm sure Hak will get some rookies a look there too to at least see if they can handle it.
- hereticpride

Right now, my regular PK guys would be:
Coots, Raffl, Read with Giroux spotted in at key times to take faceoffs

The others in contention would be:
Laughton, Raffl, Filppula, and Lehtera

And at some point in the season, I'd probably give Patrick a look too

Either way, they have plenty of guys to fill that role.

Wear bigger skates
- jmatchett383

fair. also remember the cap increases every year and if the CAD does even a little better it will jump more. I don't think McJesus' important to the Oilers can be understated and they need to do whatever they can to keep him
- bulet13

That I agree with... I think they will pay any asking price for him (and they'd be dumb not to - superstars are few and far between and most teams just don't have them). But it will hamper their ability to put really good players with him. They better draft well.

You'd like to think so. Patrick and Lindblom haven't played an NHL game yet. No one has any idea what they will add scoring wise. There just isn't a way to estimate. Is it a lock these guys make the roster? Who knows.
- PLindbergh31

Bring your pessimism elsewhere

Not a joke. 100% serious.

No one player is worth that much cap space.

And if McDavid gets something in the 13 mil a year range, imagine what Draisaitl will want when his contract comes up. It has a domino effect.

Look how Chicago is hamstrung by their 2 contracts.

You dont win without depth.
- ggunky

Would you rather have Kane and Toews at a combined 21m, or Giroux and Voracek at 17m? Not to mention Kane and Toews have 3 cups in the bank already.

Not really worried about where the goals are going to come from, and here is why.

Last year Giroux and Voracek combined for 34 goals, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that they can increase that total to at least 42. Nor is it unreasonable to expect Konecny to have a small increase, say from 11 to 15.
That brings us to +12

Now lets assume that column A is replaced by column B in the lineup
A/B
Weal and Cousins/Lindblom
Schenn/Patrick
Read and partial Filpulla/full season of Filpulla
VdV/Laughton or Lehtera
PEB and Raffl (52 games)/Raffl (70 games)

The total goal output of everyone in column A was 72 goals.

I don't think the following is unreasonable either:
Lindblom 12 goals
Patrick 16 goals
Filpulla 12 goals
Laughton and Lehtera combined 10 goals
Raffl 12 goals

This totals to 62 goals

Overall that leaves us +2 from last year without taking into consideration the possibility of a better offensive year from Ghost and few more goals from Provorov. Last year they scored 219 goals, I don't think 225 is unreasonable and if they can slightly reduce the goals against from 236 to even just 230, than a slight improvement to 92-95 points is not out of the question. They probably still miss the playoffs, but at least they are moving in the right direction.
- BiggE

Nice job, and it almost seems plausible.

Though if you really want to benefit us all, please tie your clients shoelaces together in case of the zombie apocalypse.

Not really worried about where the goals are going to come from, and here is why.

Last year Giroux and Voracek combined for 34 goals, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that they can increase that total to at least 42. Nor is it unreasonable to expect Konecny to have a small increase, say from 11 to 15.
That brings us to +12

Now lets assume that column A is replaced by column B in the lineup
A/B
Weal and Cousins/Lindblom
Schenn/Patrick
Read and partial Filpulla/full season of Filpulla
VdV/Laughton or Lehtera
PEB and Raffl (52 games)/Raffl (70 games)

The total goal output of everyone in column A was 72 goals.

I don't think the following is unreasonable either:
Lindblom 12 goals
Patrick 16 goals
Filpulla 12 goals
Laughton and Lehtera combined 10 goals
Raffl 12 goals

This totals to 62 goals

Overall that leaves us +2 from last year without taking into consideration the possibility of a better offensive year from Ghost and few more goals from Provorov. Last year they scored 219 goals, I don't think 225 is unreasonable and if they can slightly reduce the goals against from 236 to even just 230, than a slight improvement to 92-95 points is not out of the question. They probably still miss the playoffs, but at least they are moving in the right direction.
- BiggE

This contradicts my argument, so it's completely irrelevant.

Not a joke. 100% serious.

No one player is worth that much cap space.

And if McDavid gets something in the 13 mil a year range, imagine what Draisaitl will want when his contract comes up. It has a domino effect.

Look how Chicago is hamstrung by their 2 contracts.

