Overall Mason and Anderson aren't as good as Crawford...I wouldn't take either as a logical replacement they don't have the consistency or post season resume to compare....
- Al

Hold on there, Signor.



Anderson's playoff numbers with mediocre to middling teams? Much better than Crawford's with the best team in hockey over the same timeframe.

Go look 'em up.

Anderson has been BRILLIANT in the playoffs, behind godawful defenses and not great overall teams. He HAS carried that team to the extent possible with their talent.

Meaningless stats according to TTTime
- flappymcgee303

I'm not in the camp that calls +/- meaningless, but IMO it does reflect the depth of offensive talent on a clubs roster. If a very good club is among the league leaders in positive goal differential then +/- scores will look fantastic...even for marginal players.

Clubs with more 2-way talent will in general have players with substantial + scores, which also elevates the +/- scores of players with marginal skill.

e.g. Rundblad

Conversely, if a club is tremendous defensively but struggles to score it's inevitable that some talented defensemen will have average to poor +/- numbers.

IOW +/- can reflect the talent of a given player, but it can also be misleading if it's the only stat examined when evaluating a given player.

IMO +/- should only be used in conjunction with other relevant individual stats.

Not in this instance.

Continuing to double down on the bad bet known as "Rundblad, D"? Absolutely.

Because no team really "needs" a Kris Versteeg at his salary anymore, because there are some concerns about Bickell's health at his salary, the deals that are out there, as I hear it, basically involve the Hawks bribing teams into taking them on—with desirable prospects and/or picks. Bowman has surrendered a fair amount of picks already recently in unpopular deals (Timonen and Rundblad). So Bowman doesn't want to do that, or wants to minimize the damage as much as possible. That is what I hear is holding things up.
- John Jaeckel

....Your point about draft picks/prspect...Many thought no issue giving picks at the deadline becasue Sharp and Bickell could be dealt for picks.

Sounded good in March but reality is zero picks back for Sharp and arguably best prospect in system sacrificed.

Bickel-Not sure any picks left to give so now it comes down to throwing in a Danault-McNeil- Ross??

Over 50ish games at evens seeing 29-31 shots \ 60 ... Steve Mason (who was actually quite solid for Philly), Craig Anderson, Rask, Price, Eddie Lack. All +93% with a decent amount of games under their belt. 4-7 million dollar range.

Mason, Crow, Anderson and Price were the only ones over 84% in terms of high danger stoppage. Again 4ish to 7ish million. And I'd take any of those guys.

To have a proven NHL Goalie is +4 million minimum. More for a Price or Rask or Henry and in the middle for Crow. And with the Holtby contract that is going to jump for guys coming to term.

Like anything else it depends on the dollars involved with the other pieces. How does bickell get moved? How much salary does Kruger command? If they move Bickell or Versteeg + Shaw and dont take salary back they could theoretically keep both.

I dunno. They obviously have to do something and sooner rather than later would be ideal in my mind. Lotta moving parts outside of keeping one or the other.
- fattybeef

Anderson is a highly underrated goalie. And he could easily backstop this Hawk team to another Cup this season. He is great come playoff time.

I'm in shock that Versteeg hasn't been traded yet. For some reason, Stanley is clearly not trying very hard, if at all. Maybe the same blackmail photos that keep him in the top six are also keeping him on the team?
- Q...argh

I don't know if there's many teams that want Versteeg?

Winnipeg might be a good fit. Dallas, Edmonton?

Hold on there, Signor.

Ooooooh, I'm gonna have to go ahead and . . . (sorta) "disagree" with you there.

Anderson's playoff numbers with mediocre to middling teams? Much better than Crawford's with the best team in hockey over the same timeframe.

Go look 'em up.

Anderson has been BRILLIANT in the playoffs, behind godawful defenses and not great overall teams. He HAS carried that team to the extent possible with their talent.
- John Jaeckel

I'm a CC fan, but if the Hawks cold swing a deal with the Sens that swapped Crawford for Anderson and his 4.2M hit and yielded the Hawks some cap space...

...I'd be ok with that.

....Your point about draft picks/prspect...Many thought no issue giving picks at the deadline becasue Sharp and Bickell could be dealt for picks.

Sounded good in March but reality is zero picks back for Sharp and arguably best prospect in system sacrificed.

