#2 looked like No. 2 last night...big time. No hustle at times, missed the puck more than a few times, fell over his laces another....no bueno.
- JGould70

Totally AGREE.............. and should be great trade bait after we win the CUP !.

The big one obviously is Leddy at the $3.5 or 4 mil he's likely going to get. If Stalberg is demanding $3 mil or so, then he's likely gone. They can buy out Montador and Olesz but we still need to sign a decent backup goalie and our own RFA's. Ben Smith could partially replace Stalberg, but I've thought since Stalberg arrived he has the potential to be a fantastic player if he ever puts it all together. I'd hate to see that happen, if it's ever going to, with another team. He's kind of a younger, mini-Hossa in a way.
- Hemingways

Huge mistake if they let Stalberg walk.
Can not replace size and speed in the same body.
Other options already mentioned......... Bolland, Monty, Olesz etc..........and the trade of #2. PP sucks partly because of him.

Huge mistake if they let Stalberg walk.
Can not replace size and speed in the same body.
Other options already mentioned......... Bolland, Monty, Olesz etc..........and the trade of #2. PP sucks partly because of him.
- Hawkytalk

So, moving Keith in order to keep Stalberg? Wow. Apparently top pairing D men are easy to replace.

Can Bowman find a taker for Frolik? If he can, then I can see the Hawks finding a way to keep Stalberg.
- EKolb13

You can now trade someone and keep half his cap hit, right? Tthat would help with Frolik.

I agree. He really showed improvement from those last reg season games.

I wouldn't make a change unless he makes some glaring error. He brought it to Suter and played his role well last night.
- tredbrta

Again, the whole Bollig vs. Player X argument is stupid.

Bollig is NOT the reason the Hawks were offside 40 times, the Wild took away the center of the ice, Harding was mostly brilliant. And those were the real problems.

I would just be glad the Hawks outhit the Wild and registered some big hits and that is mostly why Bollig is out there. If this series goes 6 or 7 games, and Suter plays 30 plus minutes a night, you will be glad for every hit Bollig puts on him.

How many more games will go to OT? probably at least a couple. Bollig is probably the strongest Hawk and one of the best conditioned. Energy was the difference in OT the other might.

I'm'a post as many of these HNIC intros as i can this spring....because they

PHUCKING ROCK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vczq0HbgEZo
- philco28

Yeah....

Hockey and baseball (although not really as much) are the only sports that celebrate their history - that recognize that there were great players before the current generation.

Huge mistake if they let Stalberg walk.
Can not replace size and speed in the same body.
Other options already mentioned......... Bolland, Monty, Olesz etc..........and the trade of #2. PP sucks partly because of him.
- Hawkytalk

I would not even consider dealing keith to keep Stalberg.

That said, Stalberg is a weapon, an improved and more consistent player than years past and a very good NHL winger.

Great blog. I wouldn't be shocked if the Hawks dominated the Wild from here on out. I do think the Hawks took the Wild's best punch and both teams know it. It looked to me during OT like the Hawks felt like they really embarrassed themselves by letting the Wild play with them. I except more of a sense of urgency hereafter, as we saw late and then in OT. And I would love to see, when Bolland comes back, Stalberg at 2-LW, Sharp at 2-C and Kane at 2-RW. Then slide Bolland to 3-C, move Shaw to the wing in Stalberg's spot, and Handzus down to 4-C, where you can rest him more and save him for the PK and big draws. Hate to see Bollig as the odd man out, because he's playing pretty well, and doing what's asked of him, but who else sits? Feels like they're ready to roll as is, so who knows?

Again, the whole Bollig vs. Player X argument is stupid.

Bollig is NOT the reason the Hawks were offside 40 times, the Wild took away the center of the ice, Harding was mostly brilliant. And those were the real problems.

I would just be glad the Hawks outhit the Wild and registered some big hits and that is mostly why Bollig is out there. If this series goes 6 or 7 games, and Suter plays 30 plus minutes a night, you will be glad for every hit Bollig puts on him.

How many more games will go to OT? probably at least a couple. Bollig is probably the strongest Hawk and one of the best conditioned. Energy was the difference in OT the other might.
- John Jaeckel

I agree on Bollig and he value of the Hawks physical play in a series. I'll say this also, I think we all underestimate the Hawks physicality, myself included, because Q is smart enough to not have them play very physical in the regular season. But come playoffs, they really tune up their physical play. They will adjust to the Wild and I bet we see some pretty entertaining games, but I don't think the Wild can ultimately compete.

Great blog. I wouldn't be shocked if the Hawks dominated the Wild from here on out. I do think the Hawks took the Wild's best punch and both teams know it. It looked to me during OT like the Hawks felt like they really embarrassed themselves by letting the Wild play with them. I except more of a sense of urgency hereafter, as we saw late and then in OT. And I would love to see, when Bolland comes back, Stalberg at 2-LW, Sharp at 2-C and Kane at 2-RW. Then slide Bolland to 3-C, move Shaw to the wing in Stalberg's spot, and Handzus down to 4-C, where you can rest him more and save him for the PK and big draws. Hate to see Bollig as the odd man out, because he's playing pretty well, and doing what's asked of him, but who else sits? Feels like they're ready to roll as is, so who knows?
- Baaaaaaannerman!

That is just it.

An underdog , a #8 seed at that if they are going to survive has to win games like game 1. The Wild had a lot of opportunities to win game 1 , especially when they hit the post in OT. Especially when Crawford gave up the softest goal of the playoffs so far very very early in the game.

I'm not sure Hardin plays as well in game 2 especially when the Hawks have 3 days to study him.

