NHL Salary Cap Continues to Affect the Blackhawks and Niemi
Posted by agrawest on August 3, 2010
The dismantling of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks continued yesterday as the team chose to walk away from the 2.75 million dollar salary awarded to goalie Antti Niemi and then signing perpetual playoff loser Marty Turco for 1.3 million. Niemi , in one year won more playoff rounds- 4, than Marty Turco has in five trips to the playoffs- 3. The Hawks have now lost several key members from their Cup winning team, namely, Niemi, Dustin ByFuglien, Kris Versteeg, Ben Eager, Andrew Ladd, Colin Fraser, and Brent Sopel. They, however , have managed to keep thjeir core players of Toews, Kane, Hossa , Sharp, Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson. This team has come a long way since Rocky Wirtz took over the reins from his amazingly inept father Bill four years ago but the team continues to lose money. The teams success but continued financial losses translates into only one thing, a 20 percent increase in ticket prices for the upcoming season. Welcome to the new NHL!
larryres said
Will the Hawks have to wait another half century or so for their next Stanley Cup?
agrawest said
Hockey, with a firm salary cap is much different than baseball where the Yankees plug any holes with expensive band aid solutions. This makes it difficult for a small market team such as Oakland to compete. In hockey with a firm salary cap before you sign a veteran star to a long term contract you must be sure that he fits the mold of the team. Chicago has some high priced but key components under contract and if they stay healthy the Hawks will be fine because they all are on long term deals. The supporting cast as a result must play for less dollars than the going rate and hope to play for a Stanley Cup instead