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.)
- TommyHawk

We don't hate the idea of Sharp playing centre, we just know its not going to happen.

Someone here typed a name earlier...Beach.

It was me!
- wiz1901

So you're saying Beach should be the 14th forward?

We don't hate the idea of Sharp playing centre, we just know its not going to happen.
- DarthKane

Yep, that's about right.

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.
- wiz1901

I definitely agree about faceoffs being a TEAM stat. Many ignore that fact. Hawks do lose a lot cleanly, but most of the time it is the 50\50 draws and they lose a lot of those, too. I don't know if it is about hockey sense or coaching? I'm sure they have set plans on what to do on draws

Yep, that's about right.
- EKolb13

Sharp-Kruger-Hossa

Kruger plays C, Sharp takes the draws.

Best of both worlds.

Easy peasy.

I'm thinking Bowman is actually done for the summer, wants to save a little space for another deadline acquisition each of his years as GM he's brought in at least something at or near the deadline (Handzus, Oduya, Leddy/Johnsson) I think thats the move so we can properly assess the Rockford guys..... Im certainly in favor

Kyle Beach.....

Sharp-Kruger-Hossa

Kruger plays C, Sharp takes the draws.

Best of both worlds.

Easy peasy.
- Ogilthorpe2

Hopefully Perrault can help Kruger with his face offs.

Kyle Beach.....
- UnnamedSource

Beach is the new Olesz!

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.)
- TommyHawk

Ding, ding, ding!

I'm glad there are others like me, that will not let this go. It's been obvious since 2011 as far as I'm concerned, yet the years go by and the Hawks still have no 2C.

Yet they managed to win another cup...

I'm certainly not upset about that.

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

The Hawks play Boston 2 times annually going forward...I'm not concerned about Chara and I doubt Shaw is...besides Chara will be 37 next year and looked tired in the final.

So is this the start of the annual "The Hawks aren't tuff enuff to win" debate? The same debate as last year...just prior to the Hawks winning everything including the Cup...

Just askin'...

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!
- wonthecup10

Do you actually believe that having bad hockey players on the roster...tough guys willing to do stupid sh!t...will deter anyone from hitting Toews or Hossa? Is Backes supposed to be "scared" of Bollig or Carcillo?

If that were the case John Scott would still be around frantically trying to catch guys so he could "intimidate" them...oh that's right, Scott only had staged fights that solved nothing.

Roster spots are too important to waste on unskilled tough guys.

I want tough players with skill who can take it as well as give it, but play smart and out-skate 'em and score.

That's how teams win in the current NHL.

Manny Malhotra to replace Daniel Carcillo!

I would love to see this happen!

I hope the Carcillo deal was not just to free up cap space for a potential deadline deal.
I hope they sign one veteran for around $750k, otherwise there may be too many kids on this team for my liking:
CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
My Custom Lineup
FORWARDS
Bryan Bickell ($4.000m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Brandon Pirri ($0.870m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Brandon Saad ($0.894m) / Marcus Kruger ($1.325m) / Andrew Shaw ($0.578m)
Ben Smith ($0.563m) / Michal Handzus ($1.000m) / Brandon Bollig ($0.575m)
Jeremy Morin ($0.887m) / Jimmy Hayes ($0.875m)
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Seabrook ($5.800m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m)
Niklas Hjalmarsson ($3.500m) / Johnny Oduya ($3.383m)
Nick Leddy ($2.700m) / Michal Rozsival ($2.200m)
Sheldon Brookbank ($1.250m) /
GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.667m)
Nikolai Khabibulin ($2.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,379,295; BONUSES: $865,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $785,705

Use one of Hayes or Morin's spots for a Smithson type. I want a vet with presence in the room, a little grit, pk prowess, and a skill (faceoffs, speed, hitting).

