The Blackhawks surprised many with their upset of Edmonton in the qualifying round before being ousted quickly by Vegas. Still, it was a promising step for a team that was going to miss the postseason altogether in a normal year. Despite the small change in their fortunes, GM Stan Bowman told reporters, including Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago, that he doesn’t foresee much in the way of changes for next season. Bowman said:
"We do have some decisions to make, that’s true. I think there's a group of teams that are in the same boat. The flat cap is a challenge, but at the same time, we have some ideas on what we’re going to do. That process is just starting right now.”
The team already has $74M in commitments for next season with no starting goalie under contract, while winger Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome need new deals as well. That doesn’t leave any room to really add to the roster.
When asked about the possibility of buyouts (defenseman Olli Maatta and forward Zack Smith are speculative candidates), Bowman acknowledged that it’s an option. However, decisions on whether or not to use that route to free up some short-term cap space won’t be made for another month or so.
More from the Western Conference:
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!