The Chicago Blackhawks do not have many terrible contracts on the books.
Kyle Davidson, the Chicago Blackhawks’ general manager, has done a fantastic job of handling the salary cap.
Davidson had a lot of cap room, so he could have spent it on some expensive free agents. Davidson did sign several free agents, but he looked for bargains.
Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen were acquired with cap hits in the $5 million AAV range. Talented athletes who won’t break the wallet.
They are presently among the Blackhawks’ five highest-paid players.
Both are worth the money since they will benefit the top six. Plus, it’s good to have Teuvo back with the Blackhawks. It was difficult to watch him depart the Blackhawks all those years ago.
Now he’s back, a much better player who is older and wiser.
The Hawks’ largest deal will remain an albatross around the organization’s neck, but the club is still receiving output from that guy.
Whatever Seth Jones does, it will never be enough to meet fans’ expectations given his $9.5 million AAV. Despite being compensated like a Norris Trophy winner, Jones continues to perform well enough to be in the top five in ice time.
Jones’ offensive inconsistency this season has garnered him a lot of criticism from the fans. For a time, Jones appeared to be done scoring goals for the year. He finished with 31 points.
Previous management offered him that lucrative contract; nonetheless, the pact was too long in duration. That is why it will be an albatross around the organization’s neck for the remainder of the decade. 10% of the team’s cap space will be allocated to a lower-tier top-pair defenceman.
Hopefully, the cap continues to grow, so Jones’ contract will not be a financial burden on the team’s books. The only reason it is a limitation is because it would be preferable if the money went to a player capable of winning the Norris or Hart Trophy.
In terms of the Hart Trophy, Taylor Hall is the Hawks’ second-highest cap hit at $6 million. Hall earned the award in 2018. He missed the most of last season, his first with the organization, due to a knee injury.
He should be totally fit for the upcoming season, and his return should bolster the team’s dismal offensive output. The Hawks benefit from some cap flexibility because this is his final year on his contract. If he comes back strong, he can aid the offense and could be traded for some younger assets at the deadline.
The Hawks’ fifth-highest-paid player is a long-term commitment on the blue line.
Alex Vlasic signed a contract extension for $4.6 million AAV. It was the perfect decision to sign a 10-year contract with a 23-year-old defenseman groomed by the franchise.
He proved to be an excellent defensive-minded defenseman. He only needs to enhance his offensive game to become a Norris Trophy-caliber defender.
If he gets there, he’ll be on a team-friendly deal until 2030. That is similar to how the Stanley Cup-winning clubs were able to do business with Duncan Keith on a below-market contract.
That is why the Blackhawks now have a significant amount of money on their books. The club has one lousy agreement, but they are getting output out of it.
