McNeill didn't dress Sunday after taking a puck to the ribs on Saturday night. I'm guessing he'll be on the shelf for at least a couple of weeks.
- EKolb13

Ribs? I could have sworn someone said to his knee or leg...or am I just thinking that I saw that somewhere?

Cumiskey spent the entire weekend in the press box, and if I'm not mistaken, he did not suit up for a game the weekend before last. I haven't heard about an injury, nor do I believe that there was one. I believe that Dent was trying to get the kids in the line-up to play.

I love that Pokka kid. He's got some skills that everyone will love, and he's capable of being responsible in his own end while being able to contribute on the offensive side. However, we're talking abut a kid who's in his first month of Pro North American hockey. The upside is visible, but he still has some growing to do.

My guess is that calling up Dahlbeck would make the most sense. As Wiz posted yesterday, if Q is looking for a physical guy that can lay some big hits, then Johns makes sense.
- EKolb13

Thanks Eli. That is great to hear about Pokka. Definitely no need to rush him. Dahlbeck should be the call up now (if there is one) that Johns was sent back down.

Is Brennan top 4 in Rockford? Remember seeing Ty say he was impressed by Brennan in the games he attended. Would Brennan be a waiver risk they will not take or is he just not playing well enough to be a call up candidate?

Ribs? I could have sworn someone said to his knee or leg...or am I just thinking that I saw that somewhere?
- captainserious

You could be right about that. I haven't read or heard anything. I thought I saw McNeill absorb a snap shot to the ribs. So did the guy sitting in front of me.

Thanks Eli. That is great to hear about Pokka. Definitely no need to rush him. Dahlbeck should be the call up now (if there is one) that Johns was sent back down.

Is Brennan top 4 in Rockford? Remember seeing Ty say he was impressed by Brennan in the games he attended. Would Brennan be a waiver risk they will not take or is he just not playing well enough to be a call up candidate?
- tredbrta

Yes. He's not any better or worse than Cumiskey or Clendening in his own end. He's another puck moving defenseman who cannot play defense.

Pokka has been skating with Brennan on the top PP unit as of late.

Yes. He's not any better or worse than Cumiskey or Clendening in his own end. He's another puck moving defenseman who cannot play defense.

Pokka has been skating with Brennan on the top PP unit as of late.
- EKolb13

That's what separated TVR from the pack. He is/was just better in his own end. Maybe not as offensively gifted as others, but a better Defenseman. (stress on the word Defense)

Plenty of young D-men that are coming up lately jut do not play that well in their own end. Erik Karlsson is a dynamic offensive player, he is improving in his own end but he was bad for the first couple. Seth Jones is still not great in his own end.
Tyler Meyer? Schultz, Gudbranson, etc. All are young defensemen who still struggle in their own end.

Hawks system seems to want more Defensive players that can effectively trigger transition and possession more than carrying the offensive load. Probably why a player like Clendening won't get a serious look, even though they could use him to quarterback a PP.

JJ, can you or anybody else explain why bringing Johns up for a day does something for the cap? Once #57 went on LTIR, I thought his salary figure (or less) was replaceable.
- RickJ

Above my pay grade. I saw some others mention it, and I have heard from a Hawk source in the past that can enter into these moves.

The Rockford shuffle makes sense after reading how LTIR works. With all of the movement they probably opened up 100k in temporary space. What throws me a bit is why you do it with 925k of salary and not 5.9 million. Unless the Hawks at some point do so retroactive to Sharps injury date allowing them to bring up multiple salaries if needed. I guess that is why Stan is a "cap whisperer"
- Cup-Bearer

Sharp is still a day to day designation and not the IR, so it makes sense.

You could be right about that. I haven't read or heard anything. I thought I saw McNeill absorb a snap shot to the ribs. So did the guy sitting in front of me.
- EKolb13

It was Block...

McNEILL INJURED IN ROCKFORD LOSS

Mark McNeill suffered an apparent right knee injury late in the second period of Rockford’s 2-1 loss at Milwaukee on Saturday night. The 21-year old left the game just prior to end of the middle period and did not return. The severity of the injury is not known as of this writing.

