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Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:23 pm EST

Chicago attempting the impossible: Keeping Toews, Kane, Keith

By Greg Wyshynski

The Chicago Blackhawks closing in on contract extensions for Patrick Kane(notes) and Jonathan Toews(notes) is something Pierre LeBrun of ESPN believes was never in doubt, despite the mathematic reality of their payroll next summer.

Via Capgeek, the Blackhawks have roughly $13.47 million in available cap space after next off-season's free agents come off the books; which is why the majority of hockey pundits have questioned how, exactly, Chicago keeps restricted free agents Kane, Toews and defenseman Duncan Keith(notes).

Yet LeBrun writes to expect new deals for Kane and Toews within the next two weeks. Does that mean we're watching Keith's last season in Chicago?

The timing of the Kane and Toews signings would be interesting. It would establish concrete numbers for next year's payroll; not only for the Blackhawks but for teams looking to snag a high-salaried Chicago player (Patrick Sharp(notes), Dustin Byfuglien(notes)) the team might still have to shed in order to keep their star free agents.

Also interesting: The potential numbers. LeBrun doesn't cite any specifics, but logic would dictate that they're both going to fall between Cristobal Huet's(notes) $5.625 million (the highest non-Brian Campbell(notes) salary on the roster) and the "hometown" discounts ($8.7 million per season) Sidney Crosby(notes) and Evgeni Malkin(notes) gave the Pittsburgh Penguins during their post-rookie contracts.

If it's lower than that, it'll still be in league with something like Phil Kessel's $5.4 million annually over five years. (Anything less, and forget the Indian: Toews and Kane should be committed to a mental healthy facility.)

But as agent Pat Brisson closes in on deals for Frodo and Samwise, it becomes the Duncan Keith Show. Talks with GM Stan Bowman and Keith's agent started before the season, and it'll be interesting to see how those dynamics change once Kane and Toews sign.

As Jessie Rogers pointed out on ESPN Chicago, Keith's in a different position than the other two since he'll be unrestricted in Summer 2011. Does that give him extra leverage with Chicago? Does that make him more or less appealing to an offer sheet as an RFA?

We've been told on numerous occasions by hockey smarties that Keith is the best defenseman on the Chicago roster (leading in TOI at 26:35 and shorthanded TOI 3:37) and, because of that, should take priority over Toews and Kane. But that's the hockey argument; getting the forwards signed is the PR argument, and image has been everything for the Blackhawks during their resurgence -- so 20 Cent and Captain Marvel get done first.

Keith? Like Red Light District opined, we're still not entirely convinced they can keep him, considering the salary cap constraints. It's hard to find anyone on or off the record willing to predict they can retain Kane, Toews and Keith without moving a significant salary. But we'll all have a better picture of this if and when Kane and Toews make bank.

Related: Rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo

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102 Comments

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  1. decappa
    1. Posted by decappa Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:40 pm EST

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    The Hawks screwed up with Huet, that guy will never be an impact player especially in the playoffs, wouldn't it be nice to trade Keith's salary with Campbell's? Duncan deserves it..... This whole mess is why the GM got canned last summer
  2. Mule
    2. Posted by Mule Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:41 pm EST

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    This will be interesting. I don't think it is any secret that the Campbell contract is coming back to haunt them. Should be interesting to see if they try to move him to Atlanta, where rumors had him almost going to begin with. If they keep Keith, Kjalmerson, Seabrook and Sopel because of moving Campbell, it would probably be worth it.
  3. Almost Lewboski
    3. Posted by Almost Lewboski Mon Nov 16, 2009 12:46 pm EST

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    All three will stay in Chicago.
  4. k
    4. Posted by k Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:04 pm EST

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    it's one thing to talk about cap space, but they still have to ice a full team. how many nhl players do they have under contract for next year? all of the available cap space can't necessarily be spend on keeping some combination of these three. they are going to have to move some significant salary, and it won't be easy, but i guess sather flipping gomez's ridiculous deal to mtl provides some hope. not gonna lie, i hope this goes poorly for chicago. before they try to beat the best (detroit) they should probably figure out why the best are the best, and that includes understanding cap management.
  5. Pensfan71
    5. Posted by Pensfan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:09 pm EST

