Speculation: Emery re-up close? (EDIT: Signing with PHI)

[RomersWorld*]

Crawford is as good as gone with another year like this one.

He'd command a 8 year, 6 mil per cap hit on the open market IMO. So unless Crawford is willing to give away millions for a chance to win another Cup...bye!

He could have a mediocre year and maybe the Hawks could keep him. Then we might be able to get him for under 5 mil cap hit.

If we see Emery re-signed(especially for multiple years) then I think they are preparing for the loss of Crawford.

In 2013-14, play Crawford and Emery in NHL, while Raanta in Rockford. If Crawford, Emery and Raanta all have great seasons...Crawford is gone IMO.

Then you'd go with a 1a/1b goalie rotation with Emery/Raanta and hope Raanta steals the job and we have him for a few more years on a decent cap hit until the next guys are hopefully ready to take over(Simpson, Whitney, Carruth, Tomkins) or find UFA gem or trade for Bernier, Lindback, Bishop, ect type(as in new 2017/18 versions of those guys).

That is what I could see playing out but honestly no one knows. Maybe the Hawks don't sign Emery, maybe Raanta sucks, maybe Crawford takes discount, maybe Crawford isn't great next year so we can keep him at reasonable deal.

I'd love to keep Crawford but it doesn't seem likely to me. Hawks could realistically have the same defense next year and if Crawford get another top 5 SV%, some team in free agency will pay him a 6 year, 36 million(6 mil cap hit) easily and the Hawks would be best to move on at that point IMO.

Although, some speculate Crawford could feel the effects of the pad reduction next year and maybe it does have an impact on his numbers/game or maybe the defense goes back into Pejorative Slur mode.

So hard to speculate right now but even though when I saw the Hawks considering re-signing Emery I made a sick face(I like Raanta/thought of Salak situation) but it might be best to get Raanta #1 starts in Rockford and make sure we have 3 goalies to choose from next year after the season. Raanta does seem to have a great attitude and I wonder if management discussed with him the possibility of Crawford pricing himself out of Chicago.

 

[w00d]

Why the hell did Bowman sign Raanta to a $1.4 million, one-way deal if he was going to re-sign Emery and send Raanta to Rockford? That doesn't make any sense. Raanta would carry a $500k cap hit in Chicago even if he plays in Rockford, which is a huge waste of the salary cap. Either Bowman screwed up the Raanta deal, or Bowman has no intention of re-signing Crawford when his current contract is up.

There is no way that re-signing Emery makes sense at all. Crawford should be starting 65-70 games. Raanta can start whatever is leftover from that. You don't need to bring Emery back to start those games, unless Bowman wants to platoon him and Crawford again, which is just stupid from a hockey sense. The starting goalie should be the starter, period. The backup should only start games in case of injury or fatigue.

Emery should be on the free agent market looking for a starting job somewhere, or at least the chance to win the starting job somewhere. Re-signing him makes zero sense from both a business (salary cap) and hockey perspective when you already have Raanta signed to an expensive one-way deal.

 

[Illinihockey]

Why the hell did Bowman sign Raanta to a $1.4 million, one-way deal if he was going to re-sign Emery and send Raanta to Rockford? That doesn't make any sense. Raanta would carry a $500k cap hit in Chicago even if he plays in Rockford, which is a huge waste of the salary cap. Either Bowman screwed up the Raanta deal, or Bowman has no intention of re-signing Crawford when his current contract is up.

There is no way that re-signing Emery makes sense at all. Crawford should be starting 65-70 games. Raanta can start whatever is leftover from that. You don't need to bring Emery back to start those games, unless Bowman wants to platoon him and Crawford again, which is just stupid from a hockey sense. The starting goalie should be the starter, period. The backup should only start games in case of injury or fatigue.

Emery should be on the free agent market looking for a starting job somewhere, or at least the chance to win the starting job somewhere.

Raanta's base salary is $925,000

 

[hockeydoug]

Why the hell did Bowman sign Raanta to a $1.4 million, one-way deal if he was going to re-sign Emery and send Raanta to Rockford? That doesn't make any sense. Raanta would carry a $500k cap hit in Chicago even if he plays in Rockford, which is a huge waste of the salary cap. Either Bowman screwed up the Raanta deal, or Bowman has no intention of re-signing Crawford when his current contract is up.

I thought it was a 2 way contract.

