Hardly and opinion there mostly logical assessment ...Likely wouldn't have finished with same record and there was cap space for Vermette if Smith was traded for picks/prospects...which wouldn't have been an issue.

No one knows anything absolutely but to say Kane's injury was the biggest factor in winning the Cup is silly....Can't know if Kane would have had more of an impact if not coming off an injury also don't know if they fare better or worse with other matchups.

Luck is always involved but almost always the best team wins the Cup.

All I know for sure is this was one of the most impressive Cup runs ever....
- Al

100% agreed.

2010 they were loaded but tons of pressure to win with lurking roster tear down.
2013 they were an all time beast that just had to continue that into the playoffs.
This year? They were so jeckyl/hyde that I truthfully enjoyed this win much more over the 2. I didnt' expect them to win. Just proves how damn good this core group of stars are, and everyone willing to buy into lesser roles for the better of the team. Bowman's least heralded trade, Desjardin, was probably his biggest in regards to impact on team.

- Sandus

You are the one that EK should be banning as all you do is instigate with your comments. You are listed as a Blackhawk follower from Philly area which I highly doubt that you are anything but a Philly fan

Go away or at least stop trying to get a EK to ban anyone you don't agree with
- Maggie

Tredbrta insulted me. I moved from Chicago and now reside in Philthy because of work. Am I not allowed to continue following the team I love?

Tredbrta insulted me. I moved from Chicago and now reside in Philthy because of work. Am I not allowed to continue following the team I love?
- nurk

2 days ago your avatar had Philadelphia Flyers under it.

Right now, both Oduya/Kruger, are doing the team a favor and patiently waiting.
- SteveRain

They are doing themselves a favor just as much as the team. They want to remain on this team just as much--or almost--as the team and fans want them. It's a mutual agreement. and, hopefully, the wait will soon end--to the satisfaction of everyone involved.

Bowman's least heralded trade, Desjardin, was probably his biggest in regards to impact on team.
- SteveRain

Except when he took that penalty at the end of game 6 in the SCF! Admit it, we all were screaming at him! Then when he got out, he hit the post on the empty net!!!

But I agree, he added a nice element to that 4th line!

They, stories, are most certainly planted as spin control. When part of these internal conversations get leaked, teams, agents go into spin control. Not all the information is out there, so what is, is immediately shot down when that discussed rumor/trade doesn't happen. Why? Nobody wants to be looked as have "failed".

How many times did Sharp's agent keep coming out of the wood work last summer to shot down rumors his name was being floated around, most notably by Kryperos. A ton. Agent went so far as to claim ON RECORD he spoke to Stan, and basically put the onus on Hawks to live up to "their word".

in the days of Tallon this organization was more transparent about said UFA handlings, or trades. Recall the whole Marty Havlat UFA debacle and Havlat going a-wall on twitter, and Tallon stating they offered him a deal and he refused. No way that goes down under the Bowman/McDonough regime TODAY. That's the McDonough way, control the information/narrative, that is out there. It's not a wrong way or right way. It's the Hawks way.

So again.........I think John gets MORE right then most, but I don't believe anyone has ALL the shape/color/size of any deal correct. If so, I'm pretty sure the hawks could and would, narrow down the leaks and remove them ASAP. Hell, the beat guys don't even seem to be all getting the same information, and I bet they are all using the same "sources"................
- SteveRain

If you are going to report what you hear-being right doesn't factor into whether you write a rumor for many.... They hope they are right but they still report what they hear. I filter by whom I trust and who has been on the right trail before...my list is very short but that isn't my job.

One of my biggest gets on a rumor I couldn't write until morning and it was published by the team at like 12-1:00 AM....They were afraid the story would get out and embarrass someone so they told it in the wee hours instead of waiting....And no one had any inkling prior...at least none was written or talked about.

Agents are a big reason why stories get out...They can make a call and do it to big name national guys who repeats what they hear...Naturally an agent only spills if it is not to the detriment of his client.

Havlat situation was an interesting one as his agent was led to believe he was coming back....I know that for a fact by who I spoke to....But Tallon's hands weren't on the steering wheel and Scotty and crew made the right choice in Hossa.

Phaneuf was traded from Calgary to Toronto and not one whisper came out ahead of time....Traded into Toronto with as much media coverage as is here for the Bears and every other sport combined.

Info is locked down now more so, not close to being the same as when I started writing in 2006 and even then no one got every piece of a trade. It was more a case of connecting the dots then too..

Sharp's agent for the 1st time ever said he was confident his client would be dealt...I would go with that for now.

John has different info than other guys...Hedger tweeted Sharp wouldn't derail a deal to Florida and he also said the Hawks haven't spoken in 2 or 3 weeks to Tallon.
That's what he is hearing but he also heard Sharp would be dealt last week..

