News Article: Why the Blackhawks could be major players for Mikko Rantanen, others this offseason

[Hull2Roenick2Kane]

The Blackhawks are in no position to be turning down upper-echelon NHL talent. Timelines go out the window when it comes to fantastic players under 30.

They're going to draft in the top 3-5 again this year (conservatively). You just took Levshunov second. How much longer do we need to be cellar dwellers?

If Rantanen and/or Marner want to come, you sign the first guy of two that's willing to put his pen to paper. Rantanen is 29. There will be plenty in the tank when this team is ready to compete, and he's a proven guy in the playoffs. It also lifts the spirits of the young core (mainly Bedard and Vlasic) that the front office is trying to aggressively get out of the cellar.

The Blackhawks are an incredibly profitable team, and the Cap is going up. By three years from now, I think you can pretty comfortably pay three or four guys $10M+ AAV. You easily could at the end of one of these 7-year deals (unless you deal for their rights and go 8).

I'm not saying this will happen (almost certainly won't), but you could extend Bedard and bring in Rantanen, Marner, and Kaprizov if you really, really wanted to and they all three (for some reason) wanted to play in Chicago.

I like it. Hossa was 31 when they brought him in. Unfortunately were not in the same shape as we were in 2010, but if they will come the turnaround will be in full force.

Do you have zero patience? Who are these teams that "quickly" turned things around? It certainly wasn't the Panthers, Avalanche, Lightning, Penguins, or Blackhawks of the last 20 years.

Rebuilds take a long time. Bowman royally screwed this team by not acknowledging a rebuild was necessary sooner. He signed Jones and Fleury, thinking they along with mid-30's Toews & Kane, Debrincat, and Strome were going to turn us into a contender again.

I think people are projecting their fear of Bedard choosing to leave because the team is not competing. This seems to be the consensus of a lot of NHL fans I am talking to in RL because of how media outlets portray his frustration over and over again on the 24 hr news cycle.

 

[Muffinalt]

We are right on time I think. It's been 3 seasons since the rebuild started in honest. That's nothing.

Bedard, Vlasic, Soderblom have established themselves. This year Nazar, Crevier, Reichel and Allan have too as everyday guys. Del Mastro, Dach and Slaggert are knocking.

That's a lot of young guys. You can't expect more really.

Next year Korchinski is coming. Then another big wave with Kantserov, Levshunov our top 3 pick this year. Maybe Moore, Rinzel, Commesso and a bunch of depth forwards like Savoie, Spellacy or Greene.

It's going to be massive waves and this team could look so vastly different as soon as next year.

We can make additions sure, but the impatient takes are not seeing the youth movement hitting it's stride.

I would say this even has a chance for a pretty fast turnaround all things considered. Young guys need to hit of course, but it's more than the light at the end of the tunnel - it's happening already.

Next few years will be really fun as we see which young guys turn into top players and we ascend towards the playoffs and more.

 

[Bubba88]

the timeline changed when we won the lottery. That's the player you tank for. He will have played 2 full seasons and you still have lots of picks and prospects.
With Bedard, you don't keep your rebuild for much longer, at least not actively trying to lose. They got a 2nd overall and will get a Top5 Pick this year. That's while other prospects make the jump.
You won't keep em all, but you have to get better and show them that the losing is over (we will still lose more than enough games to still pick in the top half of next years draft).

That's not something related to patience or sticking to the plan.

 

[Malaka]

With Eliotte Friedman talking about giant jumps in Cap upcoming and NBA style Cap smoothing, we need to get out of this 2010-2020 mindset on nickle and diming a roster together. For better and worse you need to switch to thinking NBA-style. It's actually a kind of dangerous time for the Hawks, teams can afford their elite forwards in a 10% cap increase per year environment. If a guy shakes loose you have to try. Have to.

I appreciate this thought but I imagine the NBA is different with free agency because of the age of players becoming unrestricted. Again I think you can count on 1 hand the last decade or so how many players actually were worth the contract and lived up to it before their body broke down

 

[Sarava]

I'm in the group wanting to get a big name free agent if one is available and the contract isn't ridiculous. You need to mix in older vets. Not just washed out older vets as we've mostly seen - but producing ones.

I also dont think think we should discount Soupy's contributions to the Cup era teams. He was there for the first one - he even had the keep that won the Cup in OT. And I suspect he was a big part of that team growing and learning how to be champions. And our young guys are hopefully about to go through that same process in the next few years.

 

[Putt Pirate]

If there is no no trade/NMC I am good with signing a vet a little older that is front loaded so his contract is easier to trade later on when he drops off. If needed.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I think people are projecting their fear of Bedard choosing to leave because the team is not competing. This seems to be the consensus of a lot of NHL fans I am talking to in RL because of how media outlets portray his frustration over and over again on the 24 hr news cycle.

When has that ever happened? Seems like wishful thinking by a bunch of people who don't like the Hawks. Eichel left Buffalo because they wouldn't let him get the surgery he wanted to get on his own body. Tavares left because he's a good ol' Canadian boy who was stuck to his pajamas.

