Hawks don't have any room to pursue anyone. At all. That's before renegotiating Toews and Kane at $12 million per. Lots of rumors about Sharp on the block.
Chicago, Boston and a couple of others are really up against it given the cap came in somewhere between 1 and 4 million less than most had planned for. The FA frenzy is largely done, but I think we'll see some surprising trades with what could be perceived to be poor returns for some established and more expensive players just so some of the teams can make it under the cap.
Lord knows I hope the Jets can score on a couple of deals like that because the only team we have a shot at finishing ahead of in our division is Nashville. Given the Preds are signing our castoffs (Olli Jokinen) that doesn't bode well for them. I'm not convinced Neal isn't the beneficiary of his linemates but this will be the team we find that out on. I don't think our forwards are worse than theirs, Neal included. It's really just our goaltending that is completely horrendous.
The East is wildly overpaying... It is comical.
Boy are they ever. I get Winnipeg isn't a destination but I'm also not unhappy we're not throwing around stupid dollars either. That always comes back to hurt a team.
I'm especially laughing at the NYI who are so desperate to have not given a lottery ticket to the Sabres. That may be a little hollow given we may be in position to win the lottery as well.