Hawks not worried about cap
CHICAGO, IL (The Spread) – Despite recently signing their two biggest stars, the Blackhawks are confident that they can get the salary cap to fit.
The Blackhawks have had a busy offseason, signing free agent Brad Richards to a one-year, $2 million contract on July 1 and then turning around and paying their superstars massive dollars. On July 9, the team gave Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews matching eight-year, $84 million extensions to ensure that their core remains in tact.
Despite the Hawks’ extensive spending this offseason, Brian Hedger of NHL.com reports that the team isn’t concerned about making the salary cap work. As Hedger notes in his report, the Hawks are over the NHL’s $69 million hard salary cap by $2.2 million according to CapGeek.com.
“Like I said all along, we have some ideas of what we’re going to do,” GM Stan Bowman said. “A lot of things happen once camps open, both for us and for other teams, in terms of players maybe you expect to meet expectations don’t quite do it and certain teams are looking around trying to find players. I always think you’re always in a good position when you have a lot of established players. I think that’s better than the other way around.”
At some point, the Hawks will have to part with defenseman Johnny Odyua, forward Patrick Sharp, defenseman Brent Seabrook or defenseman Michal Rozsival. Forward Bryan Bickell’s name has been mentioned as well. Losing a Sharp, Seabrook or Bickell would hurt, but obviously not anywhere close to not having Toews or Kane’s playmaking ability on the ice.
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetDSI, the Hawks are still favored at 7/1 odds to win the 2015 Stanley Cup. The teams with the next best odds are the Bruins and Kings at 10/1, respectively.
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