As grand as this is for Chicago today, the Hawks window of opportunity may be small despite adding the talented Hossa to their youthful lineup.
Kane, Toews and Keith are all due new contracts after this season, and they will command top dollar. Seabrook and Dustin Byfuglien are each signed for another two seasons before they can potentially become restricted free agents.
So while the salary cap could start rearing its ugly head soon, Tallon said the terms of Hossa's deal gives him more flexibility in his quest to keep the core together. Still, there is a chance a trade could be in the offing in the future in order to free up some cap space.
"The type of contract that Marian has agreed to will not influence our core," Tallon said. "They will get taken care of. We have identified who the top guys are in our organization and this will not affect that.
"Everything we're doing is to keep the core together and Marian wants to play with good players, to play on a good team and he wants to win," the GM added. "This deal was important to get done at this term to help us in the future solidify that core group."
