Emily Kaplan, national NHL reporter: There's always a caveat when it comes to the state of the Chicago Blackhawks. Yes, you must admit as a disclaimer that they won three Stanley Cups in six years with this core. But, as Chicago has come crashing down to pedestrian status this season, its lack of long-term viability has been exposed.
The biggest quagmire for Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman? The contract of Brent Seabrook. The defenseman carries a hefty cap hit of $6.875 million and is locked in for seven more seasons. At that point, Seabrook will be 39.