As expected, the Chicago Blackhawks locked up their future. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane agreed to contract extensions that will last eight years and are worth a reported $10.5 million annually. The contract extensions will go into effect at the start of the 2015-16 season.
Toews and Kane were asking for as much as $12 million per season and were also reported to sign on the dotted line for $10.8 million. That being said, their extensions will make them the two highest paid players in the National Hockey League.
There will be roster repercussions that could cause changes as soon as this summer. Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, Michal Rozsival and Bryan Bickell all make a fair amount of money that could be moved to relieve the Chicago Blackhawks’ salary cap issues. There is no guarantee any player is moved, but those names top that list.
There is also the rest of the young stable of players on the Chicago Blackhawks roster that will need new deals sooner rather than later. Marcus Kruger, Brandon Saad, Teuvo Teravainen, and to lesser degrees Andrew Shaw, Ben Smith and Jeremy Morin will all need new deals in the next 1-3 seasons.
The salary cap is expected to increase in the coming seasons, but that has been written in pencil and no set number has been penned.
The negative had to be hashed, but for the immediate future enjoy knowing that the franchise’s best duo since Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita will be enjoying the next eight seasons on Chicago’s west side.
Jeff is a production assistant @120Sports and contributor to hockey, football, and baseball for The Sports Bank. Follow him on Twitter @skcih_ffej.