Dallas Stars 2023-2024 Salary Cap Breakdown: An In-Depth Update
Overview of the Stars' Salary Cap Situation
The Dallas Stars have recently released their updated salary cap table for the 2023-2024 season, providing insights into the team's financial situation and its implications for the upcoming roster. This article delves into the details of the salary cap table, including team cap space, buyouts, retained salary, and player cap hits.
Team Cap Space and Flexibility
As of today, the Dallas Stars have approximately $12 million in available cap space, providing them with some flexibility in terms of adding players or re-signing existing ones. The team has also made several moves to free up cap space, including the buyout of veteran defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and the trade of forward Vladislav Namestnikov. These transactions have created additional room for the Stars to maneuver under the cap.
Buyouts and Retained Salary
The Stars have three active buyouts on their books: *
Jani Hakanpaa: $1.7 million per season through 2024-25 *
Stephen Johns: $1.1 million per season through 2023-24 *
Tyler Seguin: $5 million per season through 2029-30 These buyouts represent a significant amount of "dead cap" space on the Stars' salary cap, limiting their ability to spend on other players. However, the team has also retained salary in trades, such as the deal that sent Alexander Radulov to the Montreal Canadiens. This retained salary reduces the amount of cap space that the Stars would otherwise have available.
Player Cap Hits and Performance Bonuses
The highest-paid player on the Stars' roster is defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who carries a cap hit of $8.45 million. Other key players with significant cap hits include forwards Tyler Seguin ($9.85 million) and Jamie Benn ($9.5 million). The team has a number of performance bonuses built into their contracts, which can increase their cap hits if certain performance milestones are met. These bonuses provide incentives for players to perform at a high level but can also impact the team's overall salary cap situation.
Conclusion
The Dallas Stars' 2023-2024 salary cap table provides a snapshot of the team's financial commitments and its flexibility under the cap. The Stars have some cap space to work with but also have a number of buyouts and retained salary on their books. As the season approaches, the team will need to make strategic decisions about roster moves and contract negotiations in order to stay compliant with the salary cap while building a competitive team.
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