If Leddy isn't with the team, it's likely due to money. If he's gone, then perhaps they are able to retain Rozsival?
- eburgio

If Leddy is gone than more likley to keep Bickell....Unless a trade of signifcance it will be tough to keep both. Said the same in interview...

Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH

And guys, don't kid yourselves -- Leddy was/is a rare bird. Whether he will ever be able to blossom into what his talents SUGGEST is still up for debate.

Very few guys essentially make that jump out of high school (yes, he was in college but as I recall didn't even finish a full season) and essentially go to the NHL. No seasoning in juniors or the AHL.

I know 6628 had mentioned it in one of John's blogs a few back, Leddy is really a rare guy in his skating abilities. Hands down the best skater on the club and fastest. For a young guy with a lack of experience prior to being up at the NHL level, it is AMAZING to me he has been as successful as he's been. Can only imagine Hawks trying to do this with another young guy -- none of whom have Leddy's skating ability.

Well, I've said it before -- won't be surprised if he's gone. Disappointed? Yes. But only because I think he CAN blossom here and maybe Q's (and as mentioned, it was not only a Q decision but a Scotty decision too) limiting him in the finals was best for him. He had some opportunities, got some minutes. Would rather he taste the "good life" instead of have been burned and have all of Hawkdom come after him with pitchforks and torches!

Let's see if the Bowmans can figure out a way to keep him here -- because the club will only be stronger IF they don't have to bring up a Clendening or Johns or whomever. We've lived it. Not easy and won't be easy for any of those guys if they have to endure.
- savvyone-1

>Best way for Leddy to take the next step in development would be to watch a highlight package of Duncan Keith "stepping up" in the neutral zone 5-on-5 and on the PK in this year's playoffs -- and model the "D-side" of his game to DK's
>Keith put on a clinic disrupting opponent rushes
>We don't know what Leddy was being told to do, but for him to become elite, he needs to be more explosive defending -- he certainly has the skating ability

If Leddy isn't with the team, it's likely due to money. If he's gone, then perhaps they are able to retain Rozsival?
- eburgio

That's what I am hoping for...if we lose Leddy then that 6th D-man will be someone young (likely), like a Clendening. I think Adam is a keeper and I think potentially is a better all around d-man than Leddy, but he's a kid and having Rosy back there to help him out would be great even if they are both rightie shots.

If they retain Leddy then I am thinking Rosy may go, but then who do you put back there with Leddy? Brookbank? May not be pretty.

If TT was in this year's draft where would he be selected? Last year he was ranked around 5/6/7 and then there was a huge run on defenceman and he fell like a snowflake right into lucky Stan's hands. Almost the same thing occurred the year before with McNeill.

So unless the Hawks want a big tough defenceman which they don't really need right now or a centerman with size and skill, what's the point of trading TT to move up?

Domi - nice hands and compete level but he's never going to be any bigger than he is now.
- RickJ

Think they can get high enough for Barkov?

>Best way for Leddy to take the next step in development would be to watch a highlight package of Duncan Keith "stepping up" in the neutral zone 5-on-5 and on the PK in this year's playoffs -- and model the "D-side" of his game to DK's
>Keith put on a clinic disrupting opponent rushes
>We don't know what Leddy was being told to do, but for him to become elite, he needs to be more explosive defending -- he certainly has the skating ability
- SnapitUpstairs

Keith had better coaching and was exposed to more mins at a younger age.

The Hawks just let the chains off Leddy this season it will take time.

Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH

>Best way for Leddy to take the next step in development would be to watch a highlight package of Duncan Keith "stepping up" in the neutral zone 5-on-5 and on the PK in this year's playoffs -- and model the "D-side" of his game to DK's
>Keith put on a clinic disrupting opponent rushes
>We don't know what Leddy was being told to do, but for him to become elite, he needs to be more explosive defending -- he certainly has the skating ability
- SnapitUpstairs

Leddy is a world class skater and puck mover, but is a liability in his own zone. He did get better this year, but was exposed at times by Boston, to the point his minutes dwindled. I want the kid back based on potential alone, but no freaking way should we be paying him some outrageous amount given he may not be a complete defenseman and may never become that.