Bedard isn't going anywhere.

 

[GIADF]

If things ever got to the point for Bedard wanting to leave... Well, we'd all be so exhausted from how bad this team has now been for going on 10-15 years or whatever that nobody would even be upset with him. It also likely means he's missed coming even close to his ceiling.

I don't think any of that happens.

 

[MHO]

I'll say it like this. If they sign someone like Boeser or Ehlers for 7 x 9-10M, I'll be happy. If they sign Marner or Rantanen for 7 x 14M I'll be happy but less happy. If they don't sign any major free agents, I'll still be ok and excited about what could come from next offseason.

If they don't sign anyone major this offseason or next, I'll be furious.

 

[GIADF]

I'll say it like this. If they sign someone like Boeser or Ehlers for 7 x 9-10M, I'll be happy. If they sign Marner or Rantanen for 7 x 14M I'll be happy but less happy. If they don't sign any major free agents, I'll still be ok and excited about what could come from next offseason.

If they don't sign anyone major this offseason or next, I'll be furious.

Opposite for me. I'd much rather they spend more on the elite guy vs a step down. You can go years between a talent like Marner or Rantanen being available.

The Boeser's and Ehlers of the world are available most FA years.

 

[BLKHKhockey]

Will any of these players still be worth their projected contracts in, say, years 4-7? That’s about when I’d expect this team to make serious runs.

If not, does it matter?

 

[Muffinalt]

Will any of these players still be worth their projected contracts in, say, years 4-7? That’s about when I’d expect this team to make serious runs.

If not, does it matter?

I agree with the first part, but I think it would be beneficial even if we get only 3-4 elite years from the signed player.

It would be really beneficial for the young guys' development to play with really good talent or be sheltered by said talent etc. Building confidence and being accustomed to winning mindsets could have huge benefits. But it needs to be the right guy.

 

[GIADF]

Will any of these players still be worth their projected contracts in, say, years 4-7? That’s about when I’d expect this team to make serious runs.

If not, does it matter?

As the cap rises and how I'd imagine Marner ages, I think he will be a bargain in the second half of his contract.

Rantanen is just too big to really predict. Some guys his size age better than you'd expect, others fall off a cliff. I'd take the risk because if it is injury that derails the back half of his career LTIR could be an option. I'd also front load his deal making it easier to trade his contract to a team just looking to hit the floor a realistic option.

 

[Clownish]

Will any of these players still be worth their projected contracts in, say, years 4-7? That’s about when I’d expect this team to make serious runs.

If not, does it matter?

How many players sign 6 or 7 year deals as a free agent and every year of it is unquestionably worth the payment? It's almost always a diminishing value asset but that doesn't mean it is always a bad move.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Hossa signed at 31 years old but we had

1) just gone to the WCF the year prior
2) already established our core and were finished rebuilding. The roster had few question marks
3) he signed a cap circumventing deal that deflated his cap hit

Nothing about Hossa’s UFA deal applies to Rantanen or Marner now in 2025. They’re both not making it to free agency anyway

 

[Hawkaholic]

How many players sign 6 or 7 year deals as a free agent and every year of it is unquestionably worth the payment? It's almost always a diminishing value asset but that doesn't mean it is always a bad move.

No, but why sign a player who will be diminished when we need them most? (years 5-7)

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Sure, patience. Well that's one thing Chicago sports fans have in spades these days right?

Hawks - as I said, zero playoff series wins in ten years.
Bears - since the 06 SB run, one solitary playoff win and that was 15 years ago.
Bulls - Five playoff series wins this century, only one past the 1st round and zip the last 10 years.
Sox - 3 playoff wins (games, not series) since the WS - and icing on the cake, a historically bad team last year.
Cubs - ironically the most "successful" here. WS win in 2016. One playoff win since and nothing in 7 years.

It's amazing how the major pro teams in this city go years and years being garbage. How much patience should fans have? Sure seeing Bedard do awesome things here and there is great. Between those though they're getting pushed all over the ice, getting outshot 39-16, outhit, outworked most nights and hoping the goalie bails them out. It's boring and embarrassing and isn't good for Bedard & co.

Let's just say I'm way past the "hey they'll be good in 2-3 years....maybe" stuff. You mentioned Strome and Debrincat - two examples of good young Hawks players that were dumped and are now playing very well for other teams. This team is a mess - if you're happy with things ok. Lots of fans aren't and even people that cover the sport aren't sure what the Hawks plan is. The Rantanen deal was a perfect example. I said the other night the best grade I saw the Hawks get on that was a C. Most were worse than that.

That's enough venting for now.

Is the patience the cause for the Chicago sports organizations lack of success? Or is the lack of patience the cause for many of the issues that cause the team's to struggle. I'd definitely say it led to the struggles for at least the Hawks & Bulls. So many other mistakes made that it's really hard to find the real core of the problem.

I will say that if the Hawks have the ability to add an elite talent they should be aggressive in that regard. IMO, you can't sit on your hands because you're worried about 2nd contracts for a bunch of guys who either the clock isn't ticking on their ELC yet (Lev, 2025 #1, etc.) , or it's just starting (Nazar).

