Right now, last 10 games or so. Yeah. I think it is a valid argument a lot of nights, Certainly as the years go by, it tilts more toward Toews at his relative age.

Really, they are the two best players on the club.
- John Jaeckel

I'd even say the last 20 games Toews is playing at the highest level of his career, and he has been amazing. I mentioned a couple days ago, but they are probably the two most complete players at their position in the league. What a lucky guy #20 is

Leblanc isn't going to jump into the 2nd line center role right away....... Leblanc has nothing to do with Bolland, at all.
- droe411

And really, Bolland shouldn't have anything to do with 2C either. Just saying.

That's the problem. Hawks have injury-prone Bolland at $3 and a 1/2 million per, and a bunch of other guys who project as 3C's, a couple who really look like they can full that role nicely (Kruger/Danault). And they really have no 2C.

I'd even say the last 20 games Toews is playing at the highest level of his career, and he has been amazing. I mentioned a couple days ago, but they are probably the two most complete players at their position in the league. What a lucky guy #20 is
- rollpards19

20, every other guy on the roster, Q, Bowman and all of us!

And really, Bolland shouldn't have anything to do with 2C either. Just saying.

That's the problem. Hawks have injury-prone Bolland at $3 and a 1/2 million per, and a bunch of other guys who project as 3C's, a couple who really look like they can full that role nicely (Kruger/Danault). And they really have no 2C.
- John Jaeckel

Yep, maybe they can do something about it in the off season. Trade Bolland, sign some one who at least can come near filling that hole.

Dunno about Sharp. As I pointed out earlier, before being personally assailed, there IS a valid argument for whether Hossa is worth the long-term doallar commitment. While Sharp's term is not as long, the AAV of his deal over the next four years is higher than, for comparison sake, Hossa's. Who's the better player? 81 by far. If there's a guy who Saad "replaces," although that's still not really relevant, it could be 10. I mean if the dollars are an issue, and all factors point to it being so for at least the next year or two, then really, who is expendable?
- John Jaeckel

Isn't next year the only regression in the cap?

So it will go down to whatever 64.7 million? Hawks have 58 and change committed?

So buy out Montador, trade Frolik for pick(s) (he will be a RFA some value there), move Bolland for prospects / picks.

Stalberg walk or move for picks / prospects. Bickell cheap or picks.

Fill out bottom lines with piggies and/or cheap character veterans. Get really lucky and buy out happens sign Bobby the goalie for dirt cheap for 2 or 3 years and laugh hilariously at Vancouver.
___________________________________________

In 2015 Rusty's money falls off and you can use that to give Hammer his 5 or 6. Cap should go back up again with the way NHL monies seem to keep increasing and they will be in good shape. If Hossa (or Sharp) are falling apart they can buy out. If not they can have a really strong veteran presence to bring a long the hogs that get promoted.

I don't see a dire situation other than the fact they need to win this year to justify next year being a "learning year" for some of the kids that will have to fill spots.

Isn't next year the only regression in the cap?

So it will go down to whatever 64.7 million? Hawks have 58 and change committed?

So buy out Montador, trade Frolik for pick(s) (he will be a RFA some value there), move Bolland for prospects / picks.

Stalberg walk or move for picks / prospects. Bickell cheap or picks.

Fill out bottom lines with piggies and/or cheap character veterans. Get really lucky and buy out happens sign Bobby the goalie for dirt cheap for 2 or 3 years and laugh hilariously at Vancouver.
___________________________________________

In 2015 Rusty's money falls off and you can use that to give Hammer his 5 or 6. Cap should go back up again with the way NHL monies seem to keep increasing and they will be in good shape. If Hossa (or Sharp) are falling apart they can buy out. If not they can have a really strong veteran presence to bring a long the hogs that get promoted.

I don't see a dire situation other than the fact they need to win this year to justify next year being a "learning year" for some of the kids that will have to fill spots.
- fattybeef

Solid logic all the way around and that is also why—especially the point about the likelihood of cap growth after the one-time adjustment—there might not be any real reason to act rashly on Hossa. Everyone looks at $5.25 per cap hit as alot of money. But $5.25 million in 2018 dollars for a still somewhat functional 38-39 year old Hossa might look more like $3.5 million to $4million in today's cap dollars. Not unreasonable. Or a buyout at some point, the cap hit seems huge now, but the reality of it with likely cap inflation is that it wouldn't be as painful.

The one thing I will say is Hossa, because of the length of his deal and age, and the terms of the new CBA, is pretty much untradeable. Sharp, or Seabrook or Bolland are not. Those would be fairly significant to large trades. Point is, if the team found Sharp more expendable and saw a need that could be filled elsewhere through dealing him? Never know.

In fact, that logic is why I think Dave Bolland is playing in another sweater 10/1.

Sharp hasn't been a $5-6 million player this year. Doesn't mean he won't be next year though.