You dont win without depth.
- ggunky

Chicago won a cup after the Kane and Toews contracts

Players who want to win will take a slight discount to play for a contender like the Oil will be. McDavid will get paid that money either in Edmonton or somewhere else and there is no way Edmonton will ever get a fair deal in a trade for arguably the second best player and soon to be best player in the league. So they can either pay him or watch him get paid somewhere else and they're making the right call

Bring your pessimism elsewhere
- ClaudeFather

It's reality. Questioning the goaltenders is pessimism to right?

Inability to score goals, while not being able to prevent goals is a hell of recipe for success.

Lindblom, Filppula, and Raffl having 36 combined as an estimate I think is high. At least one of them will probably end up with pretty limited ice time and a lot of PK time.
- pinkfloydfreak

We shall see. I think Lindblom will get a regular shift in the top nine and see some time with G and Jake. I also think he ends up the net front guy on the 2nd pp unit. 12 goals for him, IMO, is a conservative estimate. I think 15 could very well be in reach and 17-18 not out of the question.

Would you rather have Kane and Toews at a combined 21m, or Giroux and Voracek at 17m? Not to mention Kane and Toews have 3 cups in the bank already.
- PLindbergh31

Or Crosby and Malkin at 18.2?

fair. also remember the cap increases every year and if the CAD does even a little better it will jump more. I don't think McJesus' important to the Oilers can be understated and they need to do whatever they can to keep him
- bulet13

This isn't true.

The cap not going up is what hurt Chicago. When they signed Toews and Kane to the contracts they did they did it with the thought that the cap would increase every year. It didn't and they have suffered greatly from it.

Umberger's buyout drops off as well after next season. Add 1.5M more.
- FlyersGrace

that's right, forgot about that a decision on Simmonds also looms and a Provorov deal. but they also should have Sandheim/Myers on ELC. I'm pysched to see the youth starting to make the team. I'm fine with a step back this year if it means a year of Lindblom, Patrick, Hagg, Morin, Laughton and continued growth of second year kids like Provorov, Konecny and even tho a tad older, Ghost. Not saying I want to lose, just saying I am ok with losses that accompany growing pains for young players

That I agree with... I think they will pay any asking price for him (and they'd be dumb not to - superstars are few and far between and most teams just don't have them). But it will hamper their ability to put really good players with him. They better draft well.
- FlyersGrace

This was gonna be my next point. In this era drafting well is more important than ever and cup windows close faster than ever

Nice job, and it almost seems plausible.

Though if you really want to benefit us all, please tie your clients shoelaces together in case of the zombie apocalypse.
- MBFlyerfan

Wouldn't it make more sense to just remove their teeth?

Chicago won a cup after the Kane and Toews contracts

Players who want to win will take a slight discount to play for a contender like the Oil will be. McDavid will get paid that money either in Edmonton or somewhere else and there is no way Edmonton will ever get a fair deal in a trade for arguably the second best player and soon to be best player in the league. So they can either pay him or watch him get paid somewhere else and they're making the right call
- bulet13

They have not wont a cup since the contracts kicked in.
The contracts kicked in in July 2015, the last cup they won was that spring of 2015, before the contracts kicked in.

fair. also remember the cap increases every year...
- bulet13

Eh, there's been a lot of artificial increases due to escrow which the players union is growing increasingly tired of. It's not a given that the cap will rise every year or even not stay completely flat or have a slight dip one year.

Andrew MacDonald, lefty:

3 years remaining at 5mAAV; owed $16.5 million.

Jason Demers, righty:

4 years remaining at 4.5mAAV; owed 17 million.

How do we meme this trade into existence?

Wouldn't it make more sense to just remove their teeth?
- BiggE

Yes, but Im trying to be realistic and practical here.

This isn't true.

The cap not going up is what hurt Chicago. When they signed Toews and Kane to the contracts they did they did it with the thought that the cap would increase every year. It didn't and they have suffered greatly from it.
- ggunky

the cap has increased every year dude seriously try using google

i would post an image but im bad at computers and internet

It's reality. Questioning the goaltenders is pessimism to right?

Inability to score goals, while not being able to prevent goals is a hell of recipe for success.
- PLindbergh31

Total opposite, I think we are in good shape up front. The goaltending situation scares me.

Or Crosby and Malkin at 18.2?
- MBFlyerfan

Crosby took a serious home town discount on his last contract. Let's not even joke about that. He could have gotten way more money someplace else and we all know it.

Eh, there's been a lot of artificial increases due to escrow which the players union is growing increasingly tired of. It's not a given that the cap will rise every year or even not stay completely flat or have a slight dip one year.
- pinkfloydfreak

there's also an escalator clause thats kicked in every year since the new CBA