well anymore wonderful wet dream fantasy trades out there...the kesler cluster was so much fun
- bogiedoc

lol .

no only depression ....

Anh won that trade without question.

When a bona-fide complete 2c gives you a 50-50 shot at acquiring him, and the cost now is KNOWN to be cheap, and you lose? A joke.

Anaheim kept best prospect AND their top 10 pick.

Way to go Stanley.....keep proving your worth. Fing clown.
- SteveRain

Steve, ducks have the cap space and hawks don't....and they had a young 40-50 point on the roster and the hawks don't (no way the hwks were trading Saad) and shaw and krugs were not going to get it done.

And if the cap is between 68-69...that even makes it worse for the hwks...

I'm sincerely cracking up at the mass majority of this boards comments.

You all act as if you should be surprised. Look at Anaheim's offer - ANY combination involving Leddy, TT, a first etc. would have blown away that offer. Newsflash: The reason why it didn't was because the Hawks never offered enough to beat Anaheim's offer.

Why are you all surprised?
- CaptainBlackhawk

Not surprised at all. God forbid we give up on potential for someone who can help us right now. I understand a GM's job is to plan for the future, but if you have someone who can help you right now (and potentially keep him away from someone who you may run into later on your way to the Big Dance), you need to do it.

Unless #19 and #88 are standing pat on the $12M each and the cap comes in around $68M, there's no reason to not take a chance and strenghten your club right now.

I like Bonino. He's a good young player.
- grinder10

I had Bonino in my hockey pool last year (most of the other poopies were Canucks fans). I was made fun of for picking up Bonino and holding on to him all season. Now watch him get drafted in the first round next year.

At this point, the Wolves are deeper up the middle than the Blackhawks.
- NewToHockey

lol

Happy to see this saga ended. Let´s move on and see what happens next.

Hate to say it but now Anaheim is deeper up the middle than Chicago
- golfbard

They already were before this trade. Thank god they already traded away Bobby Ryan or that team would be ridicilous up front.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Acquiring Ryan Kesler would have put a MASSIVE burden on this team for many years to come. StanBo simply didn't offer enough because he simply didn't want to destroy the cap for years to come. That's why. End of story.
- CaptainBlackhawk

If you traded Sharp, you're moving more salary out than taking in. I don't buy it.

You forgot the second part...transitioning to center
- FrancieBrady

How is Brookbank in the circles?

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Acquiring Ryan Kesler would have put a MASSIVE burden on this team for many years to come. StanBo simply didn't offer enough because he simply didn't want to destroy the cap for years to come. That's why. End of story.
- CaptainBlackhawk

Cap is already destroyed.

Enjoy watching that 169 lb Fin get a train run on him by Backes, Kesler, Getzlaf, Carter, Kopitar and god knows who else.

This should make Spezza cheaper. Benning is channeling his inner Gillis

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Acquiring Ryan Kesler would have put a MASSIVE burden on this team for many years to come. StanBo simply didn't offer enough because he simply didn't want to destroy the cap for years to come. That's why. End of story.
- CaptainBlackhawk

Well then have a team that needs an F'in bounce in every playoff game to win. Unless you get a real 2C on this team, they will be the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Not surprised at all. God forbid we give up on potential for someone who can help us right now. I understand a GM's job is to plan for the future, but if you have someone who can help you right now (and potentially keep him away from someone who you may run into later on your way to the Big Dance), you need to do it.

Unless #19 and #88 are standing pat on the $12M each and the cap comes in around $68M, there's no reason to not take a chance and strenghten your club right now.
- DMCsPulledHammy

Just curious...

If the Hawks ended up losing (in the next year): Saad, Sharp and perhaps another core piece, and one of Leddy/Oduya and had Kane, Toews, and Kesler here... would you be happy?

The Ducks have Kesler.

At this point, the Wolves are deeper up the middle than the Blackhawks.
- NewToHockey

If the cap is $68M, Hawks are screwed from making any kind of big move without trading Sharp or "Fall down and let Keith cover for me" Seabrook

Depression is ok right now , we have to hold off on the anger until its over though .
- mrpaulish

Can't....if they would give up either Etten or their #10...OK......but they didn't. They hosed Vancouver.

I would HOPE the price for Spezza is pretty low considering he's a rental and even....given this goof's inablitiy to forecast a cap number, you can't make that work and I don't see Ottawa eating money.

While I am a little disappointed they didn't get kesler, all along I did want to only trade for young players. I still hope they can trade sharp for some young players. I am very disapointed it sounds like they want to keep leddy and TT. I still hoped they would be used for an impact trade. It does look like another retread and grinder at center is coming

I don't know...have you watched this kid Nick Bonino at all?

He is really an up and comer. He has a really strong stride and gears for an almost 200 pounder, and had 22 goals and 59 points.

The Ducks plan was to acquire Kesler so Bonino could slide to the third centre position and make them stronger...that didn't work out, anyway.
- wiz1901

>Wiz, I agree
>Bonino tilted the ice quite a bit vs the Kings
>Good player on the rise
>Ducks still have bad D and lost a good C to get Kesler
>And we will see how good the Ducks goalers are in a full NHL season

If I'm running a business I don't base a decision on a projection, I project my decision until I know for sure what the number is. If SB made a decision without knowing the cap he shouldn't have a job.
- paulr

Businesses base decisions on projections all the time - if they didn't rely on projections, they wouldn't be able to make any decisions.

You buy equipment based on future cash flow projections, you hire staff based on future sales projections, you produce inventory based on future cash flow projections.

I say that unequivocally.

Well then have a team that needs an F'in bounce in every playoff game to win. Unless you get a real 2C on this team, they will be the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- DMCsPulledHammy

Please stop the drama.

The Hawks have won 2 Cups in four years, and came one incredibly lucky two bounce puck from winning another one.

They aren't the Penguins. They will address the second line center at some point in the next few days. But they aren't going to destroy their future to do so, and still be in contention to win a Cup. Novel concept, eh?

Just curious...

If the Hawks ended up losing (in the next year): Saad, Sharp and perhaps another core piece, and one of Leddy/Oduya and had Kane, Toews, and Kesler here... would you be happy?
- CaptainBlackhawk

Or just as relevant... Would you be happy if Hawks skated with 4 instead of 5 players all year?

Cap is already destroyed.

Enjoy watching that 169 lb Fin get a train run on him by Backes, Kesler, Getzlaf, Carter, Kopitar and god knows who else.
- SteveRain

TT to center is the biggest propaganda campaign every promoted. He has talent, but is a winger at the NHL level. I see no other option and the proof is in the names SteveRain just rolled out as centers we will be battling.

The Ducks have Kesler.
- faustus1500

And the World is going to end, the Ducks are the clear cut favorites to win the next 3 Cups. THE WORLD IS ENDING!!!!!

Please stop the drama.

The Hawks have won 2 Cups in four years, and came one incredibly lucky two bounce puck from winning another one.

They aren't the Penguins. They will address the second line center at some point in the next few days. But they aren't going to destroy their future to do so, and still be in contention to win a Cup. Novel concept, eh?
- CaptainBlackhawk

Two in 5 sweetheart .

King two in 3.

Two in 5 sweetheart .

King two in 3.
- mrpaulish

You know what I meant LOL