So you're saying Beach should be the 14th forward?
- EKolb13

yep, that's what I'm thinking also. 1 thing scotty bowman did well in detroit is work with these type of players by getting them to "flick the lightswitch on upstairs" and actually turn into decent NHL guys. most people say, the only thing missing from Beach's game is "between the ears". hopefully he see's this as "his best shot"!
we don't need a 2 minute a game slug but we could use a guy with Beach's size and red ass. It would be the cats ass if he came in and played smart like shaw and used his skills to the best of his ability. sometimes it takes guys to get to the end of the rope before they finally get their game together. hopefully Beach could be the next Dan Cleary this time staying in chicago & not moving on before he gets it together.

yep, that's what I'm thinking also. 1 thing scotty bowman did well in detroit is work with these type of players by getting them to "flick the lightswitch on upstairs" and actually turn into decent NHL guys. most people say, the only thing missing from Beach's game is "between the ears". hopefully he see's this as "his best shot"!
we don't need a 2 minute a game slug but we could use a guy with Beach's size and red ass. It would be the cats ass if he came in and played smart like shaw and used his skills to the best of his ability. sometimes it takes guys to get to the end of the rope before they finally get their game together. hopefully Beach could be the next Dan Cleary this time staying in chicago & not moving on before he gets it together.
- wonthecup10

What makes you thing Beach won't be a "2 minute a game slug" himself? At this point, Bollig is servicable in his role. Beach is a huge question mark with an awful track record. I would be absolutely shocked to see him play with the big club for more than a cup of coffee.

Manny Malhotra to replace Daniel Carcillo!

I would love to see this happen!
- WEWANTCUP

Manny Malhotra was a guy I liked allot, he was a class act on a team with no class, he was a tireless worker, was great on faceoffs, would do anything asked of him and he also had decent wheels and had some skill. However all this was before his serious eye injury and 5 years ago. Let's face it, he couldn't make a team, the Canucks, that could use everything he used to bring. Maltotra's best years are behind him and he doesn't help the Hawks in any way.

Do you actually believe that having bad hockey players on the roster...tough guys willing to do stupid sh!t...will deter anyone from hitting Toews or Hossa? Is Backes supposed to be "scared" of Bollig or Carcillo?

If that were the case John Scott would still be around frantically trying to catch guys so he could "intimidate" them...oh that's right, Scott only had staged fights that solved nothing.

Roster spots are too important to waste on unskilled tough guys.

I want tough players with skill who can take it as well as give it, but play smart and out-skate 'em and score.

That's how teams win in the current NHL.
- ArlingtonRob

I agree 100% that a goon isn't going to stop Toews, Hossa or Kane from being roughed up or worse. However a couple of big physical wingers take the physical burden off or Toews, Hossa and Sharp to allow them to play the game they are being paid to play. Do we want Toews being a $6.5M grinder as he was in the playoffs or a $6.5M scorer that some Hawk fans complained he wasn't?

I agree 100% that a goon isn't going to stop Toews, Hossa or Kane from being roughed up or worse. However a couple of big physical wingers take the physical burden off or Toews, Hossa and Sharp to allow them to play the game they are being paid to play. Do we want Toews being a $6.5M grinder as he was in the playoffs or a $6.5M scorer that some Hawk fans complained he wasn't?
- paulr

You have one that you didn't have last January - or even last April - Bickell, assuming his play approximates his play-off play, both in physicality and in scoring.

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

That's the question Cup


Lot of guys struggle trying to live up to the pressure of suddenly being RICH.

I hope Bicks gives us his best effort every night but saves his VERY BEST for the playoffs and I hope ALL THE BOYS pace themselves heading into a full season after a short off season....especially with a freshly painted target on us.

The organizational philosophy is to develop prospects and give them a fair shot at playing regularly at the United Center
When teams continually go after free agents the message to the kids is
Clear
We don't have any confidence in your ability tp play in the NHL.

I really believe this is now and going forward the message the Hawks are sending to Daneault,Pirri,Stanton,Beach,Morin and Tavarian and others.

Play hard...work hard and you will be rewarded. I also think in this Cap world it works and will continue to work.
For this reason I will not be shocked if Brookbank also gets moved.

Despite a lot of us being in on Suter and Parise a year ago the Bowman's strategy looks solid and how glad are we that we are not stuck with those ridiculous contracts.

However had Seabrook not scored in OT against Detroit how different this board may have been after a second round exit.
The fine line between winning this year and losing in game 7 to Vancouver was a bounce here and abounce there.

