I agree........he wasn't. Nobody is going to give the hawks a free pass just because they are up against the cap. It won't happen. Throw in Bowman arrogantly stating that offer sheets didn't bother him, and you get that slapped in your face.

I'm telling you now..........I won't be surprised if a team throws a high dollar offer sheet at Saad that they can live with, but in hopes it leads to Kruger becoming available. The longer those 2 go without being resigned........the more sharks will be circling the Hawks boat.

Bowman has done this to himself.........curious to see how he digs himself out of it.
- SteveRain

What? Have a contending team? Who has he signed that can be considered a bad contract? Did you forget the nightmare that organization was not too long ago?

Bickell is the only one that can be argued and even that is a stretch, imo. Look at the other 2 that were considered in the same position as Bickell. Clarkson and Clowe. Both were signed for more and longer term. One guy has been traded for a player who will never play again. The other, himself, may never play again..

Crawford? I guess you can say the term if you look at it in a vacuum. At the time he was signed the Hawks system was bereft of goalie prospects. It also was a guy who has been in the organization for years.

Lastly. Many seem to forget that even now the cap is still below pre-lockout level and may finally get back to that level after this season.

What? Have a contending team? Who has he signed that can be considered a bad contract? Did you forget the nightmare that organization was not too long ago?

Bickell is the only one that can be argued and even that is a stretch, imo. Look at the other 2 that were considered in the same position as Bickell. Clarkson and Clowe. Both were signed for more and longer term. One guy has been traded for a player who will never play again. The other, himself, may never play again..

Crawford? I guess you can say the term if you look at it in a vacuum. At the time he was signed the Hawks system was bereft of goalie prospects. It also was a guy who has been in the organization for years.

Lastly. Many seem to forget that even now the cap is still below pre-lockout level and may finally get back to that level after this season.
- Elbows15

Agreed, plus it's not like Saad or Kruger are going to be negotiating for a new deal now in the midst of a Cup Run. I suspect bothe will be taken care of promptly at season's end...about 2.5 weeks from now , and neither will actually reach the open market.

Q certainly has had an impact on Kane, but I would argue that Kane's enhanced focus on being a great all-around player comes more from Johnny T and his work ethic/leadership ability rubbing off on everyone around him.
- EnzoD

Bullpoop. It comes from Kane himself. This notion that Kane needs to be led is utter crap. You don't get his puck skills by just rolling out of bed and hopping on the rink. He worked at it and over time realized that to be considered a truly great player you have to be more than one dimensional. If anyone had an influence on Kane, its watching Hossa play every night.

Learning how to become a good defensive play take times. The simple fact is Kane has just plain grown up.

Where I think Toews had some influence on Kane is more along the lines of off ice behavior. And even that, in the end, has to come from within.

Here we go with the enforcer crap. You seriously believe this garbage? So if Carcillo had been playing every game this series it would be over already I suppose?
- patorioto

2words ... Al Secord if they are not remotely like him, than a waste of a spot. I honestly thought Carcillo would have given a better show with at least 8-10 goals,WRONG!!!!

I dont disagree that Q has instilled a defense first/transition off of defense mentality throught the team. Beyond our to 4 D, there is a reason the Hawks have been one of the best teams at keeping the puck out of their net. However, I dont EVER recall Patrick Kane getting benched by Q for boneheaded turnovers or a lack of defensive intensity. In fact, over the years I have griped about Q allowing a longer leash for Kaner after some blatant turnovers and lack of defensive awareness/intensity.

Regardless, Kaner is a much more disciplined player and backchecks more than ever before(though the Game 5 OT goal could've used a bit more effot on the backcheck from 88)
- EnzoD

He had his ass stapled to the bench in the Wings' game this season.

Although not here anymore, you have to put Leddy in that group as well.
- savvyone-1

And Barker. Before he fell off the cliff. People also seem to forget that Barker played pretty well for a half a season and then I think his personal demons got the better of him.

Agreed, plus it's not like Saad or Kruger are going to be negotiating for a new deal now in the midst of a Cup Run. I suspect bothe will be taken care of promptly at season's end...about 2.5 weeks from now , and neither will actually reach the open market.
- Ogilthorpe2

Well yeah. I am wondering why everyone is doing line-ups for next season. I thought I slept through Game 7.

Teams can put an offer sheet in font of a player. Still has to be signed. Smart agents will use it in negotiations but would advise their client not to sign one. Its bad business.

Well yeah. I am wondering why everyone is doing line-ups for next season. I thought I slept through Game 7.

Teams can put an offer sheet in font of a player. Still has to be signed. Smart agents will use it in negotiations but would advise their client not to sign one. Its bad business.
- Elbows15

clap clap clap clap

Well yeah. I am wondering why everyone is doing line-ups for next season. I thought I slept through Game 7.

