Last week, the Chicago Blackhawks announced that they had signed forward Patrick Sharp to a five-year, $29.5 million extension. Sharp was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season. This new contract will pay Sharp an annual salary of $5.9 million.
Many in the media were quick to praise the deal, as well as the timing. Rather than waiting well into the season and risk it affecting both Sharp's and the team's performance, the Blackhawks inked a deal now to put it out of everyone's minds.
I'm fully on board with this. I said when the offseason began that the Blackhawks should consider arranging an extension for Sharp now opposed to waiting. That way they will know exactly how much he's costing them and they can make their long-term plans accordingly.
There's no question that Sharp is part of the Blackhawks' "core" group of players. He's one of their most valuable players, playing in all situations in different positions, and he's arguably the most versatile and underrated player in the NHL.
It's safe to say that I couldn't, and didn't want to, imagine the Blackhawks without Patrick Sh ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Cody Pugh
How the Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp Got the Wrong Deal
August 12th, 2011 by Cody Pugh Leave a reply »
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