you mean like Clowe or Derrick Brassard hitting a wide open net?
- eburgio

Exactly what i mean

Source: Bickell extension in the works, still ironing out some details.
- John Jaeckel

I REALLY like the "good" Bickell...the bad one is just plain invisible. He's doing better so far...as one would expect in a contract year. Hope he can stay in front of his motivation issues.

JJ did you see my PM?
- PhatJoeSki

GOT IT, thx, look for my response

BTW,

A guy I love on the Oilers . . . Teemu Hartikainen
- John Jaeckel

Wanted to see him and he is out...

The question for next year: who are they going to keep.

Kruger (RFA): staying; 1.5 - 2 mil per 2-3 yr?
Leddy (RFA): staying; 2-2.5 mil per for 3 yrs?
Stahl (UFA): will get offers; 2-2.5 per for 3 yrs?
Mayers (UFA): gone
Emery (UFA): he may get offers; 2-2.5 mil
Bicks (UFA): may get offers double or triple his salary to 1.25 - 1.5 for 2 or 3 yrs.
Rosival (UFA): like him alot but can they keep him @ 2 mil plus again?

$4 mil of cap space next year. Do the math? Maybe only 2 or 3 of these guys coming back. Without a buyout of Olez or Montador or both, Stanbow does not have $$$ to acquire a top six forward and keep most of his UFA and RFA's.

Enjoy the depth of this year and results cuz once again it looks to be gone next year!
- bogiedoc

There will a be at least one buyout maybe two...

No, Mayers or Rozisval and probably not Stalberg or Emery.

You are watching Mgts. choice for the next top six forward develope now....Saad. There are only so many $4-$5 mill forwards one team can have and the Hawks have reached their limit for now.


Corey Crawford returns in top form, blanks Blue Jackets:http://bit.ly/V14Mgf
What happens when popular opinon is wrong...Today on Fox Chgo

nothing wrong with carbomb being a 4th liner, those guys usually contribute in a big way when it comes to winning stanley cups.the kid is 27 years old, hopefully with a little maturity & being careful he's the diamond in the rough for that role for us for the next few years. love the kids passion & hard word all along, just hasn't made the smartest choices as a younger guy. i still say the yotes & flyers dropped the ball on him. jammers 38 soon & bollig is till a ? mark . carcillo is fine for that role.
- wonthecup10

I think some of that craziness may have been expected from previous organizations...just not to that degree. Hawks clearly expect a smarter, more controlled approach. I really hated his signing, but have come to realize his issues were less about being an intentionally dirty player and far more about playing out of control. He tries to play bigger than he is and gets himself in trouble (charging on hits for example) and general over-exuberance. He has grown on me (not the demon spawn I previously viewed him as) and seems to have great chemistry with his team mates. The guy also seems to love playing, too...always smiling around the team. He's winning me over, but needs to play under control. I think he and Shaw are similar in that either would skate through walls to help the team.

you mean like Clowe or Derrick Brassard hitting a wide open net?
- eburgio

In every low scoring game you are a bad bounce away from getting tied or losing....The Hawks hit iron last night as well.

Focus should be on having more consistency on the PP....That's where a new face is needed.

That's where the diffrence can be made in scoring an extra goal here and there.

Corey Crawford returns in top form, blanks Blue Jackets:http://bit.ly/V14Mgf
What happens when popular opinon is wrong...Today on Fox Chgo

I'd also like to add that THE Dave Bolland:

-Is a team WORSE -3
-Still can't win a faceoff to save his life
-Has fewer points then Bickell, tied with Shaw, Stalberg, and Oduya
-Has already missed 2 games with seperate injuries, to go along with his concussion, and back back problems.

This is inexcusable. There is NO excuse for the -3. There is no excuse for the lack of production. Guy had 4 points in the 1st 3 games, and has become his typical inconsistent self. Do you think Shaw or Kruger may have more then 7 points playing with Sharp and Kane for 16+ games?

He has to be a prime target to deal at the draft or this offseason, especially with the emergence of Shaw and Krguer at center. Bolland for 4+ million is a deal that this team can't agree to pay.
- SteveRain

I like Bolland, but someone will have to go. There's a logjam of centers on the horizon...Pirri's move--a guy who's sandwiched between Hawk centers and the next wave--seems likely, but certainly Bolland may not be safe either with a lower cap.

I'd love to see a back and forth, 9-7 sorta game
- BigDre

dear god i would piss my self if it was like that

The question for next year: who are they going to keep.

Kruger (RFA): staying; 1.5 - 2 mil per 2-3 yr?
Leddy (RFA): staying; 2-2.5 mil per for 3 yrs?
Stahl (UFA): will get offers; 2-2.5 per for 3 yrs?
Mayers (UFA): gone
Emery (UFA): he may get offers; 2-2.5 mil
Bicks (UFA): may get offers double or triple his salary to 1.25 - 1.5 for 2 or 3 yrs.
Rosival (UFA): like him alot but can they keep him @ 2 mil plus again?

$4 mil of cap space next year. Do the math? Maybe only 2 or 3 of these guys coming back. Without a buyout of Olez or Montador or both, Stanbow does not have $$$ to acquire a top six forward and keep most of his UFA and RFA's.