McNeill had dropped to the ice to block Viktor Arvidsson’s shot. Arvidsson’s shot appeared to hit McNeill on the inside of the right knee. McNeill was immediately favoring the leg, though he did get up and finish his shift. But he did not return for the third period

Sorry for pasting something here from the third man in....but I really like Block and his stuff...hope this isn't against any hockeybuzz rules..if so just lemme know and I'll erase it

That's what separated TVR from the pack. He is/was just better in his own end. Maybe not as offensively gifted as others, but a better Defenseman. (stress on the word Defense)

- TheTrob

I think a more adequate was of wording it is TvR is light on his edges and able, in many situations, get back stay close to the puck carrier with balance so he gains space and is able to play attackeers close without taking hold / slow down penalties by good body contro; due to he skating balance.

JJ, can you or anybody else explain why bringing Johns up for a day does something for the cap? Once #57 went on LTIR, I thought his salary figure (or less) was replaceable.
- RickJ

I've never tried to paste a link before so I hope this works but this explains it pretty well.

http://espn.go.com/blog/c...-after-creating-cap-space

Reportedly, TVR out 2-3 months

http://espn.go.com/chicag...2Ft.co%2FwMCP26nr51%22%7D

http://m.stltoday.com/new...de.html?mobile_touch=true

Stay safe Ogi.

It was Block...

McNEILL INJURED IN ROCKFORD LOSS

Mark McNeill suffered an apparent right knee injury late in the second period of Rockford’s 2-1 loss at Milwaukee on Saturday night. The 21-year old left the game just prior to end of the middle period and did not return. The severity of the injury is not known as of this writing.

McNeill had dropped to the ice to block Viktor Arvidsson’s shot. Arvidsson’s shot appeared to hit McNeill on the inside of the right knee. McNeill was immediately favoring the leg, though he did get up and finish his shift. But he did not return for the third period

Sorry for pasting something here from the third man in....but I really like Block and his stuff...hope this isn't against any hockeybuzz rules..if so just lemme know and I'll erase it
- captainserious

No problem here. Smart guy, good guy. Friend of this blog, too.

Above my pay grade. I saw some others mention it, and I have heard from a Hawk source in the past that can enter into these moves.
- John Jaeckel

Here is where the Hawks are now
$1,778,830 cap space after Johns was sent down
That includes $925,00 LTIR which if I have my numbers correct the Hawks got within $71,170 of their cap ceiling before relief came.

Reportedly, TVR out 2-3 months

http://espn.go.com/chicag...2Ft.co%2FwMCP26nr51%22%7D
- golfbard

So, time to start speculation.

Looked like the puck hit him above the Knee. No matter how hard the shot its tough to break the Femur. So broken kneecap? Bone bruise? Muscle/tendon/ligament damage?

No problem here. Smart guy, good guy. Friend of this blog, too.
- John Jaeckel

Cool ... thanks.... how bout a 3rdmanin/jaeckel/wiz/cimaglia podcast once in a while? You know, some of us can send some questions and yadda yadda yadda....would be cool to listen to you guys...like hearing you on hockeenight with Fork and the gang too

Hard to turn the TVR injury into a positive, but ill try:

We've already established TVR as a VERY promising future option on D.

Now maybe with him gone for the next few months it will give us an opportunity to develop a 2nd or 3rd option, who knows? Maybe we can develop even greater depth now, and allow someone like Johns or Dahlbeck to gain some experience. TVR will be back with plenty of time to find his form before the playoffs, so while he's gone lets try to make the most of it and see what happens. I've heard a lot of good things about some of our other defensive prospects, more so than i ever heard about TVR before he made his splash. Hopefully someone else steps up and impresses like TVR did, and when he comes back we'll be deeper and stronger on D than we were before he got hurt.

Cool ... thanks.... how bout a 3rdmanin/jaeckel/wiz/cimaglia podcast once in a while? You know, some of us can send some questions and yadda yadda yadda....would be cool to listen to you guys...like hearing you on hockeenight with Fork and the gang too
- captainserious

Actually we tried to hook that up a couple of years ago but only got 3 out of 4. Chris is a busy man. Maybe another time.

