But you knew this didn't you? If you didn't I can only ask if you have been hiding under a rock. 29 GMs bully Bowman because they are all friends with Tallon and are more interested in "sticking it" to Bowman rather than ensuring they make the best deal for their own team. What is more interesting is while they do this Hawk ownewrship sits back and allows this to happen because they relish seeing their GM fail.
- paulr

No question the GM fraternity was irked when McD's boy was put in place after the qualifier debacle which was his doing. The other thing we here is how Bowman tries to win every trade. Dale was more about fair value in a deal. The other concern has to be that Stan is always waiting waiting waiting and filling in instead of making progressive moves to help his club.

And while that's helped in some cases it's clear that the time to move Sharp was last offseason and retool the defense, but Stan kept everyone together. The only move being the Leddy salary dump for Richards. While Richards has certainly done a better job helping Kane score, the defense has to be a concern here going down the stretch.
- DK002

I know, a powerful businessman in Wirtz and a savvy marketing guy in McDonough are also in on this debacle as they watch their incompetant GM fake his way in his job. I wish Wirtz and McDonough would wake up and see what a farce Bowman is. But wait! Wirtz and McDonough are in on this and are trying to make Bowman fail as they both feel Tallon was unjustly treated.

McNeill is 6'2 - 220 pounds. Stephen Johns is 6'3 - 230 pounds. And in the wings are John Hayden at 6'3 220 and Michael Paliotta at 6'3 210. Bigger and better are coming in the next couple of years.
- dahawks8819

If that's what is listed in the game night program don't believe it. Those lineups are notorious for tweaking the real numbers.

I think the Hawks stay pat up front for the playoffs. TVR is skating should be back mid March. Baring injuries

Toews Hossa Saad
Richards Kane Versteeg
Shaw Bicks Sharp
Kruger Smith Hartman or other Hog

Seabs Keith
Hammer Oduya
TVR/ Rossie/ Cuminskey

Maybe a 5th D Man is acquired but unless Sharp is an issue in the Room he stays.
As for his off season value Al is likely correct
A salary dump

But there may be an opportunity at the draft to package a deal with Sharp.
Most likely teams interested in Sharp at the deadline. Montreal and Florida ...maybe the NY Isles

I know, a powerful businessman in Wirtz and a savvy marketing guy in McDonough are also in on this debacle as they watch their incompetant GM fake his way in his job. I wish Wirtz and McDonough would wake up and see what a farce Bowman is. But wait! Wirtz and McDonough are in on this and are trying to make Bowman fail as they both feel Tallon was unjustly treated.
- paulr

I wish they would too Paul, but sadly neither Wirtz or McD are hockey guys...

I doubt they feel Dale was poorly treated he was paid handsomely to play golf for a while. But I would have still loved to have seen how Dale would have handled the cap crunch after the Cup run. We've seen what Stan got back...meanwhile would Dale have forgotten about the bonuses owed T/K after winning? But that ship has sailed.

While Bowman at times has done a nice job of filling in around core players, I would love to see him make progressive moves and make this his club. If the Hawks fail to reach a Cup this year the blame should lie on the front office who knew what deficiencies this team had going into the offseason last spring and did next to nothing.

Should they win Stan deserves credit no question. Time will tell.

I wish they would too Paul, but sadly neither Wirtz or McD are hockey guys...

I doubt they feel Dale was poorly treated he was paid handsomely to play golf for a while. But I would have still loved to have seen how Dale would have handled the cap crunch after the Cup run. We've seen what Stan got back...meanwhile would Dale have forgotten about the bonuses owed T/K after winning? But that ship has sailed.

While Bowman at times has done a nice job of filling in around core players, I would love to see him make progressive moves and make this his club. If the Hawks fail to reach a Cup this year the blame should lie on the front office who knew what deficiencies this team had going into the offseason last spring and did next to nothing.

