Is Brian Hedger as much of a FO mouthpiece as Myers and Kuc? His tweets about the Bowman teleconference seem a little less deferential to a FO-imposed narrative than the others.

not sure if anyone posted this already:

http://www.chicagotribune...eturn-20160622-story.html

Thanks! It's nice to see the breakdown. Doesn't appear like we'll be able to weasel out of this unscathed
- hawks1921

Probably not without a compliance buyout.

At the very least, the Blackhawks probably can't trade him so that they are able to put him on LTIR as opposed to straight retirement. It may be too much to ask another team to do that for them.

That doesn't mean that they won't risk it, though. There are few people who can play until 42, but Marian Hossa is probably one of them. He just may not be motivated by $1m/year in actual salary.

Are the Hawks/Flames still talking? Shaw, Kruger, CC???? One would think it involves CC. Flames need a goalie. We need cap space.

Probably not without a compliance buyout.

At the very least, the Blackhawks probably can't trade him so that they are able to put him on LTIR as opposed to straight retirement. It may be too much to ask another team to do that for them.

That doesn't mean that they won't risk it, though. There are few people who can play until 42, but Marian Hossa is probably one of them. He just may not be motivated by $1m/year in actual salary.
- tgentry1084

So none of this applies if they buy him out?

Nicky Santoro will be director of player development.
- blackhawk24

Ace Rothstein capologist???

So none of this applies if they buy him out?
- hawks1921

Give me a few minutes, I'll calculate the buyout numbers.

Hossa's recapture penalty goes down each year that the Blackhawks pay him less salary than his cap hit (starting this upcoming season). If he is traded, the net benefit that they have received on his contract over the past 7 years is tolled (something like $18.375m at the moment). If he retires before the end of his deal, the Blackhawks would have a cap hit of that net benefit divided by the number of years remaining. This means that if the Blackhawks trade Hossa now, and he retires in summer 2020, the Blackhawks would have a Marian Hossa cap hit of $18.375m for the 2020-21 season. I can create a full chart, if anyone needs it, or respond to hypothetical trade/retire scenarios because I've done the research on this specific rule.

That is why he is near untradeable. The Blackhawks need the cap recapture penalty to continue to decrease to their benefit.
- tgentry1084

This is actually really interesting. When I ran the numbers on this for myself a few months ago, I noticed that it might actually to the Hawks' benefit if Hossa retires this summer -- his "cap hit" for the recapture would be $3.675m through 2020-21. Next year, it goes up to $4.275m per year and stays there. That's a $600k difference per year. Doesn't seem like much, but every dollar counts.

Truthfully, though, Hossa's probably worth more than what you'd save if he retired.

What I didn't consider is what you point out here. If the Hawks trade him, they won't be able to "pay off" the accrued cap advantage. Great if he doesn't retire before the end of his deal. But if he does... wow.

What the hell do Cub fans know? For 109 years they have spent their hard earned money on an inferior product and seem fine with it. It's like given the option of spending $10,000 on a beat up old Chevy or $10,000 on a brand new BMW...Cub fans will choose the inferior Chevy. Hope they have the best regular season record of all time...then crash and burn in playoffs just like last year. That would hurt. Nats., Giants, Mets and Dodgers all can beat them in best of 7.
- onehundredlevel

Who peed in your Cheerios ?

Ace Rothstein capologist???
- KMFDMLight

He can handicap on the side, probably won't get caught. Just so he doesn't fire any county commish's family members.

Assuming Hossa is not traded by the Blackhawks, the net benefit of his contract is as follows:

2009-10: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$2.625m)
2010-11: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$5.25m)
2011-12: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$7.875m)
2012-13: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$10.5m)
2013-14: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$13.125m)
2014-15: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$15.75m)
2015-16: Salary $7.9m / AAV $5.275m (+$18.375m)
2016-17: Salary $4m / AAV $5.275m (+$17.1m)
2017-18: Salary $1m / AAV $5.275m (+$12.825m)
2018-19: Salary $1m / AAV $5.275m (+$8.55m)
2019-20: Salary $1m / AAV $5.275m (+$4.275m)
2020-21: Salary $1m / AAV $5.275m (0)

Assuming Marian Hossa retires this summer, the Blackhawks would have a cap hit of $3.675m until 2021 ($18.375m / 5 years remaining on contract). If Marian Hossa retires as a Blackhawk in any of the following years: 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020, the Blackhawks would have a cap hit of $4.275m until 2021.

If Marian Hossa is traded, the parenthetical number no longer goes down for the Blackhawks. For example, if he's traded next summer (2017) and retires in 2019, the Blackhawks will receive a new cap hit that next year of $8.55m until 2021 ($17.1m / 2 years remaining on contract).

I'm more than happy to run through any other hypothetical scenarios involving a Marian Hossa trade. =)
- tgentry1084

In your example that 8.55m is for the remainder of the contract. Are you saying that 8.55m will be levied in full for each of the 2020 AND the 2021 year? That part doesn't make sense to me.

I would think the prospect of freeing up 5-6m per year is too enticing and worth the risk to trade 81 if they have reasonable assurance he won't retire. And even if they don't get that assurance, they can't stop him even if they own his rights.

