The Chicago Blackhawks have walked away from the $2.75 million and Antti Niemi

[LittleAsianGuy]

Gee i wished we didnt have the luongo contract. Imagine if we can scoop this guy up for 2.75. We can add a couple of D or forwards and have a affortable goalie.


The Chicago Blackhawks have walked away from the $2.75 million contract that was awarded to Antti Niemi in arbitration, which makes the Stanley Cup-winning goalie an unrestricted free agent.

Instead, the Blackhawks have signed veteran netminder Marty Turco to a one-year, $1.3 million contract.

The team confirmed the goalie shuffle in a conference call on Monday.

"We exhausted all of our options to make this work," said Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman. "This is the direction that made the most sense. You have to have flexibility within your roster and this was the best way to defend the Cup."

 

[Hoops]

Niemi at $2.75 or Luongo at $5.33?
That would leave room for a $2.58 million dollar forward or defenceman.
At best that would get us a 3rd line forward or a #4 defenceman.

So would you rather have Niemi plus improve our depth with a 3rd line forward or a #4 defenceman? I don't know who's available.
Or would you rather have Luongo plus our present depth which is Rypien or Aaron Rome?

Personally, I'll take Lu because I think he can revert back to playing at his top form.

 

[LittleAsianGuy]

Oh right 5.33 is the cap hit. Was thinking of the 10 mill he'll make this season.

Niemi at $2.75 or Luongo at $5.33?
That would leave room for a $2.58 million dollar forward or defenceman.
At best that would get us a 3rd line forward or a #4 defenceman.

So would you rather have Niemi plus improve our depth with a 3rd line forward or a #4 defenceman? I don't know who's available.
Or would you rather have Luongo plus our present depth which is Rypien or Aaron Rome?

Personally, I'll take Lu because I think he can revert back to playing at his top form.

 

[LittleAsianGuy]

Niemi he did come through in the playoffs which im not quite sure Luongo will ever do.

 

[storm rider]

All I can say is that it shows that the Blackhawk ownership/management has no class....Niemi stood on his head and carried that team all the way to the cup and thats how they show their appreciation...2.75 million per season for a quality goalie is a bargain...I figure the Blackhawks think he was a flash in the pan and cast him aside.....same thing the Montreal Canadians did with their goalie who carried them...cast him aside...pretty fuckin pathetic to do after what both of those goalies did in the post season...I am just glad the Flames did not do the same thing with Kiprusof.

SR

 

[Mr.Boggo]

This kind of sucks really. I'm not a Hawks fan, but this isn't the way to beat them. So what if they get beaten next year, half the team has been dismantled. There's that old saying, to be the man, you've got to beat the man...but the hawks are already in pieces.

Is this the only way the Nucks will be able to beat the Hawks, not on the ice, but because of the financials?

 

[LittleAsianGuy]

We might lose to them again this yr even though they are losing quite a few of their players.

This kind of sucks really. I'm not a Hawks fan, but this isn't the way to beat them. So what if they get beaten next year, half the team has been dismantled. There's that old saying, to be the man, you've got to beat the man...but the hawks are already in pieces.

Is this the only way the Nucks will be able to beat the Hawks, not on the ice, but because of the financials?

 

[wolverine]

There's not much of a market for goalies this season, so I wonder who will sign Niemi?

 

[InTheBum]

This kind of sucks really. I'm not a Hawks fan, but this isn't the way to beat them. So what if they get beaten next year, half the team has been dismantled. There's that old saying, to be the man, you've got to beat the man...but the hawks are already in pieces.

Is this the only way the Nucks will be able to beat the Hawks, not on the ice, but because of the financials?

Yes...it's called a Salary cap...

 

[badbadboy]

Niemi didn't face a lot of good quality shots all through the playoffs.

Most shots were from well outside the slot. I watched every Hawks games and it was his D men who moved them out and cut down the angles.

His big D men carried that team on their backs. My $0.02

Still brings up the subject as to why any Goalie is worth more than $5M. You are only as good as your last game.

