Ottawa Senators: A Two Year Cup Window And Their Cap Situation
With the Ottawa Senators acquiring Matt Duchene they find themselves in two year window to win. After that comes a difficult cap situation to handle.
When the Ottawa Senators pulled the trigger on the Matt Duchene trade they bought themselves an extra year with a number one centre. Turris was set to leave after this season with management unable to re-sign him. However, with Duchene they have two seasons left on his contract. Following these two seasons the Sens may have to make some tough decisions on who to keep.
2018
Over the next two years a good deal of the Sens core will need to be re-signed. This off-season the two big players that need extensions are Mark Stone and Cody Ceci. Both are due for raises from their 3.5 and 2.8 million dollar contracts. Between the two of them they will likely see an increase of four or so million in salary. However, 2018 isn’t the year the Sens will have trouble, it’s 2019.
2019
In 2019 the Sens will need to re-sign Derick Brassard, Matt Duchene, and Erik Karlsson. Brassard may be able to be re-signed at a similar contract to his previous at about five million. However, the other two will likely earn raises. Duchene, who currently makes six million, could demand up to seven million. The big problem is Karlsson only makes 6.5 million right now, meaning he could get up to a four or five million dollar raise.
Expiring Contracts
Many think that it will be impossible for the Sens to sign all five of these players over the next two seasons. The theory is that the Sens will lose either one of Brassard or Duchene. However, that might not happen.
Players such as Burrows, Thompson, Pyatt, and Oduya all come of the books in the next two seasons. These guys make up over six million dollars worth of salary. With only Pyatt likely to be re-signed the Sens will get nearly five million in cap relief there.
Cap Relief
Additionally, the Sens haven’t asked for cap relief on Clarke MacArthur’s contract yet. However sad it may be, it seems likely MacArthur will never play in the NHL again. As a result, the Sens can place him on long term injury reserve and get 4.65 million dollars of cap relief.
With young guys like Chabot, White, and Brown coming in to fill the spots of Burrows, Thompson, and Oduya, the Sens have cheaper options on the lower spots in their lineup. That and possible cap relief from MacArthur’s contract will help the Sens re-sign their core players.
Hometown Discounts
The final factor that isn’t considered is potential hometown discounts that will be taken. Brassard is from Ottawa and wants to stay here. If he needs to take a pay cut to stay here I think he will. However, the big one that may be taken is Erik Karlsson. No player on the Sens wants to win as bad as Karlsson does. To help the team get all these players signed it wouldn’t surprise me if he signs a contract similar to Stamkos to help the team. Although he will still likely make 8-9 million with that kind of contract it’s less than he was projected to make.
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Extending Their Window
Although the Ottawa Senators are in a two year window to win right now there’s hope at extending it. Young players will step up and a few players may take hometown discounts. Factor in some cap relief for Clarke MacArthur and the Sens have a great chance at extending their cup window.