Update: Blackhawks Future Needs And Obligations
Almost a month ago, we posted a look ahead at the Blackhawks’ future contractual obligations and outstanding free agents.
ESPN recently posted a mock expansion draft from their senior hockey writers. Pierre LeBrun, Craig Custance and Joe McDonald all predicted Vegas will take Marcus Kruger; Scott Burnside thinks Vegas will select Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Now we’re one week away from the Frozen Four coming to the United Center. The weekend will include Blackhawks prospect and Notre Dame defenseman Dennis Gilbert; Minnesota-Duluth, Harvard and Denver are the other three schools left in the bracket.
Since our last post, the Blackhawks have signed a few prospects. One rookie – Tanner Kero – is no longer headed to RFA status after signing a two-year extension.
Scott Darling, Brian Campbell, Johnny Oduya and Andrew Desjardins are still headed toward unrestricted free agency, though.
With all of that in mind, let’s update the Blackhawks’ future contract statuses. Here are the prospects the Hawks have signed through at least the 2017-18 season.
Forwards
John Hayden – NHL
Alex DeBrincat – Jr
Alexandre Fortin – Jr
Tyler Motte – AHL
Vinnie Hinostroza – AHL
Matthew Highmore – Jr
Kyle Baun – AHL
Luke Johnson – AHL
Graham Knott – Jr
Anthony Louis – NCAA
Matheson Iacopelli – NCAA
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – AHL
Carl Dahlstrom – AHL
Viktor Svedberg – AHL
Robin Norell – AHL
Luc Snuggerud – NCAA
Goaltender
Jeff Glass – AHL
The following players are still headed to becoming restricted free agents in the Blackhawks’ system:
NHL Roster
Richard Panik
Tomas Jurco
Dennis Rasmussen
Michal Kempny
Minors
Ville Pokka
Erik Gustafsson
Michael Latta
Dillon Fournier
Kenton Helgesen
Dylan Sikura announced he will return to college for another season, and the Blackhawks still own the rights to now-former Boston College captain Chris Calnan.
Chicago has signed two veterans – Michal Rozsival and Jordin Tootoo – through next season in an effort to meet the requirements of the expansion draft. One other prospect, Roy Radke, signed an ATO contract with Rockford but won’t play for the IceHogs because of shoulder surgery.
The list of unrestricted free agents beyond the Chicago roster has remained the same: Mac Carruth, Martin Lundberg, Brandon Mashinter, Lars Johansson and Pierre-Cedric Labrie.
Assuming the status quo and no major shakeups this year you would think that Darling and Panik probably looking for some security in this contract and I can’t imagine Bowman wanting to do any long term deals with Panarin and Hammer due in a couple of years and some prospect 2nd contracts be on the books too. Nothing major after next season but some 2nd contracts, shouldn’t be too hard to deal with so a 1 year deal maybe for 51 or 27 be looked at.
Denver also has Hawk prospect Blake Hillman represented in the Frozen Four.
Tab, good article like our organization always comes out with things or announces things, that were going to anyways, after we didn’t do good or before were going to it seems like its good timing to get fresh or makes you feel really good about the teams situation short term mid term and long term.
Huh?
that post seems menopausal…
no periods.
*rimshot*
You might blackball list yourself. Beta Theta pretty boy.
Panik doesn’t have the leverage Darling has. As an RFA he may want to bet on himself and get to UFA status to really cash in. Rather than take a slight increase over 2 years he may take 1 at a lesser increase on the premise he can match or have better numbers next year. He’s still relatively unproven.
The way I look at it arbitration may be more than Bowman would want to deal with. He has enough forward options that moving him while can still get something may be more sensible.
Darling is relatively unproven as well. Goaltending is voodoo.
Cap friendly has a mock software that someone can run and simulate the expansion draft. Kruger, TVR, Panik and Darling are all viable options for the Vegas team.
Southside, that capfriendly expansion thing really is cool. Vegas would be taking a huge risk in selecting Darling though. There’s almost no chance he doesn’t test free agency, right?
Darling can sign as an unrestricted free agent if Vegas wants him. They can negotiate with UFA’s before expansion draft and if they sign anyone the players previous team no longer has to par take in the expansion draft.
So Vegas wouldn’t select Darling because they can’t since he’s not under contract. They can offer him a contract and if he accepts the Hawks don’t need to submit a list to Vegas.
I imagine the Hawks will protect Hartman and Panik and expose TVR and Kruger. My guess is that they broker a deal and send a pick to Las Vegas for them to take Kruger. They’d be better off with TVR but by taking Kruger, they get help reaching the cap floor and perhaps a draft pick out of it.
One of the concerns other teams had was that Vegas could come to a verbal agreement in that early window with say a ufa like Darling. Then pick somebody else in the draft and sign the ufa on July 1st when free agency opens, a team could end up losing 2 players instead of one.
Hawks will protect Hartman. Panik because he’s an RFA isn’t eligible for the draft( this changes depending on source), but is apparently eligible for Vegas to talk to during the exclusive free agent window they have. I don’t know if he’s eligible to be protected from that window.
What’s interesting is GMGM has said that if a team wants a player left exposed he’s open for business. So say Edmonton wants TVR… Oilers call up Vegas and say we’ll give you a 3rd if you take him and trade him to us. GMGM then calls Stan and says if you want Kruger gone it’ll cost you a 2nd because Edmonton offered that.
At minimum Hawks will expose Tootoo,Kruger,TVR, Roszival, Glass.
Rasmussen, Panik, Jurco, Desjardins,Oduya, Campbell, Darling are all eligible to be signed in the exclusive window. I’m curious to know whether a guy like Pokka who has 3 professional years, isn’t eligible for the draft because he hasn’t played enough games..could Vegas sign him or a player in that same scenario
If you read the rules of expansion draft all free agents that aren’t exempt can be protected like everyone else. To be able to keep Vegas from negotiating with them is a reason why. Only the free agents that are eligible and not on a teams protected list can be talked to in the early window.
Games played doesn’t matter its all players under contract to the Blackhawks whether in NHL or minors until July 1st except if they are exempt or protected.