Cap Test for 2025-26

25/26 Sens

I'm not being critical, just some observations

Thomson, Greig, Boucher, and Sogaard are still on their ELC's
JBD, Brannstrom, and Gustavsson are really low.

Formenton might be high, maybe.

Yeah but it's because CF doesn't allow to do this further than 2023-24

Boucher still need several years of development, so he might still be on ELC. And it takes time or very good performance to get significant money, some never do (well relatively lol).

Look at Nick Paul, he'll be 27 years old next month and hasn't earned more than 1.3 so far.

Sogaard just turned 21 y/o, I don't expect him to be very expensive by then. He will most likely still be on his ELC

Thomson is also 21 y/o, how much will he cost by then? He might never be more than a bottom pairing D-man

Greig is the guy who could cost much more, he becomes RFA in 2024-25 if he'd start playing this year but it's unlikely so it shouldn't be a problem by then.



I don't see what these guys have done so far to be worth more than that. Sure they have time ahead to prove themselves but this ACGM was more to get a rough idea. Some got 1.5 and will deserve more, some it's the opposite, like Formenton for example like you said. I was more thinking about balancing it all out


Curious to see what kind of contract they'll got with Formenton

For the most part I agree with a lot of what you propose. Sokolov 5*1.5 is a stretch and as much as I like Connor Brown , I see him leaving Ottawa. As the kids get more experience he will find himself moving down the depth chart , you have him on the 3rd unit & spending 13 million on a third line seem a tad high. By 25/26 I would think one of Norris, Stutzle or Pinto could be gone. Nice problem to have but they have 3 very good center prospects and somene will either need to shift to the wing or be traded, not enough ice time to keep everyone happy IMO.

- There was some mistakes that I didn't bother and knew how to fix (like creating Kleven twice or having Sokolov for 5 years at 1.5). I added that in OP. I thought I initially did

- Letting Brown go would be a very big mistake. For quality veteran support to the young core, for the PK efficiency, for the ES scoring, for shutting down the opposition at ES, for leadership and work ethic, for overall team speed and tenacity. Connor Brown is a LOT harder to replace than people think. We need MORE players like that, not less

- Yeah I know a lot of salary for the "3rd line" however I have a very different vision than most fans on how to build a hockey team. It's more in line with how the teams do in reality. It's not as much as line 1-2-3 as it seems.

Without getting too deep into details, my first 3 lines have similar TOI at ES, 1st line get the most PP time, 3rd line get the most PK time. It's very important to have a great or even Elite 3rd line. It becomes a very hard matchup for the other team and it increases the efficiency of your top 2 lines. Ideally, I'd want Greig-Pinto-Brown or Formenton-Pinto-Brown. These guys would play a lot in all situations

- I don't see the problem with having a Stutzle-Norris-Pinto 1-2-3 punch, au contraire, it needs to be a strength if you want to contend.

I think the cap ceiling will be up by then too, maybe 83-85… maybe