I agree on Bollig and he value of the Hawks physical play in a series. I'll say this also, I think we all underestimate the Hawks physicality, myself included, because Q is smart enough to not have them play very physical in the regular season. But come playoffs, they really tune up their physical play. They will adjust to the Wild and I bet we see some pretty entertaining games, but I don't think the Wild can ultimately compete.
- Baaaaaaannerman!

I don't under estimate the Hawks physically , I scream at the tv when guys like Bickell, Shaw, Bollig, Carcillo, Mayers, Stalberg and Kruger pass up opportunities to play the body. It seems that in game 1 when a hit could be made it was and that's a huge positive for the Hawks.

I agree with what you're thinking here, except for the thought of Bickell getting $2 million per. I think he gets $1.5 million, tops.
- EKolb13

Bickell might get north of 2. He's very valuable. He's a big body who can hit and skate and he's got a plus wrist shot. He's pretty high on the food chain of important Hawk forwards in my humble opinion.

Huge mistake if they let Stalberg walk.
Can not replace size and speed in the same body.
Other options already mentioned......... Bolland, Monty, Olesz etc..........and the trade of #2. PP sucks partly because of him.
- Hawkytalk

Do you want to pay Stalberg between 4 and 5 mil per? That's what he's going to get as a UFA. Doesn't work with our salary structure of forwards. He will be a top 6 guy somewhere else. And make top 6 money.

Do you want to pay Stalberg between 4 and 5 mil per? That's what he's going to get as a UFA. Doesn't work with our salary structure of forwards. He will be a top 6 guy somewhere else. And make top 6 money.
- ilinkhawk

That's probably true. Unfortunate for us Hawks fans, but true, and the reality in salary capped sports. Only possible exception is due to the salary cap reduction next year which may find a lot of teams struggling to keep their own rosters in tact.

Huge mistake if they let Stalberg walk.
Can not replace size and speed in the same body.
Other options already mentioned......... Bolland, Monty, Olesz etc..........and the trade of #2. PP sucks partly because of him.
- Hawkytalk

You can'tgive topsix money to a player who is a fringe top six player. I'd like the Hawks to keep Stalberg too but not if it means going into cap hell to do so.

Bickell might get north of 2. He's very valuable. He's a big body who can hit and skate and he's got a plus wrist shot. He's pretty high on the food chain of important Hawk forwards in my humble opinion.
- Baaaaaaannerman!

Again if Bickell agrees to a bottom six salary I hope they keep him but you can't pay top six money to a guy who plays well once ever 4 or 5 games.

Wild took the crowd out of it early with Clutterbuck goal. After that I think any lack of enthusiasm in the crowed was mostly due to anxiety. The tension of a close game, the type many didn't expect, often seems to result is a nervous, tense calm.

Late in regulation, and in OT, when the action picked up and play was often end-to-end the crowd was goin nutz...at least as far as I could tell.

And then when Bick's scored...it was bedlam combined with relief.
- ArlingtonRob

It was loud for much of the game. Brief lull in crowd noise because everyone was shocked after the first goal but if it didn't sound loud on TV it was because of TV. It was pretty raucous there.

Do you want to pay Stalberg between 4 and 5 mil per? That's what he's going to get as a UFA. Doesn't work with our salary structure of forwards. He will be a top 6 guy somewhere else. And make top 6 money.
- ilinkhawk

Salary cap going down.

Increased supply of forwards probably, because of compliance buy-outs.

Stalberg with only one 20 goal season.

Stalberg hasn't proven to be a top-6 forward in the NHL.

Between 4 and 5 mil per? Really?

Again if Bickell agrees to a bottom six salary I hope they keep him but you can't pay top six money to a guy who plays well once ever 4 or 5 games.
- paulr

You have to better define top-6 money. He's worth every bit of what some GM thought Frolik was worth. Watch Bickell this whole playoff series and see if you don't agree.

That's probably true. Unfortunate for us Hawks fans, but true, and the reality in salary capped sports. Only possible exception is due to the salary cap reduction next year which may find a lot of teams struggling to keep there own rosters in tact.
- Baaaaaaannerman!

What is the floor cap under the new CBA? One of the salary accelerators under the old one was the floor, which forced some GMs (Tallon, e.g.) to over-pay just to get to it.

You can now trade someone and keep half his cap hit, right? Tthat would help with Frolik.
- StLBravesFan

Why trade him if you still retain half of his salary? What kind of player do you get to replace him with the 1.1M savings realized?

So far I've read in this thread that some people think Keith or Seabrook should be shopped in the off season.

Those were jokes, right?

Salary cap going down.

Increased supply of forwards probably, because of compliance buy-outs.

Stalberg with only one 20 goal season.

Stalberg hasn't proven to be a top-6 forward in the NHL.

Between 4 and 5 mil per? Really?
- StLBravesFan

Yep. Care to wager? You don't think other GMs out there didn't see what we all saw last game..? Somebody is going to give him a big contract. Would be different if he was restricted. Anybody can ink him.

So far I've read in this thread that some people think Keith or Seabrook should be shopped in the off season.

Those were jokes, right?
- AceRatbang

Must be jokes because that's as mental as Flyerdude saying Giroux is better than Toews.

That's probably true. Unfortunate for us Hawks fans, but true, and the reality in salary capped sports. Only possible exception is due to the salary cap reduction next year which may find a lot of teams struggling to keep their own rosters in tact.
- Baaaaaaannerman!

He's a top 6 talent. We already have 4 legit high paid stars in our top 6. Add Saad who is going nowhere and you have one spot that really should be slotted with another mid level salary player. Or a young one. I just don't think his salary will fit here. Somebody is going to see him as an impact player for their top 6 and pay him that way.