Nobody wants to trade Sharp more than I do, but I think even if we trade him now it will be a joke of a return. Hope I'm wrong. He WILL be traded eventually and next summer we won't get anything decent at all. At least they won't lose him for nothing like colorado did with stastny. That was a joke
- tomcat24

Depends. If other salary is moved before Sharp they may not be trading from weakness. Could also see a team in the east willing to pay more at the TD this coming year due to injury or need for scoring.

I would be happy with Wiz's idea of a switch of 1st rounders if it gets us into the top 5 or 8 next year as a weak return but acceptable.

If not trading from weakness Sharp should fetch a Kesler package minus 1 or 2 components.

Easier said than done when Stan must make a salary reducing move of some kind before this season begins.
- Ogilthorpe2

I agree - should have said but don't make any moves that would not improve the team this year AND CAN BE MADE NEXT SUMMER.

Seabrook is more important to the team's success than Sharp, and by a lot. Keeping Sharp at the expense of Seabs would be insane. They may not be able to re-sign Seabs even if Sharp is already gone, but if Sharp is still here and Seabs is gone...I may just lose it, again.
- Ogilthorpe2

Yup.

And the chances of one of the Mickey Mouse Club (i.e., the Hawks full blown posse of sub-6 foot, 170 pound, fast, skilled prospects) becoming another Patrick Sharp, as opposed to a legit top 6 center man who can win in the corners against Jeff Carter, Patrice Bergeron, Getzlaf or Ryan Kesler is MUCH higher.

Sharp is replaceable, if not by Saad right away then maybe Schmaltz or take your pick (someday).

Meanwhile, who do you replace Seabrook with? I think you find a way to pay Seabrook.

I agree with you but if they trade Oduya our defense will take a huge hit....I just feel as though the trading of Sharp is less of a loss given Saad's development and his need for top 6 minutes next year
- EnzoD

Depends how they really feel about Leddy, Dahlbeck, Clendenning, etc.

A top-6 with Sharp on it (and Bickell on line three) would look pretty good.

Easier said than done when Stan must make a salary reducing move of some kind before this season begins.
- Ogilthorpe2

Hence, no leverage. Unless you dangle some serious bait and hope a couple of floor teams will bid up the market a bit for him (like Sharp).

Problem is, you can't take back much salary. And those teams need their top prospects more than they do a guy like Sharp. Unless they really think he's a guy who can help them turn a corner.

The Panthers have re-signed Pirri for 2 years:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=726479

The Panthers have re-signed Pirri for 2 years:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=726479
- DarthKane

I'm sure they're planning the parade route as we speak.

Hence, no leverage. Unless you dangle some serious bait and hope a couple of floor teams will bid up the market a bit for him (like Sharp).

Problem is, you can't take back much salary. And those teams need their top prospects more than they do a guy like Sharp. Unless they really think he's a guy who can help them turn a corner.
- John Jaeckel

So JJ, if they move a Leddy or Oduya for a pick/prospects with no salary coming back are they then trading Sharp down the line from weakness as well? I am beginning to think they may be.

Bowman needed to move Sharp BEFORE this year's cap number was released. He is supposed to be the master cap manager. Did he not see where this was going to leave him?

While remaining firmly on the Don't Trade Sharp Train, I think you could probably sweeten the return by throwing in the rights to Kevin Hayes.

While remaining firmly on the Don't Trade Sharp Train, I think you could probably sweeten the return by throwing in the rights to Kevin Hayes.
- Sandus

Shirly the red font is missing from this post

While remaining firmly on the Don't Trade Sharp Train, I think you could probably sweeten the return by throwing in the rights to Kevin Hayes.
- Sandus

The rights to Kevin Hayes HAVE NO VALUE he is a UFA August 15th , why would someone trade for him ?

To sweeten the Sharp deal you include Leddy . Then take some useful piece back that makes less than 4m per.....

Shirly the red font is missing from this post
- BlazinMike

Who is Shirley?

Who is Shirley?
- paulr

The guy they get back from the Kevin Hayes trade

Who is Shirley?
- paulr

A woman who forgot that Kevin Hayes' rights have zero trade value haha

The rights to Kevin Hayes HAVE NO VALUE he is a UFA August 15th , why would someone trade for him ?

To sweeten the Sharp deal you include Leddy . Then take some useful piece back that makes less than 4m per.....
- mrpaulish

Why does anybody ever trade for the rights of an impending free agent? To obtain a window of exclusive negotiation with a player you feel you may be less likely to get on the open market.

I'm sure they're planning the parade route as we speak.
- Ogilthorpe2

A Founding Member of the Mickey Mouse Club

Why does anybody ever trade for the rights of an impending free agent? To obtain a window of exclusive negotiation with a player you feel you may be less likely to get on the open market.
- Sandus

For an established NHL player that fills a need , and that only happens sometimes , and usually its only dumb teams (NYI and Buffalo) who do things like this .

Not for a prospect that may be too slow to play in the NHL .

For an established NHL player that fills a need , and that only happens sometimes , and usually its only dumb teams (NYI and Buffalo) who do things like this .