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    Its not that hard to figure out they will all just sign 25 yr deals.......in reality the have got to find a way to get rid of campbell.
  6. Pensfan71
    6. Posted by Pensfan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:11 pm EST

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    montreal has been known lately to take on some over-paid under-achieving players.
  7. habs1rule
    7. Posted by habs1rule Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:12 pm EST

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    Since you brought up that Gomez thing, thanks, and would you believe there are Montreal fans still justifying that deal..Though the teams play is slowly weeding most of them out. Oh, and sorry, but Pittsburgh's the Best now!! You know, that Stanley Cup thing.
  8. Deek1821
    8. Posted by Deek1821 Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:19 pm EST

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    The Brian Campbell contract is the main problem, especially because he is terrible. They'll resign Toews/Kane (as the article says as a PR stunt) and Keith will have to play elsewhere. If you think they can sign all three without Drugging another GM to take on Campbell, then you're drugged yourself
  9. coley s
    9. Posted by coley s Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:24 pm EST

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    they signed hossa long term for a reason.... possibly in prep. to lose one of their top 3 sharp kane toews.... but the story ends with chi having to move somebody big in order to sign 3 or 4 of their better FA's AND have a full team signed also that doesnt leave them with the 3rd n 4th lines and 3rd def pairings consisting of their AHL team... they just have to much dumb contracts tied up in too few people. im sorry but bolland and versteeg arnt worth the 3mil+ per... they need to sign roughly 13 people with 13mil in cap space..... dump campbell(gonna be impossible) and sharp to a cup contender before the dealine and they will be in good shape, but aside from that the only progress they made was letting havlat walk last summer and they nulified that with the hossa signing.
    The Pens are going to run into similair situation when malkin crosby and MAF need resigned but they have better depth with quality players signed for low prices ( talbot, kennedy, dupis, ect)
    Detriot should be praised for their cap knowledge foir the fact they dont look at the salarys not, but next time they resign...
    GO PENS.
  10. RYne N
    10. Posted by RYne N Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:28 pm EST

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    The Blackhawks will keep all 3 of these guys, but to everyone out there. How do you know that Duncan Keith doesn't love Chicago? I'm willing to bet the way he plays, and loves to win he'd be willing to take less to stay with his friends..Seabrook ect.. to stay in Chicago. Not every player is greedy and not every player should be sent to a mental hospital if they don't take the most money. Sure 6 million is better then 5.5, but 5.5 a year is still better then a majority of the world. Dunc seems like a down to earth guy who will stay around
  11. Sabreland39
    11. Posted by Sabreland39 Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:29 pm EST

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    Patty Kane come home to Buffalo!!!
  12. Pensfan71
    12. Posted by Pensfan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:32 pm EST

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    This all makes you wonder who they planned on letting go when they signed Hossa. They had to have had a player or two in mind prior to signing Hossa. I can not imagine no matter how dumb a GM is letting a guy like Keith go, you just don't do that. I can't see them finding anyone to take Campbell, so that means Sharp and Versteeg or Bolland?
  13. Patrick
    13. Posted by Patrick Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:34 pm EST

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    Even if they sign Toews and Kane to hits at $5 million per, that leaves them approximately $3.5 million in cap space to sign Duncan Keith. Which, even IF that worked, only puts 16 guys on their roster. Toews and Kane give them 15, with about $3.5 mil for 7-8 other players. So, basically, it's Toews, Kane, and then two lines of grinders at a half mil each.
  14. Peter D
    14. Posted by Peter D Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:37 pm EST

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    remember when there was panic that the chi-town RFA's were going to get snatched up b/c of Tallon messing up their status? well that clearly didnt happen
    they will get rid of Buff and Sharp and keep the studs, dont worry
  15. Shawn
    15. Posted by Shawn Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:38 pm EST

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    like no one saw this coming?
  16. Pensfan71
    16. Posted by Pensfan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:46 pm EST

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    I wouldn't mind seeing Versteeg in a pens uni come deadline time..No way that will happen, but I cant dream of a day where Sid and Geno have adequate wingers can't I.
  17. firewing
    17. Posted by firewing Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:47 pm EST

