Reports: Chicago Blackhawks bringing back Sharp
In hockey circles, July 1 is akin to Christmas Day for many fans.
They wake up, turn on the TV, the computer or their cellphone and wait to see which top free agents decide to join their team.
Some fan bases are going to absolutely love their shiny packages - ones that come with the names Kevin Shattenkirk, Alexander Radulov, Kyle Alzner and Martin Hanzal emblazoned upon them.
Chicago Blackhawks fans, meanwhile, are about to welcome back Patrick Sharp, the three-time Stanley Cup winning forward who will sign a deal to return to Chicago, according to NHL.com's Brian Hedger.
Sharp, whom general manager Stan Bowman traded to Dallas two years ago, underwent season-ending hip surgery in late March. He managed just 8 goals and 10 assists in 48 games last season with the Stars while also dealing with concussion issues. His father also has leukemia.
"It's been tough," Sharp told reporters in March. "I knew it was going to be a challenging year with my father and what he has been going through."
While Sharp isn't going to rack up 25-35 goals anymore, he will give the Hawks a veteran presence on the second or third line. He's also as battle tested as they come and will be a calming and/or forceful voice in the postseason when the team faces inevitable adversity.
Free agency officially opens at 11 a.m. CDT on Saturday, and there's plenty of other questions that need to be answered from the Hawks' perspective.
Will Marcus Kruger be traded? Will the Hawks - currently $2.995 million over next season's salary cap according to capfriendly.com - soon be cap compliant? Is Brian Campbell coming back on another cheap one-year deal?
My thoughts:
• Kruger's gone. As much as the Hawks would love to keep their bottom-six center, it's difficult to imagine a scenario that allows them to afford his $3.083 million cap hit. Tanner Kero is more than capable of stepping into Kruger's role - and at a fraction of the cost.
• LTIR is used in October. The Hawks are still working with the league to determine what kind of relief they are going to get from Marian Hossa's inability to play next season. As I said last week, unless the league is looking to use the Hawks as an example, they'll likely be granted as much of the $5.275 million as they can use when they place Hossa on long-term injured reserve (LTIR).
If Bowman waits until after the regular-season opener - as most pundits believe he will - the Hawks will have more in-season flexibility to make roster moves and acquire new players. If, however, he uses the LTIR before the season, he can be more of a player during free agency.
• There was a report that indicated the Hawks have shown interest in Alzner, the Capitals' defenseman who hasn't missed a game in seven straight seasons. It seems unrealistic, however, because Alzner's asking price figures to be far above what the Hawks can afford.
• It's difficult to gauge where Campbell's at, but the best guess is he retires. His tone at the season-ending news conference in April made it seem like he's done.
Of course, having seen Bowman make myriad moves nobody saw coming the last few years, fans should know anything is possible.
So keep those devices nearby Saturday - it should be a fun one for all.
• Follow John on Twitter @johndietzdh