Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinordi
Safe to say this is their last cup with the current core?
They have 10 players to sign with $8 million in cap space. I think the dynasty is over unless they have another miraculous re-tool.
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It largely depends on how we define the terms "core" and "re-tool". Some people refer to the core as a small group consisting of your #1 goalie, a franchise dman and your franchise forwards - that's typically 4-5 players overall.
As for the Blackhawks it's Crawford, Keith, Kane and Toews. For the Pens it would be Fleury, Letang, Malkin and Crosby. If that is the proper definition, Hawks can easily bring another cup or two with their current core (and the Pens keep re-tooling around theirs)
Personally I prefer the definition as a group of 9-10 players (goalie + 2-3 dman + 4-5 forwards), including key supporting pieces which may be a forward providing veteran leadership presence, a dman who can safely log 20+ minutes or an emerging young player. And it's super easy to illustrate this concept on the current Hawks roster:
Crawford - Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson - Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Saad
If we'll stick to the latter definition of the term, then yes, it was probably their last cup with the current core.