FlamesNation’s salary cap and waivers tracker

The 2020-21 NHL season is going to be challenging for a lot of teams for salary cap and logistics reasons. In an effort to make the somewhat convoluted roster, cap and waivers situation for the Calgary Flames a little bit easier to follow, we’ve developed this page to keep track of things.

It will be kept updated throughout the season.

The salary cap

There’s really two salary caps, in a sense, so let’s get into the distinctions.

The “overall” season-long cap

For the entirety of the 2020-21 NHL season, teams are required to have average annual cap spending of less than $81.5 million. As in: the average annual cap hit of the players on their roster throughout the season cannot exceed $81.5 million.

(Well, except for weird stuff like long-term injury exemptions and performance bonuses, but for “regular” spending, it’s a hard cap.)

Conceptually, it’s easy to imagine the same 20-to-23 players sitting on the Flames’ roster all season. But that’s not how it works, because players get traded, injured, demoted and called up. So the actual cap impact of each player’s contract depends on how many days they’re on the roster.

Daily cap calculations

The NHL season is 116 days long in 2020-21. Every day at 3 p.m. MT, the NHL’s Central Registry takes a snapshot of the players on each team’s roster. The cap hits of the players are logged and pro-rated for that day (e.g., their cap hit divided by 116 to get their daily cap impact) and savings below the overall cap also logged and pro-rated. It’s best to think of the cap savings like a piggy bank or change jar: you toss in the coins you didn’t spend, and you can only spend what you’ve previously saved.

Here’s the Flames’ starting roster (with overall cap hits), as filed with the NHL:

Goalies: Jacob Markstrom ($6 million), David Rittich ($2.75 million)
Defensemen: Mark Giordano ($6.75 million), Noah Hanifin ($4.95 million), Rasmus Andersson ($4.55 million), Chris Tanev ($4.5 million), Juuso Valimaki ($894,166), Nikita Nesterov ($700,000)
Forwards: Matthew Tkachuk ($7 million), Johnny Gaudreau ($6.75 million), Sean Monahan ($6.375 million), Mikael Backlund ($5.35 million), Milan Lucic ($5.25 million), Elias Lindholm ($4.85 million), Sam Bennett ($2.55 million), Andrew Mangiapane ($2.425 million), Josh Leivo ($875,000), Dillon Dube ($778,333), Joakim Nordstrom ($700,000), Dominik Simon ($700,000)
Buy-outs: Troy Brouwer ($1.5 million), Michael Stone ($1.167 million)
Taxi squad (cap hit only count while they’re on NHL roster unless noted): G Louis Domingue ($700,000), D Oliver Kylington ($787,500), D Connor Mackey ($925,000), F Zac Rinaldo ($700,000), F Buddy Robinson ($700,000), F Derek Ryan ($3.125 million, $2.05 million while on taxi squad)

The overall cap commitments of the Flames’ opening roster, including the two buy-outs and Ryan’s buried salary, was $79,414,167.

