Yes I am very ok with not paying 3 first round picks for Jones and then paying him an insane amount of money, you say this as no overpayment is too much overpayment, there is a reason why this is an overpayment, you are weakening your team more than you are making it better, what would be more ridiculous than this 10 first round draft picks? Do people not understand the implications associated with just giving away first round draft picks???
Are you seeing the money that #1ish type defensemen are getting at that age range? The contract isn't wildly outlandish, and either way it does nothing to cripple us. We don't even have anyone on our radar that is going to get near Toews/Kane money, so what does it matter?
Also, do you understand the overrating of always stocking up on hope? If first round picks are so wildly important to team success, why isn't Buffalo a powerhouse? Hell, even Edmonton? They have more high end first round picks than any other team over the last decade but still go no where. Sometimes you need to pay a bit to get a more sure thing, like Jones, over hoping it works out with a wildly unknown draft pick position, prospect, and then development curve. I understand some teams have had success with it, like Colorado to help fill their depth, but a lot of that also comes from extremely high picks. Hawks would have to 100% bottom out over the next 5 years and hope they don't get juked by the lottery.
I'm good with the short term plan. If T+K can scratch Stan's back a bit next contract, we have tons of space, they can be solid depth contributors and then use some of your beloved cap space to sign some high end talent that is apparently climbing over each other to sign here.
