Friedman: Chicago working on a Duncan Keith trade to a Pacific Northwest or Western Canada team

[pvr]

How are they going to take a run at Jones with no Cap?

Hawks have between $5.5m-$6.3m in cap space with essentially everyone signed and prior to losing someone in the entry draft. There is almost $10m in LTIR (Seabrook and Shaw) this year too. Maatta ($750k) off books next year, and Toews/Kane ($21m) in two years.

Chicago Blackhawks - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Also, just about all of us feel that signing Hamilton and keeping assets is greatly preferable to trading for Jones and losing (for example) Boqvist + 1st or 2nd + mid tier prospect. The real or perceived differences between Jones and Hamilton don’t make up for the asset losses needed to acquire Jones.

 

[Putt Pirate]

Chicago really needs to add here IMO. Oilers are not exactly swimming in cap space… and have a lot of depth to work on

They ‘should’ but don’t have to. They aren’t hurting the org to do Keith a solid.

 

[Mr Positive]

If Chicago retains 1M and takes Kos, I don't mind throwing in a 2nd and Jones.

But then what do we do in 2022-23 if Keith takes an easily predictable slide downward? Then we have 4.5 AAV in dead cap along with Neal's nearly 6 million, and we need raises for key players, an we will likely have increased goalie spending. Sorry, they should either take Neal or do a double retention to send Keith here for 25%. That is too expensive for Chicago but it's the only option for us to limit the risk of Keith's 2nd year of that deal.

Edit. Not to mention that our org has been bleeding picks in recent years. We cant be handing them out for depth additions with risk such as Keith

 

[ManofSteel55]

But then what do we do in 2022-23 if Keith takes an easily predictable slide downward? Then we have 4.5 AAV in dead cap along with Neal's nearly 6 million, and we need raises for key players, an we will likely have increased goalie spending. Sorry, they should either take Neal or do a double retention to send Keith here for 25%. That is too expensive for Chicago but it's the only option for us to limit the risk of Keith's 2nd year of that deal

The longer this goes on, the more I am inclined to agree. We can't afford to have buyouts of both Keith and Neal on the books, so if there is no way to do a Keith trade without Neal going back the other way, then I don't see the point of doing the deal. I would still include Jones to make up for them having the player more likely to need a buyout, (Keith is older, but Neal had a worse season and has more "bounce back" needed"), but no dice on any Keith deal that doesn't include James Neal.

 

[StreetHawk]

I think Seattle would just take him in the expansion draft for free. Who else are they taking from Chic*go?

If Chicago doesn't have much available for the ED, they would be at the bottom of the list in terms of the final few teams that they pick a player from.

Then based on what they have selected and any side deals to take on bad contracts, they will take what makes sense from Chicago. Per ED rules, they have to take 60% of the salary cap ceiling of players who have a contract for 21-22 season, so any RFA that are not signed, won't count towards that number. Doesn't mean Seattle has to keep these guys, as they can make side deals to trade their picked players to other teams for future assets.

I don't doubt that Seattle will hit the salary cap floor when they drop the puck for the regular season.

 

[SuterHaglshev]

Why would they not rather have Strome than Keith?

Why would a high school student prefer being a senior over a freshman?

They may not...

 

[hawksrule]

Because Holland says take it or leave it? No favors man, and Holland's got all the leverage here.

It’s the pervasiveness of this mindset which has led this thread to be exceedingly dumb, even by hf trade board standards.

Chicago doesn’t have to make a deal.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Bowman thinks it’s still 2015

 

[ManofSteel55]

It’s the pervasiveness of this mindset which has led this thread to be exceedingly dumb, even by hf trade board standards.

Chicago doesn’t have to make a deal.

Neither team needs to make this deal. Edmonton's only motivation to make this deal is to be in a better place as a franchise after it is done. Chicago wants the same, but also has the added pressures of a team legend requesting a trade and that being made public. Neither side HAS to make a trade, but one side certainly has more reasons to do it. The trick for Edmonton is to get it as close to "fair" as possible for Chicago to accept without hurting the current cap situation.

 

[hawksrule]

Neither team needs to make this deal. Edmonton's only motivation to make this deal is to be in a better place as a franchise after it is done. Chicago wants the same, but also has the added pressures of a team legend requesting a trade and that being made public. Neither side HAS to make a trade, but one side certainly has more reasons to do it. The trick for Edmonton is to get it as close to "fair" as possible for Chicago to accept without hurting the current cap situation.

The premise that Chicago is over a barrel and will be forced to accept whatever take it or leave it over Edmonton May offer - which is what I responded to - is fantasyland.

 

[ManofSteel55]

The premise that Chicago is over a barrel and will be forced to accept whatever take it or leave it over Edmonton May offer - which is what I responded to - is fantasyland.

I agree. As is Bowman's belief that Keith at his current cap his can be moved without salary retention or cap via a negative coming back. This isn't Duncan Keith from 2010 we are talking about here.

Most of these types of discussions are based in fantasy land.

 

[North]

The premise that Chicago is over a barrel and will be forced to accept whatever take it or leave it over Edmonton May offer - which is what I responded to - is fantasyland.

The thing is that’s true and in that case Chicago can keep Keith.

The Oilers aren’t going to pay a premium for a player on the downside of his career with a hefty cap hit. Keeping in mind that player has an NMC and is only willing to go to certain teams.

 

[TheNumber4]

Bowman thinks it’s still 2015

Blackhawks must be stupid. For 5.4K the Pilers can just go get a much better, younger, hungrier, D-man on the open market. And hey we wouldn’t have to lose ANY assets as well. No deal. Oilers need to run not walk away.

 

[StreetHawk]

In the end it all comes down to Keith’s attitude and desire. No idea how much or little he’s seen of his son since the split with his Ex. Very few breaks in the season that allow him to see his kid if he’s in Chicago these next 2 seasons.

He’s a HHOF player if he retires today. Would he actually be ok playing out the final 2 years at $3.6 mill total with a Hawks team that is in transition? Datsyuk left the NHL to be with his kid in Russia.

So who knows how this will get played out.

 

[Gurglesons]

Bowman thinks it’s still 2015

I mean, what's the point of moving Keith if they have to retain?

 

[YP44]

I mean, what's the point of moving Keith if they have to retain?

exactly this.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

I mean, what's the point of moving Keith if they have to retain?

You would rather keep a 5.5 million dollar player on the cap than retain half and acquire an almost equally good, younger, cheaper (overall, including retention) defenseman with upside that might help you land his brother?

To each their own I guess. You’ll be stuck with Keith at that cap hit and it becomes pretty risky because he could continue to decline further next season and beyond.

 

[Patch101]

If Caleb is on the table, they need to take Mikko or retain or gtfo.

 

[Gurglesons]

You would rather keep a 5.5 million dollar player on the cap than retain half and acquire an almost equally good, younger, cheaper (overall, including retention) defenseman with upside that might help you land his brother?

To each their own I guess. You’ll be stuck with Keith at that cap hit and it becomes pretty risky because he could continue to decline further next season and beyond.

I'm not a CHI fan. Keith is a franchise legend. He is the best Blackhawk defenseman in the history of the franchise.

There is a lot more to it than you are trying to make it seem.

 

[MMC]

 

[Patch101]

I'm not a CHI fan. Keith is a franchise legend. He is the best Blackhawk defenseman in the history of the franchise.

There is a lot more to it than you are trying to make it seem.

They should keep him then