This all seems realistic. Still need to spend another $3m to get to the projected cap floor. If Nazar doesn't sign his ELC, Hawks definitely target a 2C as a UFA.

I guess I'd prefer a different goalie. Not that Mrazek's been bad. I just think his track record has proven that he's consistently inconsistent and while CHI fans haven't seen it a whole lot yet...he's quite injury prone.

I'd explore what a 6-8 year contract with Vlasic looks like. He's been outstanding and he's very underrated. He does just a ton of stuff well. He's not the biggest point getter so even he knows his contract will never be a super high AAV, but he just does so many things well in the defensive end. I'm sold on him and want him to stay in his hometown for the rest of his career.

I like that this team doesn't have Moore/Nazar/Rinzel/etc... I'd send them back for additional seasoning. No shame is trying to compete for a Hobey Baker. Neither of them are likely close to finalists this year AND to be blunt...sometimes finalists/winners don't always crush it at the NHL level. Continue working your game and become the best 2-way player you can be before attempting to play in the NHL.

As far as UFAs go...I'd try to land Reinhart. We've got the cap space. Florida likely can't keep him. We're heading in the right direction even if it isn't literally next year. Maybe he bites.

If the cap is at the projected $87.7M next season, the floor should be about $65M. This is about right. I'm sure they will want to be a comfortable amount above that floor, though too, just in case of injuries and what not.

HEYO!!! I put the idea for signing Vlasic long term, didn't I? I'm taking credit for that one. haha. I am totally sold on him too. If he keeps doing what he is doing he is easily worth paying like a top 4 defenseman and locking him up, and if his offensive game picks up and we get some surplus value out of him down the road, his contract will look like a stroke of genius. Why not keep the hometown kid in CHI for his career? Also, I agree with the rest. haha

You can certainly have the credit! The Hawks HAVE to know he's the real deal...OR at least becoming the real deal. He's now out there with Louis Crevier. Talk about trust. He's the rookie that's already getting assignments to help protect/develop other rookies. Just outstanding stuff. I'm hopeful the contract stuff is easy. Tough to go low (in term) on his deal because despite him being a rookie (IMO)...he's literally 1 game outside of Calder Nominations, YET he's still arbitration eligible. So he's got a little more leverage than other rookies.

I think they stay patient and do something like this.. I agree with vlasic love but still think they need another veteran D

Agreed. 100%. Lock him up. But now I wonder what that is gonna look like. If CHI want's term, how much more are him and his agent going to ask for? Or does he want term too? If he gets term now, he is definitely gonna make more in the next two years than he would on a bridge deal. So, does he give that consideration and add it all together to come to a reasonable number, or do they attempt to project what a median top pairing defensive defenseman salary is going to look like in 3 or 4 years, get ahead of the curve, and base his AAV on that?

I'm not sure what to give that kind of player, honestly. Like, most of the time when guys get paid, it is because of offense, but his game is almost entirely defense. So, the comps don't really exist unless you are looking at bottom 4 defenders. Will the offense come, or is he just going to be a defensive stud? I mean, his numbers will definitely go up as the team gets better and he is moving the puck out of the d-zone up to his forwards. He isn't afraid to shoot or attempt a pass, but he isn't particularly good at either in the offensive zone. Does he take a hometown discount?

So many questions. But I am definitely in favor of them crunching those numbers and giving him some serious term if the AAV doesn't get too insane.

I personally would love for us to sign Vlasic to a long term deal I just think its more likely with this regime that they're going to be wary of handing out long contracts to anyone but Bedard.

As for the college guys Nazar is the only one of those three I think will potentially sign, and I'd be fine with that if he does. He's been one of the best players in the big 10 and NCAA as a whole but I just dont know if theres any need to rush it. And does he really wanna leave a great program and fun college to go play in rockford if his spot isnt guaranteed in Chicago.

Idk about that. If i'm Kyle Davidson, I am locking kids in early. When you pay older guys you end up with a lot of cap hits on the books that aren't producing and then you can't move their contracts. But, I definitely wouldn't do that with just any young player, just the special ones, like Bedard, Vlasic, and whoever else emerges over the next few years. The rest can earn their pay day.

Also, there is no shame in playing in the AHL and no player should ever expect to be handed an NHL roster spot. If Rockford is what is best for Nazar's development, that is where he should go.

Speaking of the AHL, I think Reichel might need to take a trip down for a few games and figure his $hit out, especially while he is still waiver exempt. He does not look like the same Reichel that put up 15 points in 23 games last year, at all.

I'm starting to worry about Reichel. The speed skill and IQ are all still clearly there but the effort has not been. He's not willing to battle hard enough in the corners to keep the puck or on the backcheck. Not sure what he needs but I hope he figures it out because its the only thing holding him back from being a really really good NHL player.

Skill, for sure. Speed, kind of. IQ... Idk, he is certainly a smart kid, but he keeps looking overwhelmed on the ice and is constantly way behind the play. I wonder if the change in diet and the extra weight over the summer is having some mental effects. He probably just needs time for his mind to acclimate and get used to his body. Where he was last year was working, so I don't know why they asked him to go change his entire routine and body. That was CHI's fault in my opinion. Hopefully he can get back on track. Not like we need him to soon, but, for his own sake, it is a contract year for him after all.

Interesting. I hadnt realized CHI had intervened in his diet like that. To me anyway, the IQ is probably Reichels biggest asset. Even though hes playing poorly I think his best moments are when he makes the smart little plays like tapping the puck centrally to dickinson for that tampa goal or his little behind the back pass to raddysh for the secondary assist on TJs goal I believe against seattle. He thinks the game super quickly, he just needs to move his feet and fight to get into position to be able to use that.

Well, they wanted him to put weight on. Which implies a change in diet, and is something he talked about in preseason interviews that he had done.

I agree that he has all of those attributes you mentioned, though. I was mainly just speculating that the changes in weight and diet that he has made may have forced him to think and play a bit differently. Most of it will pass with time as his body and mind acclimate, though. I'm not worried. I just think it sucks for his next contract. Not only for his sake, but, personally, I was hoping he would have a solid year and CHI could get him locked in for at least 5 or 6 years on a larger deal. That way they don't have to give inflated contracts out, again, like they did this year.

His next contract will be really interesting. He could sign a 4 year deal and still be an RFA at the end of it so I'm really curious to see how long KD wants to sign him if he continues having a subpar season. I think money/development wise a 2-3 year deal makes a lot of sense but it also sets us up for a difficult offseason down the line if he starts commanding more money and you need to lock up guys like Bedard Korch Nazar Moore long term. On the flip side if the org has a lot of faith in him improving you have an opportunity to get him into a cheap long term deal that could look incredible in a few years.