OK, playing around with CapGeek I got to this roster with $1.7 mil available:

FORWARDS
Brandon Saad ($0.894m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Bryan Bickell ($3.000m) / Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Ben Smith ($0.563m) / Andrew Shaw ($0.578m) / Michael Frolik ($2.333m)
Brandon Bollig ($0.575m) / Marcus Kruger ($1.500m) / Jimmy Hayes ($0.875m)
Drew Leblanc ($0.650m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook ($5.800m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m)
Niklas Hjalmarsson ($3.500m) / Nick Leddy ($3.000m)
Johnny Oduya ($3.383m) / Ryan Stanton ($0.650m)
Sheldon Brookbank ($1.250m)
GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.667m)
Ray Emery ($1.150m) (just figured his current salary)
OTHER
Buyout: Rostislav Olesz ($0.292m)
Compliance Buyout: Montador
Traded: Bolland
Demoted: Carcillo (could just swap him with Jimmy Hayes, similar salary but Carcillo looks done to me, no leg strength), and Clendening
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CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $62,823,128; BONUSES: $270,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $1,746,872

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Can't see how they re-sign Rozy or Handzus without moving some other higher salaried player, perhaps this off-season would be a good time to trade Frolik, he could bring back something valuable, although he has high value to us right now.
- Hemingways

The Hawks should have zero interest in resigning Handzus.
He is simply a band aid.
On the Blackhawks with @AlCimaglia: @NHLBlackhawks down Kings 2-1 with best effort of the playoffs http://bit.ly/1495zhO

Joey the Jr reporter returns with a playoff beard edition:

http://sports.yahoo.com/b...off-beards-141449047.html

Heard lots of chatter that Patrick Roy will be taking a long hard at McKinnon since he saw Nate do a lot of damage against Roy's team in junior. Seth Jones is no LOCK at 1.
- philco28

Yeah I figured once he was hired about the qmjhl angle. And he would know firsthand how good nathan is. I think mackinnon fits perfectly with the hawks. If mackinnon is picked 1st do we still try so hard for that #2 pick and either drouin or jones? Jones would check a lot of our boxes, too

The Hawks should have zero interest in resigning Handzus.
He is simply a band aid.
On the Blackhawks with @AlCimaglia: @NHLBlackhawks down Kings 2-1 with best effort of the playoffs http://bit.ly/1495zhO
- Al

Yes, but that $2.5 mil in cap room can't really be used to bring in another forward without making some more moves.

So the most likely candidates to be moved, IMO, are Montador, Olesz, Bolland, Oduya, Carcillo....???

It will be interesting for sure. Let's hope they win it all this year and we're not left looking at another stripped down team next year. If we have no other real choice than to buyout Hossa in 1 year to avoid the penalties that come with a regular buyout years from now or his eventual retirement, it would be nice to be serious contenders next year.

Yeah I figured once he was hired about the qmjhl angle. And he would know firsthand how good nathan is. I think mackinnon fits perfectly with the hawks. If mackinnon is picked 1st do we still try so hard for that #2 pick and either drouin or jones? Jones would check a lot of our boxes, too
- tomcat24

Is TT really that good that DT would trade the 2 to get a Euro over some of the N/A studs available, when drafting top North Americans seemed to be Tallon's calling card.

Yes, but that $2.5 mil in cap room can't really be used to bring in another forward without making some more moves.

So the most likely candidates to be moved, IMO, are Montador, Olesz, Bolland, Oduya, Carcillo....???

It will be interesting for sure. Let's hope they win it all this year and we're not left looking at another stripped down team next year. If we have no other real choice than to buyout Hossa in 1 year to avoid the penalties that come with a regular buyout years from now or his eventual retirement, it would be nice to be serious contenders next year.
- Hemingways

You are forgetting a big point...Bowman didn't pay Handzus $2.5 mill and would never do so...

Moving Oduya can save cap space, maybe Bolland...the others not really.

...There will be some young players brought up and a trade or two which will offset Leddy and maybe Bickell.

