He's a center??
- 67hawks

Ive seen him play the dot many a time. Can easily handle the job.. as can #10 on our team.

I don't think you can call this a "trap game"....It's not like the Hawks are looking past the Stanley Cup champions.... Of course, I've had at least three or four games pegged as "trap games" only to be totally wrong. The Hawks are going to lose one eventually. Maybe even today, but I doubt it comes because they took their opponent, certainly THIS opponent, lightly.

So according to Hotstove, the Rangers were asked about Michael Del Zotto as part of the package for Ryan O'Reilly. And apparently they wanted much more than him. So any pipe dream of landing ROR starts with Leddy, probably includes a top prospect like Dannault, and giving him the contract he wants, and suddenly, signing ROR to an offer sheet and just surrendering draft picks sounds like a much better plan....
- yahoodi

For the 1,000,000th time, they can't offer sheet ROR, they don't have thier own 2nd and 3rd round picks for compensation.

For the 1,000,000th time, they can't offer sheet ROR, they don't have thier own 2nd and 3rd round picks for compensation.
- MartiniMan

Was about to reiterate that again, thanks for saving me the effort.

Was about to reiterate that again, thanks for saving me the effort.
- prd797

They can simply offer players in return, but watching the development of #16 I think our guy is here already. Oreilly has only had one real good year. Dont know.. the more I think about that guy the more it will most likely be a huge over payment.

Meh, Captain Canada is overpaid at this point in his career in my opinion (last year was even worse paycheck wise!) 2.25 mil cap hit for this year and next. If he can barely keep up with a young Oilers team, is it likely is it he will keep up with the Hawks?

PP specialist is an interesting idea though, I'm just not personally sure Smyth has a lot left in the tank.

Smyth's PP goal #s past 4 seasons:

08-09 (COL)- 10 goals, 09-10 (LAK)- 11 goals, 10-11(LAK)- 9 goals, 11-12 (EDM)- 4 goals
- prd797

Somebody referred to him as looking like a snail on Prozac.

There won't be any interest in the Madison St. offices.

Meh, Captain Canada is overpaid at this point in his career in my opinion (last year was even worse paycheck wise!) 2.25 mil cap hit for this year and next. If he can barely keep up with a young Oilers team, is it likely is it he will keep up with the Hawks?

PP specialist is an interesting idea though, I'm just not personally sure Smyth has a lot left in the tank.

Smyth's PP goal #s past 4 seasons:

08-09 (COL)- 10 goals, 09-10 (LAK)- 11 goals, 10-11(LAK)- 9 goals, 11-12 (EDM)- 4 goals
- prd797

The contract might be a deterrent, but for a team with NO NET PRESENCE...Smitty could be a solid late season solution.

The contract might be a deterrent, but for a team with NO NET PRESENCE...Smitty could be a solid late season solution.
- philco28

Didn't the Hawks sign a gritty, veteran presence last season for a couple million, who career-wise was generally good around the net. What was his name, again? I don't remember that working out very well...

No thanks, Phil, interesting idea but i'd pass.

They can simply offer players in return, but watching the development of #16 I think our guy is here already. Oreilly has only had one real good year. Dont know.. the more I think about that guy the more it will most likely be a huge over payment.
- z1990z

Can we all please give up on the notion of Ryan O'Reilly coming here? We don't have our own draft picks to offer sheet him, and our GM doesn't have the stones to give up the real assets it would require to pry him out of Colorado. The end.

Should be a good game this afternoon - I have a good feeling about it.

BOLD PREDICTION:

Saad gets another goal today

Nobody off the current roster...maybe Lalonde and his brother

- philco28

David Toews for Smyth. Boom. Make me GM already

Didn't the Hawks sign a gritty, veteran presence last season for a couple million, who career-wise was generally good around the net. What was his name, again? I don't remember that working out very well...

No thanks, Phil, interesting idea but i'd pass.
- prd797

I was about to post this same thing. Smyth will be 37 in a week and slow skating on this team is a no-no. Rather have a Hendriks or Thorburn type, as have been suggested here by many.

For the 1,000,000th time, they can't offer sheet ROR, they don't have thier own 2nd and 3rd round picks for compensation.
- MartiniMan

It wouldn't just default to 2014's 2nd and 3rd?

Fine, I'll rephrase, I wouldn't offer anything more in trade that is equivelant to what offer sheet compensation would be, which would be a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd. And since Colorado has no interest in trading him to a Western conference team anyway, that trade would be turned down.

In short, the Hawks aren't getting O'reilly even if they wanted him. And I'm not sure they do.

It wouldn't just default to 2014's 2nd and 3rd?

Fine, I'll rephrase, I wouldn't offer anything more in trade that is equivelant to what offer sheet compensation would be, which would be a 1st, a 2nd and a 3rd. And since Colorado has no interest in trading him to a Western conference team anyway, that trade would be turned down.

In short, the Hawks aren't getting O'reilly even if they wanted him. And I'm not sure they do.
- yahoodi

It wouldn't just default to 2014's 2nd and 3rd?

No, and when you think about it wouldn't make sense for the team which loses the player.

There have been studies done on the disadvantage West Coast NFL teams face when going East......Body time clock stuff etc...

Although this time zone might not be ideal for LA....The Kings played in Columbus the other night and have been here for awhile.

