Yeah - but there was nothing like the feeling of watching as it happened Seabrook's goal against Detroit, Toews pass and Kane's goal against LA, Beckell's and Bolland's goals 17 seconds apart, the last minute countdown against Boston - will we ever have those - or that many - highs watching hockey again?

A special 4 weeks to be sure.
- StLBravesFan

Yeah that's true, too. when u score and win it is great live. Those 17 seconds to win the Cup was amazing for sure. All of those were

Opening the door for a larose signing?
- ikeane

Larousse would be an ideal signing for the bottom 6, but I think Stan will want to keep the cap space.

I believe the Hawks are done making moves and will give the boys in Rockford a chance to earn a spot. If it fails look for a move near trade deadline.

Larousse would be an ideal signing for the bottom 6, but I think Stan will want to keep the cap space.
- DarthKane

What cap space? The cap savings created by dealing Carcillo will be used by someone else from Rockford, or another UFA.

I believe the Hawks are done making moves and will give the boys in Rockford a chance to earn a spot. If it fails look for a move near trade deadline.
- roenick

Loved what Stanbo said in his presser about Danault, McNeill and any other player with a LEGIT SHOT to make the team. Paraphrasing he said they've been told...IT'S UP TO YOU TO SHOW US YOU'RE READY.

What cap space? The cap savings created by dealing Carcillo will be used by someone else from Rockford, or another UFA.
- EKolb13

Yep. According to Capgeek, the Hawks have 21 players with $2M in space. For some reason they don't list Smith, which will make it 22 players and $1.5M. I suspect Stan will sign a cheap UFA rather than save all the space - I think the bargains will be too good to pass up this summer. They can also employ the Rockford shuttle to accumulate space during the year.

St. Louis and Nashville - more physical? Yeah - but more physical than Boston and LA in the play-offs, who they beat basically without Carcillo? Doubt it, and certainly not as good.
- StLBravesFan

Thank you.

Worrying about Matt Cooke and Max Lapierre being in the division is laughable. Like you said- this team survived and bested the two baddest teams in the league who also happened to be two of the very best and most skilled teams in the league. On the biggest stage when it mattered most.

I'm not saying they're going to roll the Kings and Bruins every time from here on out, but the cries for more GRIT SNARL AND JAM really should follow Carcillo's lead and get the hell out of town for a while.

It's been proven that this team team is tough enough to win the Stanley Cup. Marginal idiot "energy guys" like Carcillo need not apply.

shaw will get absolutly drilled once he goes against bigger players.
- wonthecup10

He went straight at the biggest player in the NHL.

Repeatedly.

In the Cup Final.

He's been absolutely drilled in the past and he just keeps coming.

Thank you.

Worrying about Matt Cooke and Max Lapierre being in the division is laughable. Like you said- this team survived and bested the two baddest teams in the league who also happened to be two of the very best and most skilled teams in the league. On the biggest stage when it mattered most.

I'm not saying they're going to roll the Kings and Bruins every time from here on out, but the cries for more GRIT SNARL AND JAM really should follow Carcillo's lead and get the hell out of town for a while.

It's been proven that this team team is tough enough to win the Stanley Cup. Marginal idiot "energy guys" like Carcillo need not apply.
- AceRatbang[/quo

He went straight at the biggest player in the NHL.

Repeatedly.

In the Cup Final.

He's been absolutely drilled in the past and he just keeps coming.
- AceRatbang

ok, point well taken , but you're smart enough to know that an 82 game season shakes out alot different than a 48 game season. enjoy the moment but these guys will have the bulls eye on their backs most nights and be the measuring stick, JT has got to be saying WTF stan! as far as chara goes, he knew he had to play it smart, I am sure that in a regular season game if shaw felt like he wanted to push the envelope, chara would make quick work of that situation.

Loved what Stanbo said in his presser about Danault, McNeill and any other player with a LEGIT SHOT to make the team. Paraphrasing he said they've been told...IT'S UP TO YOU TO SHOW US YOU'RE READY.
- philco28

philco, what are the odds bickell reverts back to his old self? I hope not but I also have my doubts at times.

ok, point well taken , but you're smart enough to know that an 82 game season shakes out alot different than a 48 game season. enjoy the moment but these guys will have the bulls eye on their backs most nights and be the measuring stick, JT has got to be saying WTF stan! as far as chara goes, he knew he had to play it smart, I am sure that in a regular season game if shaw felt like he wanted to push the envelope, chara would make quick work of that situation.
- wonthecup10

Sure, but the playoffs were a full playoffs and just like a typical post season, the whistles were put away and the physicality was as brutal as it always is. Bergeron was just about dead by the end of the final.

This team delivered in the most challenging part of the year (playoffs) against the strongest teams in the league... the teams that everyone was rightfully worried about facing.

