You do realize to get a player close to kane will cost you 7+ million in ufa. So to save 3 million? And what guarantee do you have a to0.pick will pan out? If you go that route and by the time gets the experience and learning curve you are years out.

Kane and Toews are playoff performers. Blessed to have both. Time to place faith in Bowmans hand to do the rest. Or else you find somebody who can.
- SteveRain

Years out? Toews and Kane were in their 3rd year when they won the Cup.
Why would you spend 7 million on one player? LA has shown you can be just as good with a better balanced team.

Toews would still be in his prime and you would have a team of veterans to help the influx of talent you get from the picks.

Your D would still be solid. You have a Cup winning goalie on the roster.
Now add another franchise center to the mix.

The reasons the Pens lost was not because of Malkin and Crosby making what they do, it was because Sid wanted to fight everyone two years ago and this past year, he couldn't score.
Their coach and two star players weren't the leaders that were needed when their team needed them to be.
- HockeyMat

And the Hawks were able to win last year because their so-called secondary players were good enough to overcome a terrible playoffs from Toews,

Which they will not be able to afford because two players will take up 30% of the cap.

Hey I wanted Kesler. I know it's today not tomorrow. Preaching to th choir.

Again blame lies squarely 100% on Bowmans. Up to them to make this roster competitive and cup worthy.

Let the fun begin.
- SteveRain

This was my point earlier. Seems like you want it both ways, Steve. Kane and Toews get 10+ (max value or whatever you want to call it) and the team trades for Kesler.

Even if it took trading Sharp to do it for one year they would have to launch more core players the next. Seabrook? Keith? Others.

You can blame Bowman but the fact is if the cap doesn't go up that much you can't have too many other players making $5mil when you have two guys making $10mil.

The problem with the last CBA was that as HRR grew, the players' percentage of HRR grew - so what started out as 48% (I think) wound up at 57% (I think).

And it was the higher rate just at the margin - it went back to dollar one - the owners were getting a smaller percentage of each marginal dollar than they thought.

This CBA is a straight 50% (now) forever - or at least until the end of this CBA.
- StLBravesFan

The owners won Sage. The cap now is less than it was before the lock out and will always be less throughout the length of this CBA. And like you mention changing the split to 50/50.

Why the (frank) are we arguing about the Toews and Kane deal? They are going to get paid and paid what they are worth. Whether that is 9.5 or more per year , that is the cost of doing business. And stop it with the trade Kane nonsense for (frank)'s sake. The reason why they won't be the Pens is because their other stars/secondary players are hell of a lot better than Pitts garbage. As Steve Rain said, StanBow needs to figure this out.
- Dannyboy

And If the Bowman' s think the boys are worth 9.5 million tops? The key to a settlement is to negotiate to find a common denominator that is acceptable for both sides. If you were a GM , you would not last one year my friend.

Why the (frank) are we arguing about the Toews and Kane deal? They are going to get paid and paid what they are worth. Whether that is 9.5 or more per year , that is the cost of doing business. And stop it with the trade Kane nonsense for (frank)'s sake. The reason why they won't be the Pens is because their other stars/secondary players are hell of a lot better than Pitts garbage. As Steve Rain said, StanBow needs to figure this out.
- Dannyboy

They are going to sign both. I have no doubt about that. The reason Pitts players suck is because of the amount of cap space those two take up.


Now..take Sharp, Seabrook, Shaw, Kruger and ODuya off the team. How good are they now?

Keith and Hossa will go nowhere because of their contracts. You may be able to keep Saad for one more contract.

The Bruin Hawk games were wild. Do you recall when they showed the home games on closed circuit in theaters?
- Elbows15

I remember they did that. I was at the game most of the time.

And If the Bowman' s think the boys are worth 9.5 million tops? The key to a settlement is to negotiate to find a common denominator that is acceptable for both sides. If you were a GM , you would not last one year my friend.
- spanky

Negotiate? No poop Sherlock. Not saying you give them an open check and take what they want.

This I love Kane And Toews but them making almost 11 mill per year is way to much for 2 players. For a team already up against the cap THIS year...it could get ugly next year as to who we have to give up to get under the cap.
- NedsHead_88

If it's $10 +, we're likely to have a couple of transition seasons before the cap catches up to the 88/19 hit (and it will), and for Stan's picks to move into (hopefully) some top-6 and top-4 responsibilities (they may).

I would guess that if (IF) it works out, the Hawks would be serious contenders again by 2016-17 or 2017-18, with basically 88/19/20/16/65 and 2/4/7 and new guys filling it out.

They are going to sign both. I have no doubt about that. The reason Pitts players suck is because of the amount of cap space those two take up.


Now..take Sharp, Seabrook, Shaw, Kruger and ODuya off the team. How good are they now?

Keith and Hossa will go nowhere because of their contracts. You may be able to keep Saad for one more contract.
- Elbows15

Exactly!

Stan will figure it out and it will mean there will possibly be fewer "core" guys; you can't have that many players with $5mil+ contracts and be cap compliant.

You'll also have more of the current RFD farmhands taking bottom 6 roles which could be ok; but for all of you screaming for Stan to make the Hawks more competitive by trading for a guy like Kesler or signing Satstny? It didn't happen now and this would make it less likely to happen in the near future.

The owners won Sage. The cap now is less than it was before the lock out and will always be less throughout the length of this CBA. And like you mention changing the split to 50/50.
- Elbows15

Yes - players won the last one (even tho it introduced the hard cap), owners won this one in a blow out.

You guys stressing over Toews and Kane, and I'm still trying to figure out what to replace my Mayberry avatar with

Thought it was on to Hogans Hero's that seems out, maybe F-Troop?