Teams can put an offer sheet in font of a player. Still has to be signed. Smart agents will use it in negotiations but would advise their client not to sign one. Its bad business.
- Elbows15

+ on the bolded.

Geez people, let's actually see the season finish out before we do this!
Like everyone, I'm anxiously awaiting G7 and expecting a great finish for our boys.
Pretty sure they are all determined to NOT let 2014 happen again.

watch the replay again and tell me he couldnt have tied up Belesky. watch the replay. he coasts through the neutral zone and picks up nobody. past is the past but dont let him off the hook just bc he is a star player
- EnzoD

Kane was like 15 ft behind Kesler and Belesky when the puck got turned over and he still almost caught Belesky even though he had to go cross ice to do it. Kane had been on the ice for over 40 seconds at that point and was the only one on his line to not be able to get off (defenders didn't either). He did let up at the end but that was probably super tired. Blaming Kane for not catching a guy after being on the ice for that long and as far away as he was is silly. All of that sequence was on Bickell.

Kane hasn't been quite his usual showtime self this series, especially earlier in the series, but that particular play is hard to pin on him imo.

Isn't the reason to "hoard" all these assets is so you can use them to make deals to get different assets too? What would worry me is if the cupboards were bare, but I think there is enough players in the minors and coming up to be able to use 1 or 2 to trade for other pieces.
- powerenforcer

I mean, yes and no.

You hoard assets for future use within the organization or to parlay them as option to improve the team.

The case with bickell here, if he gets moved, it will be parlaying an asset just to dump cap space, because I think we need to add for someone just to take him. I would be shocked if they return anything of significance for bickell. It will either be a bad contract swap of some sort or a pure dump.

No matter how you slice it, I dont see Bickell + an asset yields a positive turn that improves the team. It just allows the hawks to get under the cap to offset some of the T+K raises, but it by no means would be improving the team

ESPN Chicago ‏@ESPNChiHawks 2h2 hours ago
Ducks' Frederik Andersen: It’s not about them. We know when we play our best we can beat them, and we showed that throughout this series.

This team is full of clowns. I hope they come out underestimating Chicago.

And did someone ask what happens when Chicago plays their best too? Are they still the better team? Last time I checked, the series is 3-3, but apparently its only because 3 games Anaheim was playing to its best and 3 games they werent, regardless of how Chicago was playing

The Chicago roster collection of hardware suggests Chicago's best > Anaheims best

I mean, yes and no.

You hoard assets for future use within the organization or to parlay them as option to improve the team.

The case with bickell here, if he gets moved, it will be parlaying an asset just to dump cap space, because I think we need to add for someone just to take him. I would be shocked if they return anything of significance for bickell. It will either be a bad contract swap of some sort or a pure dump.

No matter how you slice it, I dont see Bickell + an asset yields a positive turn that improves the team. It just allows the hawks to get under the cap to offset some of the T+K raises, but it by no means would be improving the team
- FourFeathers773

They're not going to need to add anything to get rid of Bickell. They may not get anything back for him, but $4m for 2 more years isn't a huge deal, especially to some team that think he might have a big playoffs again. His bad showing so far these playoffs hurts his value in terms of what they could get back, but the fact that he's still hitting and playing in the top 6 is going to have some GMs overvalue what he bring to the table. They've traded either worse players (Bollig, Scott) or contracts (Campbell) before without needing to send an asset to make it happen.

ESPN Chicago ‏@ESPNChiHawks 2h2 hours ago
Ducks' Frederik Andersen: It’s not about them. We know when we play our best we can beat them, and we showed that throughout this series.

This team is full of clowns. I hope they come out underestimating Chicago.

And did someone ask what happens when Chicago plays their best too? Are they still the better team? Last time I checked, the series is 3-3, but apparently its only because 3 games Anaheim was playing to its best and 3 games they werent, regardless of how Chicago was playing

The Chicago roster collection of hardware suggests Chicago's best > Anaheims best
- FourFeathers773

the whole (frank)ing Anaheim team has been running their mouths this whole series. I thought it was incredibly ignorant when kesler was saying that 'no human can take that punishment' or whatever the hell he said. Just pompous, ignorant, and arrogant.

ESPN Chicago ‏@ESPNChiHawks 2h2 hours ago
Ducks' Frederik Andersen: It’s not about them. We know when we play our best we can beat them, and we showed that throughout this series.

This team is full of clowns. I hope they come out underestimating Chicago.

And did someone ask what happens when Chicago plays their best too? Are they still the better team? Last time I checked, the series is 3-3, but apparently its only because 3 games Anaheim was playing to its best and 3 games they werent, regardless of how Chicago was playing

The Chicago roster collection of hardware suggests Chicago's best > Anaheims best
- FourFeathers773

Ngl, I don't know why that answer makes Andersen a clown. Are their players supposed to say "oh no, we're obviously worse than them and the Hawks will win"? Players should have confidence that they can win, so knocking them for that seems very weird. Kesler is definitely a clown for his comments on hitting for sure and absolutely no one here will contest that, but I can't fault a player like Andersen for having faith in his team's abilities.

