Team: 2025-26 Chicago Blackhawks

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 4, 2024

Published: Feb. 29, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Continuation of https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/809180

Cap bumped up to $90 mil for 2025-26.

𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟱
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐲 to BUF - Hard to project what a team will need a season from now but Buffalo's right side d is weak and they'll probably contend for a playoff spot next year so I went with them. Meanwhile Jones, Carrier and a recently drafted Levshunov make Murphy expendable.
Murphy's a fine top 4 defensive d man who has taken a bit of a nose dive in play over the past two years but would more than likely rebound back to form on a good d core. Sabres get 1.5 seasons of Murphy to play alongside Power on 2RD. I think Murphy could return more since he's an established RHD but we'd get a B prospect in 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦 Š𝐭𝐫𝐛á𝐤 and a mid round 2nd rd pick. And the 2026 7th which is redundant but added in so we have a pick in each round in 2026.
Štrbák will probably play 3 years in college so I suppose signing him once the 2025-26 Michigan State season ends makes sense.

𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 to SEA - Hard to gauge which teams will need a top six winger next year, but lets say Taylor Hall returns back to a 60 point productive two way play driving winger, which would be likely playing alongside Bedard & Toffoli. He'd draw a lot of interest and I think a strong 2nd line rental at a reduced $3 mil cap hit could fetch a 1st+. I think at this point in the rebuild Chicago would be better off targeting the equivalent of a 1+ in the form of established prospects. Carson Rehkopf is a pretty good prospect.
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐡𝐤𝐨𝐩𝐟 will have likely signed his ELC by now which is why I signed him, and he'll probably be in the AHL in 2025-26.

𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨 to LAK - Again hard to predict which teams will need what, but I think a number of teams would typically add a Donato type forward for cheap at the deadline.

𝗗𝗥𝗔𝗙𝗧 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
2025 CHI 1st - 𝐂 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐜𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲
Late lottery pick, decided between him and Caleb Desnoyers. I like McKinney a bit more, his style fits what Davidson typically wants, and he's from Chicago.
2025 TOR 1st - 𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐲
Late top 20 pick, I think they'll pick a right side D. Trethewey likely won't be available at this pick.

𝗨𝗙𝗔𝘀 𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟱
They'll definitely bring back a few guys but its hard to project over a year out so I didn't bother.

𝗘𝗟𝗖𝘀 [Assuming bump in max entry level cap hit by 2025-26 from $950k to $975k]
𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐨𝐯 (3 x $975k) - Levshunov will likely do two years in college before turning pro. I think he'd be good enough to play in the NHL at this point and I think he'd be looked after paired with Slavin or Vlasic.
𝐒𝐚𝐦 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐳𝐞𝐥 (3 x $975k) - He's been developing very nicely, and I think he'll only stay two years in college, and head to Rockford
𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞 (3 x $975k) - Definitely will play a sophomore year with the Gophers, I think his ETA is 2026. Starting him out on a good Rockford team in 2025-26 makes sense.
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐡𝐤𝐨𝐩𝐟 (3 x $925k) - I think he plays four seasons in the OHL, and will likely feature in the NHL by 2025-26.
𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐬 (3 x $950k) - Lardis is a pretty good prospect and will probably spend the 2025-26 season in the AHL.
𝐀𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐨𝐧 (2 x $800k) would be a player I'd give a look and would rather sign over 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 (2 x $800k) and 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐣𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐠 are relatively similar prospects and I'd sign one or the other.

𝐈𝐠𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐲𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐯, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐜𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧, 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦 Š𝐭𝐫𝐛á𝐤, and whoever else we draft in 2024 and 2025 can keep developing
I would like to bring 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐯 from overseas before his D+3 year, and he just signed a two year extension with Magnitogorsk Metallurg (KHL). 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 I'm not sure I would sign.

𝗥𝗙𝗔𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟱
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭 (3 x $3.75 mil AAV) - I think a deal around $4 mil for Frost on his next deal would be fair, it really depends on how his 2024-25 with Chicago goes
𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩 𝐊𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐯 (2 x $3.5 mil AAV) - Kurashev has taken strides this year, and I think he'll have an effective career as a bottom six forward. I'm fine with giving Kurashev an increase on a short term deal.

𝐖𝐲𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐊𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫 (1 x $950k) is a young d man who I like and see having an impactful NHL career, 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 (1 x $950k) as a RD makes sense bringing back, 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐚𝐤 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 (1 x $900k) wouldn't mind bringing him back for one more year.

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱-𝟮𝟲
𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 (2 x $8.5 mil AAV) - It's hard to see Marchand leaving Boston but if he does make it to free agency I think he would be a good addition. He's still a very good player with 53 points in 60 games, even though he's starting to show signs of declining this season. I think he'd be a good winger for Bedard and he'd be nice to have as our other forwards (Reichel, Nazar, Moore etc.) establish themselves in the NHL. Even at 37, I think he'd look for a 3 year deal similar to what other high end vets have signed. I only went with 2 years, but compensated by signing him to a high salary. Not often do players get paid over $8 mil through their age 37 and 38 seasons.

𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐛 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧 (4 x $7.7 mil AAV) - Much like above its hard to see Slavin hitting free agency, I don't see Carolina combusting any time soon. If he does I expect him to get a significant increase as he's only amassed $28 mil over his career to date. Him or Hedman would be an amazing d partner for Levshunov. My only concern is that he'll likely sign a longer and more expensive deal, and it may not fit the timeline with Korchinski needing a new deal along with Jones' massive $9.5 mil cap hit.

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 (1 x $1.375 mil) - Just get me a good forechecking defensive forward who can put up points to round out the bottom six. Essyimont, Lazar, Dowd could also work. Every year there are a few RFAs who aren't tendered, and Beecher could very well be one of those guys.

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