Team: 2023-24 Custom Team

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 9, 2024

Published: Feb. 9, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I know this is going to make a lot of yall made so I will say this, this is not just based on the current contract but the effect it has/will have on the teams and their future plans, I will talk about the ones I know will be controversial
NJD- Dougie has been really good for the Devils the issue lies with the young D in Hughes, Nemec, and Casey, 3 guys that will be more than capable of running an NHL PP this/next year because the 2 of them already do. Dougie is a good offensive D but the Devils will soon be paying 9 Mil to a sub-par Defender for the next 4 years that might not even be on the PP. Timo's fit after the deadline already concerned me because when you have a go from the go-to-all all situations guy to needing to find a role on a contender and play the right way we see production dip and I frankly cannot see Timo ever being more than a 65-75 point physical presence in NJ
LAK- Danualt is the best shutdown center in the NHL, Byfield did/does have one of the brightest futures as a center in the NHL. singing Danualt for that long after already drafting Byfield, Turcotte, and Kupari seemed puzzling. Danualt provides everything he's asked for in the middle of the ice. But with Kupari, and Turcotte never getting full shots in the NHL and Byfield on the wing currently not developing at center it begs the question of was signing Danualt to make the team competitive for early playoff exits is worth creating a jam in the middle of the ice, Dubios is obvious lmao
DET- Y'all literally signed the same person back-to-back offseason. Elite 3cs and low-end 2cs. Not bad players but if you really want to try and win. a cup I dont think all that money into the C position for those players is good
OTT- Chabot again is a good player but with Sanderson already locked up it is looking like Chychrun will have to be dealt for cap reasons and I know if Ottawa could keep 2/3 for the next 8 years it would be Sanderson & Chychrun, not Chabot and his subpar D
WSH- I am a Caps fan and I love Wilson and all he does and has brought to DC. But the list of big Powerforwards that play that rugged style game and have already had a torn acl and will return value on a contract 8 years into the future is very minimal , Darcy also was signed to keep us in contention for at least 2-3 years and hes already not the best goalie on our team
NYI- IDK who Lou is doing, at the same time once these deals are bad the iles will be out of contention anyway so they aren't terrible just weird
CGY- Huby you already know
MTL- Yall already know, wonder if Anderson can still fetch a first though lmao
Sj- Vlassic yall already know, Couture isn't bad just 4 years left at 8, and he's getting up there in age. At the same time SJ doesn't look to be contending anytime soon and given Couture is arguably one of the best playoff performers in like 2 years they could trade him at like 50% retained for a haul
ANA- Similar to SJ i doubt Killer's contract will affect yall when you actually need to spend and he is definitely a good leader just a massive overpay. Gibson was an elite goalie for years ago, now after November the last couple years it looks like he's stopped trying and just lives off his name
CBJ- Yall already know
STL- I honestly do not watch yall enough, this is just based on Krug's offseason trade denial, then boxscore watching Parayko, Binninton also always seems to have similar stats as his backups which seems like he isn't worth the money
NYR- Yall love him as your captain, but I dont think 8 Mil is what you pay a locker room guy
EDM- Yall already know
PIT- The last thing the pens needed this offseason was another Offensive RHD who couldn't play defense (already had Letang), so yall got a more injury-prone and expensive version and kept Letang, just never seemed like a fit
SEA- Yall already know