Bickel-Not sure any picks left to give so now it comes down to throwing in a Danault-McNeil- Ross??
- Al

At some point (now?), if it comes to that, I think we need to look at it as trading Danault-McNeil-Ross for Kruger (and, maybe, Shaw).

I don't know if there's many teams that want Versteeg?

Winnipeg might be a good fit. Dallas, Edmonton?
- walshyleafsfan

San Jose and Winnipeg have been mentioned my my sources. But in light of what it will take to deal him, it could be a lot of teams.

I'm a CC fan, but if the Hawks cold swing a deal with the Sens that swapped Crawford for Anderson and his 4.2M hit and yielded the Hawks some cap space...

...I'd be ok with that.
- ArlingtonRob

Yep, me too. Longer term, Craig's had some injuries and he's 2 years older than CC. But for this year? And see about a cap friendly 3 yr. deal next summer? Yep.

San Jose and Winnipeg have been mentioned my my sources. But in light of what it will take to deal him, it could be a lot of teams.
- John Jaeckel

Yeah San Jose is actually a good fit. My money's on (just pulled it out now) Winnipeg.

Hold on there, Signor.

Ooooooh, I'm gonna have to go ahead and . . . (sorta) "disagree" with you there.

Anderson's playoff numbers with mediocre to middling teams? Much better than Crawford's with the best team in hockey over the same timeframe.

Go look 'em up.

Anderson has been BRILLIANT in the playoffs, behind godawful defenses and not great overall teams. He HAS carried that team to the extent possible with their talent.
- John Jaeckel

You came back faster on Anderson than I thought u would...

U like him almost as much as Kruger. I agree with you on Kruger but Anderson not as good as Crawford...Although my resume comment was more geared toward Mason.

The difference between Crawford and lot of guys who have similar #'s is can't recall a time Crawford played 3 poor games in a row in regular...Seldom 2.

Anderson I have watched in regular season and had him in fantasy- Not as consistent as Crawford. Had trouble last year keeping the net but overall he is a good goalie.

Anderson is a highly underrated goalie. And he could easily backstop this Hawk team to another Cup this season. He is great come playoff time.
- John Jaeckel

I don't agree. Anderson has only played 40 or more games in three seasons over his entire career, and his stats during those seasons were extremely mediocre. The same can be said for the single season he played in double digit playoff games; in fact, he was pretty bad. I think he's an excellent back up, but a middling at best starting goaltender. Just my opinion.

Anderson is a highly underrated goalie. And he could easily backstop this Hawk team to another Cup this season. He is great come playoff time.
- John Jaeckel

And he's a hometown kid!

Saad will out produce Dano.
- TTtime

That may turn out to be true and the odds are probably in Saad's favor because he's already got 1 50pt season. But Dano is 2 years behind Saad so at this point no one is sure of how good he will be. There is no guarantee either way.

I don't agree. Anderson has only played 40 or more games in three seasons over his entire career, and his stats during those seasons were extremely mediocre. The same can be said for the single season he played in double digit playoff games; in fact, he was pretty bad. I think he's an excellent back up, but a middling at best starting goaltender. Just my opinion.
- Q...argh

Which is why the Next Great Thing known as Robin Lehner (and Ben Bishop!) never won the net, and got dealt. And why in the playoffs this year, Anderson came in and was amazing and almost won their first round series singlehandedly.

I have a good friend who is a former pro goalie himself (so there's that) who is a huge fan of Craig's. As a goalie.

Ask most Ottawa fans. Same thing.

I have seen your boy CC (who is a fine goalie) get lit up like a Christmas tree, too.

Anderson's playoff numbers on worse teams>>>Crawford's. Fact. Sorry.

And he's a hometown kid!
- BURDA13

Wow...I can just imagine.

Anderson with Darling

The feel good media bulls&#t stories would be endless.

