from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,
The impact of the eight-year limit on contracts has been felt already, with impending unrestricted free agent Ryan Getzlaf re-upping in Anaheim for the maximum term at a cap hit of $8.825M per. That’s indicative of where the league is headed — higher cap hits for marquee players, thus fewer marquee players per team.
It’s a spread-the-wealth mentality that may be attractive in the boardroom but is ugly on the ice. The NHL for decades has adopted a lowest-common-denominator approach — even in pre-cap days by refusing to enforce anti-obstruction rules on the ice, thereby negating the advantage of its most talented players and teams — rather a rising-tide-lifts-all-boats philosophy, even as the Blackhawks have done just that.
Chicago is going to face a painful decision over the summer regarding Hossa, the 34-year-old winger whose contract runs through the 2020-21 season. The cap-recapture formula would inflict penalties of a minimum of $4.6M per season and a maximum of $9.2M per if he were to retire before the expiration of his contract at age 42.
The Blackhawks, who will have approximately $4.6M to fill six NHL roster spots next season, may have to use an amnesty buyout on Hossa over the summer in order to avoid potential future debilitating dead cap space.
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