Atlanta Thrashers

We now head to our division rivals (not really) the Atlanta Thrashers who as of now have 19 players signed and ready with about $16.98M in salary cap space to fill though holes. They made a few moves bringing in Antropov, signing him to a 4yr/$16.25M, a little high for enigma wrapped around a puzzle encased in a conundrum. Slater and Thorburn were re-signed to low impact contracts. They did make a significant trade with the Leafs and acquired Kubina, who only had 1 more year on his contract, and Tim Stapleton, who was a RFA who is yet to be re-signed. You have to believe they aren't going to go into the season with Hedberg or Pavelec as their netminders, Lehtonen is a RFA and I'm sure he is their first choice. Colby Armstrong will also be resigned. That will be 21 players in total with raises due to Lehtonen ($5.0M my guess) and Armstrong ($3.0M) which will leave ATL with roughly $9.0M to fill 2 holes for a team who aren't ready to compete for a playoff spot. In 2010/11 they'll have 10 players signed (not including Lehtonen, Armstrong) with $37.0M to use to re-sign Kovalchuk and either re-sign or replace Slava Kozlov (I wish my first name was Slava). The Thrashers seem to be in a good situation cap wise, but will they get Kovi into the playoffs? I give them a 9.

OK... You're asking why I am doing this, to be perfectly honest, I have no idea. I will take however long it takes to do all 30 teams, hopefully 1 team per day. Lets start alphabetically with Anaheim. (Capgeek.com is my resource)

http://www.capgeek.com/charts.php?Team=6

So Anaheim you would think with names like Getzlaf, Perry, Niedermayer, Selanne, Koivu, Lupul, Ryan, Giguere and Whitney (+deadweight Bertuzzi) would be if not in it, real close to cap purgartory. Well my friends you'd be wrong and so would I. With 22 players signed up for the upcoming year already they have a whopping $7.25M left to fill that last spot. If your an Anaheim fan you should be happy because you have Getzlaf, Perry and Lupul all signed to nice reasonable contracts through 2012/13. There is only 1 mildly bad contract and that belongs to Giguere ($6.0M)  who was replaced midway through the season by Jonas Hiller, but that contract expires after the 2010/11 season. Their summer (re)signings of Koivu, Niedermayer, Marchant and Boynton where very smartly done. This team is in great shape for next season as well with only one significant payraise due to Bobby Ryan and a modest one to Jonas Hiller if he repeats last seasons performance. This is a strong team that got better this off season, even with the departure of Pronger, Lupul and Sbisa are both quality players. Perry/Getzlaf/Ryan and Selanne/Koivu/Lupul are a pretty good top 6. Niedermayer is, well, Niedermayer. Whitney, Boynton, Sbisa and Niedermayer are their top 4, not bad.

Next season they'll have 10 players signed and have upwards of $28.0M in cap space to add significant FA.

I give Anaheim's cap situation a 9 out of 10. This could change to 10 out of 10, I just haven't analized all 30 teams yet.

The Caps Cap

The Caps are currently sitting at $53,275,126 salary capwise and 20 players signed for next season, that leaves $3,524,874 for 3 roster spots. The players in flux right now are (my Boy) Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Chris Bourque, Milan Jurcina, Jeff Schultz and Shaone Morrisonn. I think Morrisonn will be dealt during the offseason for a draft pick of some kind. Fehr, Gordon and Schultz should all sign the QO, that leaves Jurcina who will go to an arbitrator. No big deal, I get it, he's 26 wants to make a little more coin had a pretty year (he looked great when he was paired with Fedorov and Alzner). Juice comes back to us I think at a slightly higher pay level than $900K, my guess $1.3M.We aren't moving Theodore, so say goodbye to Brent Johnson.

The Pre-season Battles

Now everybody is in camp and ready to go. It is extremely unlikely we get the 2nd line C through a trade, so we start camp with Laich and Nylander battling for that spot. Laich is safe cause if he losses the battle there is W spot for him on the 3rd line and we all win because it means Nylander isn't going to be waste of money in a suit in the press box. Unfortunately, my prediction is that Nylander doesn't win the battle and is a waste of money sitting the press booth. Knuble is going to be the 1st line RW going into the season, I do not see Fehr being ready to start and Clark will probably be 3rd line RW. Theodore will get every opportunity this season to start, EVERY opportunity, Varlamov will get 2 out 7 starts, why? We had 108 points last season with Theodore in net, the regular season, unless something catastrophic happens, is almost a given. Most importantly he has a movable contract come trade deadline time. As for the defense Green, Poti, Pothier, Erskine, Alzner, Carlson, Schultz and Jurcina will be battling for 6 game day spots and 2 press box spots. I think there will be a lot of shuffling of the last 4 players of this group this season. Hopefully, Alzner shines and makes it impossible for the coaching staff to press box or Hershey him.

