Hawks Trade Reasoner…Apparently a Salary Dump
Al Cimaglia | Jul 22, 2010 | Comments 25
The Blackhawks traded center Marty Reasoner to Florida for center Jeff Taffe.
If Taffe replaces Reasoner on the roster the net cap saving would be $600,000.
Could the re-signing of Antti Niemi be coming soon?
Filed Under: Al Cimaglia • Featured • NHL
Clearly a salary dump. I was hoping Reasoner would fill some of the void left by Madden… Apparently not. What IS this team going to look like next year?
Ice Hogs will be the bottom forwards….
Al, looks like Bowman has determined Bolland and Dowell now become the defensive centermen (as opposed to Bolland/Madden)…though Taffe appears to have some of those skills.
Taffe’s a former 1st round pick (St Louis), big guy (6’3″, 207), scouting report says good work ethic and grit.
So the bottom six is essentially younger, bigger, tougher and much less expensive.
If Taffe makes the team…Bickell and Dowell are ranked ahead.
Any chance that Madden returns at a very deep discount?
Doubtful unlss he wanted to play for about $750,000 ..I think he will try to find a spot out East…but spots are hard to come by these days.
That’s what I’m thinking too – he ain’t going to get anywhere near what he made last year. With that, I think he’d look good with the Kings…
As Dusty Baker might have put it, “size don’t slump.”
I dunno, there’s just something about “Marty Reasoner salary dump” that just makes me giggle…
lol…me too
I would have sworn this would never happen, if only for the reasons we have discussed before on previous threads (not to mention Al’s comments on last night’s Puckcast). That is, the team only benefitted by $600K. On the “bright” side, it looks like Bolland isn’t going anywhere.
I think it does show how tight things really are…
They trade a player that would have been useful but wasn’t part of the group.
Reasoner’s value was somewhat limited if he was not fast enough to play with the Hawks’ other forwards. IIRC, Reasoner was never particularly fast. I haven’t seen him play in several years.
Bolland was identified as part of the core when he signed on for five years last summer…If it comes down to Bolland or Niemi…the Hawks will have a new goalie.
The deal with Tallon does raise the question of whether there will be more business between Mr. T and Mr. Bowman.
I’d like that – Al’s blog on this was perfect.
Anybody think that Taffe will actually play with the Hawks, or will he be in the A?
I almost would have rather had a draft pick, to back-fill with farm kids.
Reasoner (and/or Kopecky) had to go in any realistic scenario that had Niemi back with the Hawks. I’ve been hopeful that just one of those two (and I would have picked Reasoner as well) would have to be moved. The question is why now? Why not wait til Niemi is signed or the you know the results of the arbitration – I suppose they could be figuring that whatever they do they need to add more cap space but still why now and not later? I can’t think of any reason (er) for not waiting until later UNLESS Niemi has been signed and they on the verge of announcing it. I guess the next question is, is moving Reasoner enough or is Kopecky or someone else next?
Losing Kopecky would be a direct result of the Hammer offer sheet and would be a victory for Wilson but I got a feeling he’s staying along with Niemi – let’s hope so!
This is $600K that is going directly to Niemi. The question- is that enough? Kopecky next?
My gut tells me that Hossa and Kopecky were a package deal. That is, Hossa wanted Kopecky to come with him. In isolation, the Kopecky signing doesn’t make much sense otherwise.
As I mentioned in a previous thread, Kopecky is the Ruth to Hossa/Naomi.
Whether Niemi re-signs or not….I think he will…the extra $600,000 or so will come in handy.
This was a trade Tallon had the definite edge in unless
Taffe has a form reversal… but it was something Bowman had to do. So far the big guy has been an underachiever at the NHL level.
Kopecky would figure to be next although the Hawks will wait until absolutely necessary.
Maybe he survives and they make a bigger trade…or maybe they are close to being done. Kopecky is in Hossa’s posse which helps his cause.
Well, Hossa has to get over himself, he didn’t get his name on the cup with Detroit or Pitt, but he did with the Hawks, so he should show some loyalty and if his buddy has to go, oh well. It’s not like he was the Conn Smythe. One could argue we could’ve won the cup with Marty Havlat.
@RJF>Marty Havlat probably agrees with you. ;-)
I’m surprised he hasn’t tweeted to that effect !!
Anyone reading the blog on 7-23 hang on…it will be up later this afternoon.
Had to get an accutrate reading on CBA and was getting too many different answers…but I will be back later as soon as I know for sure.
Thanks
excellent tips! Thanks.