Anytime Fork asks me, I'm in. Well, actually, he asked me like a dozen times before I was able to do it.

I've never tried to paste a link before so I hope this works but this explains it pretty well.

http://espn.go.com/blog/c...-after-creating-cap-space
- kissthecup22

Sounds morbid BUT WHY COULDN't the injury have been to Rosival!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually we tried to hook that up a couple of years ago but only got 3 out of 4. Chris is a busy man. Maybe another time.

Anytime Fork asks me, I'm in. Well, actually, he asked me like a dozen times before I was able to do it.
- John Jaeckel

Nice

So, time to start speculation.

Looked like the puck hit him above the Knee. No matter how hard the shot its tough to break the Femur. So broken kneecap? Bone bruise? Muscle/tendon/ligament damage?
- TheTrob

Wonder if it was like Gregory Campbell in the 2013 playoffs where he fractured something? Not necessarily broken but fractured slightly

Would Johns even have traveled to Chicago?I highly doubt it unless there was time for him to practice before 10:45 this morning when he was reassigned.Up for under 18 hours and $4300 extra pay,Johns must be liking procedural moves.
- eagle50

No. He would've been told it was a procedural move, which it was.

JJ, can you or anybody else explain why bringing Johns up for a day does something for the cap? Once #57 went on LTIR, I thought his salary figure (or less) was replaceable.
- RickJ

Above my pay grade. I saw some others mention it, and I have heard from a Hawk source in the past that can enter into these moves.
- John Jaeckel

Here's a short primer:

1) LTIR can be used for players that will miss 10 games AND 24 days;
2) Placement of the player on LTIR does not remove that salary from counting against the cap;
3) Placing a player on LTIR only provides relief if teams payroll begins to exceed the upper limit;
4) The amount of relief earned is limited to amount of overage, less cap space prior to the move

This means the amount of relief provided by LTIR doensn't necessarily equal the injured players salary, but teams will often make procedural moves (like calling Johns up) to ensure they get as close as possible.

Basic Example (purely hypothetical):

If salary cap is $70.0M and Blues have a team salary of $69.0M on the day a player with a $4.0M cap hit is placed on LTIR. The Blues are now eligible to spend up to a new upper limit of $73.0M ($69.0M + $4.0M).

However, if the Blues had recalled a player with a $750K cap hit prior to the LTIR designation, increasing its payroll to $69.75M, it would be eligible to spend to a new upper limit of $73.75M ($69.75M + $4.0M).

If they had recalled 2 players with $500K hits prior to LTIR move, increasing payroll to $70.0M, they'd be eligible to spend to a new upper limit of $74.0M ($70M + $4.0M).

The Blues could then immediately send the two $500K players down and would have the ability to add a cap hit via trade of exactly $5.0M.

Here's a short primer:

1) LTIR can be used for players that will miss 10 games AND 24 days;
2) Placement of the player on LTIR does not remove that salary from counting against the cap;
3) Placing a player on LTIR only provides relief if teams payroll begins to exceed the upper limit;
4) The amount of relief earned is limited to amount of overage, less cap space prior to the move

This means the amount of relief provided by LTIR doensn't necessarily equal the injured players salary, but teams will often make procedural moves (like calling Johns up) to ensure they get as close as possible.

Basic Example (purely hypothetical):

If salary cap is $70.0M and Blues have a team salary of $69.0M on the day a player with a $4.0M cap hit is placed on LTIR. The Blues are now eligible to spend up to a new upper limit of $73.0M ($69.0M + $4.0M).

However, if the Blues had recalled a player with a $750K cap hit prior to the LTIR designation, increasing its payroll to $69.75M, it would be eligible to spend to a new upper limit of $73.75M ($69.75M + $4.0M).

If they had recalled 2 players with $500K hits prior to LTIR move, increasing payroll to $70.0M, they'd be eligible to spend to a new upper limit of $74.0M ($70M + $4.0M).

The Blues could then immediately send the two $500K players down and would have the ability to add a cap hit via trade of exactly $5.0M.
- Holes02

I think I've gone cross eyed again. HAHA. Thx

Dont worry guys, he'll be back soon