It’s my opinion that the Red Wings are probably done adding players to their roster, given that the team needs to use a big chunk of its $18.73 million in cap space to re-sign Tyler Bertuzzi (preferably before his arbitration hearing on Tuesday next Sunday) and Anthony Mantha.
Long-time USA Today writer Kevin Allen, writing for Hockeybuzz, believes otherwise. Allen suggests that the Red Wings may yet flex some of their available cap space to “help” a team in need of salary cap relief:
Are the Red Wings, with almost $19 million in cap available, done dealing?
Answer: Don’t believe so. Some of that money is going to restricted free agents Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha, two important players in their rebuild. But the Red Wings are willing to take a bad contract from a team with cap trouble if they are given a nice return. It would be logical for the Red Wings to make a deal with the cap-strapped Lightning. As the former general manager in Tampa Bay, Yzerman would know their prospect list well. It feels like a deal could get completed for Tyler Johnson. But Yzerman would want plenty and would want Tampa to eat some of the Johnson cap space.
I’m leaning against Yzerman adding anybody else to the roster (still), but one never knows…
Any ides what the status of Timashov is?
Good Question, can he stay in Russia?
Timashov is actually Ukrainian and Swedish, so he’s been training with Djurgardens IF in Sweden. The SHL only allows players to sign full-year contracts in their league, so he’d have to leave the NHL for a full year!
Tampa was always in the back of my mind and they are in Cap Hell with others. No ideas here but I hope for picks, high picks.