Should they win Stan deserves credit no question. Time will tell.
- DK002

I doubt Dale would have forgotten those bonuses because he would have had the finances computerized and would have told the same financial people to ensure he had a comprehensive analysis of the Hawk's payroll. Bowman obviously tried to maintain of the Hawks finances in a small journal with scribbles in the margins that he was unable to decipher. So those bonues were obviously overlooked. Why would Wirtz and McDonough interfere with the hockey side of things? Stuff like that drives me crazy! #firebowmannow

If that's what is listed in the game night program don't believe it. Those lineups are notorious for tweaking the real numbers.
- 6628

Just the Hawks programs, or all the teams.................................

March 3rd ! Praying for March 3rd !


It was pretty apparent via twitter that the Blackhawks had scouts all over the place last night . Even if its not much Im pretty sure Bowman is trying to upgrade the defense somehow.

Well see
- mrpaulish

We'll see what Mr P? The only thing Bowman is trying to do is win a trade. If something gets upgraded in the process it will be a happy accident.

#stansarrogant

We'll see what Mr P? The only thing Bowman is trying to do is win a trade. If something gets upgraded in the process it will be a happy accident.

#stansarrogant
- HawkintheD

Why do the Hawks try to run a team with a sub par GM who has no clue and who forgets expeditures and payroll adjustments. What a joke of an organization!

#blackhawksareajoke

Kinda like Colorado last year.
- Ogilthorpe2

Nashville can actually play defense and they aren't getting murdered in shot differential... not really comparable except for the surprise factor.

McNeill is 6'2 - 220 pounds. Stephen Johns is 6'3 - 230 pounds. And in the wings are John Hayden at 6'3 220 and Michael Paliotta at 6'3 210. Bigger and better are coming in the next couple of years.
- dahawks8819

Just because those guys have size doesn't mean they have the brains or other skills to play in the NHL.

Just the Hawks programs, or all the teams.................................
- vabeachbear

Every stinkin one of em that I've ever seen.

Nashville can actually play defense and they aren't getting murdered in shot differential... not really comparable except for the surprise factor.
- fattybeef

Last year I wasn't remotely concerned with Colorado because the smoke and mirrors and the stand on his head goaltending weren't going to hold out. Nashville is a concern this year. Their only areas of realative weakness are in top end offense and playoff experience.

I think the Hawks stay pat up front for the playoffs. TVR is skating should be back mid March. Baring injuries

Toews Hossa Saad
Richards Kane Versteeg
Shaw Bicks Sharp
Kruger Smith Hartman or other Hog

Seabs Keith
Hammer Oduya
TVR/ Rossie/ Cuminskey

Maybe a 5th D Man is acquired but unless Sharp is an issue in the Room he stays.
As for his off season value Al is likely correct
A salary dump

But there may be an opportunity at the draft to package a deal with Sharp.
Most likely teams interested in Sharp at the deadline. Montreal and Florida ...maybe the NY Isles
- Colbyboy

Isles could be legit partner now with Okposo out for another few weeks

Every stinkin one of em that I've ever seen.
- 6628

Every sport does this. Basketball adds a couple inches to every player because their "shoes" add height.... Football adds 15 lbs to everyone because shoulder-pads must be made of lead..... Doesn't surprise me hockey adds height and weight too. Their skates do actually make them taller (more so then basketball shoes) and they do have shoulder-pads too....

that would be unrealistic to say the least.

Campbell was a pure salary dump. As far as Leddy goes, I am not sure what people expected for a 6th D who didn't progress far enough to not be benched in the playoffs. People can point to his age all they want but the fact remains he had almost 300 games of NHL experience and should have progressed far enough to be able to play minimal minutes in big games. Well, we saw what happened when he had to play. It wasn't pretty.

