Kane knows his mega-contract key in Blackhawks’ personnel losses

LAS VEGAS — When Chicago forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane signed identical eight-year, $84 million contract extensions two summers ago with an average annual value of $10.5 million, Kane admitted to wondering about the repercussions for the Blackhawks.

“When you’re in that situation you’re obviously thinking about your teammates; you’re thinking about what could happen, but that’s the way the salary cap works,” Kane said Tuesday during his media availability at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas prior to the NHL Awards Show on Wednesday.

“We had to get a bump up in raise in 2010, too and you lose nine or 10 players. It’s not just me and Johnny. Other players have to get raises that we have to keep, too. That’s the way the business works in the salary cap era.”

In the Blackhawks’ case, the salary cap has likely prevented a modern-day NHL dynasty. Chicago has still won three Stanley Cups in the last seven years, but last week’s trade of 21-year-old forward Teuvo Teravainen (and cap anchor Bryan Bickell) was the latest loss in Chicago’s sad tale of personnel departures.

Since the team won its first Cup in 2010, the Hawks have witnessed an exodus of superlative pro talent that includes Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Kris Versteeg, Dave Bolland, Nick Leddy, Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, and Teravainen.

08 November 2015: Chicago Blackhawks Winger Teuvo Teravainen (86). (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)

Next year’s expansion draft to add Las Vegas as an NHL city was also a factor in Teravainen’s departure. The Hawks would likely have had to expose the talented forward because they will have eight players with no-move clauses and can only protect two more.

Still, Chicago had to move Bickell to ease pressure on its cap situation so Teravainen became the latest cap casualty, with the duo bringing only a second-round (2016) and third-round (2017) pick in return.

“Hopefully, you look back on it years from now and say it was a good trade; pick up a couple good players in the draft,” Kane said. “We saw Saad moved a couple years ago; Teuvo this year. It’s one of those things that I guess has to happen for us to keep other guys.

“Hopefully, you see guys like (free agent forward Andrew) Shaw signed and (rookie Artemi) Panarin get an extension,” said Kane, who is one of three finalists for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. “Playing with him has been a blast. Those two guys bring a lot and I think they’re guys that you probably want to keep around.”

Chicago will have to get creative to do so with Panarin, who can become a free agent after next season and will command a hefty raise as a Calder Trophy finalist this season. There is no denying that Kane’s and Toews’ contracts play a role, but Chicago also gave defenseman Brent Seabrook an eight-year $55 million extension last summer.

Compounding the problem for the Hawks is a struggling Canadian dollar, which has played a role in smaller-than-expected cap raises. The cap is only expected to see a nominal increase this year, which will
make GM Stan Bowman’s task of perennially fielding a Cup contender increasingly difficult.

“As players you always hope that the salary cap is going to raise higher than you think and you’ll be able to keep certain guys,” Kane said. “Stan is pretty much a genius when it comes to the salary cap. He knows what he’s doing and we have a lot of faith in him.”

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