On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Scott Powers of the Athletic: Looking at some offseason priorities for the Blackhawks.
- Figure out what to do with Bryan Bickell – His contract was the main reason Brandon Saad was dealt last year and it may play a role in if they can retain Andrew Shaw. GM Stan Bowman may have to include a pick or prospect in any trade. A buyout would reduce his $4 million cap hit to $1 million next year and $1.5 million the following year.
“We have a lot of options with players,” Bowman said at the United Center on Wednesday. “A buyout is one of them. Like I said, it’s still premature and we don’t know what the salary cap is going to be. That’s a tough one to answer at this point. Probably have a better feel for that as we get into mid-to-late June.”
- Re-sign Andrew Shaw – RFA is coming off a two-year, $4 million contract. Moving Bickell might create the space they need. Shaw would require a $2.5 million qualifying offer. They could ask him to take that, promising bigger deal around $3.5 million the following year. He’ll want at least Marcus Kruger’s $3.1 million. Bowman may be forced to trade Shaw.
“Andrew, we saw he’s at his best in the big games I think,” Bowman said. “He’s a heart and soul player. Really competitive. He lays it on the line every night. The cap situation, we’ve been asked that question quite a bit whenever we get together and talk, and I don’t have an answer for you right now.
“We certainly like what Andrew brings to the table. There’s just some things that have yet to be determined, in terms of what’s the salary cap going to be? We’ll get that number over the next two months and once we get that, we’ll make it work and put a team together that fits and is competitive. So, I can’t answer that right as we sit here today. I don’t have enough information to answer that, but certainly we’d like to try and do what we can to bring him here.”
3. Sign Artemi Panarin to a long-term contract – He hit all his bonuses this year, making $3.5 million. Bowman will likely try to lock him up to a long-term deal this offseason. One agent thought Paranin could look for a seven year deal at around $6 million.
4. Fill out their roster – they have eight forwards and four defensemen under contract for next year.
“I think you’re looking for growth from within,” Bowman said. “The system that we have in the NHL with the salary cap and the structure of our team, we’ve got a lot of very talented players that have accomplished a lot throughout their careers. When that happens, they’re well paid. I think what you need to do is have some growth from within. So you have to have younger players taking the next step.