Cap room is an illusion TOR Trade

Team: 2019-20 Chicago Blackhawks

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 20, 2019

Published: Jun. 20, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

The Hawks look like they have the cap room to make a splash in free agency. Don't be fooled! Strome and Debrincat will need raises next year and will easily eat up whatever cap is leftover.

So, to maximize value, I propose taking on a cap dump for one year and getting an asset. In this case, Marleau waives to go to Chicago to be bought out, so he can return to San Jose on a cheap deal. In exchange, the Hawks give up a pick, Sikura, and Forsling to get Kapanen and Brown.

Toronto clears over $8.25 million in cap to sign Marner and gets two cheap players and a high 2nd in return.

Line 1 - Toews and Kane looked great together last year. Keep it up and add Kubalik

Line 2 - Saad and Kapanen would complement each other well. Hopefully Anisimov can still keep up.

Line 3 - Scoring Line from last year with Brown to be the defensively responsible member of the trio.

4th Line - Shutdown line.

2020 Season:

Marleau's 6.25 million rolls off the books
Anisimov is traded, Turcotte takes his place OR
Maatta is traded, Byram takes his place.

That leaves $10 million in cap. Assuming a modest raise in cap coupled with a Saad trade, then Strome and Cap can be re-signed.