Vancouver Canucks: Salary Cap and Roster Updates Heading into the Draft

The Vancouver Canucks came ever so close to winning the Stanley Cup in 2011. Now they are looking to retain their core players while improving their roster for another run in the 2011-2012 season.

Luckily, the Canucks are in a good place in regards to the salary cap.

Currently, the following players from their playoff run are either under contract or are restricted free agents that can be easily qualified and retained.


Forwards:

1. Daniel Sedin $6,100,000
2. Henrik Sedin $6,100,000
3. Ryan Kesler $5,000,000
4. Mason Raymond $2,550,000
5. Mikael Samuelsson $2,500,000
6. Manny Malhotra $2,500,000
7. Alex Burrows $2,000,000
8. Maxim Lapierre $945,000 *
9. Jannik Hansen $866,250 *
10. Victor Oreskovich $605,000 *

* Restricted free agent listed at their qualifying offer


Defencemen:

1. Dan Hamhuis $4,500,000
2. Keith Ballard $4,200,000
3. Alex Edler $3,250,000
4. Chris Tanev $900,000
5. Aaron Rome $750,000


Goalies:

1. Roberto Luongo $5,333,333
2. Cory Schneider $900,000


The total payroll for these 17 players is $48,999,583.

The salary cap for 2011-2012 has been reported to be going up to $64 million. 

That leaves leaves $15,000,417 to fill out the rest of the roster.

So where should the general manager Mike Gillis be looking to spend roughly $15 million? 

First, lets take a look at the projected lines based on the players under contract.

D. Sedin H. Sedin Burrows

Raymond Kesler Samuelsson

??? Malhotra Hansen

??? Lapierre  Oreskovich

So the Canucks have the top six forwards intact from the team that won the President's Trophy, and the bottom six is missing a pair of left wingers and a 13th forward for depth. 

They could look to either fill those spots directly, or more likely, upgrade the top six forwards and displace Raymond and/or Samuelsson down to the third line.

On defence, they have four solid defencemen, and another one that will seemingly be traded, in Ballard. Ballard has lost all confidence from the coaches and management, as he slipped to 10th on the depth chart by the Finals. He might be able to rebound in 2011-2012 with the Canucks, but the smart money is on Ballard to be traded in a salary dump.

So on defence, the Canucks need to add another pair of top-four defencemen, as well as a depth-defencemen or two.

In goal, the Canucks are set, barring Schneider being traded.

Having $15 million is more than enough to fill these holes.

Defence is the biggest hole, and ideally the Canucks would bring back Kevin Bieksa, and then either re-sign Christian Ehrhoff, or potentially sign another free agent like Eric Brewer.

For a top-four defenceman, $4.5 million is around the going price. Bieksa or Ehrhoff could command more than that on the open market, but Bieksa, at least, has expressed an interest in staying in Vancouver for a hometown discount.

The Canucks could then spend approximately $2.5 million on a third-line winger. That would leave $3.5 million to sign a trio consisting of a fourth-liner, a depth-forward and a depth-defenceman, none of which should make over $1 million.

This would leave approximately half a million in cap space to cover injuries and call ups throughout the year. 

If the Canucks wanted to make a major upgrade to their top-six forwards, they would need to trade one of their existing forwards, or ideally trade Ballard in a salary dump, in order to free up enough cap space to add a significant player.

There is still some work to be done, but Gillis has the Canucks in a good position heading into the draft and free agency.