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    i think you guys for the most part might be missing something. having seen this here in hockeytown the guys might be willing to stay for less. if they make it to the finals again and just barely miss the cup they might think one more year or so could do it. so you never know. unless the hawks just blow up and choke its possible the guys might sign for less. i hope they blow up and choke for the wings sake , but not likely to happen. i will say what i said before. im glad a brother original 6 team is doing well. to bad about the leafs and the habs stinking up the place. WINGS TIL DEATH
  18. rudypilous
    18. Posted by rudypilous Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:54 pm EST

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    It was idiotic to sign Hossa, Campbell & Huet to huge untradeable deals, but those are just the obvious stupid ones.
    there was also a ridiculous extension given to sopel midway thru the 08 season based on half a year's play (that still has him making over 50% more than keith while playing less than half the minutes).
    then there is bolland - he managed to play his first full season last year with a bad back but the hawks nevertheless gave him a 5yr $16.75M untradeable contract...some idiotic fans are even excited that he is on IR for 4 months so his contract won't count against the cap...
    then there was the QO fiasco - barker is getting $3M+ for the next 3 years for playing 12 mins of brutal defense excluding pp time. byfuglien got a big contract based more on potential - he was a bust during the regular season last year & fortunately had a strong playoff - history seems to be repeating with him again this year.
    sharp was given a 4 yr (@ almost $4M per) based on half a season - fortunately he has played well, but that contract was prematurely given.
    the hawks "braintrust" should have identified their young core (keith, toews, kane, seabrook, hjalmarsson, etc.) & signed them first - not only to avoid the mess they are in now - but to set the bar for their other players - now they are going to have to try to cheap out on their best players after they took care of their lesser contributors & overpaid guys from other teams...reminiscent of the stupid management priorities & moves under pulford & the old wirtz.
    one possible partial solution - buy out sopel if he can't be moved - trade barker for picks - & try to pick up a couple of cheap veteran 5/6 dmen who can fill the 10 minutes per game on the blueline at a fraction of sopel & barker's cap hits. Huet's contract makes him unmoveable at least this year, but I would also consider buying him out if keeping him meant jeopardizing the possibility of resigning Keith.
    anyone who wonders why Tallon got canned is clueless.
  19. habs1rule
    19. Posted by habs1rule Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:11 pm EST

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    Salary Cap...Detroit Red Wings- Spend on your core players and fill in the rest.... The rest of the league...Use a Dartboard!! Chicago.......Spend on the dartboard, then fill in the rest.
  20. HawksFan71
    20. Posted by HawksFan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:19 pm EST

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    It all depends upon (1) whether Keith wants to win a Cup or not; and (2) whether he thinks that the Hawks are the best chance for him to do so. If the answer to both questions is "yes" he stays in Chicago.
  21. mike t
    21. Posted by mike t Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:38 pm EST

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    Not even a slight chance in hell that this happens.There is no way the Hawks can afford to keep both of these guys i look for them to trade Kane and keep Toews which would be the smart thing to do.The best chance they have is getting rid of Cambells sorry ass and salary which is highly unlikely and with the signing of the cup killer aka Hossa there is no way the Hawks keep both...Look for the Hawks to move Kane near the deadline i guarentee that he is trade before then.
  22. Pensfan71
    22. Posted by Pensfan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:53 pm EST

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    You can talk about kane toews, and Keith taking a discount, but we are talking more than a discount in order to get all three of those guys signed. They have roughly 13.47 mil in cap space which means even if they each sign for a cap hit of 4 mil (which isnt likely) there still probably isn't enough to fill in the roster and leave space for call-ups etc... I'm not saying it won't happen. But its not going to happen without moving some salary.
  23. Pensfan71
    23. Posted by Pensfan71 Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:56 pm EST

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    theres no chance they trade Kane
  24. Brian G
    24. Posted by Brian G Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:58 pm EST

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    From an Atlanta fan........Thank God we did not sign Campbell....Please keep him. We have no room or need for him. Hainsey was a better deal at a better price anyway. Though Kubina is only on a one year contract, it may be wise to sign him for another year or two. Also, there are some very talented prospects in the Thrashers system that may be ready to make the jump in a year or two.
  25. Kenny H
    25. Posted by Kenny H Mon Nov 16, 2009 3:00 pm EST

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    They will not get rid of those three. That would be dumb. And the Hossa signing was really smart, he's only a cap hit of 5.75 which is really cheap for his talent. Chicago will trade Barker and Versteeg or Sharp which will clear up a lot of cap space.

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