(Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Chicago Blackhawks awarded a contract extension to Artemi Panarin and continued their familiar story of upcoming salary cap issues. A hometown discount was applied to the two-year bridge deal that will reportedly be around a $6 million cap hit.
“Chicago gave me a chance to play at a very high level,” Panarin said via an interpreter after the Hawks it official. “I like everything about the team and the environment here. You can’t earn all the money in the world.”
Assuming the Blackhawks have some bonus money to pay into next season and the cap only rises a couple million, Chicago is short three forwards two defensemen and a goalie with only another $6 million to spend. All eyes turn to who will stay and who will go.
A wrinkle to this offseason is the Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft. Teams are allowed to protect between nine and 11 players, with the chance of only losing one unprotected player.
The story of too many good players earning too much money is nothing new to the team that plays on West Madison. The issues this offseason will be the number of players with no movement clauses worked into their contract. Chicago has eight players whom they must protect-unless the players waives his right.
Corey Crawford, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnathan Toews are the core that would be protected anyway. Artem Anisimov, Marian Hossa and Brent Seabrook are names the franchise would potentially want to leave exposed.
Clamoring from fans has been for the team to look at trading Seabrook or Crawford to free up room. The team has repeatedly said Crawford is part of their future. An elite goalie with a relatively discounted price – seventh highest in the league – seems to be a good bet to stay.
Seabrook would be hard to move because of his ability to block a trade. Additionally, a team would have to take a cap hit just under $7 million through the 2023-24 season. The albatross contract makes it difficult for any contending team to want that added to their books.
One name not being tossed around is Hossa. The Slovak is signed through the 2020-21 season with an average annual value of $5.275 million. With the contract being highly front loaded, a buyout makes little sense as it would relieve only $666,667 per season.
Could the team convince their forward to remove his no movement clause, thus allowing exposure to the expansion draft or a trade? At 37-years-old, Hossa is starting to show signs he is slowing down.
There are two reasons why-if he allows a trade-Hossa is an attractive piece to other teams. First, for a team needed to reach the floor, the cap hit is high but the cash owed to him is only $1 million per year. Secondly, if he retires, the cash is kept and just a modified cap hit will be applied to the new team.
The Blackhawks dynasty window is closing with the current group in place. Kane and Toews are in their late 20’s and Keith is in his early 30’s. Hockey player hitting that point of their careers tend to slow down.
Chicago will need to add young talent and rebuild a core in the next two to three seasons. Moving a right wing approaching 40-years-old would do wonders to their salary cap issue.
Follow Adam on Twitter @Adam_PHN and you can always reach him at adam.minnick@prohockeynews.com
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