Crosby also signed a 13-year deal. had he signed for 8 years, he'd have gotten a much bigger hit.
- DoubleDown

True enough. To be fair, there wasn't a term limit when Crosby signed.. now there is.

I would not say Kane is at all
- RobFlyers#1

This is why I love hockey.. in all seriousness, its so fun to debate why or why not players are great.

Crosby also signed a 13-year deal. had he signed for 8 years, he'd have gotten a much bigger hit.
- DoubleDown

Can't really say that because he could have signed for 8 years at 8.7 per.....who knows.

Really? Look at their recent playoff outings and tell me they aren't screwed. The D gets exposed every year and if Crosby and Malkin get shutdown who has the skill to step up? Exactly no one. Crosby and Malkin are the team and they are easy to beat in playoff hockey
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

....in by far the weaker conference. They'd be roadkill in round 1 of the WC.

I would not say Kane is at all
- RobFlyers#1

The guy is a playoff beast... I definitely would

They are both in the discusion for the top 5 best players in the league.

Crosby
Stamkos
Datysuk
Kane
Toews
Ovi
- Smittyx36

What no love for Giroux.....

What no love for Giroux.....
- RobFlyers#1

Giroux is not a top 5 player. Might be a top ten center though.
Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Tavares, Kopitar, Bergeron, Datsyuk, Giroux, Carter, Getzlaf

Goals win games, defense wins championships. I call you out and would say his shut down play on players like Datsyuk/Zetterberg, Kopitar, and Boston's top two lines were crucial to their winning.
- YzermanIsTheMan

Well you also can't win championship without scoring goals. Someone had to do it and it certainly wasn't him.

What no love for Giroux.....
- RobFlyers#1

Wow- Giroux is not even close to the same breathe as Toews...

....in by far the weaker conference. They'd be roadkill in round 1 of the WC.
- blackhawk24

Who cares about the conference....Crosby is best player in the world. East or west he still dominates offensively.

Giroux is not a top 5 player. Might be a top ten center though.
Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Tavares, Kopitar, Bergeron, Datsyuk, Giroux, Carter, Getzlaf
- YzermanIsTheMan

I agree with this... Toews is #2 and Giroux would fall in the 8 or 9 spot

Well you also can't win championship without scoring goals. Someone had to do it and it certainly wasn't him.
- stevens87

Agreed. And he had the team to help. But if you can't win championships without scoring, Toews did his job to the letter in shutting down the offense when it counted. Especially after the first 4 games against Detroit in 2013.

Who cares about the conference....Crosby is best player in the world. East or west he still dominates offensively.
- RobFlyers#1

More to winning that just offense in today's game... thats where there is debate...

I agree with this... Toews is #2 and Giroux would fall in the 8 or 9 spot
- saskoil21

I'd take Giroux in a heart beat on my team. The Wings are so flooded with 2-4 centers that its sickening. We have not true star centers after Datsyuk, and he's 3 seasons from retirement.

Awful deals for the organization.

Do these players deserve a pay raise, YES.

To me signing those contracts is selfish and handcuffs the hawks for at least a few years. They could have taken way less at least 2 mil less each to give Bowman some wiggle room. The only way this team goes anywhere is IF they have an above avg prospect pool and they don't.

They need to sign RFAs and find veterans in the next couple of years. I can't see them being relevant in the next few years.

Good for Toews and Kane. Bad for the Hawks.

Pretty hefty price for Kane and Toews but the cap will continue to rise and another lock out should come after the current CBA expires so...

Pretty hefty price for Kane and Toews but the cap will continue to rise and another lock out should come after the current CBA expires so...
- hankthetank

and compliance buyouts along with it

Yeah and I respect that, but you can't use 1/3 of your cap on 2 players and expect to continue being competitive. If they don't get rid of Sharp and or Hossa they only have 6 million of space to sign 8 players....
- cuethenoise

Oh they will get rid of players like that.

Here is the kicker, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE GUYS LIKE THAT. Not with their prospect pool

Awful deals for the organization.

Do these players deserve a pay raise, YES.

To me signing those contracts is selfish and handcuffs the hawks for at least a few years. They could have taken way less at least 2 mil less each to give Bowman some wiggle room. The only way this team goes anywhere is IF they have an above avg prospect pool and they don't.

They need to sign RFAs and find veterans in the next couple of years. I can't see them being relevant in the next few years.

Good for Toews and Kane. Bad for the Hawks.
- RobitailleFAN20

They don't need to find veterans, they need to GET RID OF VETERANS.

Awful deals for the organization.

Do these players deserve a pay raise, YES.

To me signing those contracts is selfish and handcuffs the hawks for at least a few years. They could have taken way less at least 2 mil less each to give Bowman some wiggle room. The only way this team goes anywhere is IF they have an above avg prospect pool and they don't.

They need to sign RFAs and find veterans in the next couple of years. I can't see them being relevant in the next few years.

Good for Toews and Kane. Bad for the Hawks.
- RobitailleFAN20

let me ask you this... imagine Kopitar and Doughty were up for UFA status after next season. what kind of deals do you think they would be looking at? do you honestly think that the Kings wouldn't be looking at the same type of deals?

I'd take Giroux in a heart beat on my team. The Wings are so flooded with 2-4 centers that its sickening. We have not true star centers after Datsyuk, and he's 3 seasons from retirement.
- YzermanIsTheMan

Agree... you guys have some challenges down the road... The diamonds in the rough are fewer and farther between - cant win forever and detroit's in a really bad spot now with the city and all... Gotta feel for you a little-but only a little... as Edmonton has been that way since the 1990s- we are hopeful we just need to mature...

Oh they will get rid of players like that.

Here is the kicker, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE GUYS LIKE THAT. Not with their prospect pool
- RobitailleFAN20

All it takes is the right trade to replace someone like Patrick Sharp or Marian Hossa. Its doable.

All it takes is the right trade to replace someone like Patrick Sharp or Marian Hossa. Its doable.
- YzermanIsTheMan

no one is taking Hossa with that deal. Bickell will go to Florida, obviously, and Sharp will be easy to move for futures.

no one is taking Hossa with that deal. Bickell will go to Florida, obviously, and Sharp will be easy to move for futures.
- DoubleDown

Seabrook as well.

no one is taking Hossa with that deal. Bickell will go to Florida, obviously, and Sharp will be easy to move for futures.
- DoubleDown

The Hossa deal is the one that will be the hardest to get rid of. What does he have, another 7 or 8 years left? He'll retire before that, but still.