So Brian isn't making stuff up and same with John but different stories are out there for sure.

Tredbrta insulted me. I moved from Chicago and now reside in Philthy because of work. Am I not allowed to continue following the team I love?
- nurk

Your favorite team was the Flyers before you starting trafficking the Hawks blog and causing a ruckus....just sayin...

2 days ago your avatar had Philadelphia Flyers under it.
- JRoenick97

True Grit's avi says Chicago Blackhawks under it. Do you honestly believe he's a Hawk fan?

[quote=walleyeb1]

That's what I heard two days ago.

True Grit's avi says Chicago Blackhawks under it. Do you honestly believe he's a Hawk fan?
- HawkintheD

A little different than swapping logos and claiming love for a team in 1 day.

They, stories, are most certainly planted as spin control. When part of these internal conversations get leaked, teams, agents go into spin control. Not all the information is out there, so what is, is immediately shot down when that discussed rumor/trade doesn't happen. Why? Nobody wants to be looked as have "failed".

How many times did Sharp's agent keep coming out of the wood work last summer to shot down rumors his name was being floated around, most notably by Kryperos. A ton. Agent went so far as to claim ON RECORD he spoke to Stan, and basically put the onus on Hawks to live up to "their word".

in the days of Tallon this organization was more transparent about said UFA handlings, or trades. Recall the whole Marty Havlat UFA debacle and Havlat going a-wall on twitter, and Tallon stating they offered him a deal and he refused. No way that goes down under the Bowman/McDonough regime TODAY. That's the McDonough way, control the information/narrative, that is out there. It's not a wrong way or right way. It's the Hawks way.

So again.........I think John gets MORE right then most, but I don't believe anyone has ALL the shape/color/size of any deal correct. If so, I'm pretty sure the hawks could and would, narrow down the leaks and remove them ASAP. Hell, the beat guys don't even seem to be all getting the same information, and I bet they are all using the same "sources"................
- SteveRain

DING DING DING DING

2 days ago your avatar had Philadelphia Flyers under it.
- JRoenick97

I believe that was a glitch that can be attibuted to Y2K

We've got AvatarGate going guys. What does our avatar mean to you?

Where is the troll diagram when you need it.

Where is the troll diagram when you need it.
- DestinBlackhawk

I notice that your username doesnt have any spaces in it....does that mean you need space? You are also from Florida, I doubt you are actually a Hawks fan like the rest of us.

The 10% overage does not include the bonus cushion. When calculating, you would calculate the same as you would the actual cap number, excluding all bonuses at the beginning of the season.
- Sandus

Thanks, Sandus! So really if the Hawks move even just Versteeg, they have $7M to work with = Oduya at $4M and Kruger at $2.5M.

Versteeg, at his price for one more year, may be a nice depth player… Wish Stanbo would do this.

I notice that your username doesnt have any spaces in it....does that mean you need space? You are also from Florida, I doubt you are actually a Hawks fan like the rest of us.
- nurk

Nurk, thoughts on the JVR for Luke Schenn trade?

A little different than swapping logos and claiming love for a team in 1 day.
- JRoenick97

Sure. I suppose it's different to claim your a fan of one team but profess love for 29 others.

TVR in the fold for 2 more years
http://www.chicagotribune...nsion-20150707-story.html

Too quiet!

I notice that your username doesnt have any spaces in it....does that mean you need space? You are also from Florida, I doubt you are actually a Hawks fan like the rest of us.
- nurk

Sure. I suppose it's different to claim your a fan of one team but profess love for 29 others.
- HawkintheD

Yes, although we gave RangerDanger94 and exemption for blessing us with his "Best Team Ever" flow chart.

Too quiet!
- walleyeb1

with (reportedly) Florida out of the equation, I expect a long quiet this summer before the training camp salary-dump storm.....

Thanks, Sandus! So really if the Hawks move even just Versteeg, they have $7M to work with = Oduya at $4M and Kruger at $2.5M.

Versteeg, at his price for one more year, may be a nice depth player… Wish Stanbo would do this.
- DMChi2010

You'd have $7M to work with but you'd lose every bit of little leverage you had. If you are $7M over the cap then you are going to screwed in every which way possible. That's why, even if you can go over the cap, you aren't seeing Kruger for example get signed. He could conceivably be signed today for 2M (as an example) and it would be within the rules. But now the Hawks must shed salary and everyone would know that.

Technically speaking you could build a compliant roster today that's under the cap. The minute that situation changes you are in trouble.

That's why Sharp is the key. Assuming Kruger/Oduya fit in the space voided by Sharp you can build a compliant roster (a non-ideal one but a compliant one). Buys you time to find new homes for Bickell/Versteeg.

Make no mistake I think Bickell and/or Versteeg get traded but there appears to be a very soft market for the two at the moment.