Kings are going to own the Western Conference and the NHL when Kane and Toews new contracts kick in.
Sure as **** can't expect any team from the EC to stop them.
All of their best players are locked up long term, with the exception of Kopitar.
They are set up to be strong contenders for the next five years.
People are overestimating the Kane/Toews/Saad deals impact on Hawks going forward
The Hawks also have a very good prospect pool that will start getting NHL chances in coming years
Reminds me of 2010 + 2011 when Hawks were on decline and done contending because of all the cap purges according to HF. People were wrong then and will be wrong again IMO
Seriously the organization already has dealt with cap purges 3 different summers and survived. They will survive 2015 as well
2010
Traded Ladd + Byfuglien + Versteeg and lost Niemi via arbitration due to cap
2011
Traded Campbell + Brouwer due to cap
2013
Traded Bolland + Frolik due to cap