So basically the 4 teams with Cap space open to take his salary on... New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers....And supposedly Florida and Boston are out.

To be honest my gut said the Islanders to start but I hear that is unlikely.

It would be just like the Flyers to get Sharp back now after they gave him away years ago.
- Al

He likely prefers New York or Boston as they are closest to his new house in Connecticut, but Philly is not that much further.

Boats may be rising, but their rising is a sealed vessel...there's only so much space.

Without the cap rising, another lockout will happen.

How else will the owners fix their own mistakes?
- ArlingtonRob

It will be the players who force the next lockout (I guess that would be a strike) - to lift the cap from the current 50% of HRR or even try to eliminate it.

No matter how much individual players may contract for, Chicago's payroll costs can't go above $71MM (after averaging the individual ups and downs) - cost certainty for Wirtz, even if it costs him a Cup or two.

Not couldn't. Its more shouldn't be moved.
- TTtime

The Bruins didn't miss Johnny Boychuk much. They still managed to finish 9th in the West.

And Boychuk is nowhere near what Seabs is as a player.

It will be the players who force the next lockout (I guess that would be a strike) - to lift the cap from the current 50% of HRR or even try to eliminate it.

No matter how much individual players may contract for, Chicago's payroll costs can't go above $71MM (after averaging the individual ups and downs) - cost certainty for Wirtz, even if it costs him a Cup or two.
- StLBravesFan

You think a strike may be possible?

I question whether a majority of players, many of whom don't make huge dollars, would go for that....they want to work and earn.

I still see another owner induced lockout...the balance of power still leans toward the owners IMO, and they'll fight for a 45/55 revenue split.

The Bruins didn't miss Johnny Boychuk much. They still managed to finish 9th in the West.

And Boychuk is nowhere near what Seabs is as a player.
- RickJ

I presume you meant the East...

I presume you meant the East...
- ArlingtonRob

Would have finished 9th in the west also with their point total. Either way NO playoffs!

The Bruins didn't miss Johnny Boychuk much. They still managed to finish 9th in the West.

And Boychuk is nowhere near what Seabs is as a player.
- RickJ

Agreed. It would be horrible. Especially next season. That's why it is a last resort.

But no one has offered a logical alternative if the Hawks can't move enough dollars in the form of 10/29/23 and perhaps 50 or can't do so without absolutely being robbed.

Or an alternative if Seabs demands 8x9 a la Giordano. At what price do you say goodbye?

I think it'd be neat if for the ALL-STAR game, coaches had to select a team that stayed within 5mil of the cap. Would promote some cap-friendly players, a more realistic game (not 10-14 final score) and would really be just ELITE players who made the squad

Agreed. It would be horrible. Especially next season. That's why it is a last resort.

But no one has offered a logical alternative if the Hawks can't move enough dollars in the form of 10/29/23 and perhaps 50 or can't do so without absolutely being robbed.

Or an alternative if Seabs demands 8x9 a la Giordano. At what price do you say goodbye?
- gmurban

Hawks need to be robbed now for 10,29 & 23 before they are robbed of Krugs and Oduya! If it's later in the summer or early fall the Hawks will be robbed of all of them!

Agreed. It would be horrible. Especially next season. That's why it is a last resort.

But no one has offered a logical alternative if the Hawks can't move enough dollars in the form of 10/29/23 and perhaps 50 or can't do so without absolutely being robbed.

Or an alternative if Seabs demands 8x9 a la Giordano. At what price do you say goodbye?
- gmurban

You say goodbye if he goes over 8.5

Would have finished 9th in the west also with their point total. Either way NO playoffs!
- PaulNewman

Got it...

Agreed. It would be horrible. Especially next season. That's why it is a last resort.

But no one has offered a logical alternative if the Hawks can't move enough dollars in the form of 10/29/23 and perhaps 50 or can't do so without absolutely being robbed.

Or an alternative if Seabs demands 8x9 a la Giordano. At what price do you say goodbye?
- gmurban

8 x $9M is Giordano's sticker price, he probably figures he is as good as PK Subban. Won't get it, but he will automatically be offered what Phaneuf makes at least over 5 years. Good player, not in Seabrook's class.

Bowman may have to decide based on Seabrook's salary demands vs his trade value.

You think a strike may be possible?

I question whether a majority of players, many of whom don't make huge dollars, would go for that....they want to work and earn.

I still see another owner induced lockout...the balance of power still leans toward the owners IMO, and they'll fight for a 45/55 revenue split.
- ArlingtonRob

The cap is doing exactly what the owners want: besides providing payroll cost containment and certainty, it's promoting league parity.

Just this summer in Chicago: Columbus now has a young rising star because of the cap, some team will be getting Sharp because of the cap, maybe even Crawford moving from a juggernaut team to a more needy one.

The owners may try to adjust the percentages, but unless the players do look to play it tough on the other side - or look to dramatically try to add items to HRR (a piece of expansion fees, a piece of capital gains on franchise sales) - I don't see a loss of games.

