Re: 2009 Chicago Blackhawks

[RedFlash]

Can't they keep Keith by dealing Sharp and/or Buff? Those are the higher paid guys I see as most likely to be dealt.

 

Prolly, but I much rather not trade Sharp. I think you might see guys Steeg, Skille, Kopecky, Buff, and perhaps even Barker all dealt to make sure the Hawks can keep Kane/Toews/Keith/Hossa and Sharp. But getting Campbell and/or Huet off the cap would go a long way to keeping the core together for a long time. (The latter is a long shot, I know, but one can dream.)

[Hall7810]

I don't think it was ever in doubt, but I'm hearing that talks between the Chicago Blackhawks and star forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are going very well and that both sides are close to a deal. Both players are slated for restricted free agency July 1, and other GMs were salivating at the chance at plunking down offer sheets for them, but that's not going to happen. I would expect an announcement sometime in the next two weeks.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4655239&name=lebrun_pierre

duncan keith conspicuously absent

Keith isn't a restricted free agent so they don't have as much incentive to resign him this early.

 

Are you sure? I was under the impression all three would be RFA after this season.

 

You are correct, all three are RFA after this season.

[jersey cubs fan]

Can't they keep Keith by dealing Sharp and/or Buff? Those are the higher paid guys I see as most likely to be dealt.

 

Prolly, but I much rather not trade Sharp. I think you might see guys Steeg, Skille, Kopecky, Buff, and perhaps even Barker all dealt to make sure the Hawks can keep Kane/Toews/Keith/Hossa and Sharp. But getting Campbell and/or Huet off the cap would go a long way to keeping the core together for a long time. (The latter is a long shot, I know, but one can dream.)

 

Sure we'd all like to keep him. But as a guy making $4m+ the next couple years and one who is not among the core of the core players, I think he's expendable.

[NewUserName]

Can't they keep Keith by dealing Sharp and/or Buff? Those are the higher paid guys I see as most likely to be dealt.

 

Prolly, but I much rather not trade Sharp. I think you might see guys Steeg, Skille, Kopecky, Buff, and perhaps even Barker all dealt to make sure the Hawks can keep Kane/Toews/Keith/Hossa and Sharp. But getting Campbell and/or Huet off the cap would go a long way to keeping the core together for a long time. (The latter is a long shot, I know, but one can dream.)

 

No one is taking Campbell or Huet, so that discussion is out of the question. The Hawks are going to have to let Sharp or Buff go anyway, that still isnt going to be enough to keep Keith, Kane and Toews. This is why I think the better move is to keep Keith. Hockey is a 4 line game, being too top heavy will hurt the Hawks in the long run. Especially if their defense is weakened by losing Keith. I also think Kane is a little over rated. He is a good scorer but the rest of his game is average at best.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Keith isn't a restricted free agent so they don't have as much incentive to resign him this early.

 

Are you sure? I was under the impression all three would be RFA after this season.

 

You are correct, all three are RFA after this season.

I stand corrected. Sorry for the misinformation.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

An interesting solution to the problem...buy out Campbell's contract.

 

http://committedindians.com/buying-out-brian-campbell-could-save-the-blackhawks/

[The1Tab]

With guys like LaLonde and Olsen on the blue line that could be up as soon as next year, I'd have to think Barker could be gone. If Sopel keeps playing over his head, he could take Barker's slot and a kid could come up to be the 6th defenseman.

 

I wouldn't mind Buff getting his papers, either.

 

But buying out Campbell might HAVE to be the choice. Saving $5M per is a lot when you look at keeping Keith, Hjalmarsson and Seabrook here long term.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Yeah the 2.5 million for 12 years is scary though. Not sure they would want to eat all of that money.

 

Welcome to the board.

[Hall7810]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/chi-17-blackhawks-chicago-nov17,0,1592678.story

 

Kuc says Kaner, The Captain and Keith are all gonna sign soon!

