Blackhawks sign 6 restricted free agents, including Cam Barker

The Blackhawks are cleaning up their restricted free agent situation, but it remains muddied for one player.

[Thin The Herd]

I got tired of watching Versteeg all but automatically turning the puck over at the blue line during the playoffs.

Wouldn't kill me to see him go, but we should have gotten something in return........IF it ends up that the PA wins the grievance.

[tiny19]

Thin The Herd wrote:

IF it ends up that the PA wins the grievance.

Even if the PA loses, Versteeg will be able to go to arbitration to get a salary much along what is deserved. Especially after seeing how quick the Hawks management got a decent offer to Barker.

[Hmm]

He sent the offers by U.S. mail instead of by courier. Who the hell trusts their company business to snail mail? That's unconscionable.

[IHateTheCubs]

This speaks volumes of team commitment.....6 resign because they want to be part of a great team and great organization. One does not after PLAYING ONE YEAR. I say screw 'em.....

[JustAskin]

Team Commitment? Yeah right. go talk to Marty Havlat about the team commitment he got from the Hawks. Sports is a business. If you can get 3 times your salary from someone else, almost anyone would jump the ship they are on.

As a Hawks STH, I think Tallon should be fired for screwing up something as simple as getting a contract delivered and almost losing 6 of their players.

IHateTheCubs wrote:

This speaks volumes of team commitment.....6 resign because they want to be part of a great team and great organization. One does not after PLAYING ONE YEAR. I say screw 'em.....

[IHateTheCubs]

JustAskin wrote:

Team Commitment? Yeah right. go talk to Marty Havlat about the team commitment he got from the Hawks. Sports is a business.
<quoted text>

Havlat was an injury waiting to happen. I'll take Hossa anyday.....

[chicity1]

IHateTheCubs wrote:

This speaks volumes of team commitment.....6 resign because they want to be part of a great team and great organization. One does not after PLAYING ONE YEAR. I say screw 'em.....

AGREED!!! Oh and I also Hate the Cubs :)

[sowhat]

Have to wonder about the results of the Hockey strike if a rookie can become a restricted free agent. Doesn't happen in any other major sport.

[Evan]

Barker was the most important one on the list.

[Bosco]

Versteeg's a prick holding out for money he has yet to deserve.

[fred]

this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard of when it comes to sports contracts. i also know of a friend who has season tickets and is having a lot of problems with management over the money he gave them for the playoffs last year and the upcoming season. the team maybe on the way up, but the management is still sounding like the billy wirtz era.

[Mister1776]

Evan wrote:

Barker was the most important one on the list.

Correct. Barker was the most important one. But Tallon has screwed up money from day one. Can you say Aucoin, Cullimore, Campbel? If it had not been for his ridiculous free agent defensemen signings, Havlat and Khabby would still be in Chicago. To potentially lose this corps of good young players because you can't get the offers out in time is inexcusable. Tallon is lucky to still have a job. I'm sure McDonough has him on a very short lease.

[olduffman]

Versteig & Havlat have the same agent I think ?.So it looks 2 me like Havnot and company are showing there true colours.The Hawks have done contracts like this for years, and they come along find a small loop hole and take advantage of it for there own greed.

That is why Havey will never play for a Cup winner,Its all about who you surround yourself with.

Kuddos to Mr Barker and all the others on the way they showed commiment to the team they are all stand up guys.And a great example for the guys next year, stick together boys and GREAT things will happen

GO HAWKS !!!!!!!!!

[Thin The Herd]

olduffman wrote:

Versteig & Havlat have the same agent I think ?.So it looks 2 me like Havnot and company are showing there true colours.The Hawks have done contracts like this for years, and they come along find a small loop hole and take advantage of it for there own greed.
That is why Havey will never play for a Cup winner,Its all about who you surround yourself with.
Kuddos to Mr Barker and all the others on the way they showed commiment to the team they are all stand up guys.And a great example for the guys next year, stick together boys and GREAT things will happen
GO HAWKS !!!!!!!!!