 

[ClydeLee]

Raanta's base salary is $925,000

And it isn't a one-way deal

 

[IU Hawks fan]

He's on a 1 way? Pretty sure it's a 2 way, 70000 if he's in Rockford.

 

[hockeydoug]

Raanta's base salary is $925,000

I thought the rest was just bonus money for performance.

 

[hawksfan50]

Crawford is UFA after this season...I can see if he has another great year and if we win the Cup again even MORE SO rxpecting eithrr the Hawks or UFA market to give him elite goalie money..in the $6MILLION+ per yr range..Stan and Rocky may think this puts us way off the ee can win Cups with less than elite paid goslies who play like elite goalies..so sayonara CC...means Raanta IF.he shines in Rockford will get on the big squad THEN...meanwhile Razo is a relatively cheap share the net backup. .of course the "hometown discount" loyalty program includes the vaunted "endorsemet opportunitoes" that come as off the books perks to local hero syalearts who are part of yhe essential staying in Chicago
core group...explains why they stay for less than the open market pays.. This gives Stan 2 options witj CC...asmaso probanly flops in PHI. ..asevery goalie does..they will panic and want to solbe their goalie problem next summer..Stan could trade his rights after the season but before je can go ufa and IF PHI signs hom ee get a higher pick or picks than the pick ee get just for sich pre-ufa neg rights..Or if Stan finds 2 clubs after him he can sogn and trade to the higjrst bidder.. Certainly the Bowman foctrone..you can win the Cup witj goalies on the cheap,will notlet is pay CC sich big$$$.. Thus the Emery+ Raanta insurance policoes.

 

[hockeydoug]

I think they pay Crawford until he gives them a real reason not to.
Hjalmarsson first though. Give him 6 or 7 by 4.5 asap. and then talk to Crow's agent.

I'm not a fan of paying goalies big money, but Crawford has done just about everything you would want to see out of a goalie and he's in his prime now.

 

[Hawkaholic]

2yrs is ideal I think, prepare for the loss of Crawford and then roll with Emery Raanta unless there is a reason not to.

3yrs would be a bit too much I think, but it wouldn't be a terrible thing.

 

[SLarmer28*]

Antti Raanta signed an one year, two way contract.

http://www.capgeek.com/player/2521

AHL Salary - $70,000

 

[HockeySauce]

Rockford blows and Raanta's numbers will not be impressive. He'll probably go back and have another Earth shattering season, like Salak. I hope it doesn't happen again but it just did.

Salak was bad and he played bad. Raanta already said he anticipated having to spend some time in the AHL. If he pouts he pouts.

 

[Bubba88]

I don't like the idea of having Emery as emergency number 1 in the POs if Raanta isn't good enough and Crawford is gone after pricing himself out of Chicago in 2014/15

 

[SLarmer28*]

I don't like the idea of having Emery as emergency number 1 in the POs if Raanta isn't good enough and Crawford is gone after pricing himself out of Chicago in 2014/15

Blame Dale Tallon since he only drafted three goalies from 2005 thru 2009, all of them busts.

 

[w00d]

Looks like you guys are right. Raanta's NHL cap hit is $1.4 million (bonuses count) but its a two-way deal. The blue number on CapGeek threw me off (two way deals are supposed to be red).

 

[Hawkaholic]

Antti Raanta signed an one year, two way contract.

http://www.capgeek.com/player/2521

AHL Salary - $70,000

And we probably retain his RFA rights after next season.

Here's a quote from the Antti Raanta signing thread from Metalcommand, who roughly translated what Antti said to the Finnish media.

Seems to be coming with good hard-working attitude and not excepting free passes. Some comments he made to Finnish media rougly translated:

On possible AHL: ''I'm certain I'll have to go to the AHL. That's the goalie thing. It's a **** job and constant battle for playing time.''

On KHL/NHL: Raanta emphasizes that his dream was specifically NHL although he could have gotten more money in the KHL.

''It was clear as day the whole time. They play proper ice-hockey in NHL and it's the best league in the world although KHL is coming too. But the NHL has the world's best players and proper/real North-American ice hockey''

 

[HockeySauce]

Even if Crawford has another great year, I don't think he's, "as good as gone". We all know he's a good goalie, we just don't know how good. He's had very good, forgettable, and outstanding seasons in the NHL, with the Blackhawks. If he posts a 2.30 GAA and 915Sv% next year, I could see (and would like) for Chicago to sign him to a 5-year, 22M contract (4.4M per). I think that'd be less than Crawford could get on the market, but I think he'll also realize he has a good thing going here in Chicago and that's plenty of moolah.

