If you are outraged or overjoyed, you are wrong.
The acceptable emotional range is “meh, bummer” to “meh, okay”.
The Hawks ’25/’26 cap hit increased $3.225mm for $2.725mm of real money.
They need to reach the cap floor next season, depending on other off season moves.
A year ago, the Hawks acquired Ilya Mikheyev (they were slightly paid to do take on his contract).
He was 1 season removed from ACL surgery.
He was a fantastic defensive forward for the Hawks.
On a team with a -70 goal differential and all goalies below 0.900 save %, he was a +4 over 80 games.
He did this while facing the toughest players on the other team all year.
Burakovsky is 1 season removed from 5 separate injuries over the ’22/’23 and ’23/’24 seasons.
Do the Hawks have the magic again to acquire a player becoming fully on the mend from injuries?
I wouldn’t bet on it, or against it.
Like I said….. meh.