It's nice to see versteeg have his game back

But

Jimmy Hayes now has more goals than toews

I understand he's getting top 6 and power play minutes that he wouldn't have gotten here, but it would have been nice to have that Hayes waiting in the wings to replace a likely bickell dump upcoming when we need to clear cap
- FourFeathers773

Hayes wasn't going to play here ahead of Bickell after he signed his new deal. And before Bickell signed Hayes didn't show me enough to be kept.

Can't blame Bowman this time....

Rundblad has a nice shot when given the time and space to wind up....Everything else is AHL quality otherwise he wouldn't be on his 3rd different franchisee since 2012.
Like I said, think Cam Barker except he was mid 1st round pick.
- Al

Aside from skating, you are aware you just described Leddy in his first 100 games? lol

Aside from skating, you are aware you just described Leddy in his first 100 games? lol
- Elbows15

I don't think they are close to the same. Rundblad would have never have played as many games and as many minutes with the Hawks at the same age as Leddy did. Actually Rundblad didn't play in the NHL nearly as much as Leddy did at the same age.

Hayes wasn't going to play here ahead of Bickell after he signed his new deal. And before Bickell signed Hayes didn't show me enough to be kept.

Can't blame Bowman this time....
- Al

I know, it's just a hindsight 20/20 rant

We always complain about size and you look at the Kings who built their team and held on to guys who are big and can skate with some skill. Of all of our top forward prospects now, who is the biggest? McNeil at 6'1 200lb? I don't think anyone would disagree that before we dealt him, Hayes' skating significantly improved and shortly there after a brief fourth line audition stint, he gets traded. Yet carcillo who is smaller, skates on par, scores less, and takes dumber penalties more often, is on his second trip in the Blackhawk uniform

I get letting the pirris and Olsen's of the world go. Its also more just worrying being saddled by bickells contract because if he doesn't show up again this post season, not only are we not going far, but his contract will become an anchor. The size + skill factor is obviously rare in the NHL, I just think we gave up on him really quickly when he was just showing to make good strides

If you use that logic last season's Stanley Cup Final should been played between 2 Western Conference teams. The Islanders are having a great season considering their stage of development...Actually their point total regardless is a very good performance so far.
- Al

What logic? I'm not the one who compared the point totals of two teams in different conferences. They are having a great season, but the reality is they have benefited from playing in arguably the weakest division in hockey.

What logic? I'm not the one who compared the point totals of two teams in different conferences. They are having a great season, but the reality is they have benefited from playing in arguably the weakest division in hockey.
- CBHawks88

Because the same could be said for last season as the West dominated the East, actually I think that's been the case for the past two seasons.

I only can judge a team on what they have done as everyone has to deal with a similar schedule in that Conference. It really doesn't matter if there are 15 teams better than the Isles in the West as that is a subjective opinion. Right now they are the 2nd best team in East.

If you think they would be last in the Central that's your opinion and it could be so.
But it doesn't take away from the fact they are in 2nd place in the East and have more points than the Hawks.

The Isles have far succeeded expectations...

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

If Sharp wins the Conn Smythe no matter what the Hawks get back in trade for him.will be valuable. Be it #1picks or young on the verge talent. Doesnt have to be 5m per year talent .

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

If he is going to net a good rostered player they either have to be on their rookie contract or we will have to sell off CC in a salary dump.

Now I wouldn't compare the Sharp dump to a Campbell dump because we got nothing for Campbell. I think Sharp can get us an elite prospect and a good pick, maybe more.

I know, it's just a hindsight 20/20 rant

We always complain about size and you look at the Kings who built their team and held on to guys who are big and can skate with some skill. Of all of our top forward prospects now, who is the biggest? McNeil at 6'1 200lb? I don't think anyone would disagree that before we dealt him, Hayes' skating significantly improved and shortly there after a brief fourth line audition stint, he gets traded. Yet carcillo who is smaller, skates on par, scores less, and takes dumber penalties more often, is on his second trip in the Blackhawk uniform

I get letting the pirris and Olsen's of the world go. Its also more just worrying being saddled by bickells contract because if he doesn't show up again this post season, not only are we not going far, but his contract will become an anchor. The size + skill factor is obviously rare in the NHL, I just think we gave up on him really quickly when he was just showing to make good strides
- FourFeathers773

I agree with your thinking from a size point of view. But the Hawks have failed at drafting the correct big players for a long time. All the way back to Kyle Beach and Akim Aliu and before. Bickell took a long time in the AHL before he came around.

