Are you implying we let Strome go for free?

I'm not Strome's biggest fan, but I think he can be kept without breaking the bank by making a couple changes to this.

1. Don't re-sign Caggiula. It hurts to say it, but with Shaw coming back, he is a bit priced out of town.

2. Sign Crow for less. I think if we give him 2 years, he would take a slight discount for the security, say $4M.

3. Sign Kubalik for less. If you're using DeBrincat's contract as a baseline, keep in mind he was coming off of two good years, scoring at a .93 P/GP pace the year before his extension. Kubalik has just one good season, is older, and scored .68 P/GP, albeit with fewer minutes. If he keeps up this playoff performance, my guess is he gets in the vicinity of $4.5-5M for 2 years.

4. Ideally, we are able to trade Maatta rather than buy him out, which could say a small amount of cap space. If we have to take salary back, though, Stan probably just buys him out.


Alternative radical idea - trade Strome and DeBrincat while their value is still very high for a big package including a top 4 LHD. Then they can run with the top 6 of Toews/Kane/Saad/Kubalik/Nylander/Dach for the forseeable future, and fill in the bottom 6 with cheaper role players like Suter/Shaw/Caggiula. Depending on what they could get in return and the cap situation, it could be a good idea.

If Crow costs $5M let him walk. $3.5M to $4M for 2 years is what he is worth IMO.

Agree, Caggs is expendable with Shaw coming back.

Kubalik is NOWHERE near worth $6M on a 3 year bridge....maybe long term $6M for 5 or 6 years. He has one season, an amazing one, but only 1 season. No player after playing 1 year has made $6M the following year. We should sign him very short term 1 year to keep his RFA rights or sign him long term.

Strome we should bring back on a 1 to 3 year deal for $3.5M (1 year) to $4M (3 year). I think if the Hawks draft lundell in this draft, which may be a possibility at #10, then Strome is gone in a year or two. Otherwise, Strome is around.

One way or the other, I don't think they can afford him. The return for RFA rights would probably be a draft pick, so that is just implied

I'm on board. Debrincat has turned into a $6.4M 3rd liner / second powerplay and 18 goals just doesn't cut it for a guy that's paid to score goals.

The going rate for a top 15 starting goalie (when he's healthy, he's top 15) will be roughly $5M, and he has them over a barrel by letting Lehner go (who they definitely could have had at $5Mx5). With escrow taking a huge chunk, I highly doubt he's going to take a 1/3rd cut to play a full load of games behind the Blackhawks traveling defensive circus. It's still $1M (16% cut). This is why I want them to lock up Lehner for $5 until they can develop someone else. If they let Crawford go, they are looking at Cam Ward / Backup level goalie and another year of regression because they will not be able to afford Holby or someone of that ilk (now should they overpay for him).

I'll definitely humor you with the Kubalik thing. This was an emotional thought process after Saturday's 5 point game.

That's one of the two problems with Crow; 1) when he's healthy and 2) he's going on 36 in December That said, maybe someone will sign Crow for $5M for 1 or 2 seasons then by all means, let him move his family and go somewhere else. I agree with what Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers talked about and that is Crow will likely take a $4M 2 year deal to remain in Chicago.

Sure, that one million doesn't fix their issue much, though. They still have an injury prone (dare I say unreliable), late 30s goalie. The other issue is that there isn't anything else out there. the free agent (unrestricted) crop is straight-up trash.

Totally disagree....Lehner, Markstrom, Khudobin, Talbot are UFAs along with Crow. RFA's there is Murray or Triston and Georgiev who the pens and rangers will be trading for.

Lehner isn't coming back to this front office (and already has agreed in principle to an ext in LV), they cannot afford Markstrom (he's going to get paid), Khudobin and Talbot are backup level. You're talking Cam Ward level production. Matt Murray is being run out of town because he can't save the puck behind a better team than Chicago. Jarry and Georgiev have never been fulltime NHL starters.

That doesn't help this team whatsoever. You're better off hoping Crawford doesn't fall apart (again) for 2 years.