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Report: Kruger awaits long-term offer once Blackhawks clear cap room

2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six

2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six

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The Chicago Blackhawks still have some salary cap fires to put out, even after trading Patrick Sharp. It sounds like Marcus Kruger is willing to wait until the smoke clears.

ESPN Chicago reports that Kruger is fine with allowing the Blackhawks to take the time they need to clear salary cap space for a specific personal goal: a long-term contract.

General Fanager puts the Blackhawks’ current room at about $982K, but the situation is fluid even beyond defenseman Johnny Oduya’s future. Looking at qualifying offers alone, Chicago still needs to resolve discussions with Kruger, Joakim Nordstrom and Viktor Svedberg.

Kruger, 25, carried a cap hit of $1.325 million during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. His actual salary was $1.4 million last season. It’s not really clear what kind of money the useful depth forward is looking for, only that he seems most interested in term, at least according to ESPN Chicago.

To summarize: it seems like Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman has some work to do before he can go in full-on vacation mode, but Kruger apparently isn’t giving up on returning to Chicago even if it means waiting in limbo for some time.