First off, I haven't seen anything that says the Hawks actually failed to follow the offer provisions in the CBA. I've read courier, fax, or registerd/certified mail are all valid methods of delivery. Only one agent/player has made a public claim of the offer being late, and that agent has some sour grapes.

Second, suppose that the CBA was actually violated: that doesn't mean the GM is the responsible person. I seriously doubt anyone posting here as the slightest idea of the flow of these documents in the Hawks front office.

[Mel]

olduffman wrote:

Versteig & Havlat have the same agent I think ?.So it looks 2 me like Havnot and company are showing there true colours.The Hawks have done contracts like this for years, and they come along find a small loop hole and take advantage of it for there own greed.
That is why Havey will never play for a Cup winner,Its all about who you surround yourself with.

That is trouble. Versteeg and Havlat having the same agent. I definitely could see Versteeg leaving at the drop of a hat or a loophole in free agency. If Versteeg becomes an unrestricted free agent his asking price probably triples. Can you blame him. I'd hate to see Versteeg go on a technicality. I'd be darn upset but, luckily for the Hawks, their farm system is stocked full of young prospects chomping at the bit to replace any ex-Hawk on the present roster.

[Rod from Tennessee]

Let's just hope that this deal with Versteeg gets done. I'm sure Tallon hopes it does. If he was to lose any player, much less a R.O.Y. finalist, due to his ineptness, that would really be hard to live down. If he somehow gets through this mess, he best get on top of his duties a lot better than this in the future.

Another thing which could easily help alleviate this situation would be loyalty on the part of Versteeg. Hopefully, like the other players involved, which chose the Blackhawks over the possiblity of making a better deal elsewhere, he'll choose to do the same. However, Tallon might better up the ante a bit over just a customary 10% raise. Otherwise, i'm not sure anyone could criticize the guy for moving on imo. 10% on a 490 grand salary would barely have him above half a mil., and in today's market, i'm sure that he's sure that he certainly could do better than that. This is Tallon's blunder, and if the Blackhawks end up having to ante up extra money because of it, then the blame needs to go where it belongs, and that's on the GM and not the player.

[KDOG_ FROM FT MISERY FL]

WOW, NOW THEY SIGN ALL THEIR FREE AGENTS, WHO CARES!!!!! FIRST THE MESS UP GIVING OFFERS, AND NOW THEY SIGN THEM, AGAIN WHO CARES!!!!!!
THE BLACKHAWKS ARE A CHICAGO TEAM, AND THEIR DESTINED TO MESS UP SOMEWAY. BY THE WAY, IS HOCKEY A SPORT?????

[olduffman]

KDOG_ FROM FT MISERY FL wrote:

WOW, NOW THEY SIGN ALL THEIR FREE AGENTS, WHO CARES!!!!! FIRST THE MESS UP GIVING OFFERS, AND NOW THEY SIGN THEM, AGAIN WHO CARES!!!!!!
THE BLACKHAWKS ARE A CHICAGO TEAM, AND THEIR DESTINED TO MESS UP SOMEWAY. BY THE WAY, IS HOCKEY A SPORT?????

Who cares ..what you have to say you mental midget go chase a ball like the dog crap you are and stay off this site loser !!!!!! HOCKEY ROCKS !!!!!

[bushrags]

olduffman wrote:

<quoted text>Who cares ..what you have to say you mental midget go chase a ball like the dog crap you are and stay off this site loser !!!!!! HOCKEY ROCKS !!!!!

Amen! Kdog is a dooosh b@g!

[Steve]

It's funny when people are calling for Tallon's head over this. The same thing happened to NJ a couple years ago, and everything was fine.(It probably happens even more often with other teams, you just don't hear about it.)

@sowhat
Versteeg is an NHL rookie because of how many games he'd played specifically for the league (he's been a pro since '05). If he'd never appeared for the Hawks this season, his contract would still expire; being in the minors is not indentured servitude.