On the Blackhawks with @AlCimaglia: @NHLBlackhawks down Kings 2-1 with best effort of the playoffs http://bit.ly/1495zhO

You guys need to look at what Stan did after the cup. He will trade away some complimentary players and fill in with young guys. I think the core is set, prospects they have will be up and playing. Saad will need to improve along with guys like Leddy, Bickell, and Krugman. Then they will fill in with veterans for one year deals with whatever they have left.

Interesting...

Pully as interim GM drafted Bicks and Bolland in '04
Tallon took over as GM on June 21, 2005 and in his first draft he took
the brilliant Skille and the equally brilliant Mike Blunden and some dude named Hammer.

In '06, the only guy to make the show was a SLAM DUNK named Toews. The other 8 Hawk picks that year never amounted to SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIT.

In '07, Kane was another SLAM DUNK..and Bill Sweatt and Aliu were 2 busts, along with 4 other bums that never made it.

'08 was the year of Kyle Beach, who 5 years later has yet to play an NHL game. Lalonde and Ben Smith are the only other 2 of 7 taken that year to have dressed for us in a game.

The '09 draft was DT's last with us. Olsen, Pirri and the hidden gem Kruger were the notables that year.

43 players drafted during DT's reign and other than Slam Dunks named Toews and Kane...Kruger and Hammer were the two best finds during that time and they were both lower round Euros

Interesting...

Pully as interim GM drafted Bicks and Bolland in '04
Tallon took over as GM on June 21, 2005 and in his first draft he took
the brilliant Skille and the equally brilliant Mike Blunden and some dude named Hammer.

In '06, the only guy to make the show was a SLAM DUNK named Toews. The other 8 Hawk picks that year never amounted to SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIT.

In '07, Kane was another SLAM DUNK..and Bill Sweatt and Aliu were 2 busts, along with 4 other bums that never made it.

'08 was the year of Kyle Beach, who 5 years later has yet to play an NHL game. Lalonde and Ben Smith are the only other 2 of 7 taken that year to have dressed for us in a game.

The '09 draft was DT's last with us. Olsen, Pirri and the hidden gem Kruger were the notables that year.

43 players drafted during DT's reign and other than Slam Dunks named Toews and Kane...Kruger and Hammer were the two best finds during that time and they were both lower round Euros

- philco28

Don't say that here people think DT was a genius..... lol
He did rip a few off in trades though. Sharp and Versteeg were a complete fleecing.

Don't say that here people think DT was a genius..... lol
He did rip a few off in trades though. Sharp and Versteeg were a complete fleecing.
- droe411

Yes, certainly DRAFTING is one aspect of what GM's do. I was surprised though...that looking further into the draft data, finding North American talent was hardly DT's strong suit, when i might have believed otherwise.

Interesting...

Pully as interim GM drafted Bicks and Bolland in '04
Tallon took over as GM on June 21, 2005 and in his first draft he took
the brilliant Skille and the equally brilliant Mike Blunden and some dude named Hammer.

In '06, the only guy to make the show was a SLAM DUNK named Toews. The other 8 Hawk picks that year never amounted to SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIT.

In '07, Kane was another SLAM DUNK..and Bill Sweatt and Aliu were 2 busts, along with 4 other bums that never made it.

'08 was the year of Kyle Beach, who 5 years later has yet to play an NHL game. Lalonde and Ben Smith are the only other 2 of 7 taken that year to have dressed for us in a game.

The '09 draft was DT's last with us. Olsen, Pirri and the hidden gem Kruger were the notables that year.

43 players drafted during DT's reign and other than Slam Dunks named Toews and Kane...Kruger and Hammer were the two best finds during that time and they were both lower round Euros

- philco28

Good stuff, Phil. It is interesting that many still long for the days of Dale Tallon. With that record, why do you think that is the case?

Don't say that here people think DT was a genius..... lol
He did rip a few off in trades though. Sharp and Versteeg were a complete fleecing.
- droe411

Not to mention Ladd.

Not to mention Ladd.
- NewToHockey

Yes sir, another nice trade.

Good stuff, Phil. It is interesting that many still long for the days of Dale Tallon. With that record, why do you think that is the case?
- mohel

Mo, a lot of us grew up listening to DT do the color commentary and speaking for myself...i like the guy. He's a man's man and was a fixture with the org for many, many years. He's family and many have a deeper connection with him.

