They are paying for their cap troubles after having nearly a decade of being a top team with 3 Stanley cups. I'd gladly take cap hell and 3 cups than cap space and zero cups......

If this is the worst, Hawks fans should be pretty happy. It was well worth it.

I understand that and would take this fate if it were my team...however I am happy they are screwed for the foreseeable future

You obviously are bitter yet you proposition of not having cap space is completely wrong. First, Hossa's contract is $5.2M of cap relief. Whether he is LITR or more likely, traded to a team that needs to make the cap floor like AZ as it will cost the team $1M in salary but give them $5.2M additional cap to hit the cap floor....easy sell.

Second, you have the Hawks carrying 2 to 3 players too many on the roster; that won't happen. That's another $2M in cap space.

Third, Bouma is gone and can't come back next year.

Fourth, no way does Duclair get $2.75M, that's another at least $250k in cap available if not $500K as he will resign for $2.25M most believe.

Fifth, Anisimov is gone almost a certainty at this point so that's another $4.55M.

So with a $78M cap (some say will be $80M but I'll bite on the $78M), the combination above will result in a conservative scenario, a total of $11.5M in available Cap. They will pick up at least 1 top line guy in free agency, or get 2 2nd line guys one on defense and one on offense. Not to mention, Jokiharju the great Finish defender is going to sign and hopefully Dylan Sikura both who are NHL ready and future 1st or 2nd line guys. Then of course we have a lot picks in this years draft including 2 first rounders.

Your analysis is completely unrealistic and out of bitterness and I understand being a rival fan but let's try to look at the real picture.

That cap space is all well and good but outside of 3-4 guys on the roster, the team is pretty well garbage. It will take much more than a top line scorer to bring this team back to even just contending for the playoffs.

3 or 4 players and the rest are garbage? That's a dumb comment honestly.

Kane, Schmaltz, DeBrincatt, Crawford are all top line guys on most teams.

Keith, Toews, Saad, Anisimov are all 2nd line players on most teams.

There's 8 players that aren't garbage.

Others like Hinostroza, Duclair, Rutta and Murphy are all 3rd or 4th line role players on any team.

Then there's Jokiharju and Sikura both who will be rookies this or next year who are amongst the top 10 talent coming into the league in 2018.

So that's 14 players who aren't "garbage".

Additionally, with a minimum of $11.5M in cap space, and all the picks in this year's deep draft, you don't think the Hawks can pick up more then just a top line scorer? They could pick up a 1st liner and 2nd liner plus sign a couple young guys with that space. And if the cap goes to $80m, which many predict, now you are a minimum of $13.5M in space which could equate to two 1st liners (say one of each, Defense and Offense).

If Crow comes back to his usual self, which is a big if, the Hawks need two guys. A 1st line D guy and a 2nd liner or better forward that score. That alone will take them to the playoffs.

Again, let's be realistic folks.

Claiming Scmaltz and Debrincat as 1st liners on most teams is laughable. Anisimov and Saad are performing like 3rd line players at best. Duclair is lucky to even be in the NHL.

Thanks for the well wishes Bobby Martin!
Technically they've been in cap hell since the 1st of their 3 Cups, when they let go of guys like Ladd, Brouwer, Versteeg and Byfuglien.
I'm actually optimistic that a healthy Crawford, no Patrick Sharp or other 35+ and instead Sikura or other prospect, this team could be back in the playoffs again next season.

Funny how the OP didn't adjust the salary cap..... Everyone knows the cap is going up to at least 82 this summer with some projections as high as 85...

The Hawks have 16 players signed with a total cap hit of $60,068,461, which leaves them with $21,931,539 in cap space this summer with the cap set at 82 (which is the more conservative estimate that most agree with.

The Hawks have to resign Hinostroza, Duclair and Hayden and those 3 players will cost maybe 5 million combined. Sikura will be signed to a 925K ELC, which will leave the Hawks with roughly 15 million to spend on 3-4 UFA's this summer to improve this team.

Just as long as Bowman doesn't hand out long-term deals to UFA's this team will be fine moving forward and has a bright future.

The OP is being blatantly dishonest.

The Hawks are in fine shape going forward with plenty of space to make the improvements they need to make.

The difference is the core is aging, and every other team will have cap space. Why would any free agent go to a team past its prime when there are at least 15 better options to win a cup? You act like every single free agent is going to want to go to Chicago. Schmaltz is just a product of Kane being a stud, Toews is a 3rd line center now, Saad is a disappointment, seabrook is slow, and keith can't even score.

Lets be realistic

Schmaltz is a product of Kane? You've got to be kidding. Toews is not a 3rd line center, arguably not a 1st but not a 3rd. Saad had a down year, but agree, he's not a 1st liner. Seabs is slow but still as a 3rd liner one of the best in the league. Keith is stay back defender because he's slowed down, if you've watched him play, you know he's still one of the best defenders but now a stay back guy not a forward pushing defender. Then you have Debrincatt, top few rookies in the league and incoming Jokiharju and Sikura both could battle for top 5 rookies next year.

Because Chicago has the best stadium or 2nd best stadium and the best fans....both just recently ranked. And if you think that doesn't make a difference to players, you are sadly mistaken.

You are a bitter Wingnut fan, nothing more and hate playing 2nd fiddle to Chicago in every aspect of comparing Detroit to Chicago hockey or not.

11>5
Your team has less points than the Avalanche. The AVALANCHE. Its over.