This is an easy Blackhawks win. Not all cap dumps are equal, as the player you absorb and actual salary paid are a real consideration.
Chicago has a legitimate need for NHL veteran's to insulate their picks and prospects, and chances are Chicago would have to pay a bit of a premium in free agency to sign those players. Maybe they could have gotten a better player on a 1 year $3.5M (Bailey's real dollar cost next season) contract in free agency, but I can't imagine they would be much better off, so a 2nd round pick to jump the line and absorb some dead cap for a year is an easy deal to justify.
Paying a 2nd to remove a $5M contract isn't necessarily awful, but it's not ideal, and it really feels like a steep price to pay given the fact that Bailey is still a decent 3rd line winger (Maybe better if last year was more of a down year than pure decline), only has a year left, and is making considerably less than his cap hit.
Well the first part of this take aged poorly haha. I didn't see Bailey play much last year, his point totals were down, but I assumed with how Bad Chicago is, that a veteran rebound candidate would be worth a little something, but apparently they will be buying him out. They gave Foligno $4M for a year by choice, so not sure why keeping Bailey on the roster for $3.5M is so unappetizing, but a 2nd for nothing but cap space and cash is still a win for a team that is rebuilding.
I 100% respect your posts and thoughts. Not trying to throw shade AT ALL. Is it an Islander win if you hope MTL would do this?
I just learned today Bailey's real salary was way under his cap hit. A 2nd round pick to eat $2.2M (after buyout) seems fair to me.
Now Mantha is paid $6.5M next season! I don't see WAS paying a 1st because they would like to clear cap space but they are not all the way up to the cap. And I don't see MTL paying that much salary on a declining player for less.
They’re about to explode with young talent next season (24-25) with Nazar, Korchinski, and maybe Oliver Moore. On top of having Bedard and Reichel.
The goal isn’t to put good veterans around Bedard. The goal is to get a top 6 and top 4 core of all roughly the same age and grow them together to keep a window open for 8-10 years.
I dont know about exploding with young talent. Rebuilding isn't that easy! Just ask the Sabres whom have legitimate talent tested in the NHL and still havent found success without a rounded out defensive group and goaltending. None of those guys have stepped foot yet in the show! Not every draft pick is a guarantee especially undersized players like Nazar. Chicago is still at least 5 years away from competing, they burnt their house down to the studs last season.
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