Red Wings GM not optimistic about trading Datsyuk's contract for cap space
The Red Wings will be on the hook for Datsyuk's $7.5 million cap hit
By
Adam Gretz
•
2 min read
Pavel Datsyuk's decision to return to Russia has left the Detroit Red Wings in a difficult position.
Not only because they are losing a top-line player, but also because it leaves them with a $7.5 million salary cap hit for for the 2016-17 season for a player that will not be playing for them.
Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said on Saturday afternoon just a couple of hours after Datsyuk's announcement that he is "not overly optimistic" about being able to move that contract in a trade in an effort to clear that salary cap space.
Under the rules of the current CBA, because Datsyuk signed his current three-year contract after turning 35 the Red Wings will remain on the hook for that salary cap hit even though he has retired from the NHL and is returning to Russia. The only way they can get out from that is if they find a team that is willing to trade for the contract, much like the Arizona Coyotes did a couple of years ago when they acquired Chris Pronger's contract from the Philadelphia Flyers, and the way Marc Savard's contract has moved from Boston, to Florida, and then to New Jersey over the past two years.
There are two reasons a team would do such a deal.
First is that it might help a team reach the salary cap floor without having to actually fill a roster spot with an aging player they do not want to actually play.
The second is that it could also result in that team acquiring another, better asset for the trouble of taking on that contract. You saw a similar example of that earlier this week when the Carolina Hurricanes were able to acquire a promising young player in Teuvo Teravainen from the Chicago Blackhawks for taking on the remaining contract of Bryan Bickell.
Holland said his concern with such a deal is that he does not want to give up an important young player or high draft pick just to get rid of the contract, especially when it is only a one year issue.
As it stands right now the Red Wings have just a little more than $60 million in cap space committed to 17 players for 2016-17, including the $7.5 million that is going to Datsyuk, according to General Fanager. Without knowing what the salary cap will be for this season that should still leave them with a minimum of $10-11 million in cap space to fill out the remainder of the roster. Moving the contract is a not really a necessity when it comes to filling out the roster, but it would certainly help, especially when it comes to replacing Datsyuk's presence on the ice.
Holland also admitted there is a very short window he would actually have an interest in doing such a deal and that it would probably have to happen before free agency begins, adding that there really is not much point in doing it once they get into the first week of July when the top free agents have already signed.
The other issue complicating a potential trade is that there are not really that many teams that are in a position where have to add a significant contract to get over the cap floor. Arizona and New Jersey are the two teams that have the most work to do to reach the cap floor.
Anybody else would probably only take it if it meant getting a significant young player or pick in return.
