Would a Bickell for Clowe deal work w/ NJ?

Then put Clowe on the LTIR. He sounds unlikely to return after concussion issues.
- TyCamScore

hmmm...

...that's certainly a trend these days.

Not saying they wouldn't miss Corey, just can't see the cap going up much the next few years. This would less the next few summers sales on Madison street.
- Rtoppel

When are people going to realize the Crawford at 6M is a bargain?

When are people going to realize the Crawford at 6M is a bargain?
- ArlingtonRob

Never - lol!!!!

When are people going to realize the Crawford at 6M is a bargain?
- ArlingtonRob

A bargain? I don't know about that but he was signed after he accomplished something. Which is more than can be said for some of the goalies out there making the same amount of money as Crawford.

In your edumacated view, JJ, when do you think the move will happen? Soon or closer to the start of the season? My thoughts is that it all revolves around Bickell and his health. If he can be proven healthy, and moved, we will see him moved quickly, otherwise we will be waiting.

With the going young part, you must mean on defense (other than the possibility of TT, AP, and Dano making the roster out of camp) because we have 18 forwards that look like they could make the roster:

Toews
Kane
Hossa
AA
AP
TT
Dano
Kruger
Shaw
Bickell
Versteeg
Baun
Tikonov
Desjardins
Morin
Garbutt
Tropp
Nordstrom

before we may see a McNeill, Danault, Hartman, or Ross make the team. For a team that may have 14 forwards on the roster, not seeing many Rockford guys making the roster at forward.
- BearsnHawks

Toews, Kane, Hossa, AA, AP, Dano, Kruger, Shaw, and probably Desjardins are likely on the roster. That leaves four or five openings. I have a hard time believing Bickell and Versteeg will both be on the opening night roster; I doubt if either are.

The rest of those you listed with be in competition with the Rockford guys for those final four spots.

"A" 4th line/pk guy. Just any old run of the mill 4th line guy that will play some PK. I believe that's the point you're stressing here, isn't it? Technically, you're right - he does play on the "4th line" and he does play on the PK. But that's where you stop with your description of Kruger. And from that perspective, you're justified in your incredulity of the idea that Q deems him "essential to any realistic shot at a Cup this year".

But that is where your perspective is different than many of your fellow Hawks fans and supposedly the opinion of Q as well. While you're technically correct with your description of Kruger, it doesn't convey the reality of the role Kruger plays for the Hawks. His 4th line is used as a shutdown line and is so effective the Q plays the "4th line" against the opponents top line. The 4th line starts the majority of their shifts in the d-zone, often times against the opponent's top line - not typical for a typical 4th line, which is the point. Q uses Kruger's line differently that any old run of the mill 4th line that most other teams have.

Then there is Kruger's role on the PK. He wins draws, sells out to make plays, and has the quickness and anticipation to make him a great PKer. Not easily replaced and not something to be taken for granted.

So on the face of it, stating a 4th liner is essential for a Cup run sounds kind of ridiculous. But Kruger is a 4th liner in name only. In reality he plays a bigger role than generally ascribed to "a 4th line guy".
- EbonyRaptor

Very well said!

A bargain? I don't know about that but he was signed after he accomplished something. Which is more than can be said for some of the goalies out there making the same amount of money as Crawford.
- TTtime

Being considered a bargain is subjective...But here are some cap hits-
Ward $6.3 mill-Rask-$7 mill-Varlamov $5.9 mill-Bishop $5.95-Miller $6.0

Anyone on that list you would rather have?

Here's my question: are you sure they Hawks were all that interested in re-signing Oduya? Since teams can exceed the Cap by 10% in the summer, why not just re-sign him to this cap-friendly deal and then work on moving salary as the summer progresses?
- djamon

Oduya would have cost the Hawks maybe $450K more than Daley...Sharp being difficult to move forced Bowman to switch gears and make a hockey trade rather than a pure salary dump....So $450K was a big deal to the Hawks and the Stars had this one mapped out and got Oduya and the Hawks got a replacement in Daley.

Does anyone here know much about Erik Gustafsson? I've read that StanBo likes him a lot but that's about it. His profile shows he's about 6'0 and 176 pounds with offensive upside...

Being considered a bargain is subjective...But here are some cap hits-
Ward $6.3 mill-Rask-$7 mill-Varlamov $5.9 mill-Bishop $5.95-Miller $6.0

Anyone on that list you would rather have?
- Al

There are a few who make less I wouldn't want either. What Crawford is being paid is exactly what he should be. IMO.

Being considered a bargain is subjective...But here are some cap hits-
Ward $6.3 mill-Rask-$7 mill-Varlamov $5.9 mill-Bishop $5.95-Miller $6.0

Anyone on that list you would rather have?
- Al

You left off a guy who never wins anything and never will - Pekka Rinne, overpaid stiff.