Wow, of course they would have. The NHL is filled with good goalies, there are an abundance of them in both conferences. Crawford has played well in CHI but he has also had his lapses. Against BOS in game 4, Crawford's play almost cost us the series, but the Hawks scored a bunch of goals and won...against NSH this year he simply wasn't ready for what he knew was NSH's game and needed our rookie backup to come in and take back control of the series. Crawford is a GOOD goalie that still has some issues with his game, not unlike most NHL goalies. Q's system and Chicago's core is what has won us these cups...our goaltender has rarely been asked to be "the guy". How is this hard to understand? Crawford is NOT the reason why we have won these Cups, however, he was a KEY part of two of them as all GOOD NHL goalies are!
Again, read this line...we win because of Coach Q, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith first and foremost, and a great supporting cast around them! But without these three guys, WE DON'T WIN A SINGLE CUP!
- MexicoHawk

No Crawford is not THE reason they won any cups, but who is? Nobody is THE reason, and Crawford is AS much a reason as ANY other Hawk for winning the last two cups in the TEAM game of hockey.

Al points out the advanced stats on these past playoffs show Crawford had the highest save percentage of quality shots than any other goalie, including the best in the world, with no cups mind you, Carey Price.

Taking you at your word you played high level pro you of all people know there are some players, of any position, that rise above, or descend, when the lights shine the brightest. It's not quantifiable, there isn't a stat for it. To make the saves in the last minute of a Finals when the other club has the goalie pulled and are blitzing your goalie. ......In the boxscore those are just saves, watching the game nothing, nothing, nothing in that game is more critical. Crawford is at his best then and has two cups to prove it.

Remember I'm the guy who pointed out, IMO, the 89 things I think Crawford needs work on fundamentally when you first signed up at this joint. But my last paragraph was that Crawford is point blank a puck stopper with very few style points doing so. And IMO that's the reason he doesn't get the recognition he deserves as being elite nationally.

Wow...I can just imagine.

Anderson with Darling

The feel good media bulls&#t stories would be endless.
- ArlingtonRob

Ha, truth.

No Crawford is not THE reason they won any cups, but who is? Nobody is THE reason, and Crawford is AS much a reason as ANY other Hawk for winning the last two cups in the TEAM game of hockey.

Al points out the advanced stats on these past playoffs show Crawford had the highest save percentage of quality shots than any other goalie, including the best in the world, with no cups mind you, Carey Price.

Taking you at your word you played high level pro you of all people know there are some players, of any position, that rise above, or descend, when the lights shine the brightest. It's not quantifiable, there isn't a stat for it. To make the saves in the last minute of a Finals when the other club has the goalie pulled and are blitzing your goalie. ......In the boxscore those are just saves, watching the game nothing, nothing, nothing in that game is more critical. Crawford is at his best then and has two cups to prove it.

Remember I'm the guy who pointed out, IMO, the 89 things I think Crawford needs work on fundamentally when you first signed up at this joint. But my last paragraph was that Crawford is point blank a puck stopper with very few style points doing so. And IMO that's the reason he doesn't get the recognition he deserves as being elite nationally.
- Mr Ricochet

Nobody's saying CC sucks (well except fvinese) though. The issue seems to be are there cheaper yet adequate replacements—if you have to move his deal. Anderson would win behind this team, no doubt in my mind. he has never had a defense or a team like this in front of him.

Hell, I'll bet they could pry Niemi out of Dallas for the right price. Don't tell me they can't win a Cup with him in net! LOL

I've not heard the shutdown center equivalent you can acquire for less money than Kruger—who's nearly as effective. Maybe there is. I just haven't heard it yet.

Hopefully, they keep Kruger and Crawford. Best of all worlds. And if somehow Stanley can pull a decent vet d-men out of his nether regions, kismet!

I'm in shock that Versteeg hasn't been traded yet. For some reason, Stanley is clearly not trying very hard, if at all. Maybe the same blackmail photos that keep him in the top six are also keeping him on the team?
- Q...argh

Or maybe because Versteeg is good value for the money? And at the moment the best LW on the team?

Well, at least Garbutt wasn't mentioned in this list...

...but I suspect his name was discussed.

http://sports.yahoo.com/b...hl-players-141831625.html

Or maybe because Versteeg is good value for the money? And at the moment the best LW on the team?
- TTtime

You may be correct...LW looks to be a bit uncertain going into camp.

Schneider's contract worse than Crawford.
- Al

Many will never give Crawford the credit he deserves, Al. Just the way it is. People will always blame him for the Coyote series.

You may be correct...LW looks to be a bit uncertain going into camp.
- ArlingtonRob

What is even sadder is Bickell is at the moment the 2nd best.

Saad will out produce Dano.
- TTtime

This year, probably, and maybe the year after that. A bit further down the road though? We shall see. My money's on Dano.