Toews unconcerned about team drop-off due to cap restraints: 'We're not done yet'

The Chicago Blackhawks are far from done.

That's the message being delivered by captain Jonathan Toews following his team's third Stanley Cup win in the past six years and despite cap concerns that led the club to trade key contributor Brandon Saad to Columbus.

Sustained success is harder to achieve in the salary cap era, but the Blackhawks, who are likely to clear more space by way of another trade or two this summer, just keep rolling.

"Honestly, I think a lot of people are doubting us now, because we're going to lose some key players but we keep finding ways to rebound," Toews told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun on Thursday. "Whether it's this year or down the road, we have that culture and we have that identity, that belief in our room. There's no doubt and we're not done yet."

Put simply, Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook constitute a core group capable of carrying a decent supporting cast to victory.

"It's crazy, when you think about it. It's definitely not a fluke. We just find ways to get back to the playoffs and we have that belief that we can get ourselves out of tight spots," Toews continued. "There's a lot of qualities (required to win) and you can debate which ones are more important, but if you have a lot of them, it helps you find ways to keep overcoming the tough spots that you have to go through to win."

At present, the Blackhawks have the NHL's highest payroll and sit more than $2 million over the cap ceiling, meaning general manager Stan Bowman has his work cut out for him. Brad Richards has already signed elsewhere, and unrestricted free agent Johnny Oduya's status with the club remains uncertain.

But as long as Toews is around, the hunger to keep winning will remain strong.

"It's a lot of fun to win. It's been a fun ride, so once you get a taste of success, you want to keep it going and not take it for granted," he said. "That's what we're thinking in Chicago."