A guy who plays much bigger than his size due to his gigantic heart. Wait til he matures physically (which he hasn't yet—not even close).
- John Jaeckel

KRUGGS. Last night was one of his best games of the year, don't think he lost a battle all night (minus faceoffs but he's bad at those). He ran 3 guys on one shift a la Dustin Brown, loved it

Montador and Olesz are definitely gone. Bolland is likely gone. Stalberg, probably.

Handzus and Rozsival will likely be offered limited dollar deals and why not?

Of the list of prospects you name above . . . Stanton, Ben Smith, possibly Joakim Nordstrom would be the guys I could see matriculating. Danault or McNeill maybe laster next year.
- John Jaeckel

I hate getting into next year before this year is done but I agree with this. Monty and Olesz will be for sure gone with the buyouts. Bolland will be traded to an Eastern Conference team for draft picks. Stalberg will sign elsewhere. Rosey/Hanzus may or may not be back but if they are it will be on a short term low salary deal. Emery is probably gone too and I won't be shocked if they deal Carcillo for a late rd pick which may benefit both him and the Hawks.

That being said I hope all these guys leave with a new ring on their finger.

What little I can find on him technqiue wise is he is a battler, very well-schooled, positional, though not super fast feet.

Mjulqvist, have you seen him play much?
- John Jaeckel

There is lots to see on youtube go fishing.

The Hawks will not undermine the present playoff run, by verifying the signing, but apparently was agreed to a few days ago.

Handzus won't be back unless he plays for $1 mill or less...Mayers no and Carcillo would have to be traded.

Agreed on all counts...you can only use the two buyouts so a short time, and I bet they use both.

Hawks continue to roll with a 4-2 victory, Quick looks human - "Soft" Hawks taking care of tough Kings:FOX Chicago:http://bit.ly/15ynJtj
- Al

That was the best moment of the game yesterday - Corey-cam at the UC was in full effect after that incident.
- CaptainBlackhawk

Does anybody have video of the whole Fraser/Toews/Clifford/Crawford "incident"? I had to listen to the 3rd period on the radio last night.

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=672792

Re: The Raanta signing. Great move. Means they probably let Razor go and fill his spot with a cheaper option, and a guy who by all accounts has the potential to be a very good number 1 in the NHL. And if Crow keeps up this playoffs, and has another regular season like this one, and Raanta plays well as a backup, then we have just blessed ourselves with a great trade asset.

I think advancing past the 1st round and the comeback against Detroit has been huge for Crawford's confidence. Does anyone think that Crawford would have ever tried to make the play (let alone would have made it) on the shot after the crazy bounce off the glass last night? That was 100% a confidence play. Crawford is playing with "it" right now.
- QStache

95% of CC "confidence" issue is on this board not in CC's head.

But yes with success comes confidence. This whole deal of reading peoples body language from a distance is foolish to me.

I can't believe Sharp sat next to CC yesterday and told us they all believe in CC. That can not be true.

I saw him play twice last year....liked what I saw.
- UnnamedSource

Noardman?

Just stared and it may have been said. did you guys see D. Browns new book "how to make yourself look like a pug in one easy step?"
I`m glad he got up though, looked nasty. But nasty gets nasty once in awhile.he also took a facial from 6'5 Zues, after those two he seemed to slow down a bit.
LA will be a nasty place if refs let things go. Quick will be out for revenge. Tues. is going to be very interesting to watch. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!

PS I would like to thank the marinating sauce used on LA the bottle read "THE BLUES OF SAN JOSE"

Noardman?
- Ogilthorpe2

Manstrom.......

95% of CC "confidence" issue is on this board not in CC's head.
- TrueGrit

How in the world do you even have enough information to even pretend to competently post this?

It is a google translate but if you read it really fast you can get the gist.

Aces championship guarantor, World jäälläkin charmed Finnish goalkeeper Antti Raanta is the IS sport information, going to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Rumors around the Raannan are Vellonen fierce through the spring. A sensational season pelanneesta goalkeeper have been interested in a number of NHL clubs, but now that seems Chicago is bringing Rauma.

Chicago's season is still in progress. The team is headed to the Western Conference finals series against the Los Angeles voitoin 2-0 and is now only two victory away from the Stanley Cup Finals.

Raanta, 24, made ​​an agreement with HIFK, but not with these views against any spinner beast shirt.

Raanta refused to comment on the matter in any way. Raannan the new information in his first season seurastaan ​​be expected this week.
- Kentxo

Tell me more about this "spinner beast shirt". Is that like a chest protector that magically attracts pucks?

Raanta is 24 years old.
- MjulQvist

Does anybody know if the entry level contract structure changed in the new CBA, or is this still accurate?

