Why? That's what Brookbank makes in a smaller cap and he's less valuable than Bollig
- rollpards19

For that type of money he needs to be doing more, at least spend some time of the PK.

Bollig at $1.25 and Kruger at $1.35 just doesn't jive. If Krugs sticks around he'll be in line for at least $2.5 million.

Bowman has shown he will not make panic moves and will patiently wait for another season instead of making a big move that may or may not help in the short term. Yes Zus is slow but like it or not he was a better option than Pirri who not only wasn't much faster but was also not any where near as expereinced.

As for Shaw the fact he hasn't hit anyone with the intensity as he has in the past should tell us that there is an underlying issue. I have heard that he has cracked ribs and torn rib cartlidge, which would explain allot.
- paulr

He also just signed an extension for four times the money he used to make. Coincidence? Probably. But Bickell actually has had at least two pretty serious injuries that likely affected his play, and this board says it is all about the new contract. Shaw is playing different and it must be an injury.... Why the difference? Not directed at you, Paul, more of a general observation.

I'd really like it if Q would leave Kruger in there for 2-4 games to see if that line could gel. Anytime Kruger has gotten a look there, it's usually been for a game or parts of a game. At least that's how it appears to me.
- EKolb13

As I've said many times, Q is an instant gratification kind of guy, with the patience of a hampster on crack. I'm amazed that the 1st line has stayed together so long. Come the playoffs, the hampster wheel will be at full speed, he'll constantly chase matchups and juggle, and do it again when a line doesn't produce a goal in two shifts.

Why? That's what Brookbank makes in a smaller cap and he's less valuable than Bollig
- rollpards19

It's Ryan Reeves money. Bollig would have gotten south of $1 million per season had the Blues not given Reeves a fat contract.

All depends on where the cap is headed.
- Beaver-Warrior

True. I like Bollig and I'm happy he re-signed but I didnt think he'd get North if $1.0 million.

I'd like to see Smith re-signed now. I don't expect that until the summer but I think he's earned a 1-2 year deal. I wouldn't mind seeing Kruger re-upper early, I know he's on RFA in 2015 but he's made some stellar improvements and I'd like to keep him around for a while.

stadium series/pirri/bollig/rumors blog, please!

Wow...sucks to be the Panthers.

@NHLonTSN: Florida Panthers president Michael Yormark is leaving the team to run the business side of Jay-Z's agency, Roc Nation. #TSN #NHL

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Bollig's extension in Chicago worth $1.25 M AAV per year


Waaaaaaaaay to much. Not crippling but that's too much.
- DarthKane

The cap is growing like a weed - by the second year this will be VERY low. In last year's world it is high; in today's world it is a tad high; in next year's world it'll be a good deal for both. Bollig is becoming a classic 4th liner that brings stuff the Hawks don't have. Good deal, imo.

As far as Bollig goes maybe one more year then I would've given him but it is what it is. I was a big critic of Bollig but I do like the fact that he has really tried to develop his game over the past year. He realizes he has to do more then fight to stick with the Hawks. That being said there aren't many forward openings on next year's squad as of right now. If I'm correct Regin and Zus are now the only UFA forwards.
- dan9189

You are correct. I'd expect Handzus will be leaving. As for Regin, depending on how he does the rest of the season and how much he wants to re-sign, he may or may not be back next season.

True. I like Bollig and I'm happy he re-signed but I didnt think he'd get North if $1.0 million.

I'd like to see Smith re-signed now. I don't expect that until the summer but I think he's earned a 1-2 year deal. I wouldn't mind seeing Kruger re-upper early, I know he's on RFA in 2015 but he's made some stellar improvements and I'd like to keep him around for a while.
- DarthKane

Agreed. I was happy they signed him to an extension and about 3 minutes later was shocked at the AAV. I would think that a guy who is a 4th liner at best would be in line for about $950k.

As I've said many times, Q is an instant gratification kind of guy, with the patience of a hampster on crack. I'm amazed that the 1st line has stayed together so long. Come the playoffs, the hampster wheel will be at full speed, he'll constantly chase matchups and juggle, and do it again when a line doesn't produce a goal in two shifts.
- Q...argh

Shaw has gotten what I think is a honest look at #2C. I don't think Q has given Kruger a longer look there out of fear of breaking up the 4th line for too long.

The cap is growing like a weed - by the second year this will be VERY low. In last year's world it is high; in today's world it is a tad high; in next year's world it'll be a good deal for both. Bollig is becoming a classic 4th liner that brings stuff the Hawks don't have. Good deal, imo.
- mohel

This this and this

Agreed. I was happy they signed him to an extension and about 3 minutes later was shocked at the AAV. I would think that a guy who is a 4th liner at best would be in line for about $950k.
- eburgio

Blame the Blues and the Ryan Reeves contract. That's what propelled Bollig into the millionaire's club.