And really, Bolland shouldn't have anything to do with 2C either. Just saying.

That's the problem. Hawks have injury-prone Bolland at $3 and a 1/2 million per, and a bunch of other guys who project as 3C's, a couple who really look like they can full that role nicely (Kruger/Danault). And they really have no 2C.
- John Jaeckel

I really wonder who might be available this summer. With the cap dropping, and buyouts happening, good veteran players will be available.

It's going to be an entertaining summer with players moving all over the place.

I'm 99.9% certain that kane's recent struggles are a direct impact on the lack of a #2 center. In fact, there are 4 things I worry about come playoff time:

1. Power play. How is this team, with this much talent, 1 for the last 31 and dropping down to the lower 3rd of the league? Kompon, cup/no cup has to be fired as soon as the season ends. PP is horrific to watch.

2. Goaltending: Emery looked bad last night. He's been for most of the year as has Crawford, but those weak goals like we saw last night can't go in come playoff time. Getting beat short side from bad angles is just as bad as getting beat on other questionable goals.

3. Size...I know they beat STL, but that was 1 game...Do we think this team can take that type of pounding in back to back to back series which it may have to do to win the cup? 2nd round vs a LA/SJ/STL, Conference final vs Anh, and Cup final vs Pitts or Boston? Yikes....

4. 2nd line center: Get bolland the hell away from Kane...now. It's obvious if you watch Kane, he's frustrated and he's forcing plays because he can't rely on linemates to help him out. Turnover was a perfect example that led to Dallas's 1st goal. Put Bolland on the 3rd line and move Shaw or Kruger up to center Kane and Sharp.

Solid logic all the way around and that is also why—especially the point about the likelihood of cap growth after the one-time adjustment—there might not be any real reason to act rashly on Hossa. Everyone looks at $5.25 per cap hit as alot of money. But $5.25 million in 2018 dollars for a still somewhat functional 38-39 year old Hossa might look more like $3.5 million to $4million in today's cap dollars. Not unreasonable. Or a buyout at some point, the cap hit seems huge now, but the reality of it with likely cap inflation is that it wouldn't be as painful.

The one thing I will say is Hossa, because of the length of his deal and age, and the terms of the new CBA, is pretty much untradeable. Sharp, or Seabrook or Bolland are not. Those would be fairly significant to large trades. Point is, if the team found Sharp more expendable and saw a need that could be filled elsewhere through dealing him? Never know.

In fact, that logic is why I think Dave Bolland is playing in another sweater 10/1.

Sharp hasn't been a $5-6 million player this year. Doesn't mean he won't be next year though.
- John Jaeckel

Even if you move Sharp, you still only have 4 legit top 6 players on the roster in Saad, Toews, Kane, and Hossa.

Meanwhile, you have 2 other guys who can easily center the 3rd line in Kruger or Shaw.

So yes, for me...Bolland and his 3.375 cap hit is easier to replace then Sharp's 5.9. I don't see the Hawks buying out either when they can trade Bolland at sseason's end and not miss a beat.

What will be interesting to see is what Bickell and Stalberg are going to want...Stalberg is playing with a LOT of confidence and bringing it every night.

I'm 99.9% certain that kane's recent struggles are a direct impact on the lack of a #2 center. In fact, there are 4 things I worry about come playoff time:

1. Power play. How is this team, with this much talent, 1 for the last 31 and dropping down to the lower 3rd of the league? Kompon, cup/no cup has to be fired as soon as the season ends. PP is horrific to watch.

2. Goaltending: Emery looked bad last night. He's been for most of the year as has Crawford, but those weak goals like we saw last night can't go in come playoff time. Getting beat short side from bad angles is just as bad as getting beat on other questionable goals.

3. Size...I know they beat STL, but that was 1 game...Do we think this team can take that type of pounding in back to back to back series which it may have to do to win the cup? 2nd round vs a LA/SJ/STL, Conference final vs Anh, and Cup final vs Pitts or Boston? Yikes....

4. 2nd line center: Get bolland the hell away from Kane...now. It's obvious if you watch Kane, he's frustrated and he's forcing plays because he can't rely on linemates to help him out. Turnover was a perfect example that led to Dallas's 1st goal. Put Bolland on the 3rd line and move Shaw or Kruger up to center Kane and Sharp.
- SteveRain

I would really, really, really like to see a 10/16/88 2nd line...

I would really, really, really like to see a 10/16/88 2nd line...
- blackhawk24

I'd be all for that myself.

I'm 99.9% certain that kane's recent struggles are a direct impact on the lack of a #2 center. In fact, there are 4 things I worry about come playoff time:

1. Power play. How is this team, with this much talent, 1 for the last 31 and dropping down to the lower 3rd of the league? Kompon, cup/no cup has to be fired as soon as the season ends. PP is horrific to watch.

