Hawks lock up Sharp with 5-year deal
Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman put the finishing touches on what should be considered a highly successful off-season Wednesday when he signed star forward Patrick Sharp to a five-year, $29.5 million contract extension.
Unlike the depressing summer of 2010 when Bowman had to bust up his Stanley Cup team because of salary cap issues, this off-season has been filled with nothing but positive vibes spilling out of the United Center's second floor.
Bowman unloaded Brian Campbell's ridiculously big contract, re-upped key restricted free agents Corey Crawford and Michael Frolik, had a draft that the Hockey News graded out at A-plus, added some serious jam to the lineup by signing Steve Montador, Dan Carcillo, Jamal Mayers and Sean O'Donnell, and kept Sharp off the unrestricted free agent market after next season by locking up one of his best players through 2017.
“I think we've had a very good off-season, and now signing Patrick, I think, is kind of the exclamation point on our summer,” president John McDonough said.
Next up is training camp in mid-September and Sharp said he and his teammates are itching to get started and make amends for a disappointing 2010-11 season.
“I talked to a number of guys the day that Boston won the Stanley Cup and I feel like that's when it kind of hit home that we weren't defending champs anymore, to see another team raise the Cup and go through what you went through the year previously,” Sharp said.
“I talked to Jonathan, Kaner, Duncs, Seabs, a number of guys, and the excitement is high. I think you're going to see a hungry team from the start of the season.”
Sharp never considered testing the market as an unrestricted free agent in 2012 and certainly took less money to stay with the Hawks than he might have been able to get next July.
Sharp's cap hit for the five years beginning with the 2012-13 season will be $5.9 million. He still has this season remaining on his existing deal but now is signed through 2017 with a modified no-trade clause, according to Bowman.
“It's always been a focus of mine to stay here in Chicago,” Sharp said. “I love the team, I love the city and there's absolutely no reason I'd want to leave.
“Look at the players we have here, and it's all part of wanting to stay in Chicago. We have an average age of 26 years old, we're playoff tested, we won a Stanley Cup. It's a good feeling to know I'm wanted here.”
Sharp admitted money was not a factor in the decision about his future.
“The money is great, there's no question about that,” Sharp said. “I told my agent I wanted to stay in Chicago, that there was no reason to leave, and I let him take care of the rest.”
The Hawks now have the foundation of the team — Sharp, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Dave Bolland, Frolik, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Crawford — locked up through at least 2014.
“A lot of these players are coming into the prime of their careers and some of them haven't even reached their prime yet,” Bowman said. “There's a lot of exciting years to come and we know we're going to have stability with these players.
“When you're looking at which players are a big part of your success, we knew Patrick was part of that and we had to find a way to get it done.”
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“Look at the players we have here, and it's all part of wanting to stay in Chicago. We have an average age of 26 years old, we're playoff tested, we won a Stanley Cup. It's a good feeling to know I'm wanted here.”
Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks forward