Reid Mitchell ‏@ReidmitchellTO 1h1 hour ago First Niagara Center
First look at the @MapleLeafs table at the @NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo.



Unless it's a mistake I'm very curious to hear what Sweeney got in exchange for giving that #14 to the Rangers

Has anyone heard a deal with NYI and MTL swapping picks?

Reid Mitchell ‏@ReidmitchellTO 1h1 hour ago First Niagara Center
First look at the @MapleLeafs table at the @NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo.

Unless it's a mistake I'm very curious to hear what Sweeney got in exchange for giving that #14 to the Rangers

Has anyone heard a deal with NYI and MTL swapping picks?
- maria_wyeth

They said they are just testing the board and not to read it

They said they are just testing the board and not to read it
- mrpaulish

Ahh, thank you. Saw lots of Bruins fans freaking out

Is Brian Hedger as much of a FO mouthpiece as Myers and Kuc? His tweets about the Bowman teleconference seem a little less deferential to a FO-imposed narrative than the others.

not sure if anyone posted this already:

http://www.chicagotribune...eturn-20160622-story.html
- maria_wyeth

I don't find him that way. As an example: The series of podcasts that he and Powers did after every playoff game was definitely not deferential to the Hawks. They pointed out some very real on-ice, behind the bench, and FO flaws. Some I hadn't really noticed personally, but were dead on looking at the resulting outcome.

What the hell do Cub fans know? For 109 years they have spent their hard earned money on an inferior product and seem fine with it. It's like given the option of spending $10,000 on a beat up old Chevy or $10,000 on a brand new BMW...Cub fans will choose the inferior Chevy. Hope they have the best regular season record of all time...then crash and burn in playoffs just like last year. That would hurt. Nats., Giants, Mets and Dodgers all can beat them in best of 7.
- onehundredlevel

I'd like to read what you know. Do enlighten me with all your knowledge.

Who peed in your Cheerios ?
- Yikes726

Probably James Shields.

Probably James Shields.
- onehundredlevel

As a White Sox fan...this was ... sadly

Probably James Shields.
- onehundredlevel

OK, that answer tells me all I have to know about your previous comment. Thanks.

Johnny Gaudreau would look good in a Hawks sweater.........I know I'm dreaming

In your example that 8.55m is for the remainder of the contract. Are you saying that 8.55m will be levied in full for each of the 2020 AND the 2021 year? That part doesn't make sense to me.

I would think the prospect of freeing up 5-6m per year is too enticing and worth the risk to trade 81 if they have reasonable assurance he won't retire. And even if they don't get that assurance, they can't stop him even if they own his rights.
- busmaster

Imagine, though, under that scenario that the Blackhawks are looking to be competitive in the 2019-20 season and are right up against the salary cap. Marian Hossa could retire on September 30, 2019, and all of a sudden, the Blackhawks have another $8.55m/year added to their salary cap for someone who isn't playing.

While you are correct that they would see the benefit of losing his cap hit of $5.275 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, the prospect of a player entering his 40s and only getting paid $1m/year not retiring seems risky. At the very least, the Blackhawks may want to have more control over his fate.

Under the same situation, if Marian Hossa waits until 2020 to retire, the Blackhawks would have to come up with $17.1m in cap space for the next season for a player that is not playing.

OK, that answer tells me all I have to know about your previous comment. Thanks.
- blackhawk24

Haha, look...I am a White Sox fan. But honestly explain to me one thing...why do Cub fans hold Wrigley Field in such high esteem? And I'm not a fan of the Cell...but I admit that. To me, Wrigley is a dump. No parking, few exits, terrible bathrooms. I would tear it down and rebuild. It's not like you have won 8 World Series in that building and it's tough to tear down. I just don't get it. Can someone explain?

Ugh, sorta. Meds, using foam roller, getting some rest. Same thing every few months now, looking like might need surgery at some point. Thank you.
- John Jaeckel

Feel better, man.

He can handicap on the side, probably won't get caught. Just so he doesn't fire any county commish's family members.
- blackhawk24

His TV show at the Tangiers would be much more interesting! It'd be TSN Las Vegas!

I don't find him that way. As an example: The series of podcasts that he and Powers did after every playoff game was definitely not deferential to the Hawks. They pointed out some very real on-ice, behind the bench, and FO flaws. Some I hadn't really noticed personally, but were dead on looking at the resulting outcome.
- pdx2ord

Thanks! I noticed that while the rest of them were tweeting about the Bowman teleconference the rest of them were quoting Bowman saying they're having good discussions with Shaw's agent and trying to get something worked out none of them added that he has "no progress to report" on that front except for Hedger

In your example that 8.55m is for the remainder of the contract. Are you saying that 8.55m will be levied in full for each of the 2020 AND the 2021 year? That part doesn't make sense to me.

I would think the prospect of freeing up 5-6m per year is too enticing and worth the risk to trade 81 if they have reasonable assurance he won't retire. And even if they don't get that assurance, they can't stop him even if they own his rights.
- busmaster

To your point above, which I bolded, it's true they can't stop him from retiring even if he remains with the team, but they drastically minimize their damage.