And Mike Smith too.

You left off a guy who never wins anything and never will - Pekka Rinne, overpaid stiff.

And Mike Smith too.
- RickJ

I could have went on....Crawford is a good value.

Thanks JJ! I appreciate the updates!

I also really appreciate that there are other folks out there pining for any new Blackhawks news this time of year.

I'm glad Q and Bowman are on the same page. The formula seems to be working.

I'm curious if there are others in the front office who are thinking that Stan Bowman is waiting too long right now on Bickell and Versteeg. There doesn't seem to be any rumblings that way, which leads me to believe (my personal speculation) that deals probably are dependent on them being healthy enough to pass physicals.

This line, "But one of those scenarios, the one that involves going very young, would likely mean the Hawks gamble on finding cap room at the deadline." is really interesting. I take "cap room" to mean trading either Versteeg and/or Bickell at the deadline AND that their salaries still count against the Blackhawks cap until then. But I also take "very young" to mean that neither Versteeg or Bickell are on the roster opening night. Does that mean sending them to Rockford is on the table? Even then, though, it would be tough to sign Kruger unless he is willing to take a low base salary with bonuses (since only the base counts against the cap this season) and keeping Tikhonov would be unlikely since they could get a youngster cheaper.

I'm also wondering since options A & B - trading Versteeg and/or Bickell - are NOT option C - going very young - then those options might include bringing in another veteran or two to play defense or left wing.

It's all very interesting. I'm hoping for another cup run next year and in the years to come. I'm not sure the "very young" plan will get there next season and I'm not sure Versteeg and/or Bickell are tradable. Does that mean Plan D? We'll see.

For the record, I really like Corey Crawford and have a lot of fun cheering for him. He was playing great at the beginning of last season before the injury and he had some phenomenal games in the playoffs. $6 million per year for him is very reasonable in today's market.

The question for me has always been about where the Blackhawks spend their limited cap space. Can Darling and a goaltender making around $3 million provide good enough goaltending to spend that extra $3 million on a LW or D that could be the difference maker? Or would the goalie play suffer so much that it the higher paid skater doesn't make up for it?

The good news is that most of the roster for this season is under contract for next season too so next summer shouldn't be as difficult.

Toews, Kane, Hossa, AA, AP, Dano, Kruger, Shaw, and probably Desjardins are likely on the roster. That leaves four or five openings. I have a hard time believing Bickell and Versteeg will both be on the opening night roster; I doubt if either are.

The rest of those you listed with be in competition with the Rockford guys for those final four spots.
- matt_ahrens

I would add TT to your "likely" list and Tikhonov to the "probably list along with Desjardins. Also would add McNeal into the fight for list.

I would add TT to your "likely" list and Tikhonov to the "probably list along with Desjardins. Also would add McNeal into the fight for list.
- walleyeb1

I agree. I thought I had TT in there and McNeill is definitely a contender along with a few others.

When are people going to realize the Crawford at 6M is a bargain?
- ArlingtonRob

I don't argue that CC is a very good, and possibly clutch goalie. But there has been no evidence to the contrary and plenty of evidence to suggest that who we have (Darling) and who we had (Raanta) would be plenty capable (even statistically better.) Even if not, you can hide an average goalie much easier than you can hide for example, the fact that we only have like 4-5 competent defensemen.

If you don't think the Hawks can win 3 Cups with pedestrian goalie talent, consider the prevailing sentiment for Niemi and CC respectively prior to the 2010 and 2013 playoffs. It was not good. Niemi was too raw, gave up too many rebounds, and CC was too slow to react, didn't have it mentally, gave up too many back doors, didn't fight through screens, too over-ripened in the minors, etc... Neither had the pedigree.

I could have went on....Crawford is a good value.
- Al

Yes - a good value.

So is a Masseratti at $75,000. But I couldn't afford it at that price.

I'm sure Crawford would be "plan D" as JJ says - but it may come to that.

I don't argue that CC is a very good, and possibly clutch goalie. But there has been no evidence to the contrary and plenty of evidence to suggest that who we have (Darling) and who we had (Raanta) would be plenty capable (even statistically better.) Even if not, you can hide an average goalie much easier than you can hide for example, the fact that we only have like 4-5 competent defensemen.

