Chicago Blackhawks

AT 4 O’CLOCK THIS MORNING THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ARRIVED HOME WITH THE STANLEY CUP…
THEIR FIRST IN 49 YEARS…
AFTER LANDING…THE PILOT OF THE PLANE OPENED THE WINDON AT THE FRONT OF THE PLANE AND WAVED A BLACKHAWKS FLAG…
THE NEXT STOP WAS RUSH STREET…
ON FRIDAY THE REST CITY WILL GET ITS CHANCE TO CELEBRATE WITH THE CUP…
CHICAGO HAS PLANNED A TICKER TAPE PARADE…
NOW COMES THE TOUGH PART…REPEAT…
SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF THE SALARY CAP…NO DEFENDING CHAMPION HAS MANAGED TO DO THAT…
AND TO SAY THE LEAST…THIS SUMMER THE HAWKS ARE FACING SOME SERIOUS CHALLENGES…
TO START WITH:
FOR NEXT SEASON THE HAWKS ALREADY HAVE $57.5 MILLION COMMITTED TO JUST 14 PLAYERS…
THAT INCLUDES THE NEW CONTRACTS TO…
PATRICK KANE…AT $6.5 MILLION…
JONATHAN TOEWS…AT $6.5 MILLION…AND DUNCAN KEITH…AT $8 MILLION…
THAT’S 21 MILLION FOR 3 PLAYERS WHO COMBINED…MADE LESS THAN $4 MILLION THIS SEASON…
THEY ALSO HAVE 10…COUNT ‘EM 10 FREE AGENTS…
ON THE LIST…JOHN MADDEN…ANDREW LADD…BEN EAGER…ADAM BURRISH AND GOALTENDER ANTI NIEMI…
THE HAWKS ARE ALSO STUCK WITH TWO UNWORKABLE CONTRACTS…
GOALTENDER CRISTOBAL HUET HAS 2 YEARS LEFT AT $5.6 MILLION…PER…
AND DEFENCEMAN BRIAN CAMPBELL HAS 6 YEARS LEFT AT $7.1 MILLION…PER…
THE HAWKS MAY HAVE TO EAT…ONE OR PERHAPS EVEN…BOTH OF THOSE CONTRACTS…
THERE IS ALSO THE REAL POSSIBLITY THE TEAM WILL HAVE TO TRADE EITHER PATRICK SHARP OR DAVE BOLLAND…
JUST TO CREATE SOME CAP SPACE…
NEXT SEASON SHARP WILL MAKE $4.1 MILLION…BOLLAND WILL MAKE $3.4 MILLION…
SINCE THE LOCK OUT EVERY TEAM THAT HAS WON THE CUP HAS FACED THIS PROBLEM…
BUT NONE QUITE LIKE THE BLACKHAWKS…
THE SIMPLE TRUTH IS THIS…
IN THE NEW NHL THERE ARE NO DYNASTIES…
WHICH MEANS HOCKEY FANS IN CHICAGO BETTER ENJOY THIS PARTY…BECAUSE IT MAYBE A WHILE…BEFORE THEY GET TO THROW ANOTHER…