Quote:
Originally Posted by louts8wings
it was sad to see hossa go but the hawks can have him. i am glad we didn't self destruct our veteran or young core of players for one player. also, lets not forget that the cap could go down next year by 4 to 5 mil. so the hawks i expect will have to part with one of their young players in next years FA.
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The Hawks still have 10 million in cap number to work with for '09-'10. Also, PKane takes up almost 4 million in "cap number" already, any deal he gets won't be for TOO much more. Captain Serious wants to win and he wants to win with the Hawks. He's the heart and soul of this team and I think he'll play ball in order to be with a winner. I expect him to sign a 3-4 year deal that's a little under market value and I think the contract after that might REALLY get him paid.
DK is the one I'm really worried about. It seems like he's the one always getting overshadowed. There's another d-man on the team getting the all-star pub that he deserved, there are two young fresh faces marching forward with this franchise, but he's the guy really getting it done on the back end. There are a few things that DK could very well take as a slap in the face and I think if he wants to walk he could. That would be just devestating for the Hawks as a franchise, as he's a future Norris Trophy winner IMO.
I see the Hawks trying anything and everything they can to move a contract that's up after '09-'10, almost regardless of who it is. I think their order looks something like this:
1. Campbell. Scotty Bowman realized what a mistake that was as soon as he got here. If he got here before that FA period I don't ever think that signing happens. The Hawks offered Campbell to the Senators straight-up for big-time troublemaker Dany Heatley. Campbell's deal is so bad that, despite their desire to move Heatley (who actually has a higher cap number than Campbell's 7.14 million), they said no. Campbell still has 7 more years of dragging this team down through its prime
2. Sopel. Rumor had it Brent Sopel could have come back for a few months after that surgery he had. I also heard it wasn't necessary to have it until after the season was over, but the team needed the cap space and forced it on him. Definitely looking to move him, but he's going to have to show some value for that to happen. There's as little of a market for #2 on this list as #1, but that COULD change if he comes back and plays well, which he's capable of.
3. Byfuglien. Most Hawks fans were bewildered by the signing when it happened last year. 3 years, 9 million for a guy who has played 30 games as a forward? Yikes. Though he dominated the Flames and 'Nucks, he was largely inconsistent. I think he's the first guy on this list to have actual trade value, but the Hawks' brass really liked some of the stuff he did in the playoffs. Still, I think his disappearing act and lack of work ethic will wear thin quickly.
4. Cristobal Huet. Another pretty ridiculous signing. Not that he's bad, he's just not a 60 game a year goaltender. Never really will be either, and for 5.6 million against the cap you really want a goaltender to be able to carry the load. Many Hawks fans would have him #1 on this list but he's got the talent to get hot and dominate an NHL playoff, and I think the powers that be see it. Definitely movable, as the Flyers and Senators both showed a lot of interest during this offseason. However, the Hawks wouldn't trade him without a good option behind him as they want to win now.
5. Patrick Sharp. Probably the most palatable guy on the list, and I think most likely candidate. Still in his prime, a great scorer and two-way player. His contract only goes for 2 more years after '09-'10 and he'll be 29 at the end of it. For a top-6 forward it's a pretty good bargain (8.3 million for the last 2 years and 4.0 per year against the cap). I think if they get desperate to re-sign the big three he's the one most easily moved.
6. Brent Seabrook. He's not going anywhere. He's as much of a cornerstone as DK, and they make up probably the most reliable 1-2 in the NHL. He's just not getting moved--but his contract ends in 2010-2011 so I decided to add him to the list.