Hoss

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/headlines-dale-hunter-rumours-avalanches-search-defencemen/ At the end: NHL players were told if they don't choose the 5% cap escalator the cap may go DOWN under $70M...

He wasn't 35 (just when it started) when he signed it anyways but glad I know the rule better now.

It certainly doesn't excite me but we have no idea what type of defensemen Risto, McCabe, a potential draft pick, Guhle and others will be then. It's not the defense we'll have. A projection.

He was 35 when it became active, but regardless 35+ contracts can still be traded.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2016/06/03/detroit-red-wings-mailbag/85349974/ According to this the Blues asked the Red Wings for Larkin in exchange for Shattenkirk. I don't think it means anything. Obviously the price will be high and they have to ask. I don't think anybody in the Blues organization actually believes they'll get a player of Larkin's caliber, though. Nyquist and Tatar are both available in a trade. I would imagine both of those players would appeal to St. Louis in a deal for Shattenkirk. They both appeal to me, too, but I don't know if we have what Detroit will want. Not a good match with them. Also indicates the Red Wings can't afford both Radulov and Stamkos. Will need to move Datsyuk's contract if they want Stamkos.

I would be very disappointed if Eichel didn't have two consecutive sixty-point seasons after this year, but I won't be disappointed if he's not the captain and Conn Smythe winner of a Stanley Cup winner within the next two seasons. It's unreasonable to expect either of them to even approach Kane's numbers, though. My expectations for Reinhart are still a Patrick Sharp-type career but with an earlier and longer prime.

No and I hope not. Mostly it just annoys me because now there will likely be references to meddling if he's the pick.

About 10.6% but it was also coming off the CBA agreement where it was known the cap would have scheduled jumps. The next season it was $64.3M (9.8%) and then it jumped to $70.2M (8.9%). We're not at the point where the expectation is a significant jump in the coming years (that could change) which is something I accounted for when projecting $8M and $6M respectively. $8M would be 10.7% of the current salary cap. Also factor in that it's somewhere between likely and highly likely that neither Eichel nor Reinhart match the production or accolades either player had to that point and I think $8M and $6M is somewhat of a ceiling for their second contracts.

Toews' second contract was 5 years, $31M ($6.3M per). That was coming off his first cup championship and he was captain of the team at the time. Conn Smythe winner. Had seasons of 54, 69 and 68 points. Kane's second contract was 5 years, $31M ($6.3M per). Seasons of 72, 70 and 88 points. Projecting $8M for Eichel's second contract might be excessive.

http://sabres.buffalonews.com/2016/06/04/pegulas-sabres-inside-knowledge-top-ranked-defenseman/ Chychrun was childhood friends with Kelly and Matt Pegula. Went to school with the owners' children.

If you take a look at how the Blackhawks cap structure is currently there's a good chance a player like Kane will not be here. Basing off the lines they used in their last playoff game this season: Panik ($975K) - Toews ($10.5M) - Kane ($10.5M) Panarin ($812K) - Anisimov ($3.3M) - Teravainen ($894K) Ladd ($2.8M) - Kruger ($1.5M) - Hossa ($5.3M) Desjardins ($800K) - Shaw ($2M) - Weise ($717K) Keith ($5.5M) - Seabrook ($5.8M) van Riemsdyk ($925K) - Hjalmarsson ($4.1M) Gustafsson ($600K) - Rundblad ($1M) Crawford ($6M) - Darling ($587K) $1.1M in retained salary (Scuderi). Bickell ($4M), Ehrhoff ($1.3M) scratched. That's $40.1M for forwards, $17.9M for defense and $6.6M for goalies. In my Sabres scenario we see $57.8M for forwads, $17.9M for defense and $6.4M for goalies. So considering this Blackhawks team wasn't to the cap and I tried my best to keep real names of current players in the mix for my Sabres lineup it's not insanely far off. Blackhawks playoff lineup wasn't to the cap and the cap will go up. If the Sabres want to make it work they'll have tough decisions in the coming years (Kane, other free agent spending, depth spending) but can make it work. They'll need to hit on some late-rounders and/or college/European free agents. I don't think it's going to take a lot to manage this. The cap increase (or lack thereof) will be a huge factor.

It's 2019. I have a feeling even fewer of the current roster players will be here than I projected. On their second contracts? Not quite sure on that. They'd both need to have two consecutive seasons of at least 70 points to get there, in my opinion.

FTFY

Tampa's biggest contracts are coming this year and next. Ours are much further down the road with much more time to manage. Here's a rough projection of the 2019-20 contract situation. Contracts in italics are projections. Kane ($6.5M) - Eichel ($8M) - Reinhart ($6M) O'Reilly ($7.5M) - Stamkos ($10.5M) - Bailey ($3.5M) FA/DRAFT ($3M) - Girgensons ($4M) - Fasching ($2.5M) Deslauriers ($1.8M) - Vet C ($2.5M) - Baptiste ($2M) Draftee ($900K) - Ristolainen ($6M) McCabe ($3M) - Bogosian ($5.1M) Guhle ($900K) - Vet D ($2M) Lehner ($5M) - Backup ($1.4M) Hodgson: $791K dead This comes to $82.9M. That could easily fit under a projected cap raise or be managed by moving a few. I'm sure some of these projections are low and some are high. A guy like Kane could be out and replaced by a young player. I think it's very manageable.

Jakob Chychrun is GMTM buddy Luke Richardson's nephew. Not sure if the board was aware.

If a single individual in sports history deserves their own thread after they pass it's Ali. No single sports figure has had a more significant impact in their lifetime. You won't hear "gone too soon" about him because he lived a full life, but there's never a time to lose somebody like Muhammad Ali. Here too late, gone too soon. May the millions you inspired strive for your untouchable legacy.

Bob McKenzie said the only offer Tampa Bay has made to Stamkos was $8.5 million for 5 or 6 years. Said Tampa can't make it work if it goes above $9 mill. Dregs said Detroit is very interested.

Nobody directly involved has directly told me anything. Lots of dot connecting and winks and nudges.

Everything I'm hearing leads me to strongly believe Chychrun is Murray's guy.

If we win one cup every single contract on that roster is worth every penny.

Barr and Lambert left. Lambert went to Rochester and Barr to Florida. The expectation is that they'll replace both.

Florida Panthers are gold. The actual animal. The jerseys are mostly inspired by the military. Logo was inspired by this: The team will be playing a preseason game at West Point against the Devils.

If you want to meet a few of the prospects Jakob Chyrchrun, Kieffer Bellows, Lucas Johansen and Adam Fox will join Rob Ray, Danny Gare and Rene Robert in MLK Park at 3 p.m. to plant some trees.

LeBron is one of the greatest players of all time. I DO think there could be an interesting discussion about him being the greatest of all time when all is said and done. I get the hate from the Miami days but I'm fully rooting for him and Cleveland. He's taken so many putrid rosters to the finals. Six straight finals is an accomplishment nobody has done (Jordan did it with a two-year retirement in between). He finally gets a healthy Cavs team with a decent mix of talent only to run into the greatest team of all time (record wise). I hope he pulls it off.

I like them. Gave myself some time to decide. They're very clean. I like the numbers on the shoulder actually. A touch of futbol, football and Montreal on there but not a theft by any means.