I agree 100% that a goon isn't going to stop Toews, Hossa or Kane from being roughed up or worse. However a couple of big physical wingers take the physical burden off or Toews, Hossa and Sharp to allow them to play the game they are being paid to play. Do we want Toews being a $6.5M grinder as he was in the playoffs or a $6.5M scorer that some Hawk fans complained he wasn't?
- paulr

And those guys are at a premium in the NHL. Hopefully Bickell is that guy. Same with a mix of Kruger and Zeus between Sharp and Hossa. The Carcillos, the Smithsons, and the Hendricks of the league provide other things but they aren't going to change the way Toews or Kane play since they are rarely on the ice together.

I agree 100% that a goon isn't going to stop Toews, Hossa or Kane from being roughed up or worse. However a couple of big physical wingers take the physical burden off or Toews, Hossa and Sharp to allow them to play the game they are being paid to play. Do we want Toews being a $6.5M grinder as he was in the playoffs or a $6.5M scorer that some Hawk fans complained he wasn't?
- paulr

I see Toews for what he is and what he brings......not as flashy as Stamkos....Malkin.....Crosby and others

An amazing two way leader who guides the team with the Al Davis quote

Just Win Baby!!

In case no one saw, conditional pick is a 2015 6th, which turns into a 5th if he plays more than 40 games for the Kings. http://www.nhl.com/ice/ne...htm?id=6...d=nhl:topheads

Didn't see that posted

REW:Carcillo Stan got rid of someone that, for better or worse, Q was probably not going to use much - free up a spot, free up cap space, more TDL flexibility, if nothing else.

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

yeah, this!

Those still pushing that Hawks can't handle physical teams and need to go out of the system to acquire these pounders with less skill, slower feet and that solves it...LET IT GO.

If they get a chance to add a outside grizzled vet they may, but he or the giant robots from Paciifc Rim are not getting ice time over the attack guys.

Not trying to fight and about to get in my van sized motor home to get to Toledo tonight, and had to respond:

However a couple of big physical wingers take the physical burden off or Toews, Hossa and Sharp to allow them to play the game they are being paid to play.
- paulr
UNLESS you acquire a player who FITS with their lines, plays to THAT SKILL Set and speed, a physical player playing in the bottom six doesn't get you the immediate on ice response that gets Toews/Hossa/Kane space. That was what Bickell was able to do in the playoff, by virtue of him bouncing himself off the bigger opposing players that when NOT weren't being cuddled, spent their free time going after Toews.
Let's say the Hawks prefabricated a new enforcer,and suit him up ala Shawn Thornton on the Bruins......Rupp, or even a top heavyweight prize fighter.....I don't think they way the game moves, and the whistle stops play, that you need or can afford "response" in the next shift or later....If a scorer takes a flagrant after the whistle or during play bullying that doesn't get a whistle, you need to have that prize fighter out there THEN. Later, the zebras KNOW how it works, they are looking and your prize fighter usually gets you killing a penalty.
Lucic is there for Krejci, but you noticed he was out a few years ago for an extended period due to concussion, so he didn't make him invulnerable.
In the same way rangers don't want Ric Nash fighting if his linemates need a bitr of help he is already there to answer "lightly" not "heavy - later."

All year long when you guys talked this up, I just thought Andrew Shaw was that guy, despite his size... because he can play too.

Do you REALLY think teams are willing to give up their skilled enforcers?

You packing Hammer or Leddy to get the real deal one?

Jonathan Toews is going to continmue to play like Jonathan Toews and he will always be left open for the cheapies, because he is just so threathening to teams.

The real answer is to be able to ice 12 forwards who give the opposition fits and they have their hands full each shift.

That is how they won all season and in the post season.

It would be a great dream team to have 12 bigger skilled bodies who were quick skilled scoring threats, but it ain't happening and either will one policeman gonna save Tazer from the punishment he takes.

Toews is what he is and I think he thrives on the competition whetehr he is successful ofensively, or bothered by the bullying...I am pretty sure he loves it...it defines who he is.

I just hope I get to watch him for another half dozen, because I don't think he has hit the highwater mark or is on a down slide....