Keith-Seabrook
Oduya-Hjalmarsson.

Hossa, Kane, Sharp, Versteeg, Saad. We're stacked at wing. Center's only part of the picture. And Krugs is just as good as Ott, probably better. Also ROR is a permanent winger this season.
- rollpards19

I hear what you're saying Rollpards ( And I agree about Kruger being better than Ott.) But here's what I'm getting at: There's a deficiency in the Hawks line-up. Mike Babcock was able to take Zetterberg and eliminate Toews and if he had anything more than the mediocre lineup that the Wings were he probably would have knocked the Hawks out. The Kings were too beat up and so were the Bruins but the Bruins could have easily won that series too.

Now teams are more loaded than they were last year: And the deficiency not only remains, it might be worse. Why should the hawks have to cover up that or merely "get by" with a Peter Regin…..?

As I've said many times, Q is an instant gratification kind of guy, with the patience of a hampster on crack. I'm amazed that the 1st line has stayed together so long. Come the playoffs, the hampster wheel will be at full speed, he'll constantly chase matchups and juggle, and do it again when a line doesn't produce a goal in two shifts.
- Q...argh

Except that for one position the forward lineup has been the exact same for a few months. Last year was the same thing, the lines were the same, except for 2C all year long. Give it up man.

You are correct. I'd expect Handzus will be leaving. As for Regin, depending on how he does the rest of the season and how much he wants to re-sign, he may or may not be back next season.
- EKolb13

Unless Regin makes a similar impact as Zus did last year and in the playoffs, he's not coming back. Not with TT coming over and Nordstrom potentially earning a second chance. Is Danault anywhere close to getting a shot at the big club? I seem to recall next year being his year to push for a job.

Also like to see him back as part of a strong 4th line, but IMO also a bit too pricy even in a world of an increasing cap.

Blame the Blues and the Ryan Reeves contract. That's what propelled Bollig into the millionaire's club.
- EKolb13

Ya, you're right. That appears to be the going rate for an experienced 4th liner. I'd still like to see Bollig step up and do more. I have no complaints with what he does, he just needs to do more (ie PK).

Blame the Blues and the Ryan Reeves contract. That's what propelled Bollig into the millionaire's club.
- EKolb13

One more reason to hate the Blues.

Bollig's AAV is 1.7% of next year's cap. 1.7% of a $60M cap is about $1M. Cap inflation, mi amigos.... The objects in your rear-view mirror....

I hear what you're saying Rollpards ( And I agree about Kruger being better than Ott.) But here's what I'm getting at: There's a deficiency in the Hawks line-up. Mike Babcock was able to take Zetterberg and eliminate Toews and if he had anything more than the mediocre lineup that the Wings were he probably would have knocked the Hawks out. The Kings were too beat up and so were the Bruins but the Bruins could have easily won that series too.

Now teams are more loaded than they were last year: And the deficiency not only remains, it might be worse. Why should the hawks have to cover up that or merely "get by" with a Peter Regin…..?
- yahoodi

Every team in the league had a chance to win the Cup last year. One did. Teams don't want to get hurt? Stop hitting and play like the Hawks

Agreed. I was happy they signed him to an extension and about 3 minutes later was shocked at the AAV. I would think that a guy who is a 4th liner at best would be in line for about $950k.
- eburgio

You're "shocked" about a difference of $300K per year? Seems like a small difference to be shocked about, especially against a cap that in the first year of the deal will be $71M.

Unless Regin makes a similar impact as Zus did last year and in the playoffs, he's not coming back. Not with TT coming over and Nordstrom potentially earning a second chance. Is Danault anywhere close to getting a shot at the big club? I seem to recall next year being his year to push for a job.
- golfbard

In my opinion, as of what I see right now - no.

He still has rounding out of his overall game to do. There's a lot there to like, and he shows a lot of promise, but unless something changes between now and training camp in the fall, I wouldn't count Danault in.

As for Regin, even if he doesn't have as much of an impact as Zus and as long as he can keep up with the team and is responsible defensively, he could stay for around the league minimum as a 13th forward.

It's Ryan Reeves money. Bollig would have gotten south of $1 million per season had the Blues not given Reeves a fat contract.
- EKolb13

Or, even before that, the BJs signed Boll to a ridiculous 1.7 mil per year for 3 years. Or Burish at about the same cost. And as a fourth liner Boll makes a shade over a million this year anyway.

Bollig got about what I expected, and I'm fine with that money going his way with the cap hopefully jumping up a lot.

Bollig's AAV is 1.7% of next year's cap. 1.7% of a $60M cap is about $1M. Cap inflation, mi amigos.... The objects in your rear-view mirror....
- mohel

Agreed.