The team that has the biggest disadvantage by far in the NHL is Winnipeg as they play West Coast teams but are in the CST zone.

I would think that will change next year.

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

Winnipeg BETTER go West already...with all the BS posturing with negociations and basically a new schedule rebuilt AFTER the cease-fire, it seems like it would have been no bigeee to add the East West transfer of Winnipeg/Columbus THIS year.

when I have to try and predict a Cup winner, I always tend to favor the rested EAST team - I say rested because they have one hour planes inside their divisons and lots of non-travel time in comparison with the WEST.

But after watching the Hawks go away and have the success they have says something for being away from home for some clubs.

some teams do well away especially when they are trying to get refouced on the winning track.

It wouldn't just default to 2014's 2nd and 3rd?

No, and when you think about it wouldn't make sense for the team which loses the player.
- Al

Completely agree, Colorado wants assets coming back for O'Reilly that will greatly improve their team TODAY, if not in the near future. They can sit and wait and as injuries accumulate on other teams, interest may likely increase and value might subsequently increase.

Didn't the Hawks sign a gritty, veteran presence last season for a couple million, who career-wise was generally good around the net. What was his name, again? I don't remember that working out very well...

No thanks, Phil, interesting idea but i'd pass.
- prd797

but Smitty > Brunette

Was about to reiterate that again, thanks for saving me the effort.
- prd797

Ditto from me....

and I am so tired of Ryan Oreilly being viewed as a future solid two, when he scored 19 once in his career.

this is the same
when a player "may be in play" the fans think he is the next savior, bargain, and answer..."fan thinking" that was spewed with Turris and Evander Kane.

They are nice compliments with upside but not answers as better players than guys here already. You make the deal IF you are CONVINCED the guy IS a future dominant player inside the way the game is presently played.

Holy Kyle Turris (4 goals seven pt.s one PP goal), and Evander Kane (3 goals, ten pt.s one PP goal) !!!!!!!

That places them fifth on the Hawks in points and about even five other Hawks in terms of production...oh and those hawks are not getting or asking for 4-5 million a year.

and the hawks all are faster than OReilly.


Can this stop already?


Think desperate and Calgary where a centre is needed and they will overpay since they are in a black hole in so far as farm guys, save for three.

Ditto from me....

and I am so tired of Ryan Oreilly being viewed as a future solid two, when he scored 19 once in his career.

this is the same
when a player "may be in play" the fans think he is the next savior, bargain, and answer..."fan thinking" that was spewed with Turris and Evander Kane.

They are nice compliments with upside but not answers as better players than guys here already. You make the deal IF you are CONVINCED the guy IS a future dominant player inside the way the game is presently played.

Holy Kyle Turris (4 goals seven pt.s one PP goal), and Evander Kane (3 goals, ten pt.s one PP goal) !!!!!!!

That places them fifth on the Hawks in points and about even five other Hawks in terms of production...oh and those hawks are not getting or asking for 4-5 million a year.

and the hawks all are faster than OReilly.


Can this stop already?


Think desperate and Calgary where a centre is needed and they will overpay since they are in a black hole in so far as farm guys, save for three.
- wiz1901

If Calgary is desperate for a center, and if Pirri is never going to get a shot in Chicago, is there any deal to be had there? What would a middling C prospect fetch on the open market?

Can this stop already?

Think desperate and Calgary where a centre is needed and they will overpay since they are in a black hole in so far as farm guys, save for three.
- wiz1901

Well said wiz, I was thinking along the same lines. Some of the bottom feeder teams with very little talent in the pipeline along with curious teams with better rosters and more to offer in prospective talent and NHL roster (fringe or not) players (like NYR) would be the teams most likely to serious engage in talks to get O'Reilly.

And even then, Colorado's front office wants to swing for the fences with an O'Reilly trade and this could be the Kyle Turris saga all over again.

If you haven't seen the video yet of the Hawks skating at Soldier field with the vets, it's worth a look.

http://video.blackhawks.nhl.com/videocenter/

Then click on Soldier Field sights and sounds.
- Ogilthorpe2

Makes you proud to be a blackhawk fan!

Makes you proud to be a blackhawk fan!
- molly2522

And give props to team management...they do a great job of organizing great events like this....give credit where it's DUE.

And give props to team management...they do a great job of organizing great events like this....give credit where it's DUE.

- philco28

Tons of respect to everyone involved. The vets deserve to be treated so wonderfully and I'm glad the team that I support stepped up and made this happen.

Tons of respect to everyone involved. The vets deserve to be treated so wonderfully and I'm glad the team that I support stepped up and made this happen.
- prd797

Great reply PRD...
so much hate for McD here...but phucking PIN DROPS when schit like this happens...WTF ?

Great reply PRD...
so much hate for McD here...but phucking PIN DROPS when schit like this happens...WTF ?

- philco28

I don't care for his ego, but Rocky didn't just pick his name out of a hat. Marketing is McD's expertise. You can be good at something and still be a pr*ck

I don't care for his ego, but Rocky didn't just pick his name out of a hat. Marketing is McD's expertise. You can be good at something and still be a wiener, after all
- prd797

With all due respect...this ORGANIZATION has shown a tremendous COMMITMENT and REVERENCE for the United States Armed Forces and rightfully so...you can call it marketing...i call it R-E-S-P-E-C-T.