first, saad didnt sign a bridge deal.
He signed a long term deal. second, in fairness to saad and his contract demands, i think it was reported that even he was shocked and he and his agent had some miscommunication in terms of his priorities and what he was looking to do. probably need the full story before throwing saad under the bus.
- flyershockey

First of all I would have to really stupid to call Saad's deal a bridge I was being sarcastic THAT he refused a bridge type deal. Crazy high bridge deal = 6 million the highest player on the bluejackets when he and his agent should have come in reasonable iF he really wanted to stay. They choose to play chicken not take a reasonable bridge deal and they lost

What is really silly is to think what was reported about the "shock" was anything but "disappointment" That was the shock...he was gone DONE
(Like Saad didn't know the demands ...he just never expected the hawks to be so quickly done with back & forth of his new deal)
and if you really have an NHL player in contract negotiations so far out of touch with his agent...I don't want a dummy like that on my team...it's your livelihood.
I really don't think reading that new piece /tweet that you seeing the reality of it.

yeah I need to read more.
Wake up and understand your'e not talking to some newbie- as i have been watching hockey 12 years before you had a team, two Boston Bruin castoff goalies, a goon team, and hot roding kill-yourself-goalie.

Now if you were even able to decipher those new stories, it's fairly certain I can read.
They didn't just let me out of the old prison in the Museun district of Philly were you go to get scared on Halloween...

Yep.... The money is a problem. The still unsigned Kruger makes an enticing trade chip. I know he doesnt want to trade Kruger, but schit this is a mess. If its Kruger or Shaw?
- z1990z

In fact, I would venture to guess that any dance partner the Hawks can get for ANYONE they offer up - including Crawford - will come with premiums required either in salary holdback or high quality players/prospects.

No one is going to do Stan any favors building a cup contending roster knowing he has no leverage at all.

CAR has 11.5 in cap space, NJ has 18.8, WIN has 12.5, NSH has 21.2, WSH has 10.9.
Two of them need to add payroll to get to the floor, yet no one is interested??

I think Rosenbloom wrote something saying Dollar Bill fought for a hard cap for years. I guess this is Dollar Bill's legacy to Blackhawk fans... Instead of 3 in 6 that 10 team plus some of the better additions.... Hawks could have been an Oilers style dynasty.

Where is he buried? I feel the need to urinate.
- tredbrta

You want to come with me to Winnetka to Rocky's for the big Cup party in August?

Al, I think Oduya would have fit nicely in the East with Columbus. That team was on the come last year before the injuries decimated them. IMO the Jackets are a better team than Dallas even after adding Sharp.

Lot more depth and much better goaltending in a weaker conference.

Great work on the radio, Al. A pros pro talking hockey as an adult with adults... http://www.tsn.ca/radio/w...go-were-numbered-1.331516
- Mr Ricochet

Thanks and ..
Oduya's agent had a contingency plan but I was surprised he wasn't able to get more money and more years....But I think there is a whole different level of awareness throughout the NHL about getting over extended against the cap.

It's one thing for a 3 time champion GM to have to discard players and not resign others becasue of being tight against the cap...Bowman held Sharp-Bickel-Oduya through last summer while he was aware of what could possibly happen...But he was
green lighted to do so-To keep the band together and try to win another Cup, well mission accomplished but other GM's are on a much shorter leash when it comes to having potential cap consequences.

There wasn't a market for Sharp by himself...and probably not for Bickell either and as it turns out Oduya signs for only $450k more than Daley with the same term.
That shows also what $450K means to the Hawks.

Sharp trade was the lynchpin and Bowman had to react differently as there was only a $1.7 cap space savings on the trade.

Panarin's cap hit will be ~ $3.4MM. Kruger..... $2.5-3MM?

Need to lose about $6MM (Some combo of Bickell/Versteeg/Shaw/Morin.....) to be able to sign them both. Keeping Bickell is not an option when they have only $350K in cap space.

Prospects/roster talent will have to accompany Bickell to reduce or prevent salary holdback.
- Return of the Roar

Panarin's cap hit is a little over $800K. The rest are bonuses that only apply if he meets the bonus criteria and then it can be charged to the 2016/17 cap if there isn't enough cap space to pay for them in 2015/16.

Bottom line is that the Hawks need only $812K of cap space to have Panarin on the opening day roster - not $3.4M.

First of all I would have to really stupid to call Saad's deal a bridge I was being sarcastic THAT he refused a bridge type deal. Crazy high bridge deal = 6 million the highest player on the bluejackets when he and his agent should have come in reasonable iF he really wanted to stay. They choose to play chicken not take a reasonable bridge deal and they lost

What is really silly is to think what was reported about the "shock" was anything but "disappointment" That was the shock...he was gone DONE
(Like Saad didn't know the demands ...he just never expected the hawks to be so quickly done with back & forth of his new deal)
and if you really have an NHL player in contract negotiations so far out of touch with his agent...I don't want a dummy like that on my team...it's your livelihood.
I really don't think reading that new piece /tweet that you seeing the reality of it.

yeah I need to read more.
Wake up and understand your'e not talking to some newbie- as i have been watching hockey 12 years before you had a team, two Boston Bruin castoff goalies, a goon team, and hot roding kill-yourself-goalie.

