The Chicago Blackhawks head into the 2018-19 NHL season hoping for a lot and expecting a little when it comes to how they can stretch their cap.
Coming off one of the more disappointing seasons in recent memory, the former Central giant Chicago Blackhawks saw a lot of past setups equal current pain in regards to the team. Seeing not only Corey Crawford miss most of the year, the team also struggled to produce a backup worthy of the title recently held by beloved netminders in Scott Darling, Ray Emery and even Antti Niemi, who stole the show in 2009-10.
The biggest issue facing the team on Madison is cap space, and that’s a problem that’s been at the forefront for a few years now. A team that found it’s core at the front of the “Three in Six Year” movement, the Blackhawks handcuffed themselves, pun intended, to stars they believed in. For the most part that’s been fine. With it however, comes a lot of shedding. Whether it be Antti Niemi and Dustin Byfuglien — man, this team needs Buf — after the first Cup, or glue guys from the third and fourth lines in 2013 and 2015, the Blackhawks have had to work around contracts that don’t really fit for a team wanting to contend year in, year out.
Just look at Brandon Saad. The Saadfather was a big hit in Chicago before being traded to Columbus for Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, Corey Trapp and a fourth round pick in ’16.
Saad came back, though (and he struggled mightily). That trade went full cap circle when Saad signed a new deal in Columbus. The Blackhawks dealt reigning Calder winner Artemi Panarin, Tyler Motte and a pick for Saad, Anton Forsberg and a pick.
Some of these repeat because of the length of these deals. Unavoidable but obvious, yes!
The cap hurts, let’s be real about that. It’s definitely killed a lot of promising dynasty-types in the past. The Blackhawks are feeling that as teams like Nashville and Winnipeg show the depth they’ve grown in the past. First lets look at some of the cap chart, via Cap Friendly.
The list is top heavy, obviously. Once you pass Connor Murphy it’s pretty level among the rest which isn’t exactly what you’ll want moving forward.
Let’s look at the five biggest hurdles the Blackhawks face this offseason in the cap realm. We’ll reference Cap Friendly and Hockey Reference throughout.
5. Brent Seabrook
Seabrook is loved, in the idea of the guy he is, but his contract isn’t. The 33-year-old is looking at almost $7 million (6.875 to be exact) per year until 2023-24.
It’s legitimately hard to think about what went through their minds around this one. Seabrook is 33 currently; let that sink in. Another six years at that rate? It’s been a bit of a running joke around the league. Look at the two Predators who I mentioned prior. That team built a strong core four defense, with two insane pairings. They struggled against the Jets however that pairing was still vital to a President’s Trophy run.
The Blackhawks hoped that they’d find the perfect pair to go alongside Seabrook and Duncan Keith but they’ve had such an awkward rotation these past two seasons that who knows what they plan to do with the pair next year?
Seabrook has never been a huge numbers guy, only breaking 40 points three times in his career, but he did struggle this past season, putting up the third lowest in his 13 years in Chicago. There were positives in regards to most of the season though — putting up the least amount of giveaways since 2014 or blocking 100-plus shots for the fourth straight year.
If it weren’t for the cap hit and the stranglehold it puts on the team defensively, Seabrook would be a fine grinder for a team that needs most of his output. He gets caught out of place more than in the past and the key to his play and Keith’s, the stretch pass, just hasn’t had that juice it had in previous years.
Six more years with that contract is an eyesore. There aren’t many options. Hey, at least the man has some great cap designs of late.