Even for the champs, change is inevitable
Reality is about to set in for the partying Blackhawks.
Despite winning their first Stanley Cup in 49 years, changes are coming.
"We've talked about it all year that we were going to do our best to try and win the Cup this year, and we did that knowing all along that there were going to have to be changes made," general manager Stan Bowman said Saturday.
"When you do well guys get raises and the cap comes into play. We're going to have to work on that. Obviously we've got some ideas on how to make it work. The core of our team is going to be the same, that's the key here. We're going to have to move some guys along, but every team changes and not just us."
The question is, who represents the Hawks' core past Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa - each of who have signed long-term contracts.
Is Patrick Sharp a core guy? Brent Seabrook? Dustin Byfuglien? Kris Versteeg? Brian Campbell? Will one or more of these players have to go in order to stay under the salary cap?
"It's kind of a moving target, in some ways," Bowman said. "It's not exactly four guys or five guys or six guys, but it is a group that internally we work with and we know they're going to be here for a long time.
"We'd love to have everybody back, but that's just not a possibility."
The cap in the NHL this season was $56.8 million, a figure expected to rise by about $2 million, according to commissioner Gary Bettman.
But the Hawks already have approximately $57.5 million in salaries committed for next season to just 14 players.
And Bowman confirmed Saturday that Toews has a $1.3 million bonus coming for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, which counts against next season's cap.
Certainly a starting point for Bowman is shedding backup goalie Cristobal Huet's $5.625 million salary for the next two years.
"We're going to have to straighten that out," Bowman said. "Obviously the goaltending is a situation we're going to have to look at and figure something out.
"We have to have patience. It's going to take some time to sort it out, but when we play that first game next October we'll have it figured out and be in compliance with the cap."
The Hawks will try to trade Huet, but there likely won't be any takers considering the two years left on his deal. The Hawks could stick Huet in the minors, and while they must pay him his full salary the cap hit would come off the books.
John Madden, Adam Burish, Nick Boynton and Kim Johnsson are unrestricted free agents and it's doubtful any of them will be back.
Madden earned $2.75 million this season and even if he would agree to play for less, there might not be room for him.
"There's going to be a lot of changes," Madden said. "I'd love to come back, but who knows what's going to happen."
The Hawks have four key restricted free agents in Antti Niemi, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Andrew Ladd and Ben Eager. Re-signing Niemi and Hjalmarsson will be a priority.
Niemi earned $827,000 but is arbitration eligible and could be in line for a raise to as much as $3 million.
"It's tough to think about now after what we just went through," Ladd said. "There's going to be some tough decisions to make. I'm sure everyone wants to stay here, but it's probably not going to happen."