What now Chicago?

[zunato]

my guess is one of sharp or versteeg gets moved and somehow they move sopel. that would free up between $6-$7M. they won't be able to re-sign madden but maybe can keep ladd.

team could look something like this...

hossa-toews-kane $18
versteeg-bolland-buff $9.5
ladd-aliu-kopecky $3.5
eager-fraser-brouwer $3

seabrook-keith $9
campbell-hjalmarsson $8
hendry-richmond/other minor leaguer $1.5

niemi-huet $8

total of $60.5 or so. that's doable and still a very good team. i don't know if they are a clear-cut Cup favorite, but they should be good again and for a few years to come.

I think Eager will not be back also. Will probably see Beach before Aliu. Like I said one way or another Huet is gone and they bring in some cheap experienced goalie (Raycroft,Legace) to back up Niemi. Sopel can go either way, he might stay but then again he might get traded.

[gretzky99]

i was just guessing on who they would bring up as i don't know. they also have crawford in the AHL as well, don't they? i just don't know if it will be that easy to move Huet. he has to agree to play in Europe (i think) and stashing him may not be possible. i don't know how it works but he's be in the league an awful long time. not sure you can just stash a guy down there, can you?

[flemingc04]

I'm sure Chicago will bury Huet's contract by sending him down to the minors. As for Niemi, I read that he loves Chicago and some are thinking he may not be asking for the moon in his next contract. I would think Chicago would try to sign him for 1-2 years at around a maximum of $1.5m per year. Sure he helped them get the Cup, but there has been a trend with rookie goaltenders in their second season over the past couple of years (Price, Mason).

[gretzky99]

yeah, but Price and Mason didn't win Cups. i don't think Niemi will get a ton as he's an RFA unless Chicago wants to lock him up long term. but he's gonna get more than $1.5M/year i would think

as far as rookie goaltenders, Quick was much better his second year. varlamov was pretty good when healthy and so was Rinne. i don't think Mason and Price will effect what Niemi gets.

[lini316]

all i kno is chicago will do whatever it takes to have the chance to keep the cup in chicago buff will be back.......no way theyll let him go we all hope sharp stays but its a toss up if worse comes to worse they have good talent at the ahl level that can step in as next years roll players.....and i agree i think eager will be gone and theyll find a way to get rid of cristobal

[wolf1bh]

not worried at all. they might move sharp, ladd, madden, eager. maybe versteeg. i'd like to keep sharp. but this team has so much depth they are probably a top 4 contender even if they lost all of them. i say 3 cups next 5 years.

[lini316]

wolf-parade today?

[roro17]

The word in Chicago is that Sharp or Buff will be gone

[wolf1bh]

wolf-parade today?

i had to work. uggghh. i know i should have gone. i did take an extra long lunch to watch most of it, but i am going to find a way to get a photo with the cup somewhere this summer for sure! :)

[lini316]

really hope thats not true