This is the first of a four part series presented by Hockey Rambles.

Here is a short breakdown of the distribution of funds by the teams in the Atlantic division. The goal of this little project was to see if there were any major differences in how top teams distribute their funds compared to lower seeded teams. All figures were taken from Capgeek and roster depth charts were based on those at Rotoworld.

We start with the Boston Bruins, the top team in the entire league in 2013/14. Last year the Bruins were second in the NHL in Goals For (GF) and Goals Against (GA); only Anaheim and Los Angeles in the Pacific division were better in those respective categories. What is interesting about the Bruins is how little they spend on their defensive corps as a whole compared to their top 6 forwards, even though it is one their strongest and deepest position.

Next up we have the lowest seed in the Atlantic last year, the Buffalo Sabres. Without a true top goalie, the Sabres are investing most of their cap in their forward corps. One thing of note is their bottom heavy investment in their defensive corps mostly due to the youth movement happening in Buffalo, as veteran players get paid on average more than their minute eating younger counterparts.

Detroit is a mirror image of the city they represent. The gap between the haves and have nots on this team is enormous, especially at the forward position. One thing of note is their goaltending cap ratio, which is on par with Boston and Montreal. Is the Howard/Gustavsson combo worth the same as Price+ or Rask+?

Florida seems to be doing things a little different than everyone else. Their bottom forward corps is being paid more on average than their top 6. Not sure if this is a winning formula, but I’m sure things will right themselves once they are relocated (wink).

Montreal seems to be building their team from the back end in and it is showing in the way they are spending their money. The Canadiens are benefiting from a cheaper bottom 4 defense, but may be overpaying for their bottom forward corps as only the Panthers spend more on these positions than the Habs.

The Sens are not investing in their forward corps nearly as much as their competition in the Atlantic, but are staying competitive with their defense. Much has been invested in their goaltending tandem, but it will be interesting to see if making a safer bet by spreading that money over two goalies will bring them success.



As you would expect from a team that has one of the most talented and productive forwards in the NHL, Steven Stamkos, the Lightning have invested heavily in their top 6 forwards. What’s interesting is how the cap relief they are getting from their goaltenders is being lost on their defensive corps, which is the most expensive in the Atlantic.

Toronto is going all in when it comes to their offensive corps, but are they getting their money’s worth? Their forwards are as expensive as the Bruins’ forwards, but they are bringing in middle of the pack offensive numbers. This may be caused by the heavy price tag of their bottom forward corps, which is one of the most expensive in the Atlantic.