Now if you were even able to decipher those new stories, it's fairly certain I can read.
They didn't just let me out of the old prison in the Museun district of Philly were you go to get scared on Halloween...
- wiz1901

Don't know who it was, but heard a guy discussing the threat of offer sheets and how younger players were getting big $ on their 2nd NHL contracts.

And then he said 'what's the assurance that Brandon Saad will deliver big enough numbers in Columbus to ever justify that big contract? Go back and take a look at Devon Setoguchi - from big numbers in SJ to start his career and compare to what he is now. There's a possibility that Stan Bowman will come out looking like the smartest guy in the room at the end.'

Panarin's cap hit is a little over $800K. The rest are bonuses that only apply if he meets the bonus criteria and then it can be charged to the 2016/17 cap if there isn't enough cap space to pay for them in 2015/16.

Bottom line is that the Hawks need only $812K of cap space to have Panarin on the opening day roster - not $3.4M.
- EbonyRaptor

There is an aggregate 7.5% of the cap ceiling on performance bonuses. Have you included the bonuses paid to any of the players for Smythe, etc?

First of all I would have to really stupid to call Saad's deal a bridge I was being sarcastic THAT he refused a bridge type deal. Crazy high bridge deal = 6 million the highest player on the bluejackets when he and his agent should have come in reasonable iF he really wanted to stay. They choose to play chicken not take a reasonable bridge deal and they lost

What is really silly is to think what was reported about the "shock" was anything but "disappointment" That was the shock...he was gone DONE
(Like Saad didn't know the demands ...he just never expected the hawks to be so quickly done with back & forth of his new deal)
and if you really have an NHL player in contract negotiations so far out of touch with his agent...I don't want a dummy like that on my team...it's your livelihood.
I really don't think reading that new piece /tweet that you seeing the reality of it.

yeah I need to read more.
Wake up and understand your'e not talking to some newbie- as i have been watching hockey 12 years before you had a team, two Boston Bruin castoff goalies, a goon team, and hot roding kill-yourself-goalie.

Now if you were even able to decipher those new stories, it's fairly certain I can read.
They didn't just let me out of the old prison in the Museun district of Philly were you go to get scared on Halloween...
- wiz1901

Heard the theory floated on NHL Network radio today that the days of the bridge deal, at least for higher end talent, may be over. Supposedly the reason is because GM's are becoming less and less shy about preparing offer sheets. We just never hear about them because the player's current team are nipping it in the bud, so to speak.

Panarin's cap hit will be ~ $3.4MM. Kruger..... $2.5-3MM?

Need to lose about $6MM (Some combo of Bickell/Versteeg/Shaw/Morin.....) to be able to sign them both. Keeping Bickell is not an option when they have only $350K in cap space.

Prospects/roster talent will have to accompany Bickell to reduce or prevent salary holdback.
- Return of the Roar

I'm glad you're optimistic about Panarin meeting all his bonus marks, but until he does they don't effect the cap...

...so don't worry about it.

Heard the theory floated on NHL Network radio today that the days of the bridge deal, at least for higher end talent, may be over. Supposedly the reason is because GM's are becoming less and less shy about preparing offer sheets. We just never hear about them because the player's current team are nipping it in the bud, so to speak.
- Dunconn_Smythe

Really? How many OS were presented so far? GM's are becoming more stupid, that is more like it.

Panarin's cap hit will be ~ $3.4MM. Kruger..... $2.5-3MM?

Need to lose about $6MM (Some combo of Bickell/Versteeg/Shaw/Morin.....) to be able to sign them both. Keeping Bickell is not an option when they have only $350K in cap space.

Prospects/roster talent will have to accompany Bickell to reduce or prevent salary holdback.
- Return of the Roar

I think Panerin's bonuses (if earned) would count toward next year's cap if there isn't enough room against this year's cap.

I think Panerin's bonuses (if earned) would count toward next year's cap if there isn't enough room against this year's cap.
- StLBravesFan

It depends on a lot. Are they schedule A bonuses or schedule B bonuses? In other words, are they league bonuses that do NOT count against the cap, or team bonuses that count against the cap?

I think Panerin's bonuses (if earned) would count toward next year's cap if there isn't enough room against this year's cap.
- StLBravesFan

Correct. Only the base salary and signing bonus count against this years cap.

If he hits all hit bonuses, it's going to be a good problem to have.

There is an aggregate 7.5% of the cap ceiling on performance bonuses. Have you included the bonuses paid to any of the players for Smythe, etc?
- Return of the Roar

Nope. As far as I know the only bonuses that count against the Cap is for players on ELC contracts - but I could be wrong.

Question for the folks smarter than me - Since Bickell's salary for this season and next is 4.5 mil (but only has a cap of 4.0 mil/season), if the Blackhawks were to hold up to 500,000 of his salary, would that count against the cap (even though it currently doesn't)?