If Bickell doesn't step on the gas down the stretch and in the playoffs he will be a candidate to be dealt no doubt....But this time it could be Bowman eating some of the money to make the deal work.

If Sharp wins the Conn Smythe no matter what the Hawks get back in trade for him.will be valuable. Be it #1picks or young on the verge talent. Doesnt have to be 5m per year talent .
- mrpaulish

Agreed but the my point was it won't be for a roster player that will help next year in the same way as Sharp....

If he is going to net a good rostered player they either have to be on their rookie contract or we will have to sell off CC in a salary dump.

Now I wouldn't compare the Sharp dump to a Campbell dump because we got nothing for Campbell. I think Sharp can get us an elite prospect or a top pick and a good pick, maybe more.
- BearsnHawks

Dump Crawford???

Dump Crawford???
- Al

I was explaining that if we get an expensive player for sharp we will have to dump some1 else and I think the most logical guy would be CC. I don't want to trade him nor do I think it will happen. Just trying to relate, to the crazy trade offer people, who don't seem to understand the salary cap and what else it would cost us.

My main arguement from you was comparing the Sharp dump to the Campbell dump.

I was explaining that if we get an expensive player for sharp we will have to dump some1 else and I think the most logical guy would be CC. I don't want to trade him nor do I think it will happen. Just trying to relate, to the crazy trade offer people, who don't seem to understand the salary cap and what else it would cost us.
- BearsnHawks

Jeff Carter.

Get it done, Stan.

I was explaining that if we get an expensive player for sharp we will have to dump some1 else and I think the most logical guy would be CC. I don't want to trade him nor do I think it will happen. Just trying to relate, to the crazy trade offer people, who don't seem to understand the salary cap and what else it would cost us.
- BearsnHawks

If the cap constraints are as bad as some think the last player SB will want to lose is the #1 goal tender. Raanta might be good some day same with Darling but Bowman can't afford to go into next season with a lesser roster and a "maybe" at the most important position.

....And Sharp is the wrong side of 30, has been often hurt and scores almost all of his goals on the power play....By himself he won't fetch an elite prospect.

I might be in the minority but I think Stan pulls off a trade for a third pairing defenseman.

It might McNeill who gets moved along with a draft pick. It's been beaten to death on this site but obviously when the puck drops on the post season there is no way Rundblad or Erixon is on the ice. That leaves Cumiskey whose defensive game looked subpar to me on Sunday. If he dresses for the playoffs when the ice shrinks that could be very problematic.

Stan and company know this and really there are plenty of sellers this year.

It might happen with a half hour to go before the deadline.

If the cap constraints are as bad as some think the last player SB will want to lose is the #1 goal tender. Raanta might be good some day same with Darling but Bowman can't afford to go into next season with a lesser roster and a "maybe" at the most important position.
- Al

I sort of think crawford would go b4 hammer, keith, seabrook, hossa, toews, kane, and saad. Any1 else could be fair game though. Unfortunately, the rest of the roster doesn't have a large salary like his to get rid of.
Plus we have 3 maybes: rantaa, darling, and that Russian kid we got in the Leddy trade (heis tearing it up in Russia)

If he is going to net a good rostered player they either have to be on their rookie contract or we will have to sell off CC in a salary dump.

Now I wouldn't compare the Sharp dump to a Campbell dump because we got nothing for Campbell. I think Sharp can get us an elite prospect or a top pick and a good pick, maybe more.
- BearsnHawks

It's a unique spot and I think people will be underwhelmed with Sharp's return if they move him, not because his value is low, but because of several criteria that need to be met with the trade partner:

-not in division (goodbye wpg, nsh, col, dal, stl, min)
-not a team trying to shed older guys and/or in rebuild mode not looking to empty their prospects( goodbye buf, cgy, edm, njd, sjs, arz)
-a team that needs cap space to absorb sharp without sending much salary the other way (goodbye Bos, nyr, phi, pit, tor, lak, tbl)
- a team that needs/wants a top six winger for win now mode within the next two years

Following along? This basically limits the trade partners to:
Anaheim (highly doubtful)
Carolina
Columbus (strong option, big need with Horton likely done)
Detroit (might want to take a swing at a run with the twilight years of datsyuk and Z, especially since franzen is having major concussion problems)
Montreal
Islanders
Vancouver
Florida
Ottawa
Washington

I might be in the minority but I think Stan pulls off a trade for a third pairing defenseman.

