The Washington Capitals spent massive within the trade market and free agency to re-bolster the lineup forward of the 2024-25 NHL season.
After buying 4 gamers in trades and signing three new additions, Washington sat $14.2M above the wage cap.
That overage shrunk by $3.9M when the Carolina Hurricanes mutually parted methods Wednesday with middle Evgeny Kuznetsov, who was traded there from Washington in March.
Regardless of nonetheless being roughly $10M over the wage cap, Washington’s offseason spending spree shouldn’t be trigger for alarm.
Lengthy-time middle Niklas Backstrom is anticipated to return to long-term injured reserve (LTIR) on account of a nagging hip damage. Due to this fact, Washington will discover roughly $9.2M in financial savings, decreasing its overage to only $1.1 million.
The same LTIR transfer for fan favourite T.J. Oshie is pending however nonetheless more likely to occur because of the 37-year-old’s lingering again points.
The unhappy however necessary move would take Washington beneath the wage cap and supply some flexibility getting into the season.
However within the occasion Oshie is wholesome sufficient to play at season’s begin, Washington may half methods with defenseman Ethan Bear, who’s presently enrolled within the league’s Player Assistance Program.
Bear carries a $2M cap hit which might nonetheless get Washington beneath the wage restrict however affords little room for including one other high quality participant to the roster.
So the numbers presently say one factor, however when the monetary mud settles, Washington shall be salary-cap compliant, and maybe new general manager Chris Patrick will comply with up now president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan’s busy low season with some preseason maneuvers of his personal.
