Tyler Cameron: The Curious Case of Brendan Perlini
As the Hawks news calmed down a bit, as did my writing.

I took a little break as we truly are in the dog days of summer with very little going on in Blackhawks-land other than the Kirby Dach tour continuing in the WJSS.

There is one outstanding item on Stan’s list however – Brendan Perlini. Let's look at why he isn't signed.

First.....And Good Morning Hawks Fans!!

Edit...I think 1.25 would be reasonable for Perlini. I just don't know how Stan can make it work. Pelini has all the tools to be an effective player has Size and Speed.I think his problems are between his ears if only he can be more consistent no reason to give up on this young man unless he craps the bed this season or it gets ugly with his contract discussions.

League minimum - take it or leave it.

Ty... thanks for a new blog on a holiday Monday. How is cottage country treating you?


I’d be fine with a 1 or 2 year deal for an AAV between $1 - $1.5 million. There are still some question marks surrounding Perlini, but I think he’s worth the risk.

The most likely outcome, Stan waits until close to training camp and signs Perlini for a 1 year deal for $1 million or close to it. I think having guys like Panik and Duclair on the team give Stan reason to be cautious.

Split the difference at $1.25 on a 1-year. Let him go out this year and earn a longer contract. Showed some chemistry with Strome & ADB, I'd like to see that line kept intact along with the Caggulia/Toews/Kane line. Allows Saad, Shaw, Carpenter and Smith to shore up the bottom 6.

3 assists in 46 games? Impressive.

I know he is still young, but I'm just not sure he fits into what they are trying to make this team. They've brought in a bunch of guys who are solid defensively and aggressive. That's about as polar opposite from Perlini (right now) as you can get. I know you need offense, but they have plenty of guys that can put up points. I personally don't see him as a top six, so he would have to be a better 200' player.

Who knows. My guess is they get him into camp and move him when someone needs a cheap replacement player for an injury.

IMO - signing Perlini for $1.5X2 would be a good deal.

Three surprises this summer seems to have brought the Hawks back into cap Hell:

The cap only increased by $1.5MM, not the expected $3MM.

deHaan became available at $4.5MM.

Lehner became available at $5MM.

So now - according to Capfriendly - with 10+8+2=20 in the Show - they have a cap hit of $78.1

Moves:
Move Koekkoek out, saves $.9
Bring up Kubelik ($.9) and two of Sikura / Nylander / Dach costs $1.8

That gets them to 13+7+2=22 at $79.9 - leaving only $1.1 for Perlini.

They could go with a 22 man roster, letting them sign Perlini for the $1.5 he wants, or somehow juggle the roster to save another $100,000 or so and get Perlini $1.25 and staff a 23 person roster.

Look at the numbers guy show off....

Morning, Sage.

I don't find it very curious...just the new way business gets done, no matter if you are talking younger star or potential good player.

The owners will push for at least a four year rookie salary Cap, because the second year guys w/o arbitration rights (and we all know a player taking his salary cap to the independent arbiter is destined for a new NHL home with 11 months of the decision in his favor) are ALREADY in the new Nylander (Tor) norm - you simply wait wait wait with the number you expect locked, and eventually y management will cave.

All the players still not signed are playing nice when interviewed, "My agent is handling it...nautral progression, blah blah", because they want to stay but they all want to be paid.

Marner is the guy they are all waiting for, and sure Perlini isn't tied directly to the crazy deal Marner deserves, he is looking to get money despite what any fan thinks he is worth.

Do we know if there is an agreement that is there, that won't be finalized until the Hawks wait to see what other NHL teams might be willing to subtract by way of trade, and add guy subtract another Hawks and THEN sign Perlini.

There is a smart strategy to have at least a few extra horses in Rockford to call upon for depth before the 2021 part of hockey is done....

Bowman was proactive and despite not making his team a shoe-in...he made changes, but a lot hinges upon a Nashville, Jets, Stars or even Blues fail.

The hawks are open for business to improve on a future team, b/c they did all they could to improve the Kane Toews Keith era's chances this summer, now it will be all about rebuilding parts.

Split the difference at $1.25 on a 1-year. Let him go out this year and earn a longer contract. Showed some chemistry with Strome & ADB, I'd like to see that line kept intact along with the Caggulia/Toews/Kane line. Allows Saad, Shaw, Carpenter and Smith to shore up the bottom 6.
- ChiTownHawkFan

I think his agent feels $1.5 is splitting the difference between 1-2.

Find it interesting that the highlight reel are of his days with the Yotes.

Bowman may not be finished. He could sign Perlini. He could sign/trade him as part of a package. Or after he signs Perlini they trade another excess forward and defender in a package for a picks/prospect and a little cap space.

Let's say they sign Perlini at $1.25 mil. That leaves them with about $2 mil in cap space. I don't know if there is any interest in Zach Smith, but if they move him and Dahlstrom/Koekkoek for a prospect or pick Stan would have about $4 mil more in cap space (total about $6mil). $6 mil in cap space for in season moves might put Stan in a good position.
- -Doh-

Smith is the guy that needs to go. Thing is, I'm sure Stan could have traded Anisimov for nothing if he wanted to, he must have liked Smith for a role player.

IMO - signing Perlini for $1.5X2 would be a good deal.

Three surprises this summer seems to have brought the Hawks back into cap Hell:

The cap only increased by $1.5MM, not the expected $3MM.

deHaan became available at $4.5MM.

Lehner became available at $5MM.

