Analyze this summer’s moves to clear the Cap space

Payroll deductions on unbalanced trades are associated with cap world territory. Not every contract ages well, so the later years can sometimes be sent to less competitive sides looking to hit cap bottom with a little sweetener. Or teams can change their priorities and spend money to get another splashy contract somewhere else.

The flat cap of the past few seasons has only emphasized the need for NHL teams to defer pay — although some deals have been short-sighted because they were so unbalanced, like the New York Islanders having to cut pay and Devon Toews to a cap- made sacrifices. Or the Vegas Golden Knights trading Marc-Andre Fleury for…essentially nothing.

Although the cap increased very slightly, teams still had to make pay increases to balance the books this summer. And others who haven’t already may not be far behind, as some free agents are still in the market, like Nazem Kadri, who may need some movement to secure a lucrative signing.

So let’s break down some of the deals made so far this summer to shift pay, and what the teams have gained (and lost) from those trades.

Evgeni Dadonov to Montreal

We can’t talk about Cap casualties without talking about the Golden Knights. It’s not the first time they’ve tried to specifically fire Dadonov to take a pay cut after trying to transfer him to Anaheim on time. This time, Vegas actually did broker a deal in exchange for Shea Weber’s contract.

While the Golden Knights got a cap relief they craved, they lost a good winger in the process. That’s what Montreal gains, at least as of deadline; The conversion team could make him a contender (perhaps with salary deduction to increase return) in need of reinforcement on the wing.

Dadonov’s strengths are his offensive creation; He can help get the puck into the offensive zone and contribute a haste-based attack, whether it’s with his shot or his preparations. Just don’t count on him being that strong in his own zone.

Max Pacioretty and Dylan Coghlan on Carolina

The Golden Knights weren’t just done with Dadonov. No, the Jack Eichel trade (and every splashy move they’ve had to make in the last few years before that) forced Vegas to change their lineup a bit.

The Golden Knights are the prime example of unmanaged fortunes in the league. While their willingness to try and make a bold move is commendable, the real question has become, “At what cost?”.

This summer that cost includes two very productive wingers.

Pacioretty has grappled with injuries that hurt his worth and his game could trend in the wrong direction when he hits his mid-30s. Still, he’s a very good player to have in the line-up. While the veteran can help get the puck in the zone with possession, he didn’t have to be the puck carrier alongside Mark Stone or fast skater Chandler Stephenson.

Instead, Pacioretty focused on one of his biggest assets: his shot. The winger can generate a large number of shots and often hits them from quality areas of the ice. Last season, he led Vegas with a rate of 8.09 slot shots per 60, including both transition and off-cycle chances. And he has the finishing talent to match, just what the Hurricanes need from him.

While the Golden Knights play a very different style to Carolina, his new club should still be able to maximize their value in the top six.

Patrick Nemeth to Arizona

The New York Rangers and Golden Knights both needed cap space this summer and had to make trades to win back anything. The difference is that New York moved a weaker player. It should be much easier for Rangers to substitute the production of a deep defender for two top 9 wingers.

Nemeth, a conditional third-round pick, and 2025 second-round pick were sent to Arizona in exchange for Ty Emberson. This allowed New York to exit what was a questionable deal at the time of signing, which had only aged worse over the course of 2021-22. The Coyotes, on the other hand, approached the cap floor with this move.

The Veteran is a defensive defender who can be physical using his body controls to remove opponents from the puck or his shot blocking. The downside of the stay-at-home defender is that he tends to take penalties, which is pretty counterproductive for a player who can be relied on to kill penalties as well.

Ryan McDonagh to Nashville

It’s difficult to keep rosters intact when teams are fighting each other, especially in a flat-capped world. And championships can be costly, as player stats increase with those wins. Before the extension of a few key restricted free agents, including Mikhail Sergachev, who was promoted to the second pair along with a pay rise next summer, the Tampa Bay Lightning had to pull from McDonagh.

While he’s still effective — he can absorb minutes against top opponents, close passing lanes, retrieve loose pucks, and regain the ball with his racquet or by knocking opponents off the puck — it made sense for Tampa Bay to leave him this summer .

Age curves show that players tend to lose weight in their 30s, and McDonagh’s willingness to sacrifice his body to make the game may make this worse. So the lightning anticipated it by moving it; They have secured a deep role defender in Philippe Myers and Sergachev is ready to place himself on the left flank.

The Predators are retrieving an effective defender as they look to max out what core they currently have before their best start trending down as well.

John Marino to New Jersey

The Pittsburgh Penguins were looking to close some backend deals this summer. Mike Matheson and Marino were both flipped while Jeff Petry and Ty Smith came back.

The defender is focused on Marino and carries a $4.4m cap hit and the Penguins may feel his game has plateaued. He hasn’t shown the same offensive prowess since his rookie year, but he’s still a very capable player.

Back in his own zone, he can recover pucks and block passes even when under pressure. You can also count on Marino to get the puck over the blue line in control and set up his teammates. He goes well with the Devils as he can handle tougher minutes.

Smith, on the other hand, has offensive potential but is a bit raw.

There’s more risk with Smith compared to Marino, but the advantage Pittsburgh gained was cap space.

Oliver Bjorkstrand to Seattle

Columbus had a more impactful offseason than most expected, and cuts had to be made between the signing of Johnny Gaudreau, the overpriced contract of Erik Gudbranson and the renewal of Patrik Laine. Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets — and fortunate for Seattle — it came at Bjorkstrand’s expense in exchange for two draft picks.

The Forward is a powerful attack generator. He can possess possession, create a large number of shots (and good shots) and has the finishing touch to match. This is exactly what the octopuses need.

Their inaugural season lacked shooting power, but with new signings like Björkstrand, Andre Burakovsky and full seasons of healthy forwards like Yanni Gourde and Brandon Tanev, as well as an infusion of youth from Matty Beniers and possibly Shane Wright, that was about to change.

(Data via Sportlogiq)