Sam Hitchcock: Stamkos Sinks Two but Cap Concerns Abound

I find it hard to believe that Point would sign a bridge in the 5-6Mil range. If he is as indispensable as you agree he is, why would he sign that? Number 1 centers make a lot more than what you hope he’ll sign for. In addition, what GM with all the leverage is suddenly going to help out Tampa? Tough spot for the bolts. It will be interesting to see how they fix their cap issues.

This blog is confusing as I recall the Bolts were in on Karlsson only a few months ago.

Sounds like Yzerman got out at the right time knowing he made a mess he couldn’t fix. I guess that’s what you get when you have an awesome scouting staff and farm team........ brutal

Maybe Yzerman’s GM of the year talk was a little premature

I find it hard to believe that Point would sign a bridge in the 5-6Mil range. If he is as indispensable as you agree he is, why would he sign that? Number 1 centers make a lot more than what you hope he’ll sign for. In addition, what GM with all the leverage is suddenly going to help out Tampa? Tough spot for the bolts. It will be interesting to see how they fix their cap issues.
- Hokeeguy9

Not so unbelievable when you remember Florida’s tax rate, not to mention the possible/probable desire to remain a member of one of the top 3 teams in the league.

Bolts will be fine.

Bolts are still getting Karlsson. (Notice he has not signed an extension or long-term contract in SJ - because he is a rental and plans on coming here after this season).

Bolts will keep Point.

One or more of the following will be traded : Killorn, Gourde, Johnson, or Palat.

Callahan will be bought out or traded with some salary retained,

Coburn. Girardi, and Stralman are coming off the books.

The Bolts will be fine.

So Tampa will get some cap concerns? All I ever hear is Leafs will lose all their young players to the cap.

Bolts will be fine.

Bolts are still getting Karlsson. (Notice he has not signed an extension or long-term contract in SJ - because he is a rental and plans on coming here after this season).

Bolts will keep Point.

One or more of the following will be traded : Killorn, Gourde, Johnson, or Palat.

Callahan will be bought out or traded with some salary retained,

Coburn. Girardi, and Stralman are coming off the books.

The Bolts will be fine.
- GalacticStone

Maybe because for the 2nd straight seasons after his ankle injury he looks bad?

Maybe because for the 2nd straight seasons after his ankle injury he looks bad?
- RogerRoeper

This could be the case. Truth be told, as enticing as Karlsson is, I don't want the Lighting to overpay and put themselves in cap-hell to get a declining d-man. If the price is right, bring him in,

The flyers will take gladly take on Callahan and a 1st with a 4th going back. Something like that. No salary retention necessary

Callahan's contract is now a modified no-trade clause where he picks 15 teams he won't be traded to. His NMC is over.

Also the Lightning will move on from Callahan the same way that Washington moved Orpik, meaning the team getting him in the trade is not stuck with him. Bolts will trade him to someone who has a buyout they don't mind using so it would be Callahan, prospect, 2-3rd pick in exchange for a 7th round pick then the acquiring team buys out Callahan. For that team they use the buyout amount towards cap floor while picking up assets and then Callahan can sign wherever he wants to finish his career at much smaller cap hit.

Second, the Lightning could easily go to Alex Killorn and say our young guys are out playing you so we are going to put you on popcorn duty. Killorn would probably drop his NTC and asked to be traded to another team. Not saying this would happen but its possible. And a career 0.5PPG power forward on a 4.4M dollar deal is an asset that someone would want.

It will be intesting to see how it all plays out and what they Cap number ends up being but I am sure the GM knows he can move guys to keep the guys he wants with Point being the next major priority.

It would seem that other GMs know of the cap situation and would Tampa Bay over the coals to extract more draft picks to take on over paid players

Officiating in this game is a friggin disgrace. Again.

These officials wouldn't have a job for 10 minutes in MLB or the NFL.

Coburn and Girardi are gone after the season...

Stralman will either take less to come back or he'll walk...

Lightning will bring up Foote and Cernek next year on ELC contracts. Remember Cernek almost made the team out of TC this year.

This is Callahan's last year regardless. He'll either be traded or bought out.

I agree that someone else will get traded this off-season out of Johnson, Palat, or Killorn. My money is on Killorn as Johnson/Palat are part of the Cooper's Troopers, and still have some value left. My personal opinion is you can throw Palat in with Killorn leaving, as Palat has shown to be injury prone over the past 2-3 years (Plus he's had only 1 good offensive season that seems like it's been 10 years ago now).