 

[SLarmer28*]

And we probably retain his RFA rights after next season.

The Antti Niemi route to the NHL.

 

[slappipappi]

Crawford is as good as gone with another year like this one.

He'd command a 8 year, 6 mil per cap hit on the open market IMO.

There is zero chance that Crawford gets an 8 year deal at $6M from another team on the open market. Even if he gets 82 shut outs next year.

 

[hawksfan50]

YOU who are not a fan of viving goalies big money must undrrstand that the Bowman braintrust are not fans of that either..So your exception for Crawford makes zero sense both for consistency to your general philosophy on this issue AND no sense on expecting Stanbo to break his Master Plan rule #1..which is Never to brak the bank with big bucks for goalies..you protect goalies with sjpdrior Dmen and comitted TEAM defense...you only need competent goalies who with such protection can keep scores down enough to win..thus se do not need league leading shutout frznchise goalies..keep it below two a game on average is good enough and if a goalie gets to elite star status and would command elite pay on the market equal to tkp 5 paid goalies in the league..then sayonara..Hawks ain't gonna pay anywhere near such elite goalie pay scales.. THEY spend $$$ elsewhere..The philosophy is to ensure we are a gop scoring team but also play a 2 way team support game..not to pay some WALL top dollar to cover vast holes in team offense or defense such that this elite wall goalie has to bail out such otherwise inferior team..So we do not pay big bucks to goalies..pdriod..ruins the rest of our cap allocation for talent we want to keep...so we will never go overboard in paying goalies even when such big pay is deserved. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

 

[Any Colour You Like]

If they do give Emery a multi-year deal, wonder if we'll be seeing Raanta/Emery in 2014-2015.

Not a chance, this team is loyal to Crawford through and through. Once Emery's next contract expires, should he get re-signed by the Hawks, if Raanta has been re-upped then it'll be Raanta/Crawford in all likelihood, with Carruth and Simpson in Rockford in 2014 or 2015.

 

[RomersWorld*]

There is zero chance that Crawford gets an 8 year deal at $6M from another team on the open market. Even if he gets 82 shut outs next year.

Really? Even if he has another great regular season and wins the Cup again?

Well, he can only get a 7 year deal in UFA I think so 7 years, 6 mil per. So if that was your point never mind the rest.

Mike Smith just signed a 6 year deal with a 5.7 mil cap hit and he didn't even hit free agency yet...plus only has one great year to his resume(Crawford would have two hypothetically). Look at the Ilya Bryzgalov deal.

Jimmy Howard 6 years, 5.3 mil per
Jonathan Quick 10 years, 7 mil per
Cam Ward 6 years, 6.25 mil per
Carey Price 6 years, 6.5 mil per
Pekka Rinne 7 years, 7 mil per
M.A. Fleury 7 years, 5.75 mil per

People will be shocked at the deal Crawford will get with another great season(top 5 SV%, good playoffs). I just hope it isn't the Hawks that give it to him.

 

[slappipappi]

Really? Even if he has another great regular season and wins the Cup again?

Well, he can only get a 7 year deal in UFA I think so 7 years, 6 mil per. So if that was your point never mind the rest.

Pretty obvious that was my point.

 

[Bubba88]

I think Crawford could get this much, but it's about this season. Doubt we see him signed before the end of the year

 

[Sir Psycho T]

Lighting up Europe doesn't mean a goalie is going to be great in the NHL. Salak has been in the AHL twice, in Rochester and Rockford, posted a .910 and .903 save% and in the NHL once .850. His year before going to Rochester .923, his year after Rochester .926, his year after Rockford .939. There's nothing to suggest he can survive in top north american leagues.

Your going to throw out a 2 game stretch for a 21 year old behind one of the worst teams in the NHL to try and justify he couldn't hack it?

Salak is still younger then Crawford was when he finally became a #1. If a team actually ever gives him a legit chance I think he can be a solid NHL goalie.

As for Emery if he wants to come back for a year fine. Wouldn't give him much more then that, wanting to give Raanta a chance and still locking up Crawford long term.