What now Chicago?

[Qwikflipz]

Congarats on snapping a LONG skid.. but what now? Can Chicago be back here next year? With the cap issue.. I don't think they can, they need to do a lot of work to be back here again, but can they?

[geschrocks33]

I think they might be able. Niemi gained a lot of experience he needs to succeed in the NHL, the Hawks have 2 of the best young players in the game in Kane and Toews, and in my opinion the best Defense pairing in the NHL in Keith and Seabrook.

[cnshockey]

IMO people give too much credit to Niemi. Yes he won a cup and he deserves praise but I don't think he's NEARLY as good as some people hype him up to be.

[Qwikflipz]

I'd like to know how they resign him. That is my question. They were set for a Cup this year only.

[Qwikflipz]

Looks like Chicago is 3 MIL over WITH the 2 MIL increase (is that for sure). That is only with 14 players. They still need to resign Niemi. He will want a good chunk of change. 3 MIL maybe.

[gretzky99]

cap increase is not official yet. as i posted in another thread, chicago will lose multiple players - probably 4-5 of Sharp, Versteeg, Buff, Ladd, Madden, Eager, Burrish, Bolland and Sopel.

my guess is that they keep Buff and possibly Sharp but everything else is a crap shoot. i think they keep their top two lines together and top 4 d-men and Niemi and everything else will be different...

hossa-toews-kane
sharp-bolland-buff
kopecky-brower

keith-seabrook
campbell-hjalmarsson
hendry

everyone else could be gone.

[zunato]

As I have said many times, everything depends on what they do with Huet. Either waive him and free up $3.7 mil ($1.875 cap hit for 4 years) or bury him in the minors and get his whole salary off the books. Trading him is going to be tough. They would probably have to include draft picks or prospects and have to pick up some salary in return.

Huet is the whole key to this. Then they only need to deal either Sharp, Bolland or Versteeg after that.

We will probably see a couple of new young guys (Beach,Aliu, Bickell?) in the lineup next year no matter what. The Hawks had no one play for them this year that hadn't played in the NHL before.

I think it's funny how so many people think that Hawks will have a "firesale" on their players. There are other team out there that are going to have some cap trouble also, not as bad as the Hawks but still be in trouble. LOL

[zunato]

IMO people give too much credit to Niemi. Yes he won a cup and he deserves praise but I don't think he's NEARLY as good as some people hype him up to be.

You haven't seen him play all season like I have. I think he will have another good season next year as the clear #1. He is the real deal. Does he play like Roy orBroduer? Right now, No. But who knows in the future.

[geschrocks33]

I highly doubt Chicago will let Bolland or Versteeg go, those 2 really played amazing, and are insanely good on the PK from the games I watched

[Drifter2000]

Well now that Toews' cap hit is 1.3 million dollars higher (bonus for winning the Conn Smythe) the Blackhawks are in a bit tighter. Sopel, Campbell, and Huet are the top offenders; although Sopel played very well for them during the stretch drive to the Cup. Big issue is that they have something like $57 million tied up into 14 players. Something is gonna have to give.

Firstly, send Huet to Europe. The Hawks will still have to pick up his tab, but it won't count against the cap. Basically what Washinton did with Mike Nylander. That clears the space to resign Niemi. You still have Campbell's $7 million hit (ouch) and frankly I doubt he's moveable.

Madden, Sharp, Versteeg, and Bufuglien...at least one of these guys is gone.

The bright spot here is that the Hawks' core is essentially locked in: Toews, Kane, Hossa, Keith, and Seabrook. They need to decide if Niemi is really part of that core, and lock him in. From there they have to build around their core with whatever parts they have (Skille, etc, etc) or can aqcuire.

That core is strong; now they just need to keep rotating and building around it as best they can; like Detroit and Pittsburgh do.