Gourde is not going anywhere...young, fast, gritty, and he seems to have a knack of putting the bisquit where it needs to go. I thought the same thing about Marshessault(sp?) 2 years ago watching him play. He always seems to have a knack for scoring, and I was really wanting TB to resign him. Well we see how that turned out...

Point will get paid handsomely. Either this off-season, or in a couple years after a bridge. I think he wants to stay here, and is willing to take less for a couple years to cash in BIG when he's a UFA. TB will show him what they did with Kuch, and pretty much will say this will be the same for you.

Not sold on Karlsson coming to TB anymore. Like others have said he's looking a little pedestrian since his foot injury. Not taking anything away from him, because he's still way above average and we were just spoiled watching him at such an elite level for so long. Does he sign with TB this off-season...I don't know. If he takes less to play alongside his Swedish buddies Hedman and Stralman(If he comes back), then I'm for it.

Lastly, rumors floating around that the cap is going up this year again. There hasn't been any talk on how much, but if it goes up another $2-3M that will help as well. IIRC, the NHLPA still has the option to invoke a 5% bump in salary cap left over from the CBA deal. I believe they were talking about that on NHL Overtime a few months back. Seeing how teams are starting to hit cap ceilings and not a lot of movement at the deadline due to teams being strapped could cause the bump to happen to help teams make more moves, and sign those new players.

Anyways..my .02 worth...

Bolts will be fine.

Bolts are still getting Karlsson. (Notice he has not signed an extension or long-term contract in SJ - because he is a rental and plans on coming here after this season).

Bolts will keep Point.

One or more of the following will be traded : Killorn, Gourde, Johnson, or Palat.

Callahan will be bought out or traded with some salary retained,

Coburn. Girardi, and Stralman are coming off the books.

The Bolts will be fine.
- GalacticStone

Karlsson might be heading there but the reason he hasn't signed is because apparently he's not allowed to sign an 8 year deal until the trade deadline, which I think we can all assume is what he wants and will get. Obviously all the rumours point to him signing there in the off season but you never know. Also, the way it's going in SJ, he may not want to stay so TB is a very reasonable destination.

Sam Hitchcock: Stamkos Sinks Two but Cap Concerns Abound
- Sam Hitchcock

Trade stammers. Could likely find a top 5 pick in this draft in return and free up money for Point. I know Stams just scored a pair, but he really has not impressed at all on any of the games I have watched. Someone will take the Callahan contract for a 3rd round pick if you still need more cap space. Not sure what type of money Stralman/Coburn/Giradi (11.2M currently) will cost come UFA, but assume Girardi will not get resigned and coburn and stralman do not get raises. Regardless, this team is stacked, and I feel they can still thrive without callahan/stamkos taking up 14.3M.

First off, i dont understand the immediate need to trade Girardi. That clears up some space for this year that can eat some ELC bonuses, but he is off the books by next year so I dont really understand why he needs to be traded asap.

Regarding Gourde, he is absolutely worth the money. He has been great both this and the previous season. The problem I have is that we seem to hand out big contracts left right and center without out a thought of the consequences. The situation is not as bad as some wants it to be (Trade Stamkos? Is that really realistic in your ears?), but some salary has to go unless managment is relying to form a defense with Foote and Cernak next year.

I could see Coburn signing a very team friendly contract. He signed a extension with a lower hit for longer years. He doesnt want to move his family, and could easily sign for around a million for the chance to stay and hunt that cup ring.

The Callahan contract is obviously the biggest achor, but with a 16 team trade list he is moveable. I dont think it will take a 1st, package him with Erne or someone similar and throw in a late pick. He only has 1 year left after this one so some team could easily take him on. His salary is also "only" $4.7m.

Lets say that the cap rises to $83m (+3.1m). If we get rid of Cally, sign Stralman and Coburn for a combined $4m, sign Point to 8yrs/7.5m and fill out the rooster with Cernak, Foote, Volkov, Conacher. Then we have $81,3m in salarycap. Thats not so bad.

The flyers will take gladly take on Callahan and a 1st with a 4th going back. Something like that. No salary retention necessary
- Just5

Not even for a 1st.

Bolts will be fine.

Bolts are still getting Karlsson. (Notice he has not signed an extension or long-term contract in SJ - because he is a rental and plans on coming here after this season).

Bolts will keep Point.

One or more of the following will be traded : Killorn, Gourde, Johnson, or Palat.

Callahan will be bought out or traded with some salary retained,

Coburn. Girardi, and Stralman are coming off the books.

The Bolts will be fine.
- GalacticStone

I think your math is off.