If you don't think the Hawks can win 3 Cups with pedestrian goalie talent, consider the prevailing sentiment for Niemi and CC respectively prior to the 2010 and 2013 playoffs. It was not good. Niemi was too raw, gave up too many rebounds, and CC was too slow to react, didn't have it mentally, gave up too many back doors, didn't fight through screens, too over-ripened in the minors, etc... Neither had the pedigree.
- busmaster

If....and it's still an if... Darling becomes a quality goaler he will in short order need to be paid. And the Hawks can't go forward expecting to commit only 2-3M annually to goal tending. With Crawford on the roster the Hawks have about 7M in cap space dedicated to goal, which is about average....but with much better results than most.

Basically, no one should expect the Hawks to commit pennies to goal tending, and dollars to defense, yet expect continued success. It's the combination of both that yields results.

There seems to be an idea that the Hawks can keep bringing in cheap, young goalies...prop them up behind our wonderful team defense and plan the next parade.

...that's a philosophy that would lead to disappointment.

If....and it's still an if... Darling becomes a quality goaler he will in short order need to be paid. And the Hawks can't go forward expecting to commit only 2-3M annually to goal tending. With Crawford on the roster the Hawks have about 7M in cap space dedicated to goal, which is about average....but with much better results than most.

Basically, no one should expect the Hawks to commit pennies to goal tending, and dollars to defense, yet expect continued success. It's the combination of both that yields results.

There seems to be an idea that the Hawks can keep bringing in cheap, young goalies...prop them up behind our wonderful team defense and plan the next parade.

...that's a philosophy that would lead to disappointment.
- ArlingtonRob

Doubt very much that the Hawks win the Cup in either 2013 or this year without Cro in goal, especially vs the Ducks and Lightning. There were a lot of very close games and triple OT's the Hawks won this playoff year and they beat Rinne, Dubnyk, Anderson and Bishop in tough series to do it.

Does anybody really think Darling could have steered the ship thru 4 rounds? Or much more cap friendly goalies like James Reimer, Brian Elliot, the Hamburglar or even Freddie Anderson? My guess is the Hawks would have been on the sidelines after playing 5 games with the Ducks.


Cheap goaltending and average performances in the NHL playoffs gets you a seat on the sidelines with the also rans. Stanbo isn't moving Crawford for money reasons The only way it happens is if the return on CC in trade is too good to turn down.

If....and it's still an if... Darling becomes a quality goaler he will in short order need to be paid. And the Hawks can't go forward expecting to commit only 2-3M annually to goal tending. With Crawford on the roster the Hawks have about 7M in cap space dedicated to goal, which is about average....but with much better results than most.

Basically, no one should expect the Hawks to commit pennies to goal tending, and dollars to defense, yet expect continued success. It's the combination of both that yields results.

There seems to be an idea that the Hawks can keep bringing in cheap, young goalies...prop them up behind our wonderful team defense and plan the next parade.

...that's a philosophy that would lead to disappointment.
- ArlingtonRob

But isn't this how Cup dynasties do it in the cap era? You define your core, and cross your fingers that everyone else you bring in off the scrap heap turn out to be excellent and you strike gold on your draft picks to get some cheap productivity?

Niemi and CC were cost limited in their first two Cups. To me that proves it works, albeit not without some drama and anxiety...

Doubt very much that the Hawks win the Cup in either 2013 or this year without Cro in goal, especially vs the Ducks and Lightning. There were a lot of very close games and triple OT's the Hawks won this playoff year and they beat Rinne, Dubnyk, Anderson and Bishop in tough series to do it.

Does anybody really think Darling could have steered the ship thru 4 rounds? Or much more cap friendly goalies like James Reimer, Brian Elliot, the Hamburglar or even Freddie Anderson? My guess is the Hawks would have been on the sidelines after playing 5 games with the Ducks.


Cheap goaltending and average performances in the NHL playoffs gets you a seat on the sidelines with the also rans. Stanbo isn't moving Crawford for money reasons The only way it happens is if the return on CC in trade is too good to turn down.
- RickJ

We don't know, but we can't argue from silence. What we do know, is we wouldn't have bet on Niemi in 2010 or CC in 2013 due to the same contentions you have for Darling, and right;y so at this point.

Sharp for Percy, 1st, 2nd

Everyone who gets into the Playoffs is a contender. LA has proven that multiple times.
- djamon

No, they are not. In the just completed season, at the start of the playoffs it was obvious that CLG, VAN, MIN, OTT, MTL, at minimum, had no chance to win the Cup. The were all seriously flawed and not built to last through 4 rounds. A case could be made for the remaining 11 teams, although some had a better chance. And the best 3 chances were ANA, TB & CHI.

In the seasons that the Kings got in with the 8th seed, I don't recall anyone thinking that they had no chance.

Does anyone here know much about Erik Gustafsson? I've read that StanBo likes him a lot but that's about it. His profile shows he's about 6'0 and 176 pounds with offensive upside...
- Chicago_Sean

He likes Runblad too, so who knows.