 

[Mr.Boggo]

Yes...it's called a Salary cap...

Gee thanks for telling me what I already knew. It just sucks that they took so long to build from within, they sucked for so many years, then as they start to get good, they have to gut the team because of the cap. They screwed up on three big contracts.

 

[aznboi9]

All I can say is that it shows that the Blackhawk ownership/management has no class....Niemi stood on his head and carried that team all the way to the cup and thats how they show their appreciation...2.75 million per season for a quality goalie is a bargain...I figure the Blackhawks think he was a flash in the pan and cast him aside.....same thing the Montreal Canadians did with their goalie who carried them...cast him aside...pretty fuckin pathetic to do after what both of those goalies did in the post season...I am just glad the Flames did not do the same thing with Kiprusof.

SR

I think them walking away from Niemi has more to do with the 5 million they're paying Huet to play backup then anything. I pretty sure they'd want to keep him but they can't because they don't have the cap room due to that big contract as well as others they signed players to (like Campbell) which were arguably not very good deals, although they still ended up winning. It was funny because you can look up the teams' payrolls on capgeek.com and it shows them only having 18 players under contract with only 3 million left to play with.

 

[HubbaHubba]

I think them walking away from Niemi has more to do with the 5 million they're paying Huet to play backup then anything. I pretty sure they'd want to keep him but they can't because they don't have the cap room due to that big contract as well as others they signed players to (like Campbell) which were arguably not very good deals, although they still ended up winning. It was funny because you can look up the teams' payrolls on capgeek.com and it shows them only having 18 players under contract with only 3 million left to play with.

Why let facts get in the way of S.R.'s rant....lol
You are 100% right aznboi9.

 

[HubbaHubba]

So now they got Turco. Turco is good in reg season but seems kinda shaky in the playoffs. Plus his last season or 2 with Dalls sucked.

He's as good as what they have and at a much better price. Hawks made a smart move.

 

[aznboi9]

Why let facts get in the way of S.R.'s rant....lol
You are 100% right aznboi9.

I try

 

[Hoops]

I think them walking away from Niemi has more to do with the 5 million they're paying Huet to play backup then anything. I pretty sure they'd want to keep him but they can't because they don't have the cap room due to that big contract as well as others they signed players to (like Campbell) which were arguably not very good deals, although they still ended up winning. It was funny because you can look up the teams' payrolls on capgeek.com and it shows them only having 18 players under contract with only 3 million left to play with.

Actually, Huet's deal won't be a cap problem for them since he's going to play overseas or in minors next year.
Campbell's deal is their biggest problem for sure.

 

[planetsmurf]

there big problem will be at the end of next year when seabrook becomes a RFA and will want maybe around 5 million per year. chicago problem is that they were to good at the draft(if you can call it a problem) and they have to many top tier young talents all looking for there share

 

[Mr.Boggo]

They can bury Huet, but they still have Campbell and Hossa as the anchors around their necks. Bad contracts for too long a term. Too bad Gainey isn't around, if he's willing to take on Gomez, he's be willing to take Hossa or Campbell.

 

[aznboi9]

Actually, Huet's deal won't be a cap problem for them since he's going to play overseas or in minors next year.
Campbell's deal is their biggest problem for sure.

Oh, I hadn't heard of that one.

 

[BJhunter]

Oh right 5.33 is the cap hit. Was thinking of the 10 mill he'll make this season.

Not only is that a colossal waste of $$$ on our Lui, but for sport athletes in general. The worst part is, no matter how much he gets roasted even in his hometown, and despite his supporters notably here, Lui's laughing all the way to the bank.

Why? Signing a guaranteed 12 year deal, with a no-trade clause, will do that to ya. No incentive, no motivation. All this bullshit abt him bein the hardest worker, well, what's better, working harder or working smarter? Lol like the old addage.

Besides, we've seen enough of his erratic & detoriating play in the pipes, I suppose he's got nowhere to go but up.....