he gone

http://www.chicagotribune...-20140708,0,1775881.story

That should kick up the rhetoric on here today

not going to have Jaime to kick around anymore. PP will be interesting. Wonder who they'll bring in.

Someone else who will draw the ire of all here the first time Duncs drills the puck into an opposing shin pad.

Hopefully whoever it is will instruct the PP special teamers to shoot more and score off rebounds than trying to set up Sharpie sneaking in for the perfect back door pass play.

Someone else who will draw the ire of all here the first time Duncs drills the puck into an opposing shin pad.

Hopefully whoever it is will instruct the PP special teamers to shoot more and score off rebounds than trying to set up Sharpie sneaking in for the perfect back door pass play.
- HawkintheD

Get....to.....the.......front.....of.....the........NET!

Almost $11 M each, I don't see it working out well. That is too much cap for 2 players. Granted, I would love to have the potential problem of paying Toews & Kane that much.

It makes it that much harder to win though as those two players can't be on the ice at all times, and the rest of the roster is going to have holes/youth. (especially with potential injuries)

If it were me, I would pick the player that means more to the team (Toews) and try and trade Kane for a huge haul. If all of your eggs are in one basket, it could be great. It could also be very, very messy.

I know, I am a Blues fan. We have never won, I know nothing.
- carcus

I agree. I don't see how it's sustainable to have two players taking up that much of the cap, and if I was overwhelmed, I'd have no issue trading Kane, but I'd have to be overwhelmed. I have marginal faith in the front office, as although they've won two Cups since Dale left, although he gets most of the credit for the first one IMO, they've done little but add small pieces to help an already very strong core. As more of these players leave due to their contracts becoming cost prohibitive, we'll really see what this FO is made of. I have little faith. That 2010 team was loaded, and the return was minimal. The argument can be made that they were under the gun, but what have they done since then but get lucky that Saad fell to them in the second round. TT is nothing but hope at this point, and the rest of the players down on the farm, for the most part, are lower line players, at least those are the projections I've read, outside of maybe one or two.

he gone

http://www.chicagotribune...-20140708,0,1775881.story

That should kick up the rhetoric on here today

not going to have Jaime to kick around anymore. PP will be interesting. Wonder who they'll bring in.
- vabeachbear

Someone several pages back (unless I misread) said he was taking $100,000 less to go to Portland than he made in Chicago:

Is there any scuttlebutt or sense that he was pushed out in Chicago, asked not to return?

Or is it a career move of some kind for him?

EDIT TO ADD: I did misread - I think it was Nester, but he was talking about Regin.

Question remains.

Get....to.....the.......front.....of.....the........NET!
- vabeachbear

Exactly. More guys than just Shaw and JT please.

This has been bugging me for awhile - the Hawks have been one of six teams rumored to be "in" on Brodeur. Granted, I think Brodeur is washed up and would be a terrible signing...

...but why would the Hawks even consider signing Brodeur? Raanta is locked up for the next two years and will not be going down to Rockford. Crawford is locked up long-term.

Could this be a clue - whether it be this summer or next - that Crawford is a potential cap-clearing trade target? Are they entertaining the idea of a Raanta-Brodeur tandem? I would not do it, but I don't see why else they would even be interested in Brodeur.
- BreakoutHockey

Good to do. Should be Crawford, Bickell, versteeg. This would save almost 20% of the salary cap and have almost no overall team performance loss.

Good to do. Should be Crawford, Bickell, versteeg. This would save almost 20% of the salary cap and have almost no overall team performance loss.
- fvineze

You want to go with a 42 year old goalie with a save percentage of under 91% for the last 4 years and a goals against average of close to 2.50 for those years - plus a goalie who (to me at least) proved he wasn't really ready to be a back-up last year and should have been at Rockford?

You want to go with a 42 year old goalie with a save percentage of under 91% for the last 4 years and a goals against average of close to 2.50 for those years - plus a goalie who (to me at least) proved he wasn't really ready to be a back-up last year and should have been at Rockford?
- StLBravesFan

Well, they're not named Crawford, are they?

I agree. I don't see how it's sustainable to have two players taking up that much of the cap, and if I was overwhelmed, I'd have no issue trading Kane, but I'd have to be overwhelmed. I have marginal faith in the front office, as although they've won two Cups since Dale left, although he gets most of the credit for the first one IMO, they've done little but add small pieces to help an already very strong core. As more of these players leave due to their contracts becoming cost prohibitive, we'll really see what this FO is made of. I have little faith. That 2010 team was loaded, and the return was minimal. The argument can be made that they were under the gun, but what have they done since then but get lucky that Saad fell to them in the second round. TT is nothing but hope at this point, and the rest of the players down on the farm, for the most part, are lower line players, at least those are the projections I've read, outside of maybe one or two.
- howiehandles

Well instead of having money tied up in just two players which the current situation is presenting they've had money tied up in about a half dozen players which has made any major moves by the front office kind of difficult. Not sure what kind of moves you were looking for.

If you were willing to deal from the core during the last few years, who would that have been? I say Sharp now to get the best return though you could see him sticking for one more year to make a run before more players go to make room for 88 and 19's contracts.

They had no bargaining power in 2010. Twenty nine other teams passed on Saad. By some accounts the Hawks have the 4th best prospect pool with many guys projected bottom 6 players but that's what you are going to need if you have 4 fwds on big $$$ deals in your top 6.