It might McNeill who gets moved along with a draft pick. It's been beaten to death on this site but obviously when the puck drops on the post season there is no way Rundblad or Erixon is on the ice. That leaves Cumiskey whose defensive game looked subpar to me on Sunday. If he dresses for the playoffs when the ice shrinks that could be very problematic.

Stan and company know this and really there are plenty of sellers this year.

It might happen with a half hour to go before the deadline.
- Omahawk

Who would we get and how would they fit under the cap with giving up an icehog and a pick?

I might be in the minority but I think Stan pulls off a trade for a third pairing defenseman.

It might McNeill who gets moved along with a draft pick. It's been beaten to death on this site but obviously when the puck drops on the post season there is no way Rundblad or Erixon is on the ice. That leaves Cumiskey whose defensive game looked subpar to me on Sunday. If he dresses for the playoffs when the ice shrinks that could be very problematic.

Stan and company know this and really there are plenty of sellers this year.

It might happen with a half hour to go before the deadline.
- Omahawk

A 6/7 dman is most likely at the top of the wish list...Whether Bowman can pull off a decent deal with an Ice Hog and a pick remains to be seen.

Who would we get and how would they fit under the cap with giving up an icehog and a pick?
- BearsnHawks

I think there is about 8-900K open....not a lot but enough to get a 6/7 dman.

It's a unique spot and I think people will be underwhelmed with Sharp's return if they move him, not because his value is low, but because of several criteria that need to be met with the trade partner:

-not in division (goodbye wpg, nsh, col, dal, stl, min)
-not a team trying to shed older guys and/or in rebuild mode not looking to empty their prospects( goodbye buf, cgy, edm, njd, sjs, arz)
-a team that needs cap space to absorb sharp without sending much salary the other way (goodbye Bos, nyr, phi, pit, tor, lak, tbl)
- a team that needs/wants a top six winger for win now mode within the next two years

Following along? This basically limits the trade partners to:
Anaheim (highly doubtful)
Carolina
Columbus (strong option, big need with Horton likely done)
Detroit (might want to take a swing at a run with the twilight years of datsyuk and Z, especially since franzen is having major concussion problems)
Montreal
Islanders
Ottawa
Washington
- FourFeathers773

A lot of those teams you mentioned have a top prospect or two that project to top 4 d-men or top 6 forwards.

I sort of think crawford would go b4 hammer, keith, seabrook, hossa, toews, kane, and saad. Any1 else could be fair game though. Unfortunately, the rest of the roster doesn't have a large salary like his to get rid of.
Plus we have 3 maybes: rantaa, darling, and that Russian kid we got in the Leddy trade (heis tearing it up in Russia)
- BearsnHawks

Who?

I sort of think crawford would go b4 hammer, keith, seabrook, hossa, toews, kane, and saad. Any1 else could be fair game though. Unfortunately, the rest of the roster doesn't have a large salary like his to get rid of.
Plus we have 3 maybes: rantaa, darling, and that Russian kid we got in the Leddy trade (heis tearing it up in Russia)
- BearsnHawks

None of the players u mentioned have to go....And none will most likely.

A lot of those teams you mentioned have a top prospect or two that project to top 4 d-men or top 6 forwards.
- BearsnHawks

Everyone knows Bowman's hand is forced. Teams might get into a bidding war for sharp, but they will all be low balling bowman knowing he has to make a move

It's a unique spot and I think people will be underwhelmed with Sharp's return if they move him, not because his value is low, but because of several criteria that need to be met with the trade partner:

-not in division (goodbye wpg, nsh, col, dal, stl, min)
-not a team trying to shed older guys and/or in rebuild mode not looking to empty their prospects( goodbye buf, cgy, edm, njd, sjs, arz)
-a team that needs cap space to absorb sharp without sending much salary the other way (goodbye Bos, nyr, phi, pit, tor, lak, tbl)
- a team that needs/wants a top six winger for win now mode within the next two years

Following along? This basically limits the trade partners to:
Anaheim (highly doubtful)
Carolina
Columbus (strong option, big need with Horton likely done)
Detroit (might want to take a swing at a run with the twilight years of datsyuk and Z, especially since franzen is having major concussion problems)
Montreal
Islanders
Vancouver
Florida
Ottawa
Washington
- FourFeathers773

Good points but u forgot the biggest reason....A $5.9 million cap hit through 2016-17.