Him


- CaptainBlackhawk

Is that ESPN's Scott Burnside in a Hawks jersey?

I don't think it says that at all. If Crawford wants too much money then he is gone. If he wants to stay and take a discount then the Hawks can move emery and make room for Raanta to come up. It really just gives Stan the upper hand when it come to negotiating with Crawford next summer.
- tokked

It DOES say that. They know that Crawford will make more than $3 mil per season - and that's the magic number. They will never go higher than that number. That's why Emery is getting signed long term and why Rantaa was brought on board.

Why would the Hawks have interest in a bottom 6 winger? Jones is a good depth piece, but wouldn't it be smarter to get a 4th line center who is +50% on draws?

Is that ESPN's Scott Burnside in a Hawks jersey?
- golfbard

WHOA!! Now THAT"s hilarious!!!

Dude - you could be onto something there!

Alexei Burnside anyone?

That's about $1 mil more than they would be comfortable in signing him to - with Hammer, Kane, Toews coming up. You can't sign them all and why Frolik and Bolland are both gone.

Turco is the ONE example you're using. I'll spout back to you and say Niemi and Crawford along with Emery and even Osgood before him all 100% verify exactly that the motto is spot on correct.

And it's not an assumption that the D will be dominant at all times - when you have Hammer, Leddy, Oduya, Keith, Seabs etc.. you know your defense is dominant. And FYI THE reason why they won a Cup THIS year.
- CaptainBlackhawk

One can also argue that in 2011-, the defense was really not all that good.

Ryan jones

JJ, can you expand and the comments both here and at some other sites about the Hawks FO "image issue". Is this a real thing or not? And if so why? Dale Talon? Seems to me this has been a first class org towards players, fans, and employees since Rocky took the reigns? Just wondering.

Antti Raanta has said many times that he believes to start in AHL.
- MjulQvist

If Emery is re-upped, Raanta will split time in Rockford, probably with one of either Simpson or Carruth sharing the games with him. Good bye Cater Hutton.

WHOA!! Now THAT"s hilarious!!!

Dude - you could be onto something there!

Alexei Burnside anyone?




- CaptainBlackhawk

I can't believe the Hawks traded Roenick for Burnside...

WHOA!! Now THAT"s hilarious!!!

Dude - you could be onto something there!

Alexei Burnside anyone?




- CaptainBlackhawk

One can also argue that in 2011-, the defense was really not all that good.
- FredoXV

Better than average. That's better than "not really all that good".

WHOA!! Now THAT"s hilarious!!!

Dude - you could be onto something there!

Alexei Burnside anyone?




- CaptainBlackhawk

Funny my boss and I are pretty dead on when it comes to two people who could be look alikes or as we say, you've never seen them in the same room.

That's about $1 mil more than they would be comfortable in signing him to - with Hammer, Kane, Toews coming up. You can't sign them all and why Frolik and Bolland are both gone.

Turco is the ONE example you're using. I'll spout back to you and say Niemi and Crawford along with Emery and even Osgood before him all 100% verify exactly that the motto is spot on correct.

And it's not an assumption that the D will be dominant at all times - when you have Hammer, Leddy, Oduya, Keith, Seabs etc.. you know your defense is dominant. And FYI THE reason why they won a Cup THIS year.
- CaptainBlackhawk

I agree on Niemi, but I don't think Emery would hold up as a regular starter because of his hip. I don't know how much the Osgood comp works when Detroit was a flat out powerhouse, what with Lidstrom, Coffey, Yzerman, Federov, Chelios, Shanahan ...

Really pleased to hear of the possible re-sign and cap number for Emery. Really keeps the depth in net, and also doesn't force-feed Raanta into a role he may not be ready for in a brand new country. Plus, from all reports, Emery is just a great guy in the room. This would be a big win for the 'Hawks.

Like Ryan Jones as a player, too. That'd be a nice lower-line plug-in, and hopefully around a $1.8M price tag. Although he's had a couple season of 15+goals, so maybe I'm undervaluing him.
- FredoXV

Jones is okay. He works hard,grinds out some goals. Not very big, but does lay some hits here and there.

One can also argue that in 2011-, the defense was really not all that good.
- FredoXV

I would DEFINATELY argue that! The problem is (was), the Hawks before the season started THOUGHT they were gonna have a dominant D ...

Why would the Hawks have interest in a bottom 6 winger? Jones is a good depth piece, but wouldn't it be smarter to get a 4th line center who is +50% on draws?
- kwolf68

Not a bottom 6 guy...spent a LOT of time on all 3 scoring line. A lot like Bickel but his physical play is more consistent, good hockey player a replacement for stalberg that even if he isn't on the score sheet his presence will be felt in the game....and he will take up for teammates I remember when he went after raffi torres .

Better than average. That's better than "not really all that good".
- CaptainBlackhawk

Correct, but perhaps not good enough to compensate for Turco's poor play, which speaking to Q...argh's argument, is not a great example of an average goalie not holding up in the system, because the system itself was not up to standard.

Plus, Turco wasn't just average, he was flat out bad.

I agree on Niemi, but I don't think Emery would hold up as a regular starter because of his hip. I don't know how much the Osgood comp works when Detroit was a flat out powerhouse, what with Lidstrom, Coffey, Yzerman, Federov, Chelios, Shanahan ...
- Q...argh

Osgodd was a byproduct of that team - just like Crawford (and Emery) was a byproduct this season. That's exactly my point.

Correct, but perhaps not good enough to compensate for Turco's poor play, which speaking to Q...argh's argument, is not a great example of an average goalie not holding up in the system, because the system itself was not up to standard.

Plus, Turco wasn't just average, he was flat out bad.
- FredoXV

Turco = flat out bad
Emery/Crawford/Osgood etc = average with an unbelievable blue line in front of him. And either of those three are worth elite goaltending money.

I'm not disagreeing with you at all, but it blows my mind that they had no problem paying Bickell $4M on the HOPE he doesn't go back to his usual self, yet could be reluctant to pay the same to a starting goalie they won the Cup with. I mean, if a bit over $1M of cap hit a year keeps your goaltending at the level it is, it OUGHT to be a no brainer.
- Q...argh

This argument re-ignites the whole "value of the netminder in the Blackhawks' D-oriented system", which has been beaten to death here. So it shouldn't blow your mind... Plus, the need to lock-up a powerful, physical PF who both bangs and scores from in front of the net while creating space for our finesse players is obvious. Like it or not, Crow is seen as much more of an interchangeable component.

It DOES say that. They know that Crawford will make more than $3 mil per season - and that's the magic number. They will never go higher than that number. That's why Emery is getting signed long term and why Rantaa was brought on board.
- CaptainBlackhawk

I think if Crawford has another good season then they will go as high as 4/4.25 million since the cap will be going up.

This argument re-ignites the whole "value of the netminder in the Blackhawks' D-oriented system", which has been beaten to death here. So it shouldn't blow your mind... Plus, the need to lock-up a powerful, physical PF who both bangs and scores from in front of the net while creating space for our finesse players is obvious. Like it or not, Crow is seen as much more of an interchangeable component.
- Tugboat

They obviously don't like that and don't want to believe that to be the truth.

Maybe Kruger gets a shot at the #2 center spot?
- EKolb13

thats what I'm thinking

I think if Crawford has another good season then they will go as high as 4/4.25 million since the cap will be going up.
- tokked

No they won't - they'll never invest that type of money into a goalie, especially long term.

thats what I'm thinking
- UnnamedSource

I'd have no issues with this. Kid isn't flashy, but he's consistent and responsible. Just needs to win more draws (or at least not get thrown out of 75% of them...)