It's not all sunshine and lollipops, however. I'd love to sit here and draw out a genius blueprint for how the Blackhawks can get out from under the Brent Seabrook contract and create more money to improve their team with. But because of the way it was structured, there are no real gains to be had from buying it out, and there's such an untenable mix of term and real dollars left to be paid out that no team is taking it on without a number of sweeteners being attached to it.
The Blackhawks' biggest issues last season involved a leaky defense. Chicago made improvements, adding Calvin de Haan and Olli Maatta (while also parting with a top defensive prospect, Henri Jokiharju). Chicago also made one of the best free-agency signings of the summer: goalie Robin Lehner on a one-year, $5 million deal.
Tell/support a lie once, and all your truths become questionable.
NHL - STANLEY CUP 2019 - 2020 TO WIN OUTRIGHT
501 ANAHEIM DUCKS +7000
502 ARIZONA COYOTES +3500
503 BOSTON BRUINS +900
504 BUFFALO SABRES +5500
505 CALGARY FLAMES +1800
506 CAROLINA HURRICANES +2500
507 CHICAGOI BLACKHAWKS +2900
508 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS +4000
509 COLORADO AVALANCHE +1000
510 DALLAS STARS +1600
511 DETROIT RED WINGS +7000
512 EDMONTON OILERS +3000
513 FLORIDA PANTHERS +1400
514 LOS ANGELES KINGS +7000
515 MINNESOTA WILD +5000
516 MONTREAL CANADIENS +3000
517 NASHVILLE PREDATORS +1600
518 NEW JERSEY DEVILS +2200
519 NEW YORK ISLANDERS +2500
520 NEW YORK RANGERS +3000
521 OTTAWA SENATORS +10000
522 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS +2500
523 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS +2100
524 SAN JOSE SHARKS +1800
525 ST. LOUIS BLUES +1300
526 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING +650
527 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS +800
528 VANCOUVER CANUCKS +3500
529 VGS GOLDEN KNIGHTS +900
530 WASHINGTON CAPITALS +1800
531 WINNIPEG JETS +2100
Tell/support a lie once, and all your truths become questionable.
I know it's a small pool....
I'm guessing that's not all square public money that drove those lines down. My hockey guy tells me (after I bet) that Colorado will win it all. He is hockey 24-7 365 days a year. If he's all about the Lanche, then they are prolly the team all the talking heads are all about. I'm thinking both organizations have made a lotta improvements.
Tell/support a lie once, and all your truths become questionable.