Kings have long way to go to reach cap floor

by Spector

Updated: July 28, 2008, 2:09 PM EST 33 comments

The Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes and Atlanta Thrashers are currently under the league's cap "floor" of $40.7 million and must add salary to get over that mark before the start of next season.

As per NHLnumbers.com, the Coyotes ($38.592 million) and Thrashers ($37.719 million) are sitting comfortably within striking distance of the cap minimum, requiring little more than a few minor signings to get over the cap whilst filling their remaining roster spots.

The Kings, however, with a payroll of $27.756 million currently sit well below the cap minimum, and with 14 players under contract for next season have a long way to go to get over the cap and flesh out their roster.

Re-signing restricted free agent forwards Patrick O'Sullilvan and Jarret Stoll will use up a good portion of that cap space deficit.

O'Sullivan earned roughly $750K per season on his entry-level contract and after netting 22 goals and 53 points last season could land a raise between $2.5 and $3 million per season, while Stoll made $2.2 million while managing only 36 points in 81 games and likely will have to accept a lesser salary for next season.

Assuming the two earn a combined $4.5 million for next season, that should push the Kings payroll to just over $32 million.

Should either Jonathan Bernier ($850K) or Erik Ersberg ($700K) make the club as the backup for starting goalie Jason Labarbera that'll nudge the payroll closer to $33 million.

In June, netminder Dan Cloutier was bought out of the remaining year of his contract, which would count as $1.033 million against the Kings cap this season, but he's currently fighting the buyout on medical grounds as the CBA prohibits teams from buying out injured players.

If Cloutier is not medically cleared to play next season, the buyout will be rejected, meaning his $3.1 million salary will count against the Kings salary cap, but as general manager Dean Lombardi has no intention of bringing Cloutier back he'll likely place the veteran goalie on long-term injury status.

That however means Cloutier's salary won't count against the Kings cap for as long as he's sidelined by injury, leaving Lombardi with more cap space to use up.

Assuming Cloutier's buyout is confirmed and Lombardi adds some more salary by minor signings he could still end up at least $4 million under next season's salary cap.

Lombardi could try to sign one or two unrestricted free agents but few quality players remain available in this summer's UFA market. Mats Sundin is clearly the best remaining free agent but the Kings aren't on his list of preferred destinations.

Former Kings forward Ladislav Nagy is still available but Lombardi probably won't bring him back, particularly given the uncertainty over Nagy's future due to the season-ending neck injury he suffered last January.

Lombardi needs more experienced defensemen but all that remains in the UFA market are past-their-prime blueliners like Bryan Berard, Keith Carney, Bret Hedican and Aaron Miller.

Could Nikolai Khabibulin find his way to LA? (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)

That leaves the trade market as Lombardi's best option, where he could potentially try to work out deals with the general managers of those teams currently sitting over the cap ceiling.

That's led to rampant internet speculation of Lombardi acquiring Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin ($6.75 million) or Martin Gerber and Andrej Meszaros from Ottawa in a multi-player, multi-team swap.

What makes those trade scenarios unworkable however is the return to either Chicago or Ottawa invariably involved forward Anze Kopitar, the Kings franchise player, whom Lombardi has absolutely no intention of trading.

Lombardi may well have to swing a couple of deals to get over the cap but it'll have to be a move that not only gets him over the cap floor but makes sense for his club on the ice.