Enjoy the depth of this year and results cuz once again it looks to be gone next year!
- bogiedoc

The guy's been here for 2.5 years...why do so many people still insist on inserting an "H" in this guy's name? S-T-A-L-B-E-R-G...Why is that so tough?

As far as your math, as much as I hate to say it, Bolland's a goner, so there's another $3million +

They did when Tallon picked up Ladd. This is where Bowman and his scouting staff can earn their salaries by identifying an underperforming power forward, who's not a huge cap hit and not have to pay through the nose to get him.
- paulr

Ruutu was scrap?

Shaw plays that same type of game that could replace bolland. He's just as annoying, as just as border-line dirty as good ole Bolland is. I don't think it's a coincidence that Shaw was given that chance on the "3rd line" over Kruger to see while Bolland was given a chance up with Kane/Sharp. Shaw has proven to be a very important guy on this team.

Kruger still gets tossed around like a pin ball out there, but hes a tenacious guy. For the record, I'd keep Frolik OVER Stalberg today for 2 reasons: he's a better PK player, and he's very intelligent player. You dn't have to worry about Frolik making a costly play that leads to a goal. Stalberg.....not so muh
- SteveRain

I like Bolland, but agree 100% with everything you said. Shaw has some of those same irritating shutdown attributes; and Frolik always brings it.

The guy's been here for 2.5 years...why do so many people still insist on inserting an "H" in this guy's name? S-T-A-L-B-E-R-G...Why is that so tough?

As far as your math, as much as I hate to say it, Bolland's a goner, so there's another $3million +
- Ogilthorpe2

Or Krueger.

But Saad was a "no-brainer" this year? And some thought he should've been up last year.

I would not say Danault is a shoe-in, but there is also no reason to count him out for next year either.
- John Jaeckel

Putting words in my mouth JJ? I'm sure you remember that we were in accord when Saad made the team out of camp.

Also, not counting him out... But why are peoe projecting next season with him in the lineup? Boarder line crazy.

I know there are longer term effects of that move, like getting Danault. But like we discuss on here a lot, prospects are just that. I hope the kid is a world beater, but you won't know for some time. Unless they strapped a cheetah to Brunette's back, you knew that experiment wouldn't work. Nice guy, but slowwwwwwwww
- eburgio

Danault has looked really, really good in the few games I've watched. He looks promising, just hope he isn't rushed.

Here's what Carcillo does on the top line—he makes it very tough for opposing defensemen to clear the zone when the puck is along the boards down low. And that in turn creates opportunities for the Hawks to establish possession and a cycle, especially playing with Hossa and Toews. You saw some of it in the San Jose game when he took a couple of shifts with them. And he's smart enough to be able to integrate with them on the cycle or at least get out of the way. Brouwer did the same thing with 88 and 19. They are NOT ideal players for that kind of line over 200 feet of ice (well, Brouwer moreso), but when you are looking to create/maintain offense, especially against big, strong defensemen, they are slightly more than just "guys."
- John Jaeckel

We saw some of that last night in fact.

Putting words in my mouth JJ? I'm sure you remember that we were in accord when Saad made the team out of camp.

Also, not counting him out... But why are peoe projecting next season with him in the lineup? Boarder line crazy.
- nathanjf

Not trying to put words in your mouth.

But I thought I recalled you saying Saad was NHL ready. I don't know of any similar metrics that would say Danault isn't at least close.

Al is close to a guy who watches Rockford regularly and knows his stuff who is/was very impressed with Danault in his breif go there last year.

Personally, I think Danault's awareness and game with and without the puck is probably higher than Saad's was at the same time last year. They are different kinds of players. But I see no reason Danault could not make the same assimilation, if not faster next year. None.

On Saad:

The only thing he needs a good deal of work on is playing "off" other players....That has a lot to do with coaching and the fact he was a main goal scorer when he played....So that has to come in time.


- Al

When I rote that thing early, I was at a loss for describing what his deficit was in words.

leave it with the guy with the column to find those words.

Thanks, Al

Or Krueger.
- eburgio

Actually, not sure about Swedish syntax etc. but quite possibly, the correct spelling of Kruger, Swedish to English is to add the "e". I know if he were German, that would be the case.

Ruutu was scrap?
- nathanjf

Point taken, but the consensus seems to be the Hawks won that deal.

Gunner Stahl?
- nickmo2699

The problem with Gunner Stahl is that everyone knows he always goes glove

BTW,

A guy I love on the Oilers . . . Teemu Hartikainen
- John Jaeckel

What's your take on 93 on EDM? Or still to early?

Detroit goes east because they haven't stopped crying about this for years or what??

http://deadspin.com/59867...ter&utm_medium=socialflow

Actually, not sure about Swedish syntax etc. but quite possibly, the correct spelling of Kruger, Swedish to English is to add the "e". I know if he were German, that would be the case.
- John Jaeckel

Fair enough, but the names on the back of the jersey are Kruger and Stalberg. Not Krueger and Stahlberg.

I noticed the Sharks broadcast graphics had the KruEger. I also had to tweet Randy Hahn and explain to him he was misprounouncing Hjalmarsson.

What's your take on 93 on EDM? Or still to early?
- victorymc98

I think he's going to be a huge star. Big time talent.