Date
Roster Size
Total Cap Hits
Total Cap Space
Daily Space
Notes
Jan. 13, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
Starting roster
Jan. 14, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Added Ryan & Domingue from taxi; Zagidulin to taxi from AHL; Rittich non-roster
Jan. 15, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
Ryan & Domingue back to taxi; Zagidulin to AHL; Rittich activated
Jan. 16, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington from taxi
Jan. 17, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
Ryan & Kylington back to taxi
Jan. 18, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington from taxi
Jan. 19, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Stone (signed); Ryan & Kylington back to taxi
Jan. 20, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
Stone to AHL
Jan. 21, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
No changes
Jan. 22, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
No changes
Jan. 23, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
No changes
Jan. 24, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington from taxi
Jan. 25, 2021
20
$79,414,166
$2,085,834
$17,981
Ryan & Kylington back to taxi
Jan. 26, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington from taxi
Jan. 27, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Stone from AHL
Jan. 28, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Added Ryan & Robinson from taxi; Stone to taxi
Jan. 29, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Ryan back to taxi
Jan. 30, 2021
21
$80,489,166
$1,010,834
$8,714
Added Ryan; Robinson back to taxi
Jan. 31, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Robinson; Ryan back to taxi
Feb. 1, 2021
22
$81,414,166
$85,834
$740
Added Ryan & Mackey; Robinson back to taxi
Feb. 2, 2021
22
$81,414,166
$85,834
$740
No changes
Feb. 3, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Robinson; Ryan & Mackey back to taxi
Feb. 4, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Added Ryan & Rinaldo; Robinson back to taxi
Feb. 5, 2021
21
$80,489,166
$1,010,834
$8,714
Rinaldo back to taxi
Feb. 6, 2021
23*
$82,839,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Froese from AHL; added Mackey & Rinaldo; Ryan to LTIR
Feb. 7, 2021
20*
$80,489,166*
(Below ACSL)
$698,491*
$6,021*
Mackey & Rinaldo back to taxi; Froese back to AHL
Feb. 8, 2021
20*
$80,489,166*
(Below ACSL)
$698,491*
$6,021*
No changes
Feb. 9, 2021
23*
$82,839,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Mackey (from taxi), Froese & Ritchie (from AHL)
Feb. 10, 2021
22*
$81,889,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Robinson; Mackey & Froese to taxi; Gawdin to taxi from AHL; Stone to AHL
Feb. 11, 2021
23*
$82,839,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Mackey & Froese; Ritchie to taxi
Feb. 12, 2021
22*
$81,889,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Ritchie; Mackey & Froese to taxi
Feb. 13, 2021
23*
$82,839,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Mackey & Froese; Ritchie to taxi
Feb. 14, 2021
22*
$81,914,166*
$0*
$0*
Mackey to taxi
Feb. 15, 2021
23*
$82,839,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Mackey
Feb. 16, 2021
20*
$80,489,166*
(Below ACSL)
$698,491*
$6,021*
Mackey, Robinson & Froese to taxi; Gawdin & Ritchie to AHL
Feb. 17, 2021
23*
$82,701,666*
$0*
$0*
Added Kylington, Froese & Ritchie
Feb. 18, 2021
21*
$81,214,166*
$0*
$0*
Kylington & Ritchie to taxi
Feb. 19, 2021
23*
$82,839,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Mackey & Ritchie
Feb. 20, 2021
23*
$82,676,666*
$0*
$0*
Added Gawdin, Kylington & Robinson; Mackey to AHL; Ritchie & Froese to taxi; Domingue to AHL from taxi; Zagidulin & Stone to taxi from AHL
Feb. 21, 2021
22*
$81,889,166*
$0*
$0*
Kylington to taxi
Feb. 22, 2021
23*
$82,676,666*
$0*
$0*
Added Zagidulin & Kylington; Robinson to taxi
Feb. 23, 2021
22*
$81,889,166*
$0*
$0*
Kylington to taxi
Feb. 24, 2021
23*
$82,676,666*
$0*
$0*
Added Kylington
Feb. 25, 2021
23**
$83,239,166*
$0*
$0*
Added Rinaldo & Robinson; Kylington to taxi; Markstrom to IR
Feb. 26, 2021
21**
$81,889,166*
$0*
$0*
Gawdin & Rinaldo to taxi
Feb. 27, 2021
23**
$83,376,666*
$0*
$0*
Added Gawdin & Kylington
Feb. 28, 2021
21**
$81,889,166*
$0*
$0*
Gawdin & Kylington to taxi
Mar. 1, 2021
22**
$82,676,666*
$0*
$0*
Added Rinaldo & Kylington; Robinson to taxi
Mar. 2, 2021
20**
$81,189,166*
$0*
$0*
Rinaldo & Kylington to taxi; Gawdin to AHL
Mar. 3, 2021
21*
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Ryan activated from LTIR
Mar. 4, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Markstrom activated from IR; added Kylington & Ritchie; Simon to taxi; Zagidulin to AHL from taxi; Domingue to taxi from AHL
Mar. 5, 2021
21
$80,201,666
$1,298,334
$11,193
Ryan to taxi; Froese to AHL
Mar. 6, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan
Mar. 7, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Added Rinaldo; Kylington to taxi
Mar. 8, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Simon; Rinaldo & Ryan to taxi
Mar. 9, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
No changes
Mar. 10, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
No changes
Mar. 11, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Added Ryan & Rinaldo; Simon to taxi
Mar. 12, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Simon; Rinaldo & Ryan to taxi
Mar. 13, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington; Simon to taxi
Mar. 14, 2021
21
$80,114,116
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Simon; Ryan & Kylington to taxi
Mar. 15, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington; Simon to taxi
Mar. 16, 2021
21
$80,114,116
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Simon; Ryan & Kylington to taxi
Mar. 17, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington; Simon to taxi; Domingue & Stone from taxi to AHL; Zagidulin & Petrovic from AHL to taxi
Mar. 18, 2021
21
$80,114,116
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Simon; Ryan & Kylington to taxi
Mar. 19, 2021
22
$81,276,666
$223,334
$1,925
Added Ryan & Kylington; Simon to taxi
Mar. 20, 2021
23
$81,889,166
-$389,166
-$3,355
Added Petrovic & Rinaldo; Kylington to taxi
Mar. 21, 2021
21
$80,114,166
$1,385,834
$11,947
Added Simon; Rinaldo, Ryan & Petrovic to taxi
Mar. 22, 2021
23
$81,889,166
-$389,166
-$3,355
Added Rinaldo, Ryan & Petrovic; Simon to taxi
Mar. 23, 2021
21
$80,489,166
$1,010,834
$8,714
Rinaldo & Petrovic to taxi
Mar. 24, 2021
23
$81,889,166
-$389,166
-$3,355
Added Rinaldo & Petrovic
Mar. 25, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Petrovic to taxi; Zagidulin to AHL from taxi; Domingue & Stone to taxi from AHL
Mar. 26, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
Added Stone; Rinaldo to taxi
Mar. 27, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Mar. 28, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Mar. 29, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Mar. 30, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Mar. 31, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 1, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 2, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 3, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 4, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 5, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 6, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 7, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 8, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 9, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 10, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 11, 2021
22
$81,189,166
$310,834
$2,680
No changes
Apr. 12, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
Rittich to Toronto (50% retained); Bennett to Florida; added Robinson & Domingue; Zagidulin & Ruzicka to taxi from AHL
Apr. 13, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 14, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 15, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 16, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 17, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
Kirkland to taxi from AHL; Simon, Petrovic and Ruzicka to AHL from taxi
Apr. 18, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
Simon to taxi from AHL; Kirkland to AHL from taxi
Apr. 19, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 20, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 21, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 22, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
No changes
Apr. 23, 2021
22
$78,664,166
$2,835,834
$24,447
Leivo to COVID list
Apr. 24, 2021
23
$79,451,666
$2,048,334
$17,658
Added Kylington [recall 1]; Gawdin and Froese to taxi from AHL
Apr. 25, 2021
23
$79,451,666
$2,048,334
$17,658
No changes
Apr. 26, 2021
23
$79,451,666
$2,048,334
$17,658
No changes
Apr. 27, 2021
23
$79,451,666
$2,048,334
$17,658
No changes
Apr. 28, 2021
23
$79,451,666
$2,048,334
$17,658
No changes
Apr. 29, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
Added Froese [recall 2]
Apr. 30, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 1, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 2, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 3, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 4, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 5, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 6, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
No changes
May 7, 2021
24
$80,176,666
$1,323,334
$11,408
Leivo off COVID list
To date: (115 of 116 days)
—
—
—
$913,862