If someone offers him 3+ he walks. No one will...other GMs see he's very risky to sign long term to big numbers. So I think he'll remain in Chicago unless he's part of a trade.

They make an offer and depending on how much it is that sets what his compensation is for a restricted free agent offer. So if they feel he's not worth X number of dollars and low ball him with an offer, he won't bring back much in a compensation pick if he's tendered by another team and not matched. If he doesn't accept their deal AND doesn't get a RFA tender, then they do go to arbitration.
- Hemingways

Thanks.

Speaking of collector items, check this out. Notice the team logos on the lower left shot glass.


- Beaver-Warrior

At least there may be a market for them in Pittsburg. And phantom calls do not exsist

Keith had better coaching and was exposed to more mins at a younger age.

The Hawks just let the chains off Leddy this season it will take time.

Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH
- Al

>Yes, indeed -- Yawney (correct?) taught DK a heck of a lot
>Definitely will take time
>Leddy is about 50% developed
>Heard you with Boomer yesterday, well done as always

The off season starts today and here is what I really think they are gonna do:

Everyone here sees the logivcal subtractions in a buyout of Montador (not a huge relief) and tarding Bolland or Brookbank...
but tell me this: which team out there is not Cap strapped and willing to take on that Bolland contract (with in itself implies a owner who wants spend spend spend and not belt tighten) a BIG chuck for a guy who has a history of health issues, despite two Cups including one he was the determining factor in.

JUST THINK THINK THING everyone!
Teams do want to remake, but they are now looking to DUMP theirs too, so I don't see as many suitors as the rest of you.

Let's hope Stan Bowman has a verbal agreement with Bickell worked out from before the playoffs, because as much as I am sure they like his "new upside", IF ANY TEAM signs him for a LARGE SUM, they will end up disappointed unless he actually becomes a top line player game in and out, and the entire year doesn't really indicate a transformation in Bickell just an upward swing....

I just think that the hawks are smart enough to not get emotional on his next contract.
He can go out and move on and be financially well set....or stay for less, which may be unrealistic for all of us to think...

If Bickell wants to look out for his family, they will let him WALK.

I truly have trouble understanding that Leddy's agent is so stupid that he doesn't understand the market...and that with the Cap shrinkages, almost EVERY team isn't gonna go out and play RFA ridiculous offer.
Teams right now are SCRAMBLING to find relief by sending veterans (good players!) under contract new homes....not securing future potential puck carriers.

To make more space for Leddy & Kruger signings they will try and find room elsewhere before they start looking to get Bickell's name on paper.

The RFAs will be done quickly, watch.

The will have Ben Smith Pirri, Morin, and Hayes carousel into the openings that are made with Leblanc as a future pivot, Danault asa future defensive wing and McNeill as the eventual Bickell type replacement (who will also add the secondary face-off aspectala Bruins lines...)

They will use that second buyout on hossa NEXT June, watch.
It won't be about anything but business.


I am betting THIS is the path, and although I am not really a gambler, I would bet I am on down the right road of what they are planning...

So no tears if Bickell is gone ok?

(I have been defending his upside for three seasons, and still like every aspect of his game inside of his true abilities...)
- wiz1901

This! (Catching up today).

Gentlemen, my two cents on Bobby Hull!
As a prosecutor in the western suburbs in the mid 80's I was in bond court when #9 appeared on one of his domestic battery transgressions. The judge who was oblivious to the star that appeared before him asked if he had a "record", to which I immediately replied, "Your Honor, 610 career goals, 2nd all time leading goal scorer in the NHL.
It was funny, I later got his signature on the conditional discharge order when he plead guilty. Back then this was just a misdemeanor and no one paid much attention.
Ironically it was my second autograph as I had gotten one standing in line with my dad at an car dealership appearance as an eight year old kid in the mid 60's
My take on Bobby is he is no OJ! OJ was a vicious, jealous, brutal murderer. Bobby likes his cocktails, and we all have shortcomings, but he remains on my sports heroes list.
DGB

>Yes, indeed -- Yawney (correct?) taught DK a heck of a lot
>Definitely will take time
>Leddy is about 50% developed
>Heard you with Boomer yesterday, well done as always
- SnapitUpstairs

Yawney a big reason...

