The Hockey News: Special Features: Analysis: Campbell fills short-term need, but Hawks will regret it in the long run

Analysis: Campbell fills short-term need, but Hawks will regret it in the long run

Brian Campbell had 19 points in 20 games after being dealt to the Sharks and added another seven in the playoffs. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ken Campbell
2008-07-01 18:24:12

The Chicago Blackhawks addressed their most glaring need when they signed Brian Campbell to an eight-year, $56.8 million contract Tuesday and, along with the signing of goalie Cristobal Huet, have essentially changed the complexion of their team.

The Blackhawks already have a promising young defense corps, but what it was lacking was a puck-moving defenseman with a high panic threshold and they got that in Campbell.

But they overpaid for him, plain and simple both in term and in money. That cap hit of $7.1 million per year might look really, really ugly in six years when Campbell is a 35-year-old offensive specialist. Campbell won’t change his game and suddenly become Rob Blake circa 1995, but expectations for him will skyrocket.

And if it weren’t crystal clear that Nikolai Khabibulin’s days as a Blackhawk were over when Chicago signed Huet, it was all but spelled out when they acquired Campbell. According to nhlnumbers.com, the Campbell signing gives the Blackhawks a payroll of $58.6 million, which is almost $1 million over the salary cap.

However, teams can be 10 percent over the cap during the off-season, as long as they shed the excess by the start of the next season. There’s little doubt the Blackhawks will dump Khabibulin’s $6.75 million salary in short order, with the Tampa Bay Lightning being the most obvious destination.

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After all, the Lightning’s new owners are spending like drunken sailors on shore leave, so what’s another $6.75 million, particularly when you’re borrowing somebody else’s money to get these guys?

The Lightning is shopping No. 1 man Mike Smith and even they’re not gullible enough to believe they can go into next season with Olie Kolzig as their No. 1 goalie. Kolzig had the worst save percentage in the league this season.
DOLLAR DAZE
Keeping an unofficial count here, the Campbell deal put NHL teams over the $300 million mark in money spent so far today.

Of the players whose financial details are known – and including the five-year deal to Evgeni Malkin – teams have so far signed 27 players for a grand total of $307.8625 million over a combined 76 years.

That makes the average term 2.81 years and the average deal worth $11.4 million dollars for a per-season average of $4.06 million.

And a lot of the big names haven’t even gone yet.

COMMENTS (28)

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Doc Campbell Posted
(2009-04-30 06:32:28)

Doug Campbell of the Clan Campbell here...Kenny, I told you about Campbell on Campbell crimes, now don't be such a hatah just 'cause Brian's getting paid and laid...besides, you've been in TO too long, everybody is starting to like Brian McCabe to you...

Perry Joseph Posted
(2009-04-30 06:31:14)

Sure, the Hawks overpaid for him in term and money, but only slightly. Who says he has to lose his 'touch'? If he's Rafalski when he's 35-6, is that a disaster? Will that be really "ugly"? The cap will be nowhere near $56MM so his hit will be a considerably smaller percentage. Havlat, Lang and Khabi represent ~$16MM in expiring contracts. The Hawks aren't in trouble and they're not being reckless. Campbell fills a big need and they're mostly building from within, so it's not like they'll have to go shopping every summer. In addition, as Ken Campbell himself just said in the last print issue, Brian Campbell is "reliable defensively". Great addition.

Jeff Mueller Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:54)

Hey, I never said God didn't have a sense of humor. Look at the Cubs! Besides, the sheer fact that the Hawks went out and got Campbell at all for that money shows the fans they're willing to move in the right direction. The team went so long without putting a decent team on the ice, it's nice to see a GM put the effort into getting quality players. Let's face it, even with everybody bashing Campbell, you still can't tell me it's not going to be a better team than, say, the team from two or three years ago. Who was even in Chicago then?

Goal Digger Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:53)

Mr. Bruce Walsh, The name is spelled LIDSTROM. Not Lindstrom. Lindstrom is some schmuck playing for the Bluewackets. Nicklas Lidstrom is the all-world defenseman playing for the Detroit RedWings. He's the guy who was the first to hoist the Stanley Cup this year. Even if the NHL can't spell his name properly, we the fans should be able to give the man his due respect.

tom cotner Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:51)

as far as the improvement of the blackhawks team goes, there's no question they were on the way up, but missing the playoffs, which used to be a constant says there is still a void. now i have not always been a fan of dale tallon, but it's clear, he and john mcdonough are giving it their best shot. i applaud the decision to bring in campbell and huet and their salaries don't seem out of line, if at all; wait until game 75 before rating the $$$ decision. i do really wish we could have picked up redden as well on defense. as far as the goalie situation goes, how can anyone even remotely rate khabibulin higher than a 5 ??? in the "new" nhl and the style of play, defense has to become offense, which occasionally will leave the goalie vulnerable. in those times, the netminder has to be able to STOP the puck on a breakaway. it has been and is abundantly clear that khabibulin CANNOT stop the breakaway. now i read a column that sez khabi's days are numbered perhaps due to his salary, and the lightning might be the interested party, giving us mike smith perhaps, since it was thought that tampa was shopping smith in favor of a different goalie. that sounds like a win/win to me. who knows, khabi might like to return to the warmth of the florida west coast, and what the heck, the female hot dog vendors along highway route 19, are...are...are...; well you can figure it out. in a close, i guess signing campbell and huet put us over the cap, currently, but that should and could reduce dramatically with a trade of khabibulin plus hopefully havlat. then we go (all balls in) to get a kovalchuk type scorer and since he might not be available, i'll certainly settle for mr. hossa. what the heck; write the check; bring em both in; it works for the cubbies, and i still say they are in line to end their drought this year.

Andy Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:51)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAH HA! GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD TRASH! WHAT A BUNCH OF SUCKERS! THAT GUY AIN'T WORTH NO 7 MILLION A YEAR!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA HA! OH IT'S OK WE'LL JUST BUY HIM OUT IF IT DOESN'T WORK.....GREAT ADDITUDE...HAHAHAHHA!

chicago fan Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:50)

I was a great pick up in even if we does lose his touch over the next 8 years they could place him on waviers or buyout.

Rocco Russo Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:49)

$7.1M for Campbell to be a PP specialist in 5 years will not look good, even as salaries continue to rise. Yes, the hit on Umberger was huge, but that is not the norm. He is a smooth-skating puck-carrying offensive Dman who lacks grit and is a defensive liability. Buffalo saw it, San Jose saw it. And his crying about his contract status here in Buffalo was a huge turn off. As for "marketing", yes, it has it's place in sports, but you don't build winning franchises based on marketing to the fans. If Ryan Miller with a playoff beard looks like Jesus.

PuckSlap88 Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:48)

The Hawks are not signing Campbell to be a shut-down defenseman. We are signing Campbell to drag our horrible power play out of the cellar. As a quality PP quarterback, Campbell fits the need the Hawks were looking for. As for defense, Keith, Seabrook, Wiznewski, and Sopel fit that bill.

Bruce Welsh Posted
(2009-04-30 06:30:48)

Ken Campbell, are you related to Brian? Only his brother or someone that didn't watch him play last year in the playoffs would say these things about Brian Campbell. This guy adds nothing to the power play, except for turnovers. He had 62 points last year (only 8 goals) and they are paying him way more than Lindstrom.......good luck Chicago.

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