Agreed.

When I heard today Dale is now in on Kesler I thought that this could end up being a 3 way deal.

I really hope the Hawks aren't following the Detroit model all the way through to the part where they hang on to players past their prime... Bertuzzi, Franzon....

Sharp is at peak and would be a great leader in FL - probably keep Campbell there too... Time to rotate him out as a piece for cap flex and strength at C.
- tredbrta

Oh but I agree with you and BravePack. I was just tossing out the possibility that Tallon may have a crush on Tervainen. My favorite outcome of any wheeling and dealing is to sign Statsny and move Oduya, Sharp for picks. I want to hold on to Tervainen and the toughness in Shaw and Bickel.

8 years is the Max term. I'm still hoping they come in under $10 each. Something like 8 x $9-9.5
- Ogilthorpe2

Thats right. My bad. Got carried away.

Oh but I agree with you and BravePack. I was just tossing out the possibility that Tallon may have a crush on Tervainen. My favorite outcome of any wheeling and dealing is to sign Statsny and move Oduya, Sharp for picks. I want to hold on to Tervainen and the toughness in Shaw and Bickel.
- jhawk59

Me too, but I'm not holding my breaf.

Just saying that's insane money. If that's the case then Stan really has issues on fitting this under the cap and getting the roster the help it needs.
- z1990z

Stan has issues whether they're at $9-10-11-12 mil. I'd rather have those issues with 2 of the best players in hockey than trying to land the best players. They need to draft well, develop a steady stream of kids who can produce on ELC's, and make smart trade moves and free agent signings to supplement with lower priced players. It's going to be very hard to have the kind of depth it takes to win the Cup but it can be done.

Stan has issues whether they're at $9-10-11-12 mil. I'd rather have those issues with 2 of the best players in hockey than trying to land the best players. They need to draft well, develop a steady stream of kids who can produce on ELC's, and make smart trade moves and free agent signings to supplement with lower priced players. It's going to be very hard to have the kind of depth it takes to win the Cup but it can be done.
- Hemingways

Captain obvious time...

Drafting well is the key. Need to have a steady supply of quality contributors on entry level/bridge type deals to be competitive on a top heavy team. Just no way around it.

Don't have to be superstars, just quality NHL players. Can't afford to draft many more Kyle Beach's.

People comparing the amount of money Toews and Kane might get to Crosby (and Ovie) are forgetting one major factor: length of the contract.

Using Crosby as an example, he is signed at $8.7m for 12 years while Toews and Kane can only sign for 8 years max. To compare fairly, pretending like the rising cap has no impact on how much a player should be paid, you have to take those 4 years at that price and redistribute them along the other 8 years. So that's come to $13.05m for 8 years. So really, if Toews and Kane are asking for $12, they're not comparably being paid more than Crosby based on term. If Toews and Kane could get 12/13 year guarantee, they'd probably be taking around $8-9 too.

And the comparison to Perry and Getzlaf is forgetting that they signed when the cap had been reduced. They had less leverage, even if it was only a year ago. They'd be asking for much more if they're contracts were up a year or two later too.

All that being said, $12m is just a starting point and they'll come down to around $10. And be worth it all.

Not caught up yet, so forgive me if this has been stated already...

Love all the fans of other teams chiming in to tell us how screwed we'll be when Toews and Kane are making $12.0 each.

#theywishtheyhadthis"problem"


If either signs for $12, I'll buy Source 5 DTC T-shirts.
- Ogilthorpe2

He needs them to wear in the box....

All this speculation about Toews and Kane won't get more than Crosby. His cap hit is $8.7 mil, his actual salary is $12 million. His contract was signed before the new CBA and is front loaded like Hossa's.

And, per the new CBA: No player can earn more than $12.86 million.

He needs them to wear in the box....
- mohel

Day-glo orange?



#freeSource

People comparing the amount of money Toews and Kane might get to Crosby (and Ovie) are forgetting one major factor: length of the contract.

