2013-2014
Heatley 7.5
+ half of the team so they will have several other contracts signed or moved by now, and or rookies starting.

The Wild will be in zero cap issues for at least 3/4 years.

Capgeek.

Article 50.2(c)(iv) All Player Salary and Bonuses earned in a League Year by a Player
who is in the second or later year of a multi-year SPC which was
signed when the Player was age 35 or older (as of June 30 prior to
the League Year in which the SPC is to be effective), regardless of
whether, or where, the Player is playing, except to the extent the
Player is playing under his SPC in the minor leagues, in which
case only the Player Salary and Bonuses in excess of $100,000
shall count towards the calculation of Actual Club Salary.
Article 50.5(d)(i)(b)(5)All Player Salary and Bonuses earned in a League
Year by a Player who is in the second or later year
of a multi-year SPC which was signed when the
Player was age 35 or older (as of June 30 prior to
the League Year in which the SPC is to be
effective), but which Player is not on the Club’s
Active Roster, Injured Reserve, Injured Non Roster
or Non Roster, and regardless of whether, or where,
the Player is playing, except to the extent the Player
is playing under his SPC in the minor leagues, in
which case only the Player Salary and Bonuses in
excess of $100,000 shall count towards the
calculation of Averaged Club Salary

No, they would be suspended and would not count against the cap. Same thing happened with Radulov when he left for the KHL.

Based on the 13-year contracts we’ve seen, I’d say 7 years is a bit more reasonable.

I also wonder how defectors contracts would be treated. If Kovalchuk, Bryzgalov, Ovechkin or others don’t come back, would they count against the cap?