Day 1 Lineup

Ovechkin, Backstrom, Knuble - Duh. This will probably be the best line in the league this year.

Fleichmann, Laich, Semin - Its not thrilling but it will be effective imo.

Bourque, Steckel, Clark - For now, until Fehr is ready.

Beagle, Gordon, Bradley - I wouldn't mind seeing Erskine play LW at times to free up a D spot.

Green, Schultz - Not positive Schultz is here but I think he's fine

Poti, Jurcina - They will see a lot of 1st liners

Alzner, Pothier - Not a bad 3rd pairing.

Theodore, Varlamov - Theodore will get 65% of the starts even he has a .900sv% and 2.90GAA

The Season

Can't predict this, but will be in first place, maybe comfortably, by the trade deadline.

The Trade Deadline

Here is where the fun really begins. We have zero Cap room or very little I should say. This will be sad to some (including me), but I think we move Semin here, why? He is our biggest asset hands down, and to resign him will cost us $6.5 to $7.0 per year, and I have a feeling he may head to the KHL and become their most expensive player. What can trading Semin do for us? A lot. Frees up cap space and can bring us a 2nd line C of note and a draft pick or two. The way I see it will Knuble/Fehr/2nd line C of note/a couple of draft picks be better than Semin/Kozlov? YES. Move Laich to 3rd line LW, where he belongs. Maybe a Pierre Marc-Bouchard (his bother)? Especially if Saku Koivu ends up in MIN. Theodore could also be moved for a draft pick. Then after dumping all this cash, resign Backstrom to a 10 yr deal. If we do move Theodore, get a Manny Legace/Brent Johnson type to back up Varly. Doing this saves us $3M a year or not getting anything in return for Semin.

Post Trade Deadline Line up

Ovechkin, Backstrom, Knuble - Duh

Fleischmann, Marc-Bouchard, Fehr

Laich, Steckel, Clark/Bourque

Beagle/Bourque, Gordon, Bradley/Clark

Defense is the same.

This is purely for fun. This is for all the armchair GM's out there who think they can build a team. So here is your chance, I need 4 lines, 4 RW's, 4 C's, 4 LW's, 6 Defensemen, 2 Goalies and 3 other players (non-goalies) to complete your roster. Obviously use current salaries of players, http://www.capgeek.com is a great resource. If the player is a current RFA add 10% to last years salary and if we are talking about a UFA, then it will be up to the masses to agree on the new terms, luckily there arent many UFA's getting substancial raises.

Here is my team...

1st Line

LW Zack Parise - $3.125M | C Ryan Getzlaf - $5.325M | RW Patrick Kane - $3.725M = $12.175M

2nd Line

LW Ray Whitney - $3.55M | C Nicklas Backstrom - $2.4M | RW Johan Franzen - $3.955M = $9.905M

3rd Line

LW Brooks Laich - $2.067M | C Ryan Kesler - $1.75M | RW Bobby Ryan - $1.922M = $5.739M

4th Line

LW Loui Eriksson $1.6M | C Bryan Little - $0.900M | RW Devin Setoguchi - $1.247M = $3.747M

Defensive Pairing 1

Mike Green - $5.25M | Kevin Bieska - $3.75M = $9.0M

Defensive Pairing 2

Duncan Keith - $1.475M | Mark Streit - $4.1M = $5.575M

Defensive Pairing 3

Luke Schenn - $2.975M | Mark Staal - $0.827M = $3.802M

Goalies |

Cam Ward - $2.67M | Steve Mason - $0.905M = $3.575M

Other 3

LW David Perron - $0.918M | LW Milan Lucic - $0.850M | D Kris LeTang - $0.835 = $2.603

TOTAL = $56.121M

Leftover = $0.679

Ryan Clowe is exactly the young power RW the Caps need. San Jose is offering him up, I dont know about everyone else but he'd look great on the 1st line.


"One name that has suddenly popped up on the trade front is Ryane Clowe of the San Jose Sharks. The power winger is a restricted free agent July 1, and two NHL GMs told ESPN.com Clowe is available. "

-according to LeBrun on ESPN.