Not for a prospect that may be too slow to play in the NHL .
- mrpaulish

How can you say as to who or what other teams value? Teams were climbing all over each other trying to sign Justin Schultz. If you feel like you can't compete $wise with a cap floor team, maybe you want to pitch him a guaranteed roster spot and top 6 minutes even though he could make more money elsewhere. We don't think he's that valuable, but the Hawks have a cupboard stocked with similar players. He had a hell of a season too, so that's fresh in GMs' minds.

How can you say as to who or what other teams value? Teams were climbing all over each other trying to sign Justin Schultz. If you feel like you can't compete $wise with a cap floor team, maybe you want to pitch him a guaranteed roster spot and top 6 minutes even though he could make more money elsewhere. We don't think he's that valuable, but the Hawks have a cupboard stocked with similar players. He had a hell of a season too, so that's fresh in GMs' minds.
- Sandus

Agreed, but why would a GM give up an asset when they can just sign him for $. If KHayes is not signing with the Hawks then he intends to go full scale FA , he probably has an idea where he wants to play . Getting his rights for 30 days probably wont sway his decision very much .

Agreed, but why would a GM give up an asset when they can just sign him for $. If KHayes is not signing with the Hawks then he intends to go full scale FA , he probably has an idea where he wants to play . Getting his rights for 30 days probably wont sway his decision very much .
- mrpaulish

I don't think money is the issue here. If you feel like he's a couple years off from a roster spot (like the Hawks do), then you can afford to pay him anything you want. This doesn't feel to me like a money grab, this feels to me like a kid who finally has confidence, is fresh off a dominant college season, who doesn't want to play AHL hockey for the next 1-3 years on an entry level contract. He wants NHL minutes and an NHL payday on his next deal. That's where you end up with an impasse.

I completely disagree with that line of thinking, two completely different scenarios. Campbell still had 5 years at over $35 million left on his "unmovable deal" when the Hawks traded him. Sharp will have 2 years left at just under $12 million after this year and Sharp is still performing well for the Hawks. Sharp will nab them much more then Rusty Olesz.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, don't be surprised if Seabrook is the big named shipped out if he and the Hawks cannot agree to an extension next offseason. He'll have 1 year left on his deal and will probably be seeking a long term deal in the $7 million per year range which will probably be too rich for the Hawks and is probably not the smartest move for the Hawks to make either.
- dan9189

Also, Campbell was occupying 11.1% of the cap, whereas Sharp is currently only occupying 8.5% of the cap (which will likely drop to 7.9% in a year). Thats a huge difference.

Either minor tweaks or fat cutting can easily get us under the cap this offseason. No need to move a top player. In a year, its possible that a top player would need to be moved for cap purposes, although more substantial fat cutting/tweaking could give us the needed space (assuming the Cap increases to $75M).

Regardless of the direction though, Seabrook and Sharp will likely not be resigned after their deals are up (and given their ages when they'll be UFA, some team will likely way overpay for them). The Hawks have set themselves up to be able to withstand their loss with Saad and their D depth. It makes all the sense in the world to deal each player the offseason before their walk year, which would maximize their value to the Hawks (in playing for the Hawks until that point and in getting a pretty decent trade return).

The Hawks are top heavy and over the cap.
Another problem I see for the Hawks is that they have been drafting so late for the past 5 or 6 years, the cupboards are a little thin in high end talent. Looking at how the team is likely to continue drafting late in rounds for the next few years, isn't it important to somehow obtain an earlier 1st round pick, thereby improving the teams long term continued success?
Does it make sense to trade a sharp & leddy for a good player (solid 3C?) and 1st round pick to a lower tier team? Would they have to sweeten the pot to get the first added?

Can Leddy grow as a player or is what we see all he will be? He has some exceptional top end skills but his hockey sense really worries me. He continually makes the same futile puck rushes that result in no goal, no scoring chance and usually a turnover after he shoots on net from a bad angle with no support because he has outskated everyone. In his own end he doesn't seem to understand what his job is and allot of the time he flat footed as the opposition has puck possession.

All that said you hate to get rid of sublime talent and Leddy has that in spades.
- paulr

Yeah that's the main question. I also question his hockey sense. I think it depends on his trade value. I think a team would take a chance on him improving in that area and hopefully give us something decent

Just a thought but I think if the Hawks were going to trade Sharp, it would have already been done. I don't think they got the offers they were looking for at the draft and are ok keeping him for now.

I could see him going at the trade deadline if another team needs a guy who score but again, the offer is going to have to make sense. I believe a team who is the cusp of getting into the playoffs would be willing to make a more fair deal.

I really believe that the Hawks are going 'all in' for the next cup and will need Sharp. I think the move that gets the team under the cap will come from moving a D man.

The Hawks are top heavy and over the cap.
Another problem I see for the Hawks is that they have been drafting so late for the past 5 or 6 years, the cupboards are a little thin in high end talent. Looking at how the team is likely to continue drafting late in rounds for the next few years, isn't it important to somehow obtain an earlier 1st round pick, thereby improving the teams long term continued success?
Does it make sense to trade a sharp & leddy for a good player (solid 3C?) and 1st round pick to a lower tier team? Would they have to sweeten the pot to get the first added?
- dpard

Sharp and a 3rd for a Zach Smith/Matt Martin type, plus a first.