And the Hawks were able to win last year because their so-called secondary players were good enough to overcome a terrible playoffs from Toews,

Which they will not be able to afford because two players will take up 30% of the cap.
- Elbows15

One lucky bounce away.

As it stand now and we will go with a 4 million cap increase for next year. If the wonder twins get 11 each, the will have approx 7 million to spend on 8 players. 2 of which are Saad and Kruger.

You guys stressing over Toews and Kane, and I'm still trying to figure out what to replace my Mayberry avatar with

Thought it was on to Hogans Hero's that seems out, maybe F-Troop?
- vabeachbear

F Troop's good

I remember they did that. I was at the game most of the time.
- 6628

Those close circuit games where a rip off. I think they where around $7.50 a tkt. at the Uptown theaters. ..way overpriced. The video and audio were Perez poor. Following the puck was nearly impossible because of the blurred picture. I had a splitting headache after watching the game. The Hillman brothers sucked on the ice.

One lucky bounce away.
- HockeyMat

They lost because their special teams were terrible in that series. That is where the series was lost.

Exactly!

Stan will figure it out and it will mean there will possibly be fewer "core" guys; you can't have that many players with $5mil+ contracts and be cap compliant.

You'll also have more of the current RFD farmhands taking bottom 6 roles which could be ok; but for all of you screaming for Stan to make the Hawks more competitive by trading for a guy like Kesler or signing Satstny? It didn't happen now and this would make it less likely to happen in the near future.
- HawkintheD

If the cap goes up "only" 5% per year! it will be at $80 for the 2017-18 season - that's not even half way thru the twins new contract (probably) and about half way thru the CBA - if the lads are getting $10+, Stan should be managing to be a true Cup challenger by then.

Could be sooner if Rockford and the draft pucks surprise, but that's what I'd be looking for.

Negotiate? No poop Sherlock. Not saying you give them an open check and take what they want.
- Dannyboy

Sorry, but that is not how I interpret your message.

Those close circuit games where a rip off. I think they where around $7.50 a tkt. at the Uptown theaters. ..way overpriced. The video and audio were Perez poor. Following the puck was nearly impossible because of the blurred picture. I had a splitting headache after watching the game. The Hillman brothers sucked on the ice.
- spanky

Yeah. Went to one. It was fun because the theater was raucous. The picture quality was terrible.

They are going to sign both. I have no doubt about that. The reason Pitts players suck is because of the amount of cap space those two take up.


Now..take Sharp, Seabrook, Shaw, Kruger and ODuya off the team. How good are they now?

Keith and Hossa will go nowhere because of their contracts. You may be able to keep Saad for one more contract.
- Elbows15

How do you get those 5 off the team because of the Toews and Kane deals? Regardless, the GM's job is to find players for today and for later down the road to avoid potential messes. Was anyone jumping for joy when they got Oduya? He is a decent player. Top 4 dman? Debatable. I say no, but they found a good fit to their system. Guess what Bowman has to do? Find fits for the system they play via draft or FA.

Not saying Crawford or Bickell are bad players or signings, but they have no one in their system (goalie or big bodied wingers) like them. $10M later against the cap, there is still no Crawford and/or Bickell (possibly McNeil) replacements in the system. That is a Stan Bowman fail. Time for him to earn his $$$.

You guys stressing over Toews and Kane, and I'm still trying to figure out what to replace my Mayberry avatar with

Thought it was on to Hogans Hero's that seems out, maybe F-Troop?
- vabeachbear

We're gonna do Sid Caesar's Show of Shows: Sid, Howard Morris, Carl Reiner, Imogene Coco.

Or Steve Allen's Tonite Show: Steve, Howard Morris, Don Knotts, Dayton Allen, Tom Poston.

They lost because their special teams were terrible in that series. That is where the series was lost.
- Elbows15

There is no doubt about that, but they could have just as easily got the winning goal and won the Cup again, against NY as was the case with LA.
There's no questioning that everything was lined up for a repeat, as the Hawks were "in" game 7 until the "lucky bounce" favored LA, which just happened to be a very good match up against the Hawks.

How do you get those 5 off the team because of the Toews and Kane deals? Regardless, the GM's job is to find players for today and for later down the road to avoid potential messes. Was anyone jumping for joy when they got Oduya? He is a decent player. Top 4 dman? Debatable. I say no, but they found a good fit to their system. Guess what Bowman has to do? Find fits for the system they play via draft or FA.

Not saying Crawford or Bickell are bad players or signings, but they have no one in their system (goalie or big bodied wingers) like them. $10M later against the cap, there is still no Crawford and/or Bickell (possibly McNeil) replacements in the system. That is a Stan Bowman fail. Time for him to earn his $$$.
- Dannyboy

Kruger's contract is up this season. Oduya will be a UFA. Shaw and Seabrook will be in the last year of theirs. Won't be able to afford both. And Sharp is the most likely to move that has any value at all with 3 years on his contract.

How do you get those 5 off the team because of the Toews and Kane deals? Regardless, the GM's job is to find players for today and for later down the road to avoid potential messes. Was anyone jumping for joy when they got Oduya? He is a decent player. Top 4 dman? Debatable. I say no, but they found a good fit to their system. Guess what Bowman has to do? Find fits for the system they play via draft or FA.

Not saying Crawford or Bickell are bad players or signings, but they have no one in their system (goalie or big bodied wingers) like them. $10M later against the cap, there is still no Crawford and/or Bickell (possibly McNeil) replacements in the system. That is a Stan Bowman fail. Time for him to earn his $$$.
- Dannyboy

This!