So now - according to Capfriendly - with 10+8+2=20 in the Show - they have a cap hit of $78.1

Moves:
Move Koekkoek out, saves $.9
Bring up Kubelik ($.9) and two of Sikura / Nylander / Dach costs $1.8

That gets them to 13+7+2=22 at $79.9 - leaving only $1.1 for Perlini.

They could go with a 22 man roster, letting them sign Perlini for the $1.5 he wants, or somehow juggle the roster to save another $100,000 or so and get Perlini $1.25 and staff a 23 person roster.
- StLBravesFan

I agree with your first line (not that I disagree with the rest). I said in the last blog that I would be fine with 1.5 for Perlini, but only for 2 years.
You laid out the numbers for this season, but signing him for 2 years helps with next season too. Next years, they have 13 players signed at 61.9M. They need to sign ADB, Strome and 2 goalies. That will probably eat up most of the cap space, and we would only have 17 players under contract. If Perlini signs a 1 year deal, and plays well, it would hasten our descent into cap hell.

Find it interesting that the highlight reel are of his days with the Yotes.
- Beaver-Warrior

I don't think any of those highlights were last year either?

I agree with your first line (not that I disagree with the rest). I said in the last blog that I would be fine with 1.5 for Perlini, but only for 2 years.
You laid out the numbers for this season, but signing him for 2 years helps with next season too. Next years, they have 13 players signed at 61.9M. They need to sign ADB, Strome and 2 goalies. That will probably eat up most of the cap space, and we would only have 17 players under contract. If Perlini signs a 1 year deal, and plays well, it would hasten our descent into cap hell.
- tvetter

I don't think a one year deal makes sense, means he's probably finished with Chicago so what you are hoping for is one good cheap year. This is not the guy to do that with do it with an old guy.

IMO - signing Perlini for $1.5X2 would be a good deal.

Three surprises this summer seems to have brought the Hawks back into cap Hell:

The cap only increased by $1.5MM, not the expected $3MM.

deHaan became available at $4.5MM.

Lehner became available at $5MM.

So now - according to Capfriendly - with 10+8+2=20 in the Show - they have a cap hit of $78.1

Moves:
Move Koekkoek out, saves $.9
Bring up Kubelik ($.9) and two of Sikura / Nylander / Dach costs $1.8

That gets them to 13+7+2=22 at $79.9 - leaving only $1.1 for Perlini.

They could go with a 22 man roster, letting them sign Perlini for the $1.5 he wants, or somehow juggle the roster to save another $100,000 or so and get Perlini $1.25 and staff a 23 person roster.
- StLBravesFan

I don’t think the Hawks are in cap hell. The cap situation may be tight, but it’s just for one year. The Hawks can easily ice a 22 man roster with Perlini in the fold.

The limited cap ceiling increase hurt the Hawks and almost every other team.

I like the de Haan and Maatta acquisitions, the defense needed massive improvements and Stan did that. 3 years is long enough to let the current crop of D prospects develop without being rushed.

Nice blog TC, I hope you're relaxing & enjoying the cottage.

I won't lose any sleep if he doesn't sign. 1 good week doesn't necessitate a "big" bump in his contract imho. What about the rest when he was scratched or a ghost on skates? From what I see with my amateur eyes, he doesn't strike me as a player who will do more because he got more money or will work his ass off because of competition. I think he's more of a lost in the crowd type of player.

I'm honestly only mad about Arty for Smith. Ogi got ripped for it by some posters, but it's a valid complaint. I was mad when it happened & I still am.

Stan has overpaid for far worse. Perlini at $1 - 1.5 mil is a low risk potentially high reward deal. Stan is just up against the cap at the moment, making this drag out far longer than it should.

Sign after camp to see if the competition has put the fire needed to compete on every shift of every game he plays. If he could bring those streaks to half of the games this year we would be a shoe in for playoffs

Stan has overpaid for far worse. Perlini at $1 - 1.5 mil is a low risk potentially high reward deal. Stan is just up against the cap at the moment, making this drag out far longer than it should.
- StutzBlackhawk

Yup, paying for past mistakes.

Look at the numbers guy show off....

Morning, Sage.
- mohel

And how are you doing this fine week-beginning day?

Look at the numbers guy show off....

Morning, Sage.
- mohel

Debit the wall, credit the window....

I don’t think the Hawks are in cap hell. The cap situation may be tight, but it’s just for one year. The Hawks can easily ice a 22 man roster with Perlini in the fold.

The limited cap ceiling increase hurt the Hawks and almost every other team.

I like the de Haan and Maatta acquisitions, the defense needed massive improvements and Stan did that. 3 years is long enough to let the current crop of D prospects develop without being rushed.
- DarthKane

It's cap hell, when you've missed the playoffs two straight years, you're considering a 22 man roster this year and most of the rest of the league doubts you will make the playoffs again. Let's hope they're wrong!

I think it's a fair amount to bring him back for another year. He may not have had a great year last year, but let's give him some time to adjust to being traded and find his footing with the team. Sometimes it takes guys a little longer. Strome had the benefit of having his best friend Dcat on the team to help him adjust to things and I'm sure that made in difference in his play. I'm not saying that once he feels comfortable that's magically gonna put it all together and be a Top 6 winger, but he may be able to find some consistency in his game that makes him an effective middle six player.

Interesting thought that came to mind...I'm not saying he's the same type of player or close to it right now or anything like that BUT perhaps part of the reason that Stan wants to keep him around is he is hoping that he could possible be a replacement for Brandon Saad if the Hawks are unable to resign him after his contract is up next year. Food for thought