More Skille Sightings in 2010-11?

(c) Julie Rubes
Perhaps you'll stay in Chicago for more than 4 games this time Jack..

The Blackhawks continue making minor moves as they re-signed restricted free agent Jack Skille to a one-year, $600K contract per the Chicago Sun-Times. I characterize this as another shrewd move by Bowman as he continues to try to find talented, cheap (the operative word) options to fill out the 2010-11 Blackhawks roster.

Skille was the Blackhawks first round selection in 2005. While his career to this point has not been what many Hawks fans have hoped for, Skille has made strides in the last couple of years while playing for the Hawks’ AHL affiliate in Rockford and a few call up games these last few years for the Hawks. In fact, he earned the nickname “I-Pass” this last season as early in the year the Hawks would bring Jack up for a game and then send him back to Rockford the next day in order to save a little money against the cap.

While on his entry-level contract, Skille’s cap hit was around $1.2M. With the Blackhawks operating close to the salary cap limit in the last couple of years, it can be said that having such a high cap number didn’t help his chances to make the big squad. I would not say this is the reason Skille wasn’t a regular in the Hawks lineup. He has had opportunities in the past to make impressions, but did not take advantage of them either. So it’s a little bit of missed opportunities on his part, and his high cap number that contributed to him playing in Rockford.

It appears that Skille and his agent were determined not to let a high cap number be an impediment to Skille reaching his NHL dreams. As a restricted free agent, the Hawks qualified Skille this offseason at a 10% raise of his base salary which would be close to $900K for the season. Skille could have signed this offer. However, with money tight in the Windy City this year, this $900K cap number might have worked against him in his efforts to make the Hawks. Recognizing that there are job opportunities for the Hawks and that money would be a factor, Skille was faced with the following decision:

a) Sign the qualifying offer, higher NHL money if he makes the NHL, but if he doesn’t, he gets paid an AHL salary of anywhere between $65-100K

b) Sign a cheaper NHL contract at $600K, thus increasing his chances to make the NHL as he’s a cheaper option now.

Skille obviously chose option B with the idea that making the NHL at $600K is better than not making the NHL (not getting the $900K then) and getting paid $60K in the AHL. He wants to get his NHL career started which probably leads to higher paydays in the future. I commend him for recognizing this.

This helps the Hawks as well obviously, as every couple hundred thousand saved is going to help, and could be used to help pay netminder Antii Niemi. I won’t go into another lineup projection today, but assuming both Skille and Makarov are ready to contribute at the NHL level, it gives the Hawks 2 kids making $1.1M combined who have some upside in addition to having a little more financial flexibility.