How in the world do you even have enough information to even pretend to competently post this?
- QStache

Call it a gut feeling, like when I said Hawks in 5. In trading, one thing is for sure, when everyone is loaded on one side of the boat, I will take the other side every time.

And he used to drive a Zamboni at his local arena.
- paulr

I heard he loves to ice fish.

Call it a gut feeling, like when I said Hawks in 5. In trading, one thing is for sure, when everyone is loaded on one side of the boat, I will take the other side every time.
- TrueGrit

Most people with a gut feeling don't apply percentages to their "feelings" or post things like: "95% of CC "confidence" issue is on this board not in CC's head" ...

http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=672792
- Iknockuout

Say goodbye to one of Carter Hutton and Henrick Karlsson. Maybe both.

Most people with a gut feeling don't apply percentages to their "feelings" or post things like: "95% of CC "confidence" issue is on this board not in CC's head" ...
- QStache

And the irony is that I am matching absurdity with absurdity, and you don't get it, because you and many others accept the premiss that CC has a confidence problem in the first place.

I saw him play twice last year....liked what I saw.
- UnnamedSource

I like him as well. Dahlbeck is another guy I like.

As to both of them stepping to the next level next season, I don't know if either would be close to ready yet.

Say goodbye to one of Carter Hutton and Henrick Karlsson. Maybe both.
- EKolb13

Goodbye.

And the irony is that I am matching absurdity with absurdity, and you don't get it, because you and many others accept the premiss that CC has a confidence problem in the first place.
- TrueGrit

Zing.

Re: The Raanta signing. Great move. Means they probably let Razor go and fill his spot with a cheaper option, and a guy who by all accounts has the potential to be a very good number 1 in the NHL. And if Crow keeps up this playoffs, and has another regular season like this one, and Raanta plays well as a backup, then we have just blessed ourselves with a great trade asset.
- rollpards19

....or someone to replace Crawford after next season when he cashes in big time with another club.

And the irony is that I am matching absurdity with absurdity, and you don't get it, because you and many others accept the premiss that CC has a confidence problem in the first place.
- TrueGrit

Not really. And I don't think people said that Crawford had a confidence problem; they are saying he is playing with more confidence. Those aren't the same thing.

Crawford didn't all of a sudden become more talented than he was 20 days ago. But he is now making plays he hasn't made before, making stops he didn't make before, and showing athleticism and resolve he didn't show before. Anyone who has ever played any sport can spot the difference between a guy playing with confidence and a guy who is doubting themselves.

That you are the only one on this board who seems to think that CC isn't playing more confidently in these playoffs doesn't make you a sage; it means you probably the only one who holds that opinion.

So tough to be around much these days in the discussions, but I am following...
What a run so far!

Granted there is much work to be done, but I find it interesting and encouraging that the most criticized components of the team in the off-season all excelled at various times this season:

Patrick Kane has been noticeable most of the season for the right reasons, and has stayed out of trouble. He's played much more of a team game and has worked hard more consistently.

Corey Crawford is answering alot of questions about his mental fortitude, bouncing back from not only bad goals or bad games, but an entire bad season. Many goalies would've been done after the Pheonix debacle. Although I'm not a HUGE fan of his, I'm happy to see a hard-working player rewarded with success. He took the long road to get to where he is. He's earned some praise.

Everyone and their mothers have at one point or another wanted to trade Patrick Sharp the last 2 seasons. The Hawks are simply a different team with him in the lineup. I would argue that when he's on, he's the best pure shooter the team has, and he's picked up his game in the playoffs, bum shoulder and all.

Michael Frolik and Bryan Bickell have also been traded several times because of their salary (Fro's case) or lack of physicality (Bicks). Well, Fro has shown the ability to accept and excel at his new role, and both guys are showing that their best efforts come out when it matters most.

The same can be said for Niklas Hjalmarsson and Duncan Keith who've been fantastic this post-season.

While the PP is still wildly inconsistent, the coaching staff have done a marvelous job thus far managing the team's assets from the PK to ice time to the goaltenders.

And last, but certainly not least, Stan Bowman. He "liked his team" before the season, liked it even more at the deadline after acquiring the "finished" Handzus, and I'm guessing still likes it alot. While the job is far from done, kudos to him for taking a TON of heat for the moves he didn't make and having the balls to stick to his guns. I would argue it takes more guts to do what he did and risk losing his job with it not working out than doing what everyone thought he should do.

As I said though, things are far from done. This in no way is meant to be early pats on the back for jobs that are half-done...I just thought I'd throw out some kudos that are thus far well-deserved to some folks in the organization who've been under fire. Much like the team as a whole, they each took their share of criticism and rebounded tremendously from it.