Ngl, I don't know why that answer makes Andersen a clown. Are their players supposed to say "oh no, we're obviously worse than them and the Hawks will win"? Players should have confidence that they can win, so knocking them for that seems very weird. Kesler is definitely a clown for his comments on hitting for sure and absolutely no one here will contest that, but I can't fault a player like Andersen for having faith in his team's abilities.
- L_B_R

It's one thing to have confidence, and another to have arrogance. That team reeks of arrogance and I have a feeling the hawk smell that arrogance. Hawks gotta keep their cool, stay calm, stay true to their systems, and the game is theirs for the taking.

It's one thing to have confidence, and another to have arrogance. That team reeks of arrogance and I have a feeling the hawk smell that arrogance. Hawks gotta keep their cool, stay calm, stay true to their systems, and the game is theirs for the taking.
- benjichronic

Exactly. Andersen is basically saying if we raise our game there is nothing Chicago can do about it. As if Chicago cant raise their game as well.

Exactly. Andersen is basically saying if we raise our game there is nothing Chicago can do about it. As if Chicago cant raise their game as well.
- FourFeathers773

what is he suppose to say? "Its a miracle we have gotten this far?"

New blogs up

It's one thing to have confidence, and another to have arrogance. That team reeks of arrogance and I have a feeling the hawk smell that arrogance. Hawks gotta keep their cool, stay calm, stay true to their systems, and the game is theirs for the taking.
- benjichronic

I don't think what Andersen said was arrogance. He's been very "we think we can win if we play out best game" this whole time. That's faith in his team. Kesler has been cocky and frankly just stupid with his comments, but Andersen has been fine. Honestly, most of their players have been - Kesler is the only one saying they'll wearing the Hawks down, it's only a matter of time, etc.

what is he suppose to say? "Its a miracle we have gotten this far?"
- Elbows15

Or not something like " it doesn't matter what they do "

They're not going to need to add anything to get rid of Bickell. They may not get anything back for him, but $4m for 2 more years isn't a huge deal, especially to some team that think he might have a big playoffs again. His bad showing so far these playoffs hurts his value in terms of what they could get back, but the fact that he's still hitting and playing in the top 6 is going to have some GMs overvalue what he bring to the table. They've traded either worse players (Bollig, Scott) or contracts (Campbell) before without needing to send an asset to make it happen.
- L_B_R

Bollog and Scott had far smaller cap hits than Bickell - easy to take a chance when the hit is only $1.25MM or less.

Campbell - Hawks had to take back a useless contract (the much-lamented Rusty, IIRC) cutting the cap hit (and cap relief, I think) in half - and Campbell was a more productive player than Bickell.

I'm not so sure about being able to get even full cap relief from unloading Bickell.

What? Have a contending team? Who has he signed that can be considered a bad contract? Did you forget the nightmare that organization was not too long ago?

Bickell is the only one that can be argued and even that is a stretch, imo. Look at the other 2 that were considered in the same position as Bickell. Clarkson and Clowe. Both were signed for more and longer term. One guy has been traded for a player who will never play again. The other, himself, may never play again..

Crawford? I guess you can say the term if you look at it in a vacuum. At the time he was signed the Hawks system was bereft of goalie prospects. It also was a guy who has been in the organization for years.

Lastly. Many seem to forget that even now the cap is still below pre-lockout level and may finally get back to that level after this season.
- Elbows15

Could not agree more...or more strongly. Well said...

Or not something like " it doesn't matter what they do "
- FourFeathers773

Really? I think you're reaching. What do you think the Hawks' players mean when they say we worry about how wea are playing. Any successful team BELIEVES that if they play up to their capacity, they will emerge victorious.

At this level and at this point in the season it comes down to who can execute their game plan. Its that simple. Belief goes a long way to doing just that.

ESPN Chicago ‏@ESPNChiHawks 2h2 hours ago
Ducks' Frederik Andersen: It’s not about them. We know when we play our best we can beat them, and we showed that throughout this series.

This team is full of clowns. I hope they come out underestimating Chicago.

And did someone ask what happens when Chicago plays their best too? Are they still the better team? Last time I checked, the series is 3-3, but apparently its only because 3 games Anaheim was playing to its best and 3 games they werent, regardless of how Chicago was playing

The Chicago roster collection of hardware suggests Chicago's best > Anaheims best
- FourFeathers773

I don't see how Andersen's comment makes him a "clown". How was anything he said inappropriate, cocky, or "out of line"?

"When we play our best we can beat them." This has you upset?

It's a line I would expect any player on any club in any game 7 to say. It' s not insulting...and expresses confidence.