Sharks sign CHI's Hjalmarsson to offer sheet

DarrenDreger

RT @TSNBobMcKenzie: I am not working, but I can tell you TSN's Gord Miller reports San Jose has signed Niklas Hjalmarsson to a four-year, $14M offer sheet.

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The first one of the season. Hawks have 7 days to match. If history is any indicator, maybe Chicago does the same to Setoguchi.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=327071

The San Jose Sharks have signed Blackhawks restricted free agent defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson to a free agent offer sheet, signing the defenceman to a four-year, $14 million dollar contract.

Chicago has seven days to match the offer. If the team does not match it, they will receive San Jose's first and third round picks in the 2011 NHL entry draft.

Chicago has $3,613,410 in cap space with only 14 players signed.

San Jose has $6,137,500 in cap space with 18 players signed.

Could San Jose be able to keep Devin Setoguchi as well?

Holy Dung! So they lost their picks too?

SensGirl11 wrote:Holy Dung! So they lost their picks too?

Hawks have 7 days to match the offer or they will receive San Jose's 1st and 3rd in 2011.

Can't see Chicago being able to match without making more huge moves (Campbell and Huet).

And I have no idea what this means for Setoguchi as an RFA in SJ. Perhaps the sharks are hoping they get an offer sheet come in for him too.

Why would they even try to match it? Getting a 1st and a 3rd for a 5th defenseman?! Later Hjalmarsson!

He's a good player.

He's not worth a 1st round pick or that amount of $ though.

Perhaps, but I guess that's the gamble you take.

Bye Bye Hjarlmarsson, it's been a hoot, but we'll take the 1st and 3rd.

I hear Campoli could be had for cheap... Lee too!

Kovalfie wrote:I hear Campoli could be had for cheap... Lee too!

Yeah, I bet it's on like Donkey Kong.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Kovalfie wrote:I hear Campoli could be had for cheap... Lee too!

Yeah, I bet it's on like Donkey Kong.

What, you think either or both of them might be of interest to Chicago if they lose Hjalmarsson? Interesting...

Kovalfie wrote:I hear Campoli could be had for cheap... Lee too!

Not sure if you were referring to Campoli being had for a cheap off due to his RFA status, but Campoli can not be offered a contract by another team right now.

If you meant he can be had in a trade for cheap, ignore the rest of my post.

Campoli filed for arbitration therefore he can only negotiate with the Sens until his hearing. If Campoli's contract status makes it in front of the independent arbitrator, the arbitrator has 48 hours from the completion of the hearing to determine the value of the players contract. The team then has another 48 hours (or 48 hours after last hearing date if a team has more than one) to determine if they wish to retain that player or allow that player to become an unrestricted free agent. The team is only allowed to walk away from the players contract if the player requested the arbitration.

This didn't happen, but if the team requests salary arbitration, they are not allowed to walk away from the contract awarded by the arbitrator.

That is the Coles notes version of how the arbitration hearing system works.

Hope it helped clarify the RFA situation a bit.