For all the praise he gets his pace has fallen since the middle of December and he is on the 1st pair for the worse defensiive team in the league.
- Elbows15

You do realize that the Islanders have allowed:

***All at evens because that's what matters here***
-Fewer scoring chances against than the Blackhawks
-Chicago allows one less corsi attempt per60 minutes at evens (52 vs 53)
-The Islanders are better than two attemps per 60 minutes in terms of Fenwick against (37 vs 39)
-The islanders allow 27 SOG \ 60 while the Hawks allow 33 \ 60

The Hawks have a much better PK (first in the league vs real bad) and have gotten tremendous goal tending (Crawfords save % is .12 better ANNNND the backups have preformed admirably)

In terms of shot suppression at evens, the Islanders are doing a better job than the Hawks at keeping the puck away from their goal, it just happens to go in more times because their PK sucks and their Goalie isn't as good.

I wish they would too Paul, but sadly neither Wirtz or McD are hockey guys...

I doubt they feel Dale was poorly treated he was paid handsomely to play golf for a while. But I would have still loved to have seen how Dale would have handled the cap crunch after the Cup run. We've seen what Stan got back...meanwhile would Dale have forgotten about the bonuses owed T/K after winning? But that ship has sailed.

While Bowman at times has done a nice job of filling in around core players, I would love to see him make progressive moves and make this his club. If the Hawks fail to reach a Cup this year the blame should lie on the front office who knew what deficiencies this team had going into the offseason last spring and did next to nothing.

Should they win Stan deserves credit no question. Time will tell.
- DK002

This is the old Detroit/Scotty Bowman MO - core + add aging vets + homegrown draft picks. Stan is emulating, so why is everyone angry and surprised....

One more time....
If Sharp is traded it won't be for an as valuable roster player because the salary can't be absorbed.

Even if Sharp wins the Conn Smythe....It's a math problem and Bowman won't deal a $5 mill salary and take back close to as much.
- Al

This isn't a difficult concept people...

#salarydump

Last year I wasn't remotely concerned with Colorado because the smoke and mirrors and the stand on his head goaltending weren't going to hold out. Nashville is a concern this year. Their only areas of realative weakness are in top end offense and playoff experience.
- paulr

Kinda like the Blues the last couple of years...

This is the old Detroit/Scotty Bowman MO - core + add aging vets + homegrown draft picks. Stan is emulating, so why is everyone angry and surprised....
- Sundevil

If I answered that honestly I would get banned.

Isles could be legit partner now with Okposo out for another few weeks
- nickmo2699

Reinhart, Dal Colle, and Pullock are all guys I would want and in that order(wouldn't be against Ho-Sang either). They also have this kid Mayfield who is a tough, stay at home, defensemen who I think would be a good 6/7 defensemen, we could use, right now, and is cheap. Collberg is a guy that is dropping, after so far a sub-par season, in Sweden, but could project as a top 6 forward too (that I wouldn't mind getting as an added piece). Trade Sharp, Rundblad/Erixon and some hogs/picks/Shaw to get Reinhart, Mayfield, and Collberg??

This trade gives us a top 4 d-man in Reinhart, a 6/7 d-man in Mayfield, and it wouldn't be a trade Bowman would do unless you get a Sweedish guy in the deal (that has top 6 upside).

Kinda like the Blues the last couple of years...
- Ogilthorpe2

A bit like the blues but with better goaltending. I think the Hawks may not be the best in every single category but overall they are the team to beat.

You do realize that the Islanders have allowed:

***All at evens because that's what matters here***
-Fewer scoring chances against than the Blackhawks
-Chicago allows one less corsi attempt per60 minutes at evens (52 vs 53)
-The Islanders are better than two attemps per 60 minutes in terms of Fenwick against (37 vs 39)
-The islanders allow 27 SOG \ 60 while the Hawks allow 33 \ 60

The Hawks have a much better PK (first in the league vs real bad) and have gotten tremendous goal tending (Crawfords save % is .12 better ANNNND the backups have preformed admirably)

In terms of shot suppression at evens, the Islanders are doing a better job than the Hawks at keeping the puck away from their goal, it just happens to go in more times because their PK sucks and their Goalie isn't as good.
- fattybeef

You do realize that the Hawks play in a much tougher conference, and especially division...right?

double post

If I answered that honestly I would get banned.
- Ogilthorpe2

Honesty is a bannable offense afterall.