The Stanley Cup Final is coming to an end and both competing teams will soon be shifting their focus towards the offseason.
As it stands, eight of Pittsburgh’s players from Game 5 will become free agents this summer (both restricted and unrestricted), while four of Nashville’s will face the same fate. Before each team experiences an inevitable shakeup, let’s take a look at what their current salary cap situations look like based on Game 5’s lineups.
* Numbers were found from CapFriendly.
*Injured or scratched players are not included on the list
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Dave Sandford/NHLI/Getty Images
Evgeni Malkin- 10 G, 18 A- $9.5 million
Sidney Crosby- 8 G, 19A $8.7 million
Phil Kessel- 8 G, 15 A- $6.8 million
Marc-Andre Fleury- 9-6, .924 Sv% $5.75 million
Patric Hornqvist- 4 G, 4 A- $4.250 million
Olli Maatta- 2 G, 6 A- $4,083,333 million
Carl Hagelin- 1 G, 0 A- $4 million
Chris Kunitz- 2 G, 8 A- $3.850 million
Trevor Daley- 1 G, 4 A $3.3 million
Ian Cole- 0 G, 9 A- $2.1 million
Ron Hainsey- 2 G, 6 A- $1,416,666
Justin Schultz- 4 G, 8 A- $1.4 million
Matt Cullen- 2 G, 7 A- $1 million
Brian Dumoulin- 1 G, 4 A- $0.8 million
Conor Sheary- 2 G, 5 A- $667,500
Bryan Rust- 7 G, 2 A- $.640 million
Matt Murray- 6-3, .931 Sv% $628,333
Scott Wilson- 3 G, 3 A- $.625
Jake Guentzel- 13 G, 8 A- $.734
Carter Rowney- 0 G, 3 Assists $.613
TOTAL= $60,857,500
*Graph is in millions
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Dave Sandford/NHLI/Getty Images
P.K. Subban- 2 G, 10 A- $9 million
Pekka Rinne- 14-7, .928 Sv% $7 million
Filip Forsberg- 9 G, 7 A- $6 million
James Neal- 6 G, 3 A- $5 million
Mike Fisher- 0 G, 4 A- $4.4million
Craig Smith- 1 G, 2 A- $4.250 million
Roman Josi- 6 G, 8 A- $4 million
Colin Wilson- 2 G, 2 A- $3,937,500
Mattias Ekholm- 1 G, 10 A- $3.750 million
Ryan Ellis- 5 G, 8 A- $2.5 million
Calle Jarnkrok- 2 G, 5 A- $2 million
Pontus Aberg- 2 G, 3 A- $780,833 million
Juuse Saros- .824 Sv%- $.692.5 million
Viktor Arvidsson- 3 G, 10 A- $631,667
Colton Sissons- 6 G, 6 A- $.625 million
Frederick Gaudreau- 3 G, 0 A- $.595 million
Harry Zolniercyzk- 1 G, 2 A- $.575 million
Yannick Weber- 0 G, 1 A $.575 million
Austin Watson- 4 G, 5 A- $.575 million
Matt Irwin- 0 G, 2 A $.575 million
TOTAL= $57,462,500
*Graph is in millions
It’s hard to believe that the 2017 postseason’s leading goal-scorer isn’t even earning $1 million annually.
Joe Sargent/NHLI/Getty Images
There are some noticeably strong and weak contracts for both teams based on performances thus far in the SCF. Malkin and Crosby have predictably led the way for the Pens, while Guentzel and Schultz have stood out as clear steals. Hagelin, however, hasn’t played up to his $4 million cap-hit.
Subban and Rinne, Nashville’s two highest paid players, have been rocks for the team throughout the playoffs, and anyone would agree that Josi ($4 million) and Ellis ($2.5 million) have provided tremendous value. Craig Smith ($4.250 million) on the other hand hasn’t produced as expected and captain Mike Fisher ($4.4 million) has failed to register a goal in the postseason.
Justin K. Aller/NHLI/Gertty Images
In total, the two team’s cap hits from Game 5 made up a combined 118,320,000. Of course, the number would be significantly higher if injured stars such as Penguins defenceman Kris Letang ($7.250 million) and Predators center Ryan Johansen ($4 million) were able to participate.
It will be interesting to see how each team’s cap number changes in the offseason, but general managers Jim Rutherford and David Poile each deserve credit for assembling two of the league's top rosters.