Keith/Seabrook were unique as they were thrown to the wolves and didn't suffer any lasting damage.

Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH

Leddy is a world class skater and puck mover, but is a liability in his own zone. He did get better this year, but was exposed at times by Boston, to the point his minutes dwindled. I want the kid back based on potential alone, but no freaking way should we be paying him some outrageous amount given he may not be a complete defenseman and may never become that.

If someone offers him 3+ he walks. No one will...other GMs see he's very risky to sign long term to big numbers. So I think he'll remain in Chicago unless he's part of a trade.
- kwolf68

>If Leddy knows what's best for his development, he'll stay
>That was my point

If Leddy isn't with the team, it's likely due to money. If he's gone, then perhaps they are able to retain Rozsival?
- eburgio

Keep something in mind - Leddy as an RFA does not have significant bargaining power other than an offer sheet. Just ask PK Subban.

If Sheehy gets stupid, the Hawks can park Leddy's butt on Madison St and telll him to come in out of the snow and cold when he wants to be reasonable. They will match any OS up to about $3M I think.

And I still maintain that there is something about Leddy's game that the Bowman's and Q don't view favourably. Maybe he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer or just a little immature. who knows.

Rozsival - held together with duct tape and baling wire I think. Very solid Dman and worth $2M but getting long in the tooth. Could he make it thru an 82 game season and 4 rounds of playoffs again?

>If Leddy knows what's best for his development, he'll stay
>That was my point
- SnapitUpstairs

I hope he does. But we don't know what Leddy or his agent think/want to do. They won't be getting a 3.5 million dollar offer rest assured on that. He is in line for a raise, but certainly south of 2 million.

I don't disagree with anything you just said there. As hard to believe as it is, we usually agree on most things. Where we disagree however, is I feel you and most posters here, base their opinions far too much on results.

The tone of these blogs often mirror the outcome of last nights result. If we win a few games in a row, we are the best team in hockey. No one can match our speed and depth etc etc. If we lose three games in a row, this team is too small, not big enough, and changes need to be made etc etc. I am exaggerating a bit, of course. Just making a point.

You know if we had lost this series, these last couple of blogs would have been very different. Everyone would be talking about the front office not identifying glaring weaknesses in the team. We would have been talking about shipping out some major pieces of the team in order to get bigger and more physical. Bowman would need to be fired. Q would need to be fired. etc etc

Look at the tone of the blog after game 3 of this series. You, like many others, had this series going 7. After what was written when they went down 2-1 you would have thought they were down 0-3 and got blown out in each game.
Look at your praise for the front office now. As you just said, "they won because the front office made great moves." You have to be humble enough to admit you haven't exactly been preaching that sentiment the past year or so. As recently as game 3 you were talking about jobs being on the line. If we would have lost I would think you would be reiterating that point, but we won, so here comes the praise.

I will also be the first to say I am in the minority here in this way of thinking. I know most fans want to live and die by the outcome because "results are the only thing that matter." I just don't look at it that way.

The 2010 team..the team that we all feel may be the best team to win the cup since the lockout...was about 13 seconds away from probably getting knocked out in the first rd by Nashville. A few seconds away from the best team in hockey the past few years, being knocked out in the 1st rd. Imagine if Kane didnt tie that game 5 up and we went back to Nashville down 3-2 and lost. What would we all be saying about that team afterward? A first rd knockout would have had you, and most fans, screaming for changes and pointing out a hundred ways to make that team better. Same team. Two different results. Would have yielded two very different opinions.

Same principle applies in poker. Any good card player knows to never base their play on the result of the hand. You can go all in with 7-2 and hit quad 7s, doesn't mean it was the right play.