 

[BLKHKhockey]

A 14 mil player coming out of their prime who’s not playing up to their contract in the midst of cup runs (hopefully) seems worrisome.

Not saying Rant or Marner for example are going to fall off a cliff, but like Hawkaholic said we would need them the most on the back half of their contracts.

If management doesn’t think that will be a big deal, then sure I’d love to bring in a big fish right now.

Not saying I know which is the right move, just raising some questions.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

No, but why sign a player who will be diminished when we need them most? (years 5-7)

Just IMO - but we need having legit NHL talent with Bedard, and the sooner the better. If we were to get Marner, his type of game typically ages well and I'd expect he'd still be a legit 1st liner (probably not top 10 in scoring) in years 5-7.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Just IMO - but we need having legit NHL talent with Bedard, and the sooner the better. If we were to get Marner, his type of game typically ages well and I'd expect he'd still be a legit 1st liner (probably not top 10 in scoring) in years 5-7.

Yeah, he needs NHL talent, but he doesn't need superstar talent, yet.

There aren't many players in the league over 33 that are still producing great in the NHL. You have Panarin (33), Crosby (37), Ovechkin (39) and Duchene (34) as the only players in the NHL older than 32, producing at a point per game clip or better. So you'd have a 13-14mil player, at age 33-35 (when we are hopefully contenders) producing at less than a point per game. That should worry everyone.

 

[u2wojo]

Yeah, he needs NHL talent, but he doesn't need superstar talent, yet.

There aren't many players in the league over 33 that are still producing great in the NHL. You have Panarin (33), Crosby (37), Ovechkin (39) and Duchene (34) as the only players in the NHL older than 32, producing at a point per game clip or better. So you'd have a 13-14mil player, at age 33-35 (when we are hopefully contenders) producing at less than a point per game. That should worry everyone.

There are only 35ish players that are pt/game each season so there aren't many PERIOD that can do a pt/game. Marner, Rantanen, & Kaprizov are in the top 10 in the entire league for the last 5 season in pts/game so truely elite guys. Those kind of guys (1.2+ pts/game) barring injury can/will hit an age wall at some point, but I would take the gamble none of those 3 will fall off a cliff and become .5 pts/game guys even in year 7 of a max contract. The Hawks absolutley should be throwing bags at any of these 3 that actually make it to free agency and have ANY interest in the Hawks. It is really hard to imagine any of those guys not being elite players for the 1st 5 years of a 7 year deal and again at the least still pretty good useful players the last couple at worst (same time Seth Jones contract comes off the books).

Until a prospect actually does something elite in the NHL, all we have is a bunch of suspects and I would much prefer that we end up in cap hell because we actually have to many prospects/suspects hit their ceilings (aka actually have star players) then to keep being afraid of the cap and not end up with enough/any elite guys. It is a safe bet that many of our prospects will never end up what are best hopes/projections are....they never all do.

 

[BHawk21]

Yeah, he needs NHL talent, but he doesn't need superstar talent, yet.

There aren't many players in the league over 33 that are still producing great in the NHL. You have Panarin (33), Crosby (37), Ovechkin (39) and Duchene (34) as the only players in the NHL older than 32, producing at a point per game clip or better. So you'd have a 13-14mil player, at age 33-35 (when we are hopefully contenders) producing at less than a point per game. That should worry everyone.

Guys like Kopitar Tavares Hedman Doughty Lee Marchand Pietragelo Marchessault Zuccarello Josi Malkin Nelson Seguin Benn Burns Kane are all very important parts of there teams at an older age. It really depends the cap rising and when these guys really hit a wall.

I get your point tho most Stanley Cup teams top guys are 24-29. He would have to be our Stamkos to those lightning cups or Pietragelo/Marchessault to the Vegas cup.

 

[HeisenBaez]

If you want Connor to leave then sure then don't get him help.

TT and Bertuzz's of the world help with the depth but the Hawks need to start big game hunting.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Guys like Kopitar Tavares Hedman Doughty Lee Marchand Pietragelo Marchessault Zuccarello Josi Malkin Nelson Seguin Benn Burns Kane are all very important parts of there teams at an older age. It really depends the cap rising and when these guys really hit a wall.

I get your point tho most Stanley Cup teams top guys are 24-29. He would have to be our Stamkos to those lightning cups or Pietragelo/Marchessault to the Vegas cup.

Then you get those guys when we are at that point.

There are only 35ish players that are pt/game each season so there aren't many PERIOD that can do a pt/game. Marner, Rantanen, & Kaprizov are in the top 10 in the entire league for the last 5 season in pts/game so truely elite guys.

If I'm paying 13-14mil for a player, they better damn well be playing at a point per game pace or better, while they are making that money.

 

[BHawk21]

Then you get those guys when we are at that point.

Yes, but you have to get to that point. Your acting as if they will automatically be a contender in 4-5-6 years with just prospects drafted.

I can understand both rationales.