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I hate to see it but more than likely Sharps gone. Rozsival I think is done and I hope Bickell goes as he's been pretty much useless since the 2013 season. Vermette and Richards most likely but I've read that they are very happy there and want to stay and are willing to negotiate for less. Saad also said he's willing to give a "hometown deal" so maybe they can find a way to keep a few others.
Most of the key players will still be there and even if they lose a few good guys like Vermette & Richards they have a bunch of talent coming up from the minors. Stan Bowman is a genius and seems to find ways to move players around and still win. They aren't the hardest hitting team or even the fastest but these guys all mesh well together like a family. The B's tried to muscle them around in 2013 and lost as did the Ducks. Tampa came out in the first few games out skating and hitting them and the Hawks just play smart and stuck to their game plan and won. Can't wait for next season already!
The Chicago Blackhawks are no doubt the team of this decade, the same way the Detroit Red Wings were at the turn of the millennium! Enjoy the ride Blackhawks fans while you have the Toews-Kane-Keith Generation playing for you!
Sharp- likely traded. His 5.9M cap hit is needed elsewhere (see Saad- Kruger) Bickell- likely traded, his 4M cap hit is too much. The Hawks will likely need to eat some of that, or throw in a prospect. Seabrook- one year left on his contract, will be very expensive to resign. Not likely to go, but Stan might listen to offers. If he gets something that he can't refuse, maybe. Would need to be a lot. Crawford- there still are a lot of idiots who think that Crawford is overrated, and those folks are clamoring for him to be traded. Also not likely to go unless Stan gets some ridiculous offer. Raanta- likely traded as Darling seems to be the backup of the future, cheap goalies are valuable trade commodities. Versteeg- signed through 2016, his cap hit is only 2M. Could be moved if the offer is right, but not likely.
Oduya is a UFA, he will get paid. They can't afford him. Vermette is a UFA, he will get paid. They can't afford him. Rozsival is a UFA, he will be 37. Probably gone. Carcillo is a UFA- likely retiring
Rundblad is a RFA- I don't know that he is resigned. he has promise, but needs work, mostly on his head. Kruger is a RFA- very valuable, really should get resigned. Saad is a RFA- ridiculously valuable. Stan has said that he will get resigned. Will be expensive. Desjardins is a UFA- they would like to keep him if the price is right Richards is a UFA- he has alluded to being willing to work for the Hawks on the cheap. It helps that the Rangers are still paying him almost 1.7M a year not to play for them for the next decade. Kane wants him. Cumiskey is a UFA- not likely back, seems like he has leveled off as an AHL guy, or maybe a 6D for a desperate team.
Obviously, Timonen is retiring.
Raanta has been traded to the Rangers. This means that it is
Rundblad resigned for two years.
Kruger is close to being signed.
Saad in negotiations for a long term deal.
I agree and really thought they would work out a deal. A great powerhouse forward and a key to their success this year. I can't blame him for wanting as much money as he can get but it doesn't seem like he was going to give the Hawks a "hometown deal" like he stated after winning the cup. The Hawks still have a lot of young talent coming up and if you look back at what happened after 2010 it didn't take them long to be competitive again after having to dump key players then. Also, look at all those "key" players they lost. They're good but haven't gone on to do anything spectacular since leaving and the Hawks have won 2 more cups.
The franchise is built around Toews & Kane and so far it's paying off. They couldn't even give tickets away on game day just 10 years ago and now the city has rallied around this team. 2 million + people at the cup rally and every game sold out. I have faith that Bowman and McDonough have been working in this for months now and there will be some good new talent this year.
I agree and really thought they would work out a deal. A great powerhouse forward and a key to their success this year. I can't blame him for wanting as much money as he can get but it doesn't seem like he was going to give the Hawks a "hometown deal" like he stated after winning the cup. The Hawks still have a lot of young talent coming up and if you look back at what happened after 2010 it didn't take them long to be competitive again after having to dump key players then. Also, look at all those "key" players they lost. They're good but haven't gone on to do anything spectacular since leaving and the Hawks have won 2 more cups.
The franchise is built around Toews & Kane and so far it's paying off. They couldn't even give tickets away on game day just 10 years ago and now the city has rallied around this team. 2 million + people at the cup rally and every game sold out. I have faith that Bowman and McDonough have been working in this for months now and there will be some good new talent this year.
It is unfortunate that they couldn't come to a deal, but this is the reality of the salary cap, and every other team knows their situation. It isn't like anybody feels sorry for the team that just won the Cup, and so no one was going to take Bickell, Sharp, Versteeg off of the books, and this way, at least the Blackhawks get some proven assets as opposed to having him walk in an offer sheet situation and only getting the compensatory picks. It sucks, but Dano and Anisimov both have real value, especially Dano.
I'm so glad Stan outsmarted them by trading him first.
Stan has a history of not acquiescing to demands or maneuvers from players. Kevin Hayes was a highly regarded draft pick, but he wouldn't sign unless he was guaranteed a spot on the NHL roster, they let him walk (he and his Rangers will be at the UC to see the banner raising ceremony- think on that one for a while, Kevin), Jeremy Morin demanded to be played, so they traded him, etc..
I don't for a minute believe that Brandon was totally hands off with the negotiations like he said, if he was, then he deserved to be shocked about the trade. Both he and his agent know what the salary cap situation is, and their demands were going to be a massive burden on the team, if they paid him, they would have to trade away more assets, if they waited for free agency to start, he would have been offer sheeted. Stan sent him to a team in the East, and also, a team that is not a powerhouse. Saad is a young guy, he already has 2 rings, so he doesn't know what it is like to toil in obscurity for years. I don't blame him for wanting to get paid, I would too. But Stan made the best of a bad situation, all while sending a tacit message to other players.
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