Blackhawks may need to make a move
Ben Pope: With Marc-Andre Fleury and his $7 million cap hit saying yes to the Chicago Blackhawks, GM Stan Bowman may need to get creative to create room to fit in new contracts for Brandon Hagel and Alex Nylander.
They could look trade defenseman Calvin de Haan, forward Dylan Strome or goaltender Malcolm Subban.
Scott Powers of The Athletic: The Blackhawks shouldn’t have any salary cap concerns next offseason. Andrew Shaw, Fleury and de Haan will be off the books. Seth Jones, Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are all under contract.
They may need to address their goaltending situations next offseason.
After 2022-23 it will get interesting for the Blackhawks as the contracts for Kane, Toews and DeBrincat expire.
Kane is still productive and could look at Alex Ovechkin‘s new five-year, $9.5 million per deal as a comparable. DeBrincat could look for something in the $10 million range.
The Jets may need to move some salary to fit in RFAs
Murat Ates of the Athletic: Although Winnipeg Jets Andrew Copp and Neal Pionk filed for salary arbitration, they are still able to work on long-term deals.
The Jets also need to re-sign RFA Logan Stanley. They have about $10.7 million to sign the three. That number includes having Brian Little and his $5.291 million on the LTIR.
Stanley could come in around $1 million on a one- or two-year deal.
Josh Morrissey‘s $6.25 AAV could be a comparable for Pionk’s camp. Any long-term deal won’t be below $6 million.
Finding Copp’s value is difficult to negotiate and predict. They could go the one-year route but would be better off going long-term. The Jets may be able to stretch their cap number to $4.2 million, but Copp’s camp may be looking for more.
The Jets may need to create some more cap room. Trading defenseman Nathan Beaulieu wouldn’t create enough room. Trading Dylan DeMelo would hurt their defensive group.