Using Crosby as an example, he is signed at $8.7m for 12 years while Toews and Kane can only sign for 8 years max. To compare fairly, pretending like the rising cap has no impact on how much a player should be paid, you have to take those 4 years at that price and redistribute them along the other 8 years. So that's come to $13.05m for 8 years. So really, if Toews and Kane are asking for $12, they're not comparably being paid more than Crosby based on term. If Toews and Kane could get 12/13 year guarantee, they'd probably be taking around $8-9 too.

And the comparison to Perry and Getzlaf is forgetting that they signed when the cap had been reduced. They had less leverage, even if it was only a year ago. They'd be asking for much more if they're contracts were up a year or two later too.

All that being said, $12m is just a starting point and they'll come down to around $10. And be worth it all.
- L_B_R

Rumors say that cap may only rise to 68 or 69 mil, for this year. If that is the case I see toews/kane signing for 8-10 mil/yr (rather than the 10-12 mil/yr. Lower cap may help us

Oh but I agree with you and BravePack. I was just tossing out the possibility that Tallon may have a crush on Tervainen. My favorite outcome of any wheeling and dealing is to sign Statsny and move Oduya, Sharp for picks. I want to hold on to Tervainen and the toughness in Shaw and Bickel.
- jhawk59

Mine is slightly different....Statsny as a UFA, move Leddy and Sharp for another bottom six center (Frans?), and another third line forward or defenseman that fits the mold.

Mine is slightly different....Statsny as a UFA, move Leddy and Sharp for another bottom six center (Frans?), and another third line forward or defenseman that fits the mold.
- mohel

Eller is younger, and bigger...

Captain obvious time...

Drafting well is the key. Need to have a steady supply of quality contributors on entry level/bridge type deals to be competitive on a top heavy team. Just no way around it.

Don't have to be superstars, just quality NHL players. Can't afford to draft many more Kyle Beach's.
- Ogilthorpe2

This.

Almost every first and second round pick needs to work out - either playing for the Hawks or as pieces in deals to fill holes caused by cap casualties.

I just woke up from a 3 hour nap..... still no Kesler ??????

I just woke up from a 3 hour nap..... still no Kesler ??????
- mrpaulish

Give it another 23-24 hours...

Eller is younger, and bigger...
- Ogilthorpe2

The identity of those players in return for 10 and 8 I leave up to those that know more than me. Eller is okay, too.

Rumors say that cap may only rise to 68 or 69 mil, for this year. If that is the case I see toews/kane signing for 8-10 mil/yr (rather than the 10-12 mil/yr. Lower cap may help us
- BearsnHawks

That's possible, but I don't see less than $9m and think closer or over $10m is more realistic.

The identity of those players in return for 10 and 8 I leave up to those that know more than me. Eller is okay, too.
- mohel

Sage?

That's possible, but I don't see less than $9m and think closer or over $10m is more realistic.
- L_B_R

FWIW, On NHL Network radio about 2 hours ago they were projecting it to be between $70 and $71.

#freeSource

Sage?
- Ogilthorpe2

Above my pay grade.

Nester?

Yeeeeeahhhh.....no.


You're not getting Thornton.

You can have Niemi back, though...

Above my pay grade.

Nester?
- StLBravesFan

We could ask US - if he were a free man.

I apologize if it has already been stated(I didn't read every page)
Does anyone think that they would be getting some heat from the union?
These two players are not only setting their future contract. They are also setting the bar for every free agent out there, Along with the one's coming eligible.
Batman and robin take cap friendly deals for their team they will affect every contract after them at least for a few years.
Not saying it is happening, But they are trend setters

Two Canadians picked in the top 8 of the NBA Draft - and the last two #1s are Canadians.

They know where the real money is.

Yeeeeeahhhh.....no.


You're not getting Thornton.

You can have Niemi back, though...
- Team_Teal

No worries, I wouldn't want that loser even if the Sharts retained half of his salary. You can keep Niemi too. What else you got?