By Chris KucBlackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said Monday the team will match the San Jose Sharks' offer sheet to defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson.
San Jose signed Hjalmarsson to a four-year, $14 million offer sheet Friday and the Hawks had seven days to match. They didn't take that long as Bowman made the announcement at the conclusion of the team's four-day Prospects Camp in Chicago.
"Niklas was a big part of our success last year and he's a part of our core that's going to be together for a long time," Bowman said. "I'm happy for him. He's a quiet leader among our defensive group. He was really effective for us all year long. He's only going to get better -- he's 23 years old. I'm excited he's going to be with us for a while."
Photo: Niklas Hjalmarsson boosted the Hawks' postseason run with a goal and seven assists. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Tribune)
Hjlamarsson came into his own this season and had two goals and 15
assists during the regular season and a goal and seven assists during
the Hawks' run to the NHL championship.
Meanwhile, Bowman said he is still negotiating with the agent for goaltender Antti Niemi, who has an arbitraiton hearing scheduled for July 29.
"It's a back-and-forth (process) and we're trying to get it done so we'll keep at it," Bowman said. "Hopefully we can get him signed. It's a negotiation and both sides have their points of view."
Meanwhile, Bowman said he is still negotiating with the agent for goaltender Antti Niemi, who has an arbitraiton hearing scheduled for July 29.
"It's a back-and-forth (process) and we're trying to get it done so we'll keep at it," Bowman said. "Hopefully we can get him signed. It's a negotiation and both sides have their points of view."
Excellent move ... Hjalmarsson was awesome this year, and will only get better. Now if we could only dump Huet!
@Busy Guy
point taken. but the Hawks aren't the Cubs. they used to be, but they're now the class sports organization of Chicago. Bowman is no Dale Tallon or Jim Hendry. this club wants to continue to win and their GM knows what he's doing. that said, i still cry sometimes over the loss of Beauty Versteeg.
I imagine scotty would be a better "consultant" back in the pre-cap days where we wouldn't even be talking about this. Hawks have 15 people signed with $113,000 left in Stan's purse. Good luck with all that.
Dumb, dumb, dumb. Overpay the Swedish Turnover Machine by 100%, tying your hands for the inevitable midseason moves that WILL be needed to adjust this team. Hope you enjoyed one-and-done, folks.
Knew it great move! Hawks is in need for defensemen!
HawkFaninSaintLouis
Niemi was not called up before Christmas, he started the seaon with the Hawks and won his first game when the Hawks played in Finland (a shutout no lesss).
al secords penicillin shot said
"Almost everything you stated is incorrect."
The only thing that was inncorrect was what I posted above. And the shutouts were exaggerated a bit. Everything else IS correct.
Niemi deserves to be brought back as the #1 goalie for the Hawks. I say give him 2 to 2.5 mil and go from there. Call up Crawford or Toivenen and send Huet down. Are there goalies out there right now better than Niemi...sure. Are there worse...definately. Are there any that was a key piece in winning the Stanley cup...NO!
HawkFaninSaintLouis on July 12, 2010 5:23 PM
Nestrenko, did you only watch the postseason? There was a stretch after Niemi was called up before Xmas that he had 7-8 SHUTOUTS (not wins--SHUTOUTS) in his first 14 games! Niemi also time and time again throughout the year followed up a loss with a stellar performance (stellar meaning shutout or 1-goal game).
What you gotta like about Niemi is his even keel AND he's from the system (not a goalie from another team like Khabibulin or Huet).... REMEMBER too---HE WAS ALSO YOUR STANLEY CUP WINNING GOALTENDER! That has a lot of mileage on it!
---------
Almost everything you stated is incorrect.
Huet is a playoff goalie, you dummies who are knocking him. Niemi looked like a fish out of water many times in the playoffs, and the defense bailed him out. Nic is going to be an allstar no doubt. KeeP Huet, lose Niemi. It's not hard to figure out, but the way Stan is going, i think he's gonna make the wrong move, again, i wish we still had Dale.
A big part of Niemi's success with his shut outs during the year and his play in the playoffs was the strong defense around him.
Losing Hjalmarrson would have been a bigger loss than losing Niemi.
There are a lot of free agent goalies out there right now.
While I love what he did for the team I really don't see him as this future all star goalie people seem to see him as.
Gents,
You see this one very clearly.
With our core defense, we don't need the silent Finn.
Bubbye with our thanks.
(where else could he even be assured a starting job?)
Nestrenko, did you only watch the postseason? There was a stretch after Niemi was called up before Xmas that he had 7-8 SHUTOUTS (not wins--SHUTOUTS) in his first 14 games! Niemi also time and time again throughout the year followed up a loss with a stellar performance (stellar meaning shutout or 1-goal game).
What you gotta like about Niemi is his even keel AND he's from the system (not a goalie from another team like Khabibulin or Huet).... REMEMBER too---HE WAS ALSO YOUR STANLEY CUP WINNING GOALTENDER! That has a lot of mileage on it!
After Niemi is taken care of, the other pieces of the core need to be looked at. Seabrook is a free agent after next year. Assuming we continue to think Sharpie is part of the core, he needs to be extended too.
Knew this would happen. I'm glad they didn't wait until Friday. I guess there was no reason to do so - no significant progress on Niemi.
There are other goalie options out there. You just can't give a goaltender with 60 games NHL experience on a team with excellent defensive skaters (uh, Norris) a long term, big $$$ deal. He may be the next Brodeur or the next Khabibulin/Cam Ward. No one knows.
Guys, Huet won't be on the payroll, Madden is not coming back and the 'Hawks STILL have cap issues.
I get the feeling Niemi wants $3-4M per year after Halak got his deal. Too much for a good-but-not-great goalie who hasn't even proven he can be the #1 guy for a whole season. I love me some Niemi but they can get a proven #1 for $3-4M.
Time to send HUET to the minors, no one will take him, he as untradable as Zambrano is for the Cubs. In the minors no cap hit and they sign Neimi, I don't think he is worth 3 mil a season nut 2.25 mil is mor like it for him, and that will still leave them with room to bring Madden back. The core is there, Bowmnan's doing what they did in Detroit keep the core together and compliment them with good players to keep the winning ways.
Great move 'Hawks. The article is right, Nicklas will only get better and his mistakes will go down each year. Even if the arbitration for Niemi gets approved, his salary should keep the Blackhawks under the cap for next year. It means they will not be able to sign any free agents - like John Madden :( - but that is how it goes.
The Blackhawks can go 10% over the cap in the offseason so they still have enough left to sign Niemi. Remember Huet will be sent to the AHL so he will come off the cap before the start of the season. So for right now the Hawks can spend Huet's cap hit.
scotty bowman compared nikolas to lindstrom
SMART MOVE!
sory niemi.....
WHEW.
Seabrook's contract is up next year. Hopefully they are thinking that far ahead, or this signing become a major blunder.
this was a no-brainer. if, in the end, this was a Hjalmarsson-or-Niemi deal, Bowman definitely made the right choice. Antii is not worth $3+ million, but Hjalmarsson is a proven commodity.
If we can't move Campbell then it's bye bye Niemi.
Thank you!
This is a move that HAD TO BE DONE and I love it.
As any coach will tell you, "Defense wins ballgames (football, basketball)"...same with hockey. If you have a great goalie, chances are you have great defense in front of him. With Keith/Seabrook and Campbell/Hjalmarsson, the Hawks legitimately have two all-star defensive units! Plus, the attempt of addition-by-subtraction by San Jose is now rubbed right back in their face.
Now to dump Huet and give some $$$ to Niemi.