I don't understand how they can still be questioned anymore. They are proven.

philco, what are the odds bickell reverts back to his old self? I hope not but I also have my doubts at times.
- wonthecup10

For the cash that Bowman laid out for Bickell, he better be right in Backes' face come this season and lay that assbag out once in a while.

For the cash that Bowman laid out for Bickell, he better be right in Backes' face come this season and lay that assbag out once in a while.
- EKolb13

I hope you are so right eli! & I hope Kyle Beach's brain is on fast tract to see the "golden opportunity" that SB just potentially created for him tonite! I am still of the mind set that SB has a "Jarred Boll" up his sleeve down the road. no way he could hand those jobs to morin, smith or hayes. as far as the kiddies, not fair to push them into the fire right out of juniors! let them play in rockford for 2 years!

Sure, but the playoffs were a full playoffs and just like a typical post season, the whistles were put away and the physicality was as brutal as it always is. Bergeron was just about dead by the end of the final.

This team delivered in the most challenging part of the year (playoffs) against the strongest teams in the league... the teams that everyone was rightfully worried about facing.

I don't understand how they can still be questioned anymore. They are proven.
- AceRatbang

sure & we should enjoy it! but this is still big boy hockey & these guys play for keeps. would hate to see tazer or kaner or hossa continue to get rung up & potentially injured seriously. SB has got to get them some help. 52 & 22 not the answer. I would love to see jammer do a season as an assistant behind the bench in rockford then come up here & take either of these 2 stiff's Q has for assistant coaches job soon!

Sure, but the playoffs were a full playoffs and just like a typical post season, the whistles were put away and the physicality was as brutal as it always is. Bergeron was just about dead by the end of the final.

This team delivered in the most challenging part of the year (playoffs) against the strongest teams in the league... the teams that everyone was rightfully worried about facing.

I don't understand how they can still be questioned anymore. They are proven.
- AceRatbang

They were proven. New team, new season. Need to prove it again.

For the cash that Bowman laid out for Bickell, he better be right in Backes' face come this season and lay that assbag out once in a while.
- EKolb13

Agreed.

Sure, but the playoffs were a full playoffs and just like a typical post season, the whistles were put away and the physicality was as brutal as it always is. Bergeron was just about dead by the end of the final.

This team delivered in the most challenging part of the year (playoffs) against the strongest teams in the league... the teams that everyone was rightfully worried about facing.

I don't understand how they can still be questioned anymore. They are proven.
- AceRatbang

I agree that they stepped up at the biggest time of year and didn't back down or run away from the Bad bruins and kings. But I also think we caught some breaks. I know everyone Plays hurt in the playoffs but luckily Richards didn't play for most of the kings series and Campbell didn't play at all. Not taking anything away from the hawks, though. They made a believer out of me. Especially the core 7. I just hope their confidence is sky high now. Winning 1 Cup is great but winning 2 means you are a special group

They were proven. New team, new season. Need to prove it again.
- Ogilthorpe2

Well said.

Not a fan of this news. The division got much tougher this off season...would have preferred to keep him.
- Ogilthorpe2

I just don't know how Carcillo helps if the coach feels he doesn't play disciplined.

Everything you support well, wiz, but what do you think is Bowman's response if the face off team win percentage remains poor? Would Bowman consider moving Pirri for a lesser offensive talent just to obtain a better face off man? Or wait and see how Danault does whenever he plays regularly in Chicago. How big is puck possession now that we may also have a worse skating team than last year?

Other teams may match us talent wise as far as depth of talent. But last year we had that element of speed on bottom lines. Now we may be missing the speed and talent depth. And still weak in face offs.

Perhaps we will see that the players who are best at getting back into defensive coverage do in fact get the nod more often than not from the conservative Q. But if this is not a clear situation where one Rockford player stands out in back checking, then Q rotates the player who is best per the strategy against the opponent each game.
- jhawk59

I think faceoff percentages improve when your teams gets to and controls the puck after whatever happens in the circle.
i have trouble calling the team that just won the Stanley Cup weak in regular game situations, except for the PP, that needs to be finetuned retro fit or woken up.

What cap space? The cap savings created by dealing Carcillo will be used by someone else from Rockford, or another UFA.
- EKolb13

LaRose = Another UFA

Maybe Bowman brings in someone with experience to replace Carcillo? Preferably another guy who can win face offs.

- EKolb13

Someone here typed a name earlier...Beach.

It was me!

I know a lot of people hate the idea, but personally, I want to see Sharp play center. I know he's better off at left wing, but I would be a lot more comfortable with Saad playing on a line with Toews/Hossa and Bickell with Sharp/Kane (or Bickell line one and Saad line two) than having Pirri play center (unless he absolutely wows.)

For the cash that Bowman laid out for Bickell, he better be right in Backes' face come this season and lay that assbag out once in a while.
- EKolb13

I'm not worried about Bickell. He'll have his ups and downs like most big forwards do but he'll still be effective nonetheless.

There will be bigger questions on this roster and I'm honestly not overly worried about any of them.