For Blackhawks, Toews and Kane worth every penny
TAMPA - The Blackhawks have a star-studded roster and more talent than they sometimes know what to do with, but owner Rocky Wirtz knows the pulse of his team emanates inside two guys.
Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are not only the Hawks' most marketable players, but they're also the best of a talented bunch on the ice. That's why Wirtz hasn't budged on his stance about re-signing each to identical eight-year contract extensions last summer.
He believes it was the right move, the only move, for general manager Stan Bowman, whose theory is to build around stars. The star factor doesn't get much bigger than Toews and Kane, and they're already playing for their third Stanley Cup before the age of 30.
"The important thing is you have to tie in your nucleus," Wirtz told reporters Wednesday, prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. "There's a lot of teams that will spend the same amount of money the Hawks have, but I think the nucleus of the stars the Blackhawks have is really something special and you can build around it."
Toews and Kane inked deals that will pay them each a reported $84 million over the next eight seasons. That works out to a $10.5 million hit against the salary cap and adds nearly $10 million to the Hawks' cap number next season.
To compensate, more familiar names and faces will be dealt or not re-signed. Wirtz said it's just part of the deal in a cap environment, and he's thrilled to have a cap whiz like Bowman in the driver's seat.
"(The nucleus) is only as good as the process you have to keep bringing younger players up, because there's going to be plenty of players that will want and deserve raises that the Hawks can't afford," Wirtz said. " So, you have to have the process, you've got to have the development, you've got to draft well, and that's something Stan and his hockey operations (staff) have done from Day One."
What the Hawks haven't done during Wirtz's ownership yet is make money. That's about to change, as the on-ice success is starting to reflect more in the ledger book.
"You can make money and we're closing that gap," Wirtz said. "It wasn't a gap. It was a schism before, but I think we're getting much closer. It doesn't hurt to go to the finals this year, I promise you that. And next year I think we'll be very, very close to being profitable as a team, as a whole."
They'll need to keep winning to keep that ball rolling. The best way to do that is by keeping Toews and Kane in Hawks jerseys as long as possible. They've already done some special things together, and the Hawks are banking on more greatness to come in the future - short and long term.
"The league wants parity, and I think we've been very fortunate to be able to stay above that fray and still be here three (times) in six years in the finals," Wirtz said. "If you're satisfied with the status quo, then I'll show you a team that's going to be a loser."