2. Goaltending: Emery looked bad last night. He's been for most of the year as has Crawford, but those weak goals like we saw last night can't go in come playoff time. Getting beat short side from bad angles is just as bad as getting beat on other questionable goals.

3. Size...I know they beat STL, but that was 1 game...Do we think this team can take that type of pounding in back to back to back series which it may have to do to win the cup? 2nd round vs a LA/SJ/STL, Conference final vs Anh, and Cup final vs Pitts or Boston? Yikes....

4. 2nd line center: Get bolland the hell away from Kane...now. It's obvious if you watch Kane, he's frustrated and he's forcing plays because he can't rely on linemates to help him out. Turnover was a perfect example that led to Dallas's 1st goal. Put Bolland on the 3rd line and move Shaw or Kruger up to center Kane and Sharp.
- SteveRain

Recent struggles = playing with competent players

(Kruger is fine there but not when he has to cover Bolland's ass and play LW at the same time)

As expected...

http://espn.go.com/nhl/st...my-howard-agree-318m-deal

Boy this is going to throw a monkey wrench into the goalie "market value". Yikes!

I would really, really, really like to see a 10/16/88 2nd line...
- blackhawk24

So would I.....I can't handle much more of Bolland playiing top 6 minutes.
They need to have Kane and Sharp going come playoff time, because every top D pair will draw Saad-Toews-Hossa.

Let bolland shut down the other team's top line with Stalberg and Bickell and create the mismatch offensively.

It's going to be tough to see Bolig, Carcillo, and Mayers get ice time in the playoffs unless there is an injury.

Solid logic all the way around and that is also why—especially the point about the likelihood of cap growth after the one-time adjustment—there might not be any real reason to act rashly on Hossa. Everyone looks at $5.25 per cap hit as alot of money. But $5.25 million in 2018 dollars for a still somewhat functional 38-39 year old Hossa might look more like $3.5 million to $4million in today's cap dollars. Not unreasonable. Or a buyout at some point, the cap hit seems huge now, but the reality of it with likely cap inflation is that it wouldn't be as painful.

The one thing I will say is Hossa, because of the length of his deal and age, and the terms of the new CBA, is pretty much untradeable. Sharp, or Seabrook or Bolland are not. Those would be fairly significant to large trades. Point is, if the team found Sharp more expendable and saw a need that could be filled elsewhere through dealing him? Never know.

In fact, that logic is why I think Dave Bolland is playing in another sweater 10/1.

Sharp hasn't been a $5-6 million player this year. Doesn't mean he won't be next year though.
- John Jaeckel

Watching Hossa this year... if Saad can do more lifting on the boards and the chasing people down next year coupled with someone else taking over his penalty kill duties I think you can extend his effectiveness another 2-3 years. No reason the guy cant be a +60 point player the next 5 years if managed properly with the appropriate supporting cast.

I think Bolland has worn out his welcome. Kind of a shame.

>Best Power Play Percentage in a season: 31.88%, by 1977–78 Montreal Canadiens
>Coach of that Habs team? (Scotty Bowman)
>JJ, are you hearing any rumbles about Barry Smith "channeling" Scotty this week on the PP?
>Or Scotty flying in and putting the skates on himself?
>Pure speculation on my part, but even though one can argue that aspects of today's NHL game are "overcoached" -- the Hawks PP for several years looks like too much of the PP is left to "the creativity of the players"
>Hawks PP needs to make the goalie use his feet to make saves = creating rebounds
>Hawks pass up too many open shots in the pursuit of "the perfect shot" with max velocity
>Get it on net and force the goalie to use his feet = PP rebound goals
>Fixing PP and 2nd line should be the priority of a very strong team, playing great team hockey

Solid logic all the way around and that is also why—especially the point about the likelihood of cap growth after the one-time adjustment—there might not be any real reason to act rashly on Hossa. Everyone looks at $5.25 per cap hit as alot of money. But $5.25 million in 2018 dollars for a still somewhat functional 38-39 year old Hossa might look more like $3.5 million to $4million in today's cap dollars. Not unreasonable. Or a buyout at some point, the cap hit seems huge now, but the reality of it with likely cap inflation is that it wouldn't be as painful.

The one thing I will say is Hossa, because of the length of his deal and age, and the terms of the new CBA, is pretty much untradeable. Sharp, or Seabrook or Bolland are not. Those would be fairly significant to large trades. Point is, if the team found Sharp more expendable and saw a need that could be filled elsewhere through dealing him? Never know.

In fact, that logic is why I think Dave Bolland is playing in another sweater 10/1.

Sharp hasn't been a $5-6 million player this year. Doesn't mean he won't be next year though.
- John Jaeckel

Or playoffs

Watching Hossa this year... if Saad can do more lifting on the boards and the chasing people down next year coupled with someone else taking over his penalty kill duties I think you can extend his effectiveness another 2-3 years. No reason the guy cant be a +60 point player the next 5 years if managed properly with the appropriate supporting cast.

