The NHL’s short offseason was one big party in the Windy City as fans of the Chicago Blackhawks finally were able to celebrate a Stanley Cup. Last year’s squad ended a 49-year championship drought thanks to six-game Cup finals win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Hawks weren’t seriously threatened in last year’s playoffs, never getting extended to seven games and sweeping the West No. 1 seed Sharks in the conference finals.
Led by the likes of Jonathan Toews (25 goals, 43 assists), Patrick Kane (30 goals, 58 assists), Patrick Sharp (25 goals, 41 assists), and Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith (14 goals, 55 assists), Chicago finished last season as the Central Division champion and with a franchise-record 112 points. The Hawks were third in the NHL in goals and first in shots.
But success often comes with a cost: a financial one. The Blackhawks were well over the salary cap entering the offseason after signing Toews, Kane and Keith to long-term deals last year that totaled about $130 million and was on top of big previous deals to Marian Hossa and Brian Campbell.
Every day during the offseason it seemed GM Stan Bowman ...
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Article written by Doc Moseman
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October 5th, 2010 by Doc Moseman Leave a reply »
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