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Chicago Saving Cap Money Any Way Possible
by Paul on 10/17/09 at 08:55 PM ET
Comments (7)
from Chris Kruc of the Chicago Tribune,
Each day the Hawks aren’t playing a game, (Jack) Skille is being reassigned to Rockford of the AHL. On game days the winger is recalled and joins his teammates on the big club. Because Skille, the Hawks’ top pick (seventh overall) in the 2005 draft, still is playing under his entry-level contract, he is not exposed to waivers and there is no limit to how many times the Hawks can reassign and recall him.
Each day Skille, 22, is not on the active roster, the Hawks do not have to pay him his NHL salary (he does get his minor-league salary) and they save money under the cap. It’s believed the Hawks save about $6,000 each day Skille isn’t on the roster.
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Comments
It’s believed the Hawks save about $6,000 each day Skille isn’t on the roster.
If they can assign Skille to the AHL for 50 days this season, they can afford an extra minimum-wage player at the trade deadline. That should really make a difference come playoff time. And all of this maneuvering would only cost Skille $300k or so. I’m sure that will really endear the kid to the organization.
The Hawks may be impressive on the ice this year. But off the ice, they’re rapidly becoming the laughing stock of the league.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/17/09 at 10:08 PM ET
I don’t see any problem with that. Despite the escalator nature of the process, and lack of elegance to the financial planning in Chicago, Skille will soon exceed his $50k AHL salary. That’s better than another season in the AHL and worse negotiating leverage when the entry-level contract expires after this season.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 10/18/09 at 07:11 AM ET
I wonder how much jerking him around will cost the organization later this season, just in terms of him being more tired than he would have been otherwise.
Just seems a needless waste of maneuvering for a player that clearly deserves to be with the Hawks since he is playing with them as it is. He should be practicing full-time with them as well. He’s earned that much.
And regardless of the fact that he is making more than he would have in the AHL, that isn’t the point. The point is that by these moves he is being played less than the NHL salary that he clearly deserves, or he wouldn’t be playing with the NHL team. Hockey careers are short and a player should make as much as he can while he has the brief opportunity.
Chicago is going to have to waive or buy out or release or whatever Carrot Top at some point anyway - may as well be sooner rather than later.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 10/18/09 at 09:15 AM ET
And regardless of the fact that he is making more than he would have in the AHL, that isn’t the point.
Of course it is. The fact of the unfortunate cap management strategy of the Blackhawks meant that Skille wasn’t guaranteed any playing time at all in the NHL. That’s a blunder by the organisation, no doubt about that, but let’s not project imaginary psychological and physical problems on to something neither of us know anything about. That’s dishonest at best.
Had the Red Wings done something similar, you would either be praising Holland or cursing Bettman as responsible for the salary cap injustice. Please refrain from the hypocrisy.
And they should just demote Huet like I suggested before the season started.
Posted by Moq from Denmark on 10/18/09 at 10:29 AM ET
And all of this maneuvering would only cost Skille $300k or so. I’m sure that will really endear the kid to the organization.
That was my first thought.
He might say all the right things now, but in the future it could be different. If he turns out to be a keeper and free agent he might look elsewhere for just a few more $$$$.
Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 10/18/09 at 01:54 PM ET
It’s believed the Hawks save about $6,000 each day Skille isn’t on the roster.
It’s also believed that each game Huet is in goal the hawks pay him about $60,000.
Which is about $59,995 more per game than he is worth. 
Posted by Down River Dan on 10/18/09 at 04:19 PM ET
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Classy move.
Posted by JB from Detroit on 10/17/09 at 09:33 PM ET