[Butterscup1679666578]

Man, that's truly unbelievable that it all worked out if they get these done. Very impressed with the Hawks front office on this one.

[Soul]

Well, someone's going to have to be gone then if I'm reading all this stuff correctly.

[NewUserName]

Man, that's truly unbelievable that it all worked out if they get these done. Very impressed with the Hawks front office on this one.

 

Is it possible that the previous GM signed Hossa to replace Kane? This may be a reason he was shown the door because the marketing guy that is president of the team wanted to keep Kane.

[kujay]

Well, someone's going to have to be gone then if I'm reading all this stuff correctly.

 

There are plenty of mid-level salary guys that are expendable.

 

Here's the key though. When the Hawks trade these guys it will likely be for younger NHL players or even prospects. They can't miss on those guys. That's how they stay good for a decade or more. Bowman is going to have to prove himself quickly.

[jersey cubs fan]

Can't they keep Keith by dealing Sharp and/or Buff? Those are the higher paid guys I see as most likely to be dealt.

 

Prolly, but I much rather not trade Sharp. I think you might see guys Steeg, Skille, Kopecky, Buff, and perhaps even Barker all dealt to make sure the Hawks can keep Kane/Toews/Keith/Hossa and Sharp. But getting Campbell and/or Huet off the cap would go a long way to keeping the core together for a long time. (The latter is a long shot, I know, but one can dream.)

 

No one is taking Campbell or Huet, so that discussion is out of the question. The Hawks are going to have to let Sharp or Buff go anyway, that still isnt going to be enough to keep Keith, Kane and Toews. This is why I think the better move is to keep Keith. Hockey is a 4 line game, being too top heavy will hurt the Hawks in the long run. Especially if their defense is weakened by losing Keith. I also think Kane is a little over rated. He is a good scorer but the rest of his game is average at best.

 

From what I've seen this year Kane has stepped up his all-around game quite a bit, and is not nearly the one dimensional cherry picking scorer people claimed he was. He's still very young and can improve.

 

And I wouldn't count out somebody taking Huet. He's not close to the highest paid goalie, and this isn't a Campbell situation. He's only got 2 years left on his deal after this season, and aside from a slow start to this season, he's been a fairly good goalie.

 

I'm also not sure what you mean when you say they have to let Sharp or Buff go anyway and that isn't going to help. They are signed through 2012 and 2011, respectively, and combine to account for over $7m in cap space next season alone. If you can deal both of them and get back a cheap role player, that is more than enough to fit in Keith.

[jersey cubs fan]

Man, that's truly unbelievable that it all worked out if they get these done. Very impressed with the Hawks front office on this one.

 

Is it possible that the previous GM signed Hossa to replace Kane? This may be a reason he was shown the door because the marketing guy that is president of the team wanted to keep Kane.

 

I doubt Tallon's goal was to replace Kane with Hossa. He was probably replacing Havlat and Sharp if anything. Tallon's biggest bright spot on his resume up to that point was probably Kane, and he practically hung his hat on making the right decision in that draft.

 

If Hossa over Kane was the motivation, and the reason he was shown the door, they would have just nixed the signing before it happened. I think the Campbell/Huet signings were the big ones, and his inability to move Huet last year finished him off.

[NewUserName]

If the Hawks make the Cup finals with Huet as their primary goalie, then I can see another team picking up his contract. However, if that is the case are you sure that the Hawks would want to move him?

 

I dont mean to diminish Kane as a player. I am just saying that all these solutions that seem to come up to be able to keep all three of the big RFA's seem to include the idea that losing this player or that player is easily manageable. Take that into account that other players are going to be due significant raises over the next couple of years. I am just saying that maybe the best solution is to not try and fit all three in. Let Kane go, take the draft picks. Resign Keith and keep the depth intact.

