[The Athletic] Will Sabres use their cap space? How much will Devon Levi play? 6 lingering questions
September 6, 2024
[The Athletic] Will Sabres use their cap space? How much will Devon Levi play? 6 lingering questions
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> **What are they going to do with that cap space?**
>When the Sabres bought out Skinner over the summer, they cleared up $7.55 million in cap space this season. The buyout was one that could become an issue down the road, particularly when the Sabres will eat $2.4 million in dead cap hits for three seasons when the deal would have already expired. But it was tough to blame the Sabres for making the move to clear cap space and shake up the lineup when they are trying to stop a 13-season playoff drought. Skinner’s lack of an all-around game and inability to play a role down the lineup made him a sketchy fit with Ruff, so he could be addition by subtraction.
>It’s still worth pointing out Labor Day has now come and gone and the Sabres are sitting on $8.5 million in salary cap space. Adams has deflected questions about the team’s spending throughout his tenure as general manager, but if the Sabres again carry that cap space into the season, this will be the fifth straight season in which the Sabres have at least eight million in unused cap space. Since Adams took over, the Sabres have consistently been near the bottom of the league in spending. The last time the team spent to the cap ceiling was before the pandemic. Obviously the Sabres haven’t been selling out their arena, either, so revenue hasn’t been easy to come by. But icing a competitive team would help business, particularly when it comes to playoff revenue, which has eluded this team for more than a decade.
>Eventually, the Sabres will use that cap space on players like JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, Devon Levi and other young players developing into capable NHLers. That’s still at least a year away, though. When Adams hired Lindy Ruff, the two described Buffalo’s situation as “win-now.” Not a lot of teams operating in “win-now” mode don’t spend to the salary cap. Of the teams that made the playoffs last season, the Capitals finished the season with the most unused cap space at $1.599 million. It’s tough to compete in the NHL when you don’t spend.
1 comment
> **What are they going to do with that cap space?**
>When the Sabres bought out Skinner over the summer, they cleared up $7.55 million in cap space this season. The buyout was one that could become an issue down the road, particularly when the Sabres will eat $2.4 million in dead cap hits for three seasons when the deal would have already expired. But it was tough to blame the Sabres for making the move to clear cap space and shake up the lineup when they are trying to stop a 13-season playoff drought. Skinner’s lack of an all-around game and inability to play a role down the lineup made him a sketchy fit with Ruff, so he could be addition by subtraction.
>It’s still worth pointing out Labor Day has now come and gone and the Sabres are sitting on $8.5 million in salary cap space. Adams has deflected questions about the team’s spending throughout his tenure as general manager, but if the Sabres again carry that cap space into the season, this will be the fifth straight season in which the Sabres have at least eight million in unused cap space. Since Adams took over, the Sabres have consistently been near the bottom of the league in spending. The last time the team spent to the cap ceiling was before the pandemic. Obviously the Sabres haven’t been selling out their arena, either, so revenue hasn’t been easy to come by. But icing a competitive team would help business, particularly when it comes to playoff revenue, which has eluded this team for more than a decade.
>Eventually, the Sabres will use that cap space on players like JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, Devon Levi and other young players developing into capable NHLers. That’s still at least a year away, though. When Adams hired Lindy Ruff, the two described Buffalo’s situation as “win-now.” Not a lot of teams operating in “win-now” mode don’t spend to the salary cap. Of the teams that made the playoffs last season, the Capitals finished the season with the most unused cap space at $1.599 million. It’s tough to compete in the NHL when you don’t spend.