February 24, 2009 Time to move the Bulin Wall is
now
CHICAGO, IL -- On September 30, I
wrote the following in this space: If the Blackhawks are to win the
Stanley Cup, the Bulin Wall has to go.
Then for emphasis I added, "Has.
To. Go."
Cute literary device, huh?
Five months later Nikolai Khabibulin, aka the Bulin Wall, has had an
outstanding season. And my sentiments haven't budged.
The Blackhawks have enjoyed an amazing season to date. They are not
Stanley Cup favorites but they are legitimate contenders; contenders
who need another piece or two if they are to become extremely
frightening to the big dogs in Detroit and San Jose.
Most notably, they need a forward who
can win faceoffs and a defenseman who can clear the slot. It would
help if both are veterans, and at least one of the candidates has some
size. The Blackhawks do not currently have the cap space to add
players. According to various NHL websites, the Hawks have roughly
$300,000 of cap room.
So the Hawks have two options. One is to trade from strength -- give
up a player who takes up cap space in exchange for addressing one of
their weaknesses. The other is to stand pat with this exciting young
team which has achieved so much already this season and which shows
the potential to achieve much, much more.
It goes against conventional wisdom,
but the second option is the riskier option. Here's why:
The Blackhawks have repeatedly and plainly stated that the only goal
for the franchise is the Stanley Cup. They have ascended far more
quickly than even their own hockey people anticipated, but there is no
guarantee that they will ascend further. They have been relatively
healthy to this point in the season, and there are no guarantees that
they will stay healthy in coming years. Remember, when the Blackhawks
won their last Stanley Cup in 1961, it was with a very young team with
Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita were only just entering their prime.
Now let's be clear. Nikolai Khabibulin is the man who has made the
Blackhawks a contender. With a record of 17-5-5, a 2.37 goals against
average, and a .924 save percentage, his numbers rival his career best
season of 10 years ago, which was his last season as a Phoenix Coyote.
When Cristobal Huet struggled out of the gate, the Bulin wall was the
foundation against which the young Blackhawks leaned.
But Khabibulin is an unrestricted free agent at season's end. Huet is
signed for 3 more years, and the Hawks have two goalie prospects on
the verge. Huet has righted himself to post excellent statistics of
his own. His two best streaks have during Khabibulin's tow injuries,
when Huet has had the opportunity to make several starts in a row. On
a scale of 1-to-10, Khabibulin has played to a 9 this season. Huet has
been an 8.
But come the playoffs, 8 and 9 don't add up to seventeen. They add up
to whichever number is in goal on that particular night. And come the
playoffs, no team can afford to waste that much asset on the bench,
not if it wants the Cup.
So the Hawks must move one of the goalies. It makes sense that
Khabibulin has more value on the market. He's won the Cup. Huet has
never even won a playoff series. The team that receives Khabibulin
isn't obligated to his salary cup number beyond this year. Huet has a
hefty tag -- nearly 17-million dollars over the next 3 seasons. And
the Hawks should want the security of the veteran goalie under
contract, rather than gambling that Khabibulin would re-sign with them
after the season.
It's a tough price to swallow. The Hawks have to give up their
Khabiblanket. And maybe he goes on to win the Cup again with the
Flyers or the Canadiens or one of the other Eastern Conference teams
rumored to be interested in his services.
But if the Blackhawks are to win the Stanley Cup, the Bulin Wall has
to go... Has. To. Go.
For the Hawks to reach their goals, it's more true now than ever.
Josh
Mora,
a Columnist with TheFourthPeriod.com, is an Anchor and
Blackhawks Reporter with Comcast Sportsnet Chicago.
