The Chicago Blackhawks have made this move before, and they only have themselves to blame.
Through various off-season follies, the Blackhawks shelled out big-money contracts to several players who were not really in line for these kinds of raises. As a result, the 'Hawks have since had to shed several of those salaries.
The latest victim of the front office may well be young defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson.
We know the story well. Hjalmarsson was a restricted free agent last summer. GM Stan Bowman wasn't worried about offer sheets. San Jose got Hjalmarsson's name on one soon after, and the 'Hawks elected to match the four-year, $14 million deal.
The trade clock may have started ticking even before the ink was dry.
Without an offer sheet, Hjalmarsson was looking at a salary in the $1.5 million range. Doug Wilson cost Chicago $2 million in cap space with his overture. Once again, the 'Hawks front office paid an inflated rate to a player they should have been able to sign for a much more reasonable price.
The markup on Hjalmarsson may even affect how one views his 2010-11 campaign.
It certainly influenced how the young defenseman came out of the gate this past season.
Hjalmarsson blocked a team-high 166 shots in 2010-11 and often paid a price for his selflessness.
The absence of partner Brian Campbell during the season's first six weeks can't be overlooked, but Hjalmarsson seemed to be trying too hard to play up to the terms of his contract. A two-game suspension for a hit on Buffalo's Jason Pominville in the season's third game didn't help matters.
Hjalmarsson was trying to add more offensive dimension to his game due to Campbell's absence or the big-money raise. Regardless, the end result was that Hjalmarsson was simply ineffective through Chicago's first 22 games with a minus-seven rating.
Hjalmarsson seemed to settle back into a defensive role when Campbell returned in November, but Joel Quenneville mixed and matched his defensive pairings throughout the season. Hjalmarsson saw action in several different pairings.
Hjalmarsson rebounded in the last four months of the season and wound up third on the team in plus-minus with a plus-13 rating. His 166 blocked shots led the club and ranked 13th in the NHL.
His hit totals were down slightly from a season ago, but he took it upon himself to sacrifice his body blocking shots on a nightly basis. From a statistical standpoint, his season was of similar production to that of 2009-10.
One trend that draws concern is the way Hjalmarsson handled the puck in the defensive zone. As the season wore on, he seemed to settle more and more on quickly shooting the puck off the boards rather than take the extra beat to find an open teammate or simply carry the puck out of the zone. Did nagging injuries have a hand in his quick trigger?
Despite some problems in this area, Hjalmarsson turned in a similar effort to a year ago by the end of the season. Therein lies the dilemma.
At $1.5 million, Hjalmarsson is a solid, steady defenseman who does a lot for the 'Hawks.
At $3.5 million, one expects a bit more than what Hjalmarsson was able to deliver this season.
As a result, Hjalmarsson's name has been frequently tossed out as a guy the Blackhawks could move to free up cap dollars. It certainly would be easier to interest a team with cap room in a 24-year old defender who could help solidify a blue line than to unload Campbell's contract.
In theory, Hjalmarsson could help fetch an impact player on offense. The 'Hawks could then find less expensive alternatives to the big Swede.
If that's the plan, patience will be needed.
Hjlalmarsson cannot be part of a draft day deal because he was signed to an offer sheet. As a result, Chicago must wait one year, beginning from the day of his signing. That day is July 12th.
If the 'Hawks make a splash in the free agent pool, expect Hjalmarsson to be moved next month to offset the acquisition. Bowman may also choose to wait until mid-July and use Hjalmarsson to get the upgrade he wants.
Either way, Hjalmarsson's future with the Blackhawks is very much up in the air at this point. We may be waving goodbye to yet another member of Chicago's cup-winning team.