I think Bolland has worn out his welcome. Kind of a shame.
- fattybeef

Not with me...not yet.

>Best Power Play Percentage in a season: 31.88%, by 1977–78 Montreal Canadiens
>Coach of that Habs team? (Scotty Bowman)
>JJ, are you hearing any rumbles about Barry Smith "channeling" Scotty this week on the PP?
>Or Scotty flying in and putting the skates on himself?
>Pure speculation on my part, but even though one can argue that aspects of today's NHL game are "overcoached" -- the Hawks PP for several years looks like too much of the PP is left to "the creativity of the players"
>Hawks PP needs to make the goalie use his feet to make saves = creating rebounds
>Hawks pass up too many open shots in the pursuit of "the perfect shot" with max velocity
>Get it on net and force the goalie to use his feet = PP rebound goals
>Fixing PP and 2nd line should be the priority of a very strong team, playing great team hockey
- SnapitUpstairs

Agreed...too much standing around and point men trying to navigate to t he middle of the ice. The snap shot or wrister has been ignored by the point men. perfect shots to be fired hard and low and prime for dirty, rebound goals come playoff time.

The entry is also horrible. 1 guy moving 110%, 2 standing still against the boards, 2 trailing the play...Just a bad overall scheme.

Not with me...not yet.
- philco28

I still think (and hope) the real Bolland shows up for the playoffs. After that, he gets traded at the draft to help this team some more.

Agreed...too much standing around and point men trying to navigate to t he middle of the ice. The snap shot or wrister has been ignored by the point men. perfect shots to be fired hard and low and prime for dirty, rebound goals come playoff time.

The entry is also horrible. 1 guy moving 110%, 2 standing still against the boards, 2 trailing the play...Just a bad overall scheme.
- SteveRain

They need a guy in the high slot, look at every successful PP in the league. The "Sedin play", the high tip, is un guardable and is really tough on goalies. Watch Washington and how many wide open slapshots Brouwer gets in the high slot. The shooting % on those shots is so high its infuriating the Hawks don't get the puck there. My only hope is they have some fix, but don't want to put it on tape before the playoffs

They need a guy in the high slot, look at every successful PP in the league. The "Sedin play", the high tip, is un guardable and is really tough on goalies. Watch Washington and how many wide open slapshots Brouwer gets in the high slot. The shooting % on those shots is so high its infuriating the Hawks don't get the puck there. My only hope is they have some fix, but don't want to put it on tape before the playoffs
- rollpards19

The Caps PP is definitely one to take notes on. They have either Ribiero or Backstrom below the net with Brouwer and Ovi on each circle ready for a one-timer. It's the same play every time and it works.

>Best Power Play Percentage in a season: 31.88%, by 1977–78 Montreal Canadiens
>Coach of that Habs team? (Scotty Bowman)
>JJ, are you hearing any rumbles about Barry Smith "channeling" Scotty this week on the PP?
>Or Scotty flying in and putting the skates on himself?
>Pure speculation on my part, but even though one can argue that aspects of today's NHL game are "overcoached" -- the Hawks PP for several years looks like too much of the PP is left to "the creativity of the players"
>Hawks PP needs to make the goalie use his feet to make saves = creating rebounds
>Hawks pass up too many open shots in the pursuit of "the perfect shot" with max velocity
>Get it on net and force the goalie to use his feet = PP rebound goals
>Fixing PP and 2nd line should be the priority of a very strong team, playing great team hockey
- SnapitUpstairs

Have not heard this specifically (re: Smith) but as you know, it happened last year.

Power plays seem to work best when players AND the puck are moving.

Agreed not every shot needs to be a bomb. How many times does the lob with lots of of traffic in front work—a lot.

I've actually liked the movement and units of late, just not getitng results.

The Caps PP is definitely one to take notes on. They have either Ribiero or Backstrom below the net with Brouwer and Ovi on each circle ready for a one-timer. It's the same play every time and it works.
- teh_HAWKZ

BTW, Brouwer's goal total this year projects to 32 over a 82 game season, with nearly 200 hits. Not bad for a guy who "couldn't play" in Chicago.

The Caps PP is definitely one to take notes on. They have either Ribiero or Backstrom below the net with Brouwer and Ovi on each circle ready for a one-timer. It's the same play every time and it works.
- teh_HAWKZ

Exactly. Couldn't we do the same with Kane and Sharp or Hossa shooting? And JJ if you see this, why don't the Hawks ever try 19 at the point on the PP? I know he played there (and succeeded) at UND and on the Canada WJC team. He's responsible enough not to get burned defensively. Has a wicked wrister he can get off fast. For heaven's sake Bolland has been on the point since he's been back