Garbage?

So Wiz...you may have mentioned it in prior posts, but who would you like to see the Hawks consider for depth on the third pair?
- ArlingtonRob

Get a physical guy from Calgary...

Question for the folks smarter than me - Since Bickell's salary for this season and next is 4.5 mil (but only has a cap of 4.0 mil/season), if the Blackhawks were to hold up to 500,000 of his salary, would that count against the cap (even though it currently doesn't)?
- powerenforcer

This is a great question. When a club retains salary from trading a player, they agree to take a percentage of the AAV (or cap hit). If the Hawks traded Bickell and kept 12.5% of his contract ($500,000), they would pay $500,000 for both years. The actual salary may change, but the retained salary is based on the cap hit.

Ehrhoff's HERO looks great
- fvineze

So does Bickell's.

This is a great question. When a club retains salary from trading a player, they agree to take a percentage of the AAV (or cap hit). If the Hawks traded Bickell and kept 12.5% of his contract ($500,000), they would pay $500,000 for both years. The actual salary may change, but the retained salary is based on the cap hit.
- Tanuki

Thanks for the info. I was hoping there was a loophole there......

At this stage.....seeing what has, and hasn't transpired....I fully expect to See Crawford dealt. I just don't see how else we will get under the Cap. We took back too much salary on Sharp. Seems Bickel will net us little cap relief....I think Crawford is the only logical move left.
- hawk35

The already are under the cap.

Erhoff for 1-2mil on a 1 year deal to win a Cup would be amazing.....
- SimpleJack

tell you what:

I simply would quit on this one.

Think about where Christian Ehrhoff started
San Jose
and after his best offensive season there (but a minus 12) he was not given a second contract in 2009 and was trade to Vancouver for two no-bodies.
and in Vancouver, he was superior with the group offensively great numbers
and with that second team he fit so well offensively, just not so much defensively.
Two solid terrific seasons of points, and then played with a bum shoulder in the playoffs finals versus Bruins was a top offensive ranking dee-man but like a minus 13 in the playoffs.
They let him leave to Unrestricted free agency.
Then Buffalo,
they buy him out, then Penquins, a one-year, $4 million deal.

I tell you what there is the history, now tell me how he fits in the bottom pairing?

Even if he decides he will play for peanuts?


Don't you want that 3rd pair handle the down low?

Get a physical guy from Calgary...
- wiz1901

Hmmm...specific with a club, but not a name or two. Don't have to get very deep into the Flames roster before I get lost...

There are some rather hefty cap hits except for Schlemko who's a UFA. Do you like some of the non-roster players?

I think a lot of fans see sexy names like "Saad" or "Sharp", and ask themselves "why are we getting lesser players in return?" well, what they dont realize is we've gotten FOUR NHL ready players in return for TWO. Not draft picks that we'll develop 2-3 years from now. Not highly touted prospects that we'll develop 2-3 years from now. But NHL ready players to retool for next season and make another push for the Cup. IMO Panarin replaces Sharp, Dano replaces Saad, Anisimov replaces Richards, Garbutt is another nice addition(might have to replace Shaw/Versteeg). And Daley will replace Oduya. Now by "replace" I'm not saying they will be just as good, but I'm saying that we aren't counting on scrubs or 3rd/4th liners or rookies.

- SimpleJack

You simply said what I couldn't.

The idea was we were all set for a longer term re-set, with Rockford promoted and we were surprised by this abrupt change of direction we all didn't expect.

What if we actually got two quite good players for Brandon Saad and he wilts under the pressure of being the highest paid jacket?

What if Daley's offensive jump ignites more offensive looks?

Hmmm...specific with a club, but not a name or two. Don't have to get very deep into the Flames roster before I get lost...

There are some rather hefty cap hits except for Schlemko who's a UFA. Do you like some of the non-roster players?
- ArlingtonRob

I think Wiz wants Brodie. Hell, I want Brodie too. Can we kidnap Brodie?

Hilariously untrue rumor starting: I heard Burke offered Brodie for Bickell, 2016 first, and the rights to Kruger.

I would do that in a second.

The already are under the cap.
- TTtime

The casual disregard (and disrespect) for Crawford is mind boggling.

The man is paid fairly, perhaps underpaid, considering his resume.

Besides, he is owed 5 years and 30M dollars. How many clubs will take this even if they want him?

IF...IF Crawford were to be moved the Hawks would be left with the following..

Darling
Leighton
Visentin

Q and the Hawks front office will NOT enter next season with this goal tending depth chart...NO & WAY. Nor would any Hawk fan with a functioning brain.

So if a taker for Crawford is out there, the Hawks must get a quality goaler in return. Or, perhaps the Hawks can find a goaler is a seperate trade. Either way the Hawks will be taking salary back so the savings would be unknown, but likely modest at best.

The Hawks currently have just under 7M is cap space tied up in goal tending which shouldn't be a problem and compares well with other clubs.