And just to be clear - I wouldn't support slitting the capital gains with the players.

The Bruins didn't miss Johnny Boychuk much. They still managed to finish 9th in the West.

And Boychuk is nowhere near what Seabs is as a player.
- RickJ

Few are close to what Seabs is as a player. IMO he the best #2 D-man in the league. And better than at least half the #1 Dmen out there.

8 x $9M is Giordano's sticker price, he probably figures he is as good as PK Subban. Won't get it, but he will automatically be offered what Phaneuf makes at least over 5 years. Good player, not in Seabrook's class.

Bowman may have to decide based on Seabrook's salary demands vs his trade value.
- RickJ

He may. Could be wrong but something tells me Seabs is another guy who takes a little less to stay. Unlike Saad he's been making really good money for the last several years.

The cap is doing exactly what the owners want: besides providing payroll cost containment and certainty, it's promoting league parity.

Just this summer in Chicago: Columbus now has a young rising star because of the cap, some team will be getting Sharp because of the cap, maybe even Crawford moving from a juggernaut team to a more needy one.

The owners may try to adjust the percentages, but unless the players do look to play it tough on the other side - or look to dramatically try to add items to HRR (a piece of expansion fees, a piece of capital gains on franchise sales) - I don't see a loss of games.

And just to be clear - I wouldn't support slitting the capital gains with the players.
- StLBravesFan

I hope you're correct. But I can easily see a situation where the owners continue to overpay for talent without a concurrent rise in the cap...that's a recipe for problems, and a repeat of the circumstances that led to the '05 lockout.

Owners will need to adjust the percentages again to maintain cost certainty, and to many players don't make big bucks so a work stoppage will hurt players more.

But who knows...it just seems that the CBA is structured for the cycle to repeat itself.

Few are close to what Seabs is as a player. IMO he the best #2 D-man in the league. And better than at least half the #1 Dmen out there.
- TTtime

Don Cherry got all excited one night and said he was the best Dman in the league.

Not replaceable IMO. Bowman knows that.

Don Cherry got all excited one night and said he was the best Dman in the league.

Not replaceable IMO. Bowman knows that.
- RickJ

I think he proved once again in the playoffs, other than his usual partner, there are few better when the games mean the most.

8 x $9M is Giordano's sticker price, he probably figures he is as good as PK Subban. Won't get it, but he will automatically be offered what Phaneuf makes at least over 5 years. Good player, not in Seabrook's class.

Bowman may have to decide based on Seabrook's salary demands vs his trade value.
- RickJ

Will Giordano's deal be the comp for Seabs? He is obviously their #1.

Script that happened here is tough to duplicate...Great young players who basically all got really good quickly...When all is said and done-There could be 5 maybe even 6 HOF players out of this group....That's Oiler and Islander like in a hard cap era!
- Al

Who are your 5-6?

Toews, Kane, Keith, and Hossa should be locks.

Seabs and Hammer your other 2?

Who are your 5-6?

Toews, Kane, Keith, and Hossa should be locks.

Seabs and Hammer your other 2?
- Dannyboy

I can see Seabs more than Hammer. If CC backstops another Cup win - he should get consideration. How many 3-time Cup winning goalies are not in the HOF?

Don Cherry got all excited one night and said he was the best Dman in the league.

Not replaceable IMO. Bowman knows that.
- RickJ

He probably thinks Seabrook is a good Ontario boy.

Will Giordano's deal be the comp for Seabs? He is obviously their #1.
- tredbrta

If Neon Dion gets 7M a year, Seabrook is worth every bit of that. Guys like Leddy and Petry make 5.5M. They have proven far less in the league than Seabrook.

Few are close to what Seabs is as a player. IMO he the best #2 D-man in the league. And better than at least half the #1 Dmen out there.
- TTtime

Then why was Seabs -3 with only 31 points in the reg season last year

It was his worst year since 20006-2007.

You can justify Saad's departure because he wanted far more than he was worth.
And his departure for one of the two key players that StanBo would look bad to the fan base. The fact he got two possible long term regulars plays well to your sell out crowd and with a bit of "not overpaying Saad" splashed on will win more Blackhawk fans over than lose them even if there will be many who think that the best upside player and youthful fan favorite is departing.
BUT...
not many Blackhawk fans believe the team is ruined long term by Saad's departure, because they KNEW where he fit, and might have liked to hope Saad would ascend to the likes of the true impact forwards in the line-up, but no one believed he was a impact forward.

Blackhawk fans won't stand for a Seabrook departure at this time, mostly because they know that the quality of defenders after the top four dropped significantly, and they know there are simply no replacements to even quickly grow into the Seabrooks role.

Sure, you can call ArtemII a big centre we lacked and tell yourself Marko Dano has as much upside as Saad...but 99% of the folks filling the arena know they can't swallow Darnell Nurse or Justin Schultz, or Andrew Ference or Oscar Klefbom are replacements that still have you contending each post season.