If Kane, Toews or a Stamkos were to become UFA's this summer there would be $10.5M and more available to all three of them. Guarantee the Maple Leafs would offer $12M or whatever the maximum is. Buffalo would do the same with Kane. The Rangers and Detroit would also go to the max.

And that's why there is a cap.
- RickJ

1st salary cap era CBA was 20% of the cap. Not sure if that remained the same. Regardless it doesn't make sense for a cup-contending team to have so much tied up in a player or two. This isn't the NBA.

I agree...would luv to see it.

But Q is captain lineblender! ...and I still expect to see Cumiskey at forward at some point.

I mean...what could possibly go wrong?
- ArlingtonRob

surprised it has not already happened

Get Sharp back on the top lines ASAP!!!! We need his value to rise.
- Topshelf2010

I've said before that swapping Sharp and Saad might not only spark the top line, Sharp himself, the 3rd line, guys like Shaw/Bickell, and just the team in general....but it could also help drive up Sharps value, and decrease Saad's in a good way if that makes sense...

Depends on the cap. Who is to say it will jump.....enough for the 'Hawks. Isn't that exactly what forced the Sept-2012 lockout?
- blackhawk24

It'll jump in the next few years. Player salaries will increase and then Wirtz will start crying to Crain he's losing money again. Same vicious circle and they'll probably be some sort of work stoppage again.

These outdoor games will continue as the nhl makes lots of money off those.

Also with espn gaining the world cup odds are they may bid a little bit more aggressively next usa tv deal. I'm sure bettman was ecstatic espn got that and not NBC.

Not sure why we'd be using Chinese currency?
- paulr

Tongue in cheek comment to Canada fixing their currency.

I agree, at this point id rather see Sharp in the top 6. Why not try putting him back with Toews and Hossa? That line was great last season. Keep Versteeg, Richards, and Kane together, try Saad with Shaw and Bickell, and put Nordstrom and Smith back in there with Kruger.
- SimpleJack

A little more food for thought, over the 6 games since Versteeg's return:

Hawks are 2-2-2
Versteeg has 3 goals, 0 assists, -1
Sharp has 0 points, -6

Agree but it is easier said than done ...Torrey won 4 Cups Bowman 2 in a short time with same core. When that happens the GM usually gives more rope.

I'm not saying it is the right thinking...If you recall last summer I wrote that Spezza should be brought in for one year while Sharp and some loose change went elsewhere.
- Al

As far as Spezza is concerned, he's a talent but injury plagued and IMO an underachiever. Ottawa had a deal done with Nashville and he nixed it with his NTC because he wanted to go to Dallas. Now he has a $7M deal. We"ll see how long he stays healthy.

Who knows where they could have parked Sharp but Tallon for sure would have taken him.

Brad Richards was a horrible gross miscalculation but he will be rinsed down the drain in the summer with Johnny O, Rosy, Sharp, Bickell and maybe even Crawford and Q if the team falls well short of expectations and the cap crunch gets really severe.

If Kane, Toews or a Stamkos were to become UFA's this summer there would be $10.5M and more available to all three of them. Guarantee the Maple Leafs would offer $12M or whatever the maximum is. Buffalo would do the same with Kane. The Rangers and Detroit would also go to the max.

And that's why there is a cap.
- RickJ

Yes...you're correct. And then all of those clubs would have cap problems going forward. It's a curse and a blessing having top dollar superstars on your roster, and GM's really earn their cred with how they construct the remainder of the roster.

Not easy...

A little more food for thought, over the 6 games since Versteeg's return:

Hawks are 2-2-2
Versteeg has 3 goals, 0 assists, -1
Sharp has 0 points, -6
- 333inthe3rd

You could probably add half the team to a list of players with 0-1 pts/goals over that same span.

A little more food for thought, over the 6 games since Versteeg's return:

Hawks are 2-2-2
Versteeg has 3 goals, 0 assists, -1
Sharp has 0 points, -6
- 333inthe3rd

You could probably add half the team to a list of players with 0-1 pts/goals over that same span.

We need the Hawks to get better not sir Sharp's value to rise.
- paulr

ya, but will Sharp be part of the Hawks getting better. Recently, he does not seem to be too interested. so I suggest Sharp to help the Hawks get better by playing on the top line.

As far as Spezza is concerned, he's a talent but injury plagued and IMO an underachiever. Ottawa had a deal done with Nashville and he nixed it with his NTC because he wanted to go to Dallas. Now he has a $7M deal. We"ll see how long he stays healthy.

Who knows where they could have parked Sharp but Tallon for sure would have taken him.

Brad Richards was a horrible gross miscalculation but he will be rinsed down the drain in the summer with Johnny O, Rosy, Sharp, Bickell and maybe even Crawford and Q if the team falls well short of expectations and the cap crunch gets really severe.
- RickJ

Would be stunned if CC goes anywhere. He's not the problem.

ya, but will Sharp be part of the Hawks getting better. Recently, he does not seem to be too interested. so I suggest Sharp to help the Hawks get better by playing on the top line.
- Topshelf2010

Not interested? I actually thought Sharp has been one of the more energetic players for the last few weeks.

I'm just lurking...

...taking temperature of the buzz regulars...

...for entertainment purposes only.
- ArlingtonRob

there is an abundance of that...

there is an abundance of that...
- bogiedoc

Well...I did get suck'd in.

Not interested? I actually thought Sharp has been one of the more energetic players for the last few weeks.
- paulr

He has to be on the 4th line. Still thought that line should have a few more goals with him on the line.

Would be stunned if CC goes anywhere. He's not the problem.
- ArlingtonRob

agreed

He has to be on the 4th line. Still thought that line should have a few more goals with him on the line.
- Topshelf2010

I still don't see how Sharp on the 4th does anyone any good.

agreed
- Topshelf2010

hey rob...we need to recognize this moment...someone agreed with you..like WOW

hey rob...we need to recognize this moment...someone agreed with you..like WOW


- bogiedoc

It'll pass...

Would be stunned if CC goes anywhere. He's not the problem.
- ArlingtonRob

Crawford is not the problem at all and he is being paid fair market value.

You could probably add half the team to a list of players with 0-1 pts/goals over that same span.
- SimpleJack

14 goals for the team over the span of 6 games. 19 given up plus extra one given in shootout loss to Detroit.

Kane and the Toews line account for a fair amount of the production over the span. Richards and Bickell are noticeably absent on the scoreboard.

I wonder how well Richards is doing in regards to fitting in here.

John's has said he's not ready, so take that for what it's worth. Pokka is only 20. Dahlbeck has a chance at regular minutes starting next year...IMO
- ArlingtonRob

I think Johns was just mirroring what the higher ups have told him.

I don't think any first or second round pick deep down ever believes he is not ready.

Crawford is not the problem at all and he is being paid fair market value.
- RickJ

This subject has gone 'round and 'round...and will continue to, but the notion that Raanta or Darling could replace CC seems absurd to me.

The fact that the goalie carousel worked in 2010 has led many to believe it's simple and easily repeated.

How quickly people forget the post Belfour years...and Eddie didn't win sh!t as a Hawk. Of course, I'm ignoring the team D issues of that time period for the sake of argument...

...as current CC critics are also ignoring the current team D issues.

CC is the problem. Put any other sub par goalie in front of the 2013 team and you would have gotten the same result. The team made him look good.

Continuous lack of focus and a suspect glove hand gets 6 mil on a contender??? Wonder what a true elite goalie would have fetched from Stan?

The only team that I could see taking his contract would be buffalo in the offseason. We're stuck with 6 mil on the books and no room to shape the roster.