 

Last point, not many Hawks fans were upset over the Campbell signing. I remember most thinking he was an important piece. Honestly he is a valuable player, but of course the 7 million is stupid. Point being, just because it makes the fans happy does not mean its the right move.

[Soul]

It's true that there's always a risk that someone you gave the big money to just isn't the player you were projecting him to be. If that's really Kane's future, I can say I will definitely be disappointed.

 

I'm just hoping he continues to attempt to round out his game, while maintaining as much of the wow factor that he currently brings. Because despite his shortcomings, I feel like he's the player who is most likely to make me go "wow" when I'm watching a Hawks game.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

It might be possible that the Hawks are going to barrow a page from the Wing's book and get Kane, Toews, and Keith to sign for a little bit of a discount to keep the team together long term. Hopefully that is the case.

[jersey cubs fan]

Last point, not many Hawks fans were upset over the Campbell signing. I remember most thinking he was an important piece. Honestly he is a valuable player, but of course the 7 million is stupid. Point being, just because it makes the fans happy does not mean its the right move.

 

Absolutely. It was a desperation signing. They were desperate for scoring and desperate for positive PR. Not many people realized where they were poised to go. But the reason a guy like Campbell quickly lost his value to the team is because they have players like Kane who can score.

[Soul]

Marty Havlat has 2 goals this season, and is sporting a -13. The Wild gave him a $30million contract.

 

I guess the only secret is: get rid of the right guys, and keep the right guys. Yeah. Easier said than done, but early returns are that the Hawks made a decent decision on Havlat.

[NewUserName]

It might be possible that the Hawks are going to barrow a page from the Wing's book and get Kane, Toews, and Keith to sign for a little bit of a discount to keep the team together long term. Hopefully that is the case.

 

Datsyuk, Zetterburg and Lidstrom are making quite a bit more than the Hawks are going to pay for Kane, Toews and Keith.

[NewUserName]

here is the salary chart for the Hawks. Site also has every team in teh NHL. It is kind of interesting.

 

A Wings suggested that the Hawks may trade Hossa after this season to make everything work. Interesting thought.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

It might be possible that the Hawks are going to barrow a page from the Wing's book and get Kane, Toews, and Keith to sign for a little bit of a discount to keep the team together long term. Hopefully that is the case.

 

Datsyuk, Zetterburg and Lidstrom are making quite a bit more than the Hawks are going to pay for Kane, Toews and Keith.

They are also much better and more accomplished. Compare Zetterburg and Lidstrom to Hossa and Campbell and tell me who is cheaper.

[NewUserName]

It might be possible that the Hawks are going to barrow a page from the Wing's book and get Kane, Toews, and Keith to sign for a little bit of a discount to keep the team together long term. Hopefully that is the case.

 

Datsyuk, Zetterburg and Lidstrom are making quite a bit more than the Hawks are going to pay for Kane, Toews and Keith.

They are also much better and more accomplished. Compare Zetterburg and Lidstrom to Hossa and Campbell and tell me who is cheaper.

 

Lidstrom makes 7 million and Zetts cap hit is a little over 6. Lidstrom in UFA after this season. It has been suggested that he will either retire or come back to the Wings on 1 yr contract basis until he does retire, this is just speculation though. I doubt if he gets anything more than 5 million going forward. I think Toews will be better than Datsyuk and Zetts in a couple of years, I dont think that is true about Kane. I think the one thing in all this discussion that is not debatable is that Campbell's contract is bad and is going to hurt the Hawks one way or another. I think the debate is how the Hawks should pay for it.

 

I think where the Wings have had some players give them a discount is with guys like Holmstrom, Draper, and Maltby. These guys are all real solid veteran role players who could easily get paid more somewhere else.

[Soul]

here is the salary chart for the Hawks. Site also has every team in teh NHL. It is kind of interesting.

 

A Wings suggested that the Hawks may trade Hossa after this season to make everything work. Interesting thought.

 

I think you forgot the link :)