You want to go with a 42 year old goalie with a save percentage of under 91% for the last 4 years and a goals against average of close to 2.50 for those years - plus a goalie who (to me at least) proved he wasn't really ready to be a back-up last year and should have been at Rockford?
- StLBravesFan

And trade Bickell, so you just got smaller up front and lost a valuable playoff performer. Good choices Fiv.

Yes he is worth it for EVERYTHING he does at an elite level including but not limited to: face-offs, defense, PK, PP, playmaking & finishing abilty (0.90 career PPG), leadership...just the total package
- EnzoD

He isn't a diver either, ala the Sedin sisters or Alexis, especially in the Olympics.

Other than that, EnzoD pretty much captured it all.

Crosby has sucked badly the last three playoff series, even so in 95 career playoff games he has 114 points as opposed to 81 points in 94 playoff games for Toews.
- stevens87

More....than....points....

How'd Sid-the-kid (and the rest of the 'guins) do versus the big, bad, Bruins in the 2013 playoffs? Oh yeah, 2 goals in 4+ games. Same number of goals the 'Hawks had (Toews the primary assist on the tier) in 17 seconds vs those same big, bad, B's.

Vicious circle, cutting the grass more often means burning more fossil fuels releasing carbon minoxide into the atmosphere causing greenhouse emissions changing the climate, causing more rain, faster growing grass, needing to cut the grass more and more often. This causes guys like Kane and Toews not to take home town discounts to pay for gas for their lawn mowers resulting in the demise of the Blackhawks ..... AND IT'S ALL ON YOU AND YOUR FRONT LAWN!
- paulr

WTF is carbon minoxide? Who believes in that crap anyway?

If the 'Hawks don't get the right price on 19/88, there will be far more hell to pay here than some silly trace gas. For the record, I still use one of those [truly] old-fashioned manual mowers, mostly because it's older than dirt and still works.

More....than....points....

How'd Sid-the-kid (and the rest of the 'guins) do versus the big, bad, Bruins in the 2013 playoffs? Oh yeah, 2 goals in 4+ games. Same number of goals the 'Hawks had (Toews the primary assist on the tier) in 17 seconds vs those same big, bad, B's.
- blackhawk24

Charo had the primary on the Bickell goal:

If his five-hole hadn't been spread wide open....

You want to go with a 42 year old goalie with a save percentage of under 91% for the last 4 years and a goals against average of close to 2.50 for those years - plus a goalie who (to me at least) proved he wasn't really ready to be a back-up last year and should have been at Rockford?
- StLBravesFan

Look Crawford played well at times but not consistently. I'd rather have a consistently good goalie paid league average than overpay a guy that is great one minute and couldn't play peewee goalie the next

Good to do. Should be Crawford, Bickell, versteeg. This would save almost 20% of the salary cap and have almost no overall team performance loss.
- fvineze

In theory it sounds wonderful. However, what goalie can You get for cheap to replace Crawfoxrd? The answer is none!

And trade Bickell, so you just got smaller up front and lost a valuable playoff performer. Good choices Fiv.
- HawkintheD

What has his size gotten us? You don't think you could replace those three with better substitutes with the same $12m

More....than....points....

How'd Sid-the-kid (and the rest of the 'guins) do versus the big, bad, Bruins in the 2013 playoffs? Oh yeah, 2 goals in 4+ games. Same number of goals the 'Hawks had (Toews the primary assist on the tier) in 17 seconds vs those same big, bad, B's.
- blackhawk24

Pens board just announced that Sid was hurt in the playoffs - will have wrist surgery. Not defending him, just sayin'.

Why do players wait until halfway through the offseason to have surgery? Maybe they thought rehab could fix it.

Two recent goalie contracts..... Ryan Miller just signed for six. Reports suggest that Schneider will sign for the same amount. Crow is better than either. Still waiting for someone to offer some evidence that CC would have signed for less than $6M.

Bickell's contract was out-dated within weeks of its signing.
- mohel

career

Miller .915/2.26
Schneider .925/2.12
Crawford .914/2.36

And Crawford's GAA is helped by having played with better teams. So, umm, no.

career

Miller .915/2.26
Schneider .925/2.12
Crawford .914/2.36

And Crawford's GAA is helped by having played with better teams. So, umm, no.
- John Jaeckel

Agree, he definitely isn't a better goalie than Schneider, and I have to say he regressed this past year. Maybe because of coach, maybe because of contract extension, maybe cup and short season hangover.

In either case it isn't good and points to him being a bit weak mentally.

JJ - Hearing anything about Kompon's replacement? Dent or maybe another former Q protege?

Agree, he definitely isn't a better goalie than Schneider, and I have to say he regressed this past year. Maybe because of coach, maybe because of contract extension, maybe cup and short season hangover.

In either case it isn't good and points to him being a bit weak mentally.
- vabeachbear

I'll have a blog on Crawford and Waite in the next couple of days. The feeling in the organization is he regressed under Weekes. Waite was brought in at his request.

JJ - Hearing anything about Kompon's replacement? Dent or maybe another former Q protege?
- golfbard

Haven't heard.

career

Miller .915/2.26
Schneider .925/2.12
Crawford .914/2.36

And Crawford's GAA is helped by having played with better teams. So, umm, no.
- John Jaeckel

Miller's career numbers don't mean squat. How's he been lately? When it counts?

Schneider hasn't accomplished a thing in his career to this point, although he's young and has plenty of talent.

The main point is that Crawford's contract is right where it should be in the market. We can quibble which of these three goalies is slightly better than the rest, but at worst you can throw a hat over all of them. Once Schneider signs they'll all have the same cap hit. Suggests that the market for guys like them (even if they are similar goalies) is $6M.