Plus, i'm sure some fans feel Tallon was ousted in a sinister coup d'etat with the botched contract paperwork fiasco being used as the perfect excuse to install Scotty's kid...who i thought was in charge of all that shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhit.

Missed game 1 to go camping and come home and the cable is out. Off to a bar for game 2, talk to all y'all after the game.

Don't say that here people think DT was a genius..... lol
He did rip a few off in trades though. Sharp and Versteeg were a complete fleecing.
- droe411

Nice info! I know everyone calls that DT's championship not Stanbo's. Mayne now we should call it Pully' too.

Not to mention Ladd.
- NewToHockey

Nice info! I know everyone calls that DT's championship not Stanbo's. Mayne now we should call it Pully' too.
- droe411

And Mike Smith...he drafted 2, 7 and 50.

You guys need to look at what Stan did after the cup. He will trade away some complimentary players and fill in with young guys. I think the core is set, prospects they have will be up and playing. Saad will need to improve along with guys like Leddy, Bickell, and Krugman. Then they will fill in with veterans for one year deals with whatever they have left.
- droe411

While the sell-off this summer won't be as bad as in the summer of 2010, I think we can safely say:

Next year's team will probably not be noticeably better (if better at all) than this year's team.

No dramatic FA signings to fill open holes (2C, power forward, more size and grit).

We will be relying more than anything on continuing improvement from Saad, Kruger, Shaw, Leddy - even Bickell, Crawford.

Morin, Piri, Smith will be counted on to become contributers.

While the sell-off this summer won't be as bad as in the summer of 2010, I think we can safely say:

Next year's team will probably not be noticeably better (if better at all) than this year's team.

No dramatic FA signings to fill open holes (2C, power forward, more size and grit).

We will be relying more than anything on continuing improvement from Saad, Kruger, Shaw, Leddy - even Bickell, Crawford.

Morin, Piri, Smith will be counted on to become contributers.
- StLBravesFan

PHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUCK THE CAP

While the sell-off this summer won't be as bad as in the summer of 2010, I think we can safely say:

Next year's team will probably not be noticeably better (if better at all) than this year's team.

No dramatic FA signings to fill open holes (2C, power forward, more size and grit).

We will be relying more than anything on continuing improvement from Saad, Kruger, Shaw, Leddy - even Bickell, Crawford.

Morin, Piri, Smith will be counted on to become contributers.
- StLBravesFan

You see roster spots for Pirri and Morin next year? I don't.

Good stuff, Phil. It is interesting that many still long for the days of Dale Tallon. With that record, why do you think that is the case?
- mohel

Because he's not Bowman/McD - not that that's a bad thing by itself, but it's not enough.

Mo, a lot of us grew up listening to DT do the color commentary and speaking for myself...i like the guy. He's a man's man and was a fixture with the org for many, many years. He's family and many have a deeper connection with him.

Plus, i'm sure some fans feel Tallon was ousted in a sinister coup d'etat with the botched contract paperwork fiasco being used as the perfect excuse to install Scotty's kid...who i thought was in charge of all that shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhit.

- philco28

I agree - I like DT, too. Other posts point to some good trades. Interesting, though, that several GM's had a share of building this team.

While the sell-off this summer won't be as bad as in the summer of 2010, I think we can safely say:

Next year's team will probably not be noticeably better (if better at all) than this year's team.

No dramatic FA signings to fill open holes (2C, power forward, more size and grit).

We will be relying more than anything on continuing improvement from Saad, Kruger, Shaw, Leddy - even Bickell, Crawford.

Morin, Piri, Smith will be counted on to become contributers.
- StLBravesFan

We can also look to Bollig and Smith having one way deals as to who will be up here. It will not be as drastic because Stalberg is no Ladd Buff or even Versteeg. They will 100% count on improvements from the younger guys. The difference from last years 6 seed to this years 1was not made in free agency.

You see roster spots for Pirri and Morin next year? I don't.
- NewToHockey

If they have to fill out a roster.