Tony Gallagher: Canucks cap hit isn’t confined to just the team

[RGM81]

Really good article here... http://www.theprovince.com/touch/story.html?id=8858189

Among other things (revenue sharing, cheap tickets in Florida, and the Canucks' cap situation) here's what I think is the highlight of this article:

But the question here is why is the salary cap, at $64.3 million US, is so artificially low this season. It was agreed upon even before the Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached and before anyone had any idea how the league would come through the lockout in terms of revenue.
The number is totally arbitrary and it’s pretty much conceded by everyone revenue is going to exceed a cap commensurate with these numbers. The teams already know it’s going to take a massive leap next season based on the traditional ways the cap is calculated, and as such are already beginning to position themselves for that eventuality, with only some severe unexpected financial meltdown in the economy possibility preventing such an increase.

When I read that bolded sentence two names immediately sprung to mind: Marc Bergevin & P.K. Subban. While it is definitely going to cost the Canadiens more now to retain P.K.'s service in the future than it would have if they'd done the long-term deal last year, the cap situation for the club will become much more clear after the 2013-14 season. Some other big names and dollars are coming off the books--Brian Gionta and Andrei Markov, a combined $10.75M--and once Bergevin has a clear indication of what the cap environment will look like for 2014-15 and beyond he will be able to take appropriate and concrete steps to make sure that Subban gets his just due. The team will also have to re-sign Alexei Emelin and make some decisions about the blueline corps going forward. Everything will revolve around the Subban deal but next summer is the year that Bergevin will be able to make some long-term strategic decisions about the team and its roster.

[Wickabee]

I read that article too. and it kind of hit me that, should this be true and the cap takes a huge jump next year, Luongo's contract doesn't look so bad suddenly, or again, or whatever.

He's got a point, it will likely take a big leap at which point spending will go through the roof and a few contracts being signed now will make a lot more sense.

[RGM81]

For me, my concern with a lot of the contracts out there isn't the dollars being recklessly thrown around (it's not my money after all) but the term. Guys who have under 100 games of NHL experience are getting 6-8 year deals and it's just such an incredible risk. Yes it could likely turn out for the best, but even seasoned veterans can experience significant dropoffs once they get the comfortable contract that guarantees their employment for years to come.