Jan Levine: Rangers open season with back-to-back contests vs. NYI, starting January 14 Fifty-six game sprint

Nikita Kucherov to have hip surgery and miss the regular season. That's their cap relief. Cirelli should be signing soon, I presume.

Nikita Kucherov to have hip surgery and miss the regular season. That's their cap relief. Cirelli should be signing soon, I presume.
- airjan23

Well if he misses the season it's not really relief in my opinion. Just open more issues down the road if the cap doesn't rise. Not good when your best scorer misses the season.

Well if he misses the season it's not really relief in my opinion. Just open more issues down the road if the cap doesn't rise. Not good when your best scorer misses the season.
- TPC

Yes, but "regular season." He may be back for the playoffs. But yes, a big hit

Having just won a cup, they are playing with house money. Makes sense.

Don't forget TBL gets to have a significant part of their season playing the Wings, Panthers, and Wild. They will be just fine.

Have to think the opening night game against the Isles at MSG will be on national TV. The league is going to be all over Lafreinere this year

Notice that the 4 game stretch against NJ is bookended by 3 against the Isles. For a total of 7 games in 11 days against only 2 teams. Talk about building rivalry!

Kirby Dach with an arm injury for Canada. Looked pretty bad. Was watching these games today wishing we sent Laf or Kakko, not anymore!!

Well if he misses the season it's not really relief in my opinion. Just open more issues down the road if the cap doesn't rise. Not good when your best scorer misses the season.
- TPC

Lightning still in trouble for NEXT season. The moment they sign Cirelli to a contract over $1.2 million they will be OVER the cap for next season, with only 16 players signed. Something significant still has to be removed from the Tampa roster. LTIR for Kucherov is simply a band-aid to a huge problem, they can only kick the can down the road for so long...

Lightning still in trouble for NEXT season. The moment they sign Cirelli to a contract over $1.2 million they will be OVER the cap for next season, with only 16 players signed. Something significant still has to be removed from the Tampa roster. LTIR for Kucherov is simply a band-aid to a huge problem, they can only kick the can down the road for so long...
- TommyGTrain

I think there's a really good chance they leave Ryan McDonagh exposed to Seattle, Seattle takes him and makes him their first captain

I think there's a really good chance they leave Ryan McDonagh exposed to Seattle, Seattle takes him and makes him their first captain
- jimbro83

They can't though right? Aren't all NTC automatically exempt? I think with them either one of two things happens:

They trade Vasilevsky who has no protections (they wouldn't dare expose him would they?) for a boatload of picks/prospects and maybe somebody's bad contract that's only 4-5 million.

Somebody develops a jersey allergy or "chooses" to retire now that they have the cup.

In terms of a league wide scope, I think at some point the league is going to have to have a CBA come pretty soon. As I've pointed out recently, almost the entire league is right up against the cap or over it. Although they are getting something resembling help soon, I don't see the league letting Toronto being in cap hell. San Ottawa, pretty much all the Canadian teams are in pretty rough shape.

They can't though right? Aren't all NTC automatically exempt? I think with them either one of two things happens:

They trade Vasilevsky who has no protections (they wouldn't dare expose him would they?) for a boatload of picks/prospects and maybe somebody's bad contract that's only 4-5 million.

Somebody develops a jersey allergy or "chooses" to retire now that they have the cup.

In terms of a league wide scope, I think at some point the league is going to have to have a CBA come pretty soon. As I've pointed out recently, almost the entire league is right up against the cap or over it. Although they are getting something resembling help soon, I don't see the league letting Toronto being in cap hell. San Ottawa, pretty much all the Canadian teams are in pretty rough shape.
- 2sticks1puck

CBO*

Anthony Cirelli - three year deal with a $4.8 mil AAV

Pierre LeBrun:
Year 1, $2.4 M ($1.5 M sb plus $900k salary)
Year 2, $4.8 M ($1.5 M sb plus $3.3 M salary)
Year 3, $7.2 M all salary
AAV $4.8 M
It's the exact same deal as Sergachev

Puck Pedia:
His Qualifying Offer will be $5.76M, and he'll be an RFA with arbitration rights, 1 year from UFA eligibility.

Anthony Cirelli - three year deal with a $4.8 mil AAV

Pierre LeBrun:
Year 1, $2.4 M ($1.5 M sb plus $900k salary)
Year 2, $4.8 M ($1.5 M sb plus $3.3 M salary)
Year 3, $7.2 M all salary
AAV $4.8 M
It's the exact same deal as Sergachev

Puck Pedia:
His Qualifying Offer will be $5.76M, and he'll be an RFA with arbitration rights, 1 year from UFA eligibility.
- airjan23

Bet this new trend of backloading contracts is going to be closed soon enough. Though I guess with the CBA lasting for several years now, might see a bunch more to come.

Anthony Cirelli - three year deal with a $4.8 mil AAV

Pierre LeBrun:
Year 1, $2.4 M ($1.5 M sb plus $900k salary)
Year 2, $4.8 M ($1.5 M sb plus $3.3 M salary)
Year 3, $7.2 M all salary
AAV $4.8 M
It's the exact same deal as Sergachev

Puck Pedia:
His Qualifying Offer will be $5.76M, and he'll be an RFA with arbitration rights, 1 year from UFA eligibility.
- airjan23

Maybe it’s just me but this just doesn’t really bug me. Since we don’t play them at all this year unless we make the final 4 it’s like they don’t exist to me haha. They are basically playing in a different league

In the 60's I watch them play each other 14 times when there were only 6 teams and boy did they hate each other. I LOVE THIS, for me it's my youth all over again and I get to hate Boston all over again!

Anthony Cirelli - three year deal with a $4.8 mil AAV

Pierre LeBrun:
Year 1, $2.4 M ($1.5 M sb plus $900k salary)
Year 2, $4.8 M ($1.5 M sb plus $3.3 M salary)
Year 3, $7.2 M all salary
AAV $4.8 M
It's the exact same deal as Sergachev

Puck Pedia:
His Qualifying Offer will be $5.76M, and he'll be an RFA with arbitration rights, 1 year from UFA eligibility.
- airjan23

CapFriendly shows Tampa over $3.5 million OVER the cap for NEXT year with only 16 skaters signed. Next season is expected to start in October, so they still have a HUGE problem with salary cap!
Contracts have to be moved out --- I wonder if they will be prevented from adding Kucherov to roster when he is healthy?

Notice that the 4 game stretch against NJ is bookended by 3 against the Isles. For a total of 7 games in 11 days against only 2 teams. Talk about building rivalry!
- Tonybere

👍

Yes, but "regular season." He may be back for the playoffs. But yes, a big hit
- airjan23

Any word on Stamkos?

New blog up