that one is done....
https://novacapsfans.com/2019/07/24/arbitrator-awards-capitals-christian-djoos-with-one-year-1-25-million-contract/
Well now -- THIS is a problem. I suspect the Caps went into arb with an offer that kept them just under the salary cap, Djoos went in with $1.25M, and the arbiter agreed with him.
Interesting that a guy as peripheral as Djoos could get that much in arbitration. But beyond that of course, the contract puts the Caps more than $300K over the salary cap, and Stephenson is sitting out there with arbitration rights as well. We could be upwards of $1.5M over the cap by the time this is done, with neither one of them alone able to be eliminated to get the club under the cap. This is not a problem now -- the team is allowed to be over the salary cap during the summer, and for that matter, during training camp as well. But once rosters are finalized just before the regular season starts, the Caps have to have their roster under the cap. The article suggested that the Caps "might" have to shed a salary to conform with the salary cap. Well, duh!! They'll have to do SOMETHING.
So what does the team do?
(1) The problem could conceivably solve itself, temporarily at least, if a major player on the team were injured and had to go on Long Term Injured Reserve. Then the Caps would receive an exemption to the salary cap equal to the player's cap hit to bring in replacement player(s). In that scenario (say, Oshie wasn't ready to go at the beginning of the season), all of Djoos, Stephenson, and some callup or other forward replacement for Oshiie could fit within his $5.75M cap hit. But eventually, when Oshie was ready to return the team would have to get back under the cap, so such an injury would delay but not eliminate the problem. NOTE: Even, say, a Kempny injury wouldn't be enough to cover Djoos, the anticipated cost of Stephenson, AND a callup or other replacement for Kempny -- his salary isn't high enough.
(2) So if, alternatively, someone would have to go, replaced by a lower-price player to create the necessary salary cap space, who are the most likely candidates?
The Caps could flip Garnet Hathawy, sign a Jaskin or similar for near league minimum, and save about $750K. But that wouldn't be enough to cover both Djoos and Stephenson. You'd still have to ditch Stephenson, and you'd have the black eye of signing a UFA and then ditching them. I don't think the Haiglin or Panik is going anywhere. The other 4th line signee is close to league minimum, so nothing is to be gained by ditching him.
The Caps could trade Copley for, say, a low draft pick, and use Vanacek to back up Holtby. But that would save less than $400K, which would barely cover Djoos, and would foul up the goalie exposure strategy the Caps have in place for the upcoming expansion draft.
Could Oshie be moved? Probably not for any value given his contract and injury history.
Eller is a conceivable, I guess. But the club likes its center depth and thinks it is crucial to the team's chances going forward. Not likely to be moved. Do you really want Boyd and Dowd to be the 3rd and 4th line centers? One is OK. Both in the lineup is a longer-term problem, and neither makes enough money to move the needle on the problem.
Vrana and Wilson are going nowhere.
Which among the forwards, leaves Kuzy, Ovie, and Backstrom. I doubt Kuzy could be moved for anything more than 10 cents on the dollar given his contract and the Caps won't do that given their commitment to him. Ovie is untouchable. Might the Caps conceivably part with Backstrom in the last year of his contract, essentially giving up on the season? Doesn't seem likely, but who knows?
Among the defensemen, like him or not, Carlson anchors the defense and is going nowhere. Orlov looks like the big target here, but who is going to give anything for that contract given last year's performance? Kempny and Jensen are relative bargains, so probably stay. Seigenthaler is all upside and minimum cost, so he's going nowhere. The other possible move is to move Gudas, say for a draft pick since you'd get little for him in trade, and bring up a Hershey D or someone you sign off the NHL scrap heap for close to minimum salary. But would the club do that so soon after SAVING cap room by getting him in exchange for Niskanen? I suspect not.
The other BIG fix to the problem would be to trade Holtby for some lower-cost goalie, or something else, and bring up Samsanov, essentially rolling the dice on the goaltending now rather than assessing the goaltending over the upcoming season and making the decision at the deadline.
It could well be that the end of the summer for the Caps will be more active than usual.