I just find many people are basing their opinions of players and front office too much on result and not enough on the process. There's a reason why the best organization in sports (red wings, patriots etc) are successful year in and year out. They don't deviate from the plan based on an underachieving season or a few bad bounces that resulted in a series loss.
- Bhawks35

This is a fine way to think logically about a situation, but the fact of the matter is the world, and more so professional sports, are about results. It doesn't matter how earnest and steadfast you are in regard to your principles, correct as they may be, if you don't win, and it doesn't matter how flawed you're thought process is if you win. The other guy may feel cheated you got quad 7's on a horrible call, but at the end of the day, you still took his money. This team is well constructed and deserves to be praised because they won, and if they didn't, they'd deserve the skepticism and criticism that would be heaped upon them. "Winning isn't everything, its the only thing"

They will match any OS up to about $3M I think.


- RickJ

I don't see this unless Oduya gets moved. Leddy has earned a raise over double his salary, around 2 million...Anything over should be viewed with skepticism by Hawks management.

Yawney a big reason...

Keith/Seabrook were unique as they were thrown to the wolves and didn't suffer any lasting damage.
Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH
- Al

The expectations were MUCH lower then. If they lost, who really cared...not the 5k people in attendance.

Keep something in mind - Leddy as an RFA does not have significant bargaining power other than an offer sheet. Just ask PK Subban.

If Sheehy gets stupid, the Hawks can park Leddy's butt on Madison St and telll him to come in out of the snow and cold when he wants to be reasonable. They will match any OS up to about $3M I think.

And I still maintain that there is something about Leddy's game that the Bowman's and Q don't view favourably. Maybe he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer or just a little immature. who knows.

Rozsival - held together with duct tape and baling wire I think. Very solid Dman and worth $2M but getting long in the tooth. Could he make it thru an 82 game season and 4 rounds of playoffs again?
- RickJ

I would say the chances of an offer sheet is great...

Would you sign Leddy to a $3 mill contract and give up a 1st and 3rd round pick??

I think more than a few teams would as long as they have the cap space....Islanders could put Leddy on the ice as a top 2.

Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH

Think they can get high enough for Barkov?
- pri$ey

The expectations were MUCH lower then. If they lost, who really cared...not the 5k people in attendance.
- eburgio

True but many young dmen suffer from too much too soon. ...It didn't seem to phase those two but they had a coach that went through the war too.

Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH

I don't see this unless Oduya gets moved. Leddy has earned a raise over double his salary, around 2 million...Anything over should be viewed with skepticism by Hawks management.
- kwolf68

I agree about someone leaving but the $3 mill area is where it will come and the Hawks would be in a bind.


Audio of SiriusXM interview with Boomer Gordon: Cup Final and Hawks Season Review - FOX 32 Chicago http://bit.ly/12nfsDH

>Best way for Leddy to take the next step in development would be to watch a highlight package of Duncan Keith "stepping up" in the neutral zone 5-on-5 and on the PK in this year's playoffs -- and model the "D-side" of his game to DK's
>Keith put on a clinic disrupting opponent rushes
>We don't know what Leddy was being told to do, but for him to become elite, he needs to be more explosive defending -- he certainly has the skating ability
- SnapitUpstairs

Those, IMO, are instincts that can't be taught or developed, that are possessed by like 10 guys in the league, those who are Norris Trophy candidates, and I don't think Leddy will ever be like that. His ceiling I would think is Brian Campbell (and who better for him to learn from after he's traded to Florida for the pick )

If Leddy isn't with the team, it's likely due to money. If he's gone, then perhaps they are able to retain Rozsival?
- eburgio

You'd think so. We also don't know what the Hawks plans are nor if Rozsival wants a better deal.

Please forgive me if this has already been talked about, but we're all concerned with Tazer and Kane's upcoming contracts and how they'll want 8+mill. I think Kane will hold out for as much as he can, but honestly I could see Toews taking a little less knowing that it would go to helping the team either pay someone more or pick someone else up. Has there ever been a NHL player that came out and said they'd take less to help the team? I'm all for paying someone what they're worth, but in a cap era league I think some players if they were seriously committed to a team and not selfish would offer up a little coin to help better the team.
- Fooseshark

With the same agent, Toews and Kane will be getting the same deal (which they shouldn't but w/e). If Toews decides he wants to take a little less to help the team, Kane pretty much has too. They both make about 1 million in off the ice stuff, think Toews makes a little more because of his Canadian hero status. I'd hope they both sign for 7.5, which is a discount, just be done with it.