A Look at Next Season w Changes I Would Have Done Prior to This Season

Team: 2022-23 Edmonton Oilers

Initial Creation Date: Jan. 12, 2022

Published: Jan. 12, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

So, this description may be a little longwinded, but I have some ideas/ Reasons behind the logic here, and how things could've shaken down from this past offseason..
1- Signing Hyman to $5mx6 years. Reason behind this, only other team that was pressing for Hyman was Toronto to bring him back(coming from a media member in TO close to the Leafs) and their offers were $4mx5 or $4.5mx4, other teams kicked tires but weren't the destination of choice, knowing this info, what I would've done, offer 1 more year than what TO did, and $5m per season- so $5mx6 years, worst case max out the term at 7 years and if it's a no go, let him go elsewhere... Love the addition and think he is a solid fit for the 2nd line-when Leon is playing with Connor, but feel he got $500k per year too much and at least 1 yea too many..
Keith Trade- Make Chicago retain $1.54m so he's only a $4m caphit for Edmonton, with the conditional pick OR don't give ANY picks due to the fact Vancouver was the only other team that was after Keith, and the reports were he didn't want to go to Van, so, Edmonton was basically negotiating with themselves, and overpaid with the pick. Again love the player, he's been really good thus far, just wanted a better cap situation..
Ceci $3mx4 years, I have made this comparable a couple times, but it's extremely fair, Dylan Demelo in Winnipeg, $3mx 4 was his deal and he's much better defensively, just doesn't have the same offensive upside, but with Ceci you don't need his offensive game given the fact you have Barrie and Bouchard playing the same position..
Keep Neal on the roster, buy out Koskinen OR Trade Koskinen and retain his buyout amount $1.5m in a deal then buy Neal out if you need the extra cap space(or buy him out next season so there is less time with dead money, possibly send him to minors should you need to clear another $1m for anything else)..
Sign Derek Ryan, or legitimately ANY other 4th line C who is decent in faceoffs for $1m or less, and only 1 year.. This signing still makes 0 sense to me, I would've given McLeod the first chance at Centering the 3rd Line given his play in the playoffs(was solid just didn't get the offence going) and have Ryan or whomever on the 4th line making $1m or less, with Turris as the backup option there too, and he would be a significant reason why I wouldn't have given more than $1m to anybody else(ideally go after somebody looking to stay in the show and play on a league min deal similar to Sceviour- or have him play 4th Line C)..
So, having said all this, I calculated cap hits w/ and w/o Klefbom, w/ and w/o Neal's buyout combined with all the suggested above, giving the Edmonton Oilers roughly $78.074m as the CapHit w/ Neal and $74.241m w/o Neal and Koskinen traded w/$1.5m retention and Skinner as the backup.. Yes, I know he's an unknown, but it would've been the perfect opportunity to see what you have with him splitting time with Smith and waiting for the inevitable Smith injury to take place, in which case sign Vet goalie Craig Anderson to the league Min deal he took in Buffalo(guarantee he would've rather signed in Edmonton than Buffalo due to the playoff chances that could take place), or maybe they dealt Koskinen to Buffalo and got Tokarski in return. One way or another there likely would've been options so Skinner wouldn't be completely thrown to the wolves. From there you have space to acquire the needs during the season or at the TDL w/o needing help from other teams for cap reasons...
With those changes brings me to this coming offseason and into the 22-33 season..
Cap space would go from the just over $7m available w/ no RFA's signed backup goalie AND Klefbom on the active roster to $13.16m and w/o Klefbom $17.33m available.
Signing all the RFA's listed below is just an idea/what I believe to be fair value given their production this year.. Should Benson stay with Edm maybe he gets $800k as a cap hit for 1 more year for a last chance prove you can play consistently in the show. McLeod a 2 year 1 way extension worth the same(pay $750k year 1, and $850k year 2 so he gets the QO offer raise based on that).. Lagesson I can see getting moved, or not returning and staying in Sweden next season if they keep him behind Koekkoek-whom I like both players, just feel I'd give more opportunity to the younger cheaper player with more potential, Koekkoek can be what Russell is this year for next year.. If not Niemalainen could be that player, and by the looks/sounds of things management likes him more, hence why I'll keep him on the main roster, and give him a 1 year 1 way league min deal too.. Think it's time for Marody to be a f/t NHL and have him takeover the Derek Ryan/Kyle Turris role for the roster, cheaper, younger, more offensive upside, 1 way deal for him too.. Samorukov I can see being the expendable piece for the Oilers prospect pool on the left side being pretty much NHL ready, so IF he does not get traded in a deal, I can also see him getting the Skinner treatment from this season for next year, with a threat to bolt to the KHL if he really wants too.. Which brings me to Jesse P and Yamo.. I would give Jesse a raise, dude deserves it, has been playing really well, little inconsistent but for the most part has done what the organization has asked since bringing him back, and although I would prefer to lock him up long term for cap purposes I would look to re-sign for another bridge deal, maintaining he'd be an RFA come the end of the 2 years(similar to Darnell) and look to use this money ($3m) plus the dead cap money that comes off the books the following offseason and sign the long term bigger money deal at that point.. With Yamo, he hasn't been able to do the same thing as Jesse P on his "show me your worth deal" therefore, I would only qualify him at this point, look to deal him if anything, but still get him 1 more year with a little more than the QO as a 2nd chance "show me" deal..
Below is a look at how the team would shape up going into the FA season, with the roster in place with what they have now(not to mention Holloway could be on the team this year and see what you have there, and could be a cheap solution next season too), combined with the dealings I mentioned much earlier in this thread the team would be looking at a caphit of roughly $79.6m or $2.9m in cap space w/ Klefbom on the roster available space being $, or $75.431 w/o leaving $7.07m in cap space w/or Klef..
With that money and potential trades that can occur, you can go big fish hunting during the offseason, or by the TDL again should you need too...
My point is, and I know this can't happen now, is Ken Holland, although a HOF GM, clearly has issues with the cap and knowing how to manage it, and I understand Edmonton may not be a desired destination for players in the league, but, when you have 97 and 29 leading the charge, that should be incentive enough to sign a fair deal, maybe short term like what Barrie did, and play with these guys possibly pad the stats and look to sign a big ticket then, or again do what Barrie did, maybe they loved the experience and would like to come back on a team friendly deal.. I am just sick and tired of the notion that because you're in Edmonton you need to sign for more money or more term to lure FA's, if that were true the Jets would've re-signed Paul Stastny to a 2 or 3 year deal worth $5m per year to bring him back, or Schmidt wouldn't have decided to waive his NTC to go there, all I am saying is if management had a clear and decisive direction for the team then they wouldn't be in this mess every year, and be reactive rather than proactive.... But again, this is more how I would've approached things this past year into this year and find ways to contend year after year, while being smart with the cap and maintaining a solid prospect pool...
But hey, this is just me venting...