Our pals at PuckPedia also have a handy daily tracker. (Stars next to roster size reflect number of players on IR at a given time not included in roster limit.)

While Derek Ryan was on LTIR (Feb. 6 to Mar. 2), their temporary cap ceiling was $84,312,657 and their “Accruable Cap Space Limit” was $312,343 below the $81.5 million cap ceiling (e.g., the cap ceiling minus the space they had when they put Ryan on LTIR) or $81,187,657.

Waiver status

After a player who requires waivers to be demoted has cleared, they can be freely demoted (and recalled) for the remainder of that season until they have (a) dressed for 10 NHL games or (b) been on the NHL roster for 30 days, whichever comes first.

Of note: players who were on the roster as of the trade deadline cannot be demoted to the taxi squad for the remainder of the season. (Froese & Kylington can be demoted; nobody else can.)

[Last update: May 7, 2021]

Player
Date cleared
NHL games since
Roster days since
F Dominik Simon
Mar. 4, 2021
0
8
F Derek Ryan
Mar. 3, 2021
28
57
D Michael Stone
Jan. 19, 2021
16
45
F Brett Ritchie
Jan. 18, 2021
27
70
F Zac Rinaldo
Jan. 12, 2021
4
10
F Derek Ryan
Jan. 12, 2021
10
36
D Oliver Kylington
Jan. 12, 2021
6
31
F Buddy Robinson
Jan. 11, 2021
9
42
D Alex Petrovic
Jan. 11, 2021
0
3
F Justin Kirkland
Jan. 11, 2021
0
0
F Byron Froese
Jan. 11, 2021
6
18
G Louis Domingue
Jan. 11, 2021
11 (as backup)
27

Need waivers, but weren’t waived: David Rittich, Mark Giordano, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson, Chris Tanev, Nikita Nesterov, Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Mikael Backlund, Elias Lindholm, Sam Bennett, Andrew Mangiapane, Josh Leivo, Joakim Nordstrom, Dominik Simon, Brett Ritchie [Jan. 18 exemption expired], Derek Ryan [Jan. 12 and Mar. 3 exemptions expired], Michael Stone [Jan. 19 exemption expired], Buddy Robinson [Jan. 11 exemption expired], Louis Domingue [Jan. 11 exemption expired], Oliver Kylington [Jan. 12 exemption expired]

Need waivers, but can’t be waived: Jacob Markstrom, Milan Lucic [They have no-move clauses.]

Waiver exempt: Juuso Valimaki, Dillon Dube

For even more salary cap, waivers and CBA information, head on over to PuckPedia!