Gainey's plan B - Team's with cap problems?

OK, let's say the Sundin thing fall through. What does Gainey do
considering he has almost a full team with over 7 million in cap space?
Could the answer be get a sweetheart deal from a team that needs to dump
something to fit under the cap?

A few teams look incredibly tight. Here's a rundown.

1. Anaheim:

Status: Currently a touch over the cap. No space at all. Selanne not re-
signed.

Targets:

Schneider - Big salary, just a one year contract. Taking on his contract
would give them opportunity to make other moves. Would have to send a d-man
back, but maybe even just a Dandenault or Bouillon.

Beauchemin - Fairly modest salary, but UFA due for big raise. Get Gorges
signed for under a million and make a swap?

We could also "help out" by eating Todd Marchant's contract for them. He's
overpaid, but UFA at end of year. We'd do this for a "price" such as part
of a trade where we get Beauchemin.

2. Calgary:

Status: Currently over the cap significantly, about $2-4 million with a 23
man roster.

Targets:

Aucoin - Good comeback season last year. $4 million salary, only one year
remaining on contract. Would give us one of the best top-4 d-man. I think
Aucoin is best used in a medium role, not as a #1.

Regehr - Excellent d-man, signed long term at $4 million. Probably not
attainable, but they have to do something, we might be able to pry him
away.

3. Chicago:

Status: Almost $3 million over cap.

Targets:

Lang - $4 million. Big centre. Only 1 year on contract. 20 goals, 54
points. Older than we'd like, but we'd be damn strong down the middle,
whatever the configuration.

Seabrooke - Good solid d-main, signed long-term, but moving down their
depth chart making him possibly attainable.

Sopel - Don't know much about him, but maybe a little expensive for them
now after blowing their wad. Maybe get him for virtually nothing to round
out the defence failing getting a higher end talent.


Philly and Pittsburgh are right against it cap-wise, but it might be hard
to extract anything from them cheaply as division rivals. I'm thinking that
cross conference teams might be willing to shed a decent player for next to
nothing as a cost of doing business in the cap world, but would be more
loathe to help out a rivil in such a way who they have to battle all
season.

Marty

Aha, per the other thread, Marty is right on top of it...

On Jul 8, 6:38 pm, Marty <martytest2....DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
> OK, let's say the Sundin thing fall through. What does Gainey do
> considering he has almost a full team with over 7 million in cap space?
> Could the answer be get a sweetheart deal from a team that needs to dump
> something to fit under the cap?

I think this has to be our Plan B. There are only Samsonov-esque
dregs left on the UFA market, and they don't appeal much.

> A few teams look incredibly tight. Here's a rundown.
>
> 1. Anaheim:

Getting Schneider would I guess depend on how many other teams are in
on the bidding. I think Ottawa just dropped out. San Jose got their
guys with Blake and Boyle. Is there anyone left? If not, if you
could pick up Schneider for basically nothing, he'd be a great pickup
in terms of replacing Souray/Streit.

The Marchant/Beauchemin option is liable to be a bit more costly in
terms of a trade (maybe?), and I think with Niedermayer's deal ending
next year, they might want to think about keeping Beauchemin even with
his impending raise, even though it's true, you do hear his name on
the rumourmill all the same.

> 2. Calgary:

Aucoin would be another reasonable fit in the Souray/Streit
replacement category, and he seemed to prove last season that he still
had enough left in his body to take regular top-4 minutes. Again, if
he was basically free and there were no other bidders, I'd take him.

I don't think Regehr is an option. The Flames waived Eriksson,
Warrener, and Marcus Nilsson during the buyout period, then didn't buy
them out. But it suggests those guys are on thin ice. Maybe they
won't feel too pressured to make a trade and will not be against
McGillisizing those guys? I'm not sure if Eriksson or Warrener are
any good at all, but given that they've both already cleared waivers,
it's probably safe to say with certainty that those are at least two
guys truly available for free.

> 3. Chicago:

They're not going to move Seabrooke. You still have to guess that
they'll do something with Khabibulin... if they can... as first
priority. It only makes sense. But maybe they can't.

Lang is probably an option for them to move. I don't want him,
though. He's a 2nd liner, and I just don't think he's an upgrade on
what we have. He won't bring anything defensively or physically.
Samsonov risk, I say.

The other option on Chicago to consider is Havlat. Teams are scared
by his health, but for us, if we're just burning "dead space" in the
cap, maybe a $6M dice roll is not such a big deal.

> Philly and Pittsburgh are right against it cap-wise, but it might be hard
> to extract anything from them cheaply as division rivals. I'm thinking that
> cross conference teams might be willing to shed a decent player for next to
> nothing as a cost of doing business in the cap world, but would be more
> loathe to help out a rivil in such a way who they have to battle all
> season.

I can imagine Pittsburgh would dump Sydor to anybody. That's about
all I can think of in those areas.

l8r,
Gerry