I'm going off the generalfanager.com number which looks like it's at 69 million. So if Bettman who has been saying it's going to be around $71 million is right. Now we suddenly have an extra 2 million and 16-17 million for 9 guys. If Saad gets 5 of that, you now have 11-12 million for 8 guys.
I have a feeling someone else is going to be traded with Bickell and Sharp.
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The demise of the Blackhawks has been greatly exaggerated. Patrick Sharp is no longer close to the player he once was and Brian Bickell is as useless as tits on a bull. Their loss will be felt more in the hearts of fans than on the ice. Next year's cap will be around 71-71.5mil as it looks like the players will vote for the 5% escalator. Assuming that, here's what we're looking at next year (cap hits in mil):
1st Line:
Panarin (.85) / Toews (10.5) / Hossa (5.275)
2nd Line:
Saad (4.5) / Teravainan (.9) / Kane (10.5)
3rd Line:
Baun/Hartman (.85) / Richards (2.2) / Shaw (2)
4th Line:
Desjardins (.9) / Kruger (2) / Baun/Hartman (.85)
DP 1:
Keith (5.54) / Seabrook (5.8)
DP 2:
Hjalmarrson (4.1) / Johns (.85)
DP 3:
Reilly/Pokka (.85) / van Riemsdyk (.925)
Goalies:
Crawford (6)
Darling (.6)
Black aces: 2.5mil
That's 23 guys under contract for just under 69mil, and a good mix of prime players, vets, and young guys who are ready & knocking on the door. There's balance in size, skill, and responsibility across all four lines and in all defensive pairings. It's going to be a more youthful roster than we're used to seeing, but the Hawks have too many guys ready to make the jump from the AHL to do anything but give them playing time.
People are fretting the Saad contract too much. He wants to stay and will most likely sign a 3-4 year bridge contract that gives him a chance to hit the UFA market + a huge raise entering his prime at 26-27 years old and when the cap is much higher than it is now. His agent isn't stupid and isn't going to let him sign a 6-7 deal at 22 in a poor cap escalation year.
Bowman telegraphed that he wants to bring Desjardins and Kruger back, and people are also overestimating their value on the market. Defensive-oriented bottom 6 players just don't get big money.
The interesting question is what to do with Seabrook. He's entering the final year of his contract and if they resign him he could be around +6mil going forward. That's clearly too much (he's overpaid now as it is) because they have to plan for the worst (as in Panarin, TT, Johns all go bonkers before RFA), so keeping Seabs means they're forced to deal Crawford in 2016. Maybe if Darling is ready that works out, but you've still got an overpaid Seabs going forward. Or, they deal Seabs now at peak value and get a big return in draft picks/solid prime players to maintain depth, and keep the goalie depth. What a gut punch that would be though.
