Now do it without ELCs.

Is it just me, or would such a team actually have a shot at the playoffs? There's no real star power, but there's depth in spades.

Yeah, I know-it gets significantly harder without them. You also lose a lot of depth, because the best bargain contracts are ELC's-it's rare to have players like Hintz or Bunting (I.E., bargain contracts that are not ELC's).

A $39 million dollar salary cap isn't living in reality, It's basically paying every player on your roster $1,695,000 each. Hardcore economics would never allow it.

I don't know how teams managed it, but that was reality back when the salary cap was created in 2005-06.

Yeah that was 17 seasons ago when wages in the NHL were much lower and more manageable. As the numbers increase in the salary cap. I fear more players will be making a ludicrous amount of money. I never thought in my lifetime that i could actually see a NHL player making close to $18 million per season. But that's a very real situation in the next 10 years or so when the salary cap goes to $100,000,000 and above.

You seem like you wouldn't want the salary cap being raised/players making more money. Any reason? (Just trying to understand, don't mean it in a snide way)

No of course i want the salary cap to keep going up, Just never thought we could eventually see players making as much as $20 million in the NHL though.

ignoring the whole "no experience in the playoffs" narrative, I truly think this team could make it far.