VERY interesting news about trading Bickell or Versteeg but NOT both. Being a bit of a cap geek myself (ha), I have a spreadsheet, and trading one but NOT both means:

1) Marcus Kruger's salary can be $1,692,788 dollars this year for the Hawks to break even if they trade ONLY Versteeg AND Kane's money can't be buried in LTIR.

2) Kruger's salary can be around $2.5M if they trade ONLY Versteeg, bury Kane's money until he returns at some point in the season, and make a call-up of Baun or Nordstrom while Kane is in rehab.


Here's a BIG question: Would Kruger accept just under $1.7M if his previous salary was $1.35M? That still beats the require 10-15% raise for an RFA, but yikes… I would have projected him at $2.2 - $2.5M. Perhaps this is the case, meaning that the league and the Blackhawks know Kane will be suspended and gain some LTIR from his suspension.

Lines:
Dano-Toews-Hossa
Panarin-Anisimov-Teravainen
Baun-Tikhonov-Garbutt
Desjardins-Kruger-Shaw
Bickell (still scratched - the bum!)

Keith-Seabrook
Daley-Hjalmarsson
Gustaffson-Van Reimsdyk
Rundblad

Crawford
Darling

Big questions about the roster throughout… Especially that 3rd line and the 3rd D pairing. We'll see!
- DMChi2010

I wonder what you'll have to trade with bickell or versteeg to move them. I can't see much interest in either of them.

I could live with that as well DK, but you have to wonder if Florida will be sellers at the trade dead line. They are an up and coming team, and if there are no budgetary restraints, Uncle Dale could very well be a buyer.
- TexasFlood

That's true.

It's kinda one of those "stars have to align" things ... but you never know. At the very least is fodder for the blog in the dog days of summer.

So if Kane wins his legal battle then the Hawks will keep him around attempting to buy time away from the event to increase his value before trading him is what I read.
- BluemanGuruu

Not necessarily. As JJ has pointed out in his blogs, other teams would definitely want Pat Kane if he did take meaningful steps to change his behavior. And in those blog posts, the next question is: well, why not keep him then?

I think a stint of alcohol or behavioral rehab of sorts at least allows the front office more time to make a long-term decision. It doesn't change the fact that a key issue remains: PK is still one more relapse away from another terrible incident, regardless of how the rehab goes. Even if he has played his last game as a Hawk, the top brass can say they tried to help him but felt it was best for the team to go in another direction after getting him that help.

I wonder what you'll have to trade with bickell or versteeg to move them. I can't see much interest in either of them.
- Isles_since_6

I think there's plenty of interest, but teams would want to send a fairly sizable contract back, which makes the deal somewhat moot.

Interesting times in Hawkland for sure.

The management team there have been masterful at juggling contracts and staying near the top of the league, ever since the first Cup and the subsequent trades of Ladd, Buff etc. Pretty remarkable actually when you look at the talent that has left town in the last 6 years and how much success they've had.

I wonder what you'll have to trade with bickell or versteeg to move them. I can't see much interest in either of them.
- Isles_since_6

I don't know. Versteeg's cap hit was $2.2M and he looked good last year until he broke his hand. He also showed some nice pace in the finals. If he pots 15 goals and 20 helpers, that's not a terrible acquisition for a team needing a little help at LW. Maybe a 3rd round pick comes back in return?

Bickell… yikes… I just hope they don't move Shaw. It would probably mean taking back a contract of about $1.8M (so they still shed $2.2M in space). I was thinking Danault as a sweetener to give the kid a chance at the NHL level but then he had his hip surgery..

The team wants to do the right thing by Kane—assuming he wants to do the right thing for himself and his career going forward:

“A lot has been discussed by the Hawks’ front office about Kane, but they want to keep Patrick Kane, they do not want to ‘punish’ his actions by trading him, they want to give him the time needed to ‘get his act together’ and remain a Hawk.”

Sounds to like potentially LTIR, referral for evaluation under the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program.
- walleyeb1

I'm not sure I believe any of the bolded part above. But giving the appearance of being understanding and willing to work with the patient will make the Hawks look good publically.

One thing the Hawks won't do in the short term is dump #88 for little or no return.

Getzlaf for Bickell.
- HawkintheD

and they retain 50% of salary
cmon stan, get off your tuckus

From the blog:

"The team wants to do the right thing by Kane—assuming he wants to do the right thing for himself and his career going forward:

“A lot has been discussed by the Hawks’ front office about Kane, but they want to keep Patrick Kane, they do not want to ‘punish’ his actions by trading him, they want to give him the time needed to ‘get his act together’ and remain a Hawk.”"

Lots of ifs, but read the above: Hawks would prefer to keep Kane - AND they could IF:

He isn't criminally indicted
Nothing else comes out about the "incident" that points to physical violence on his part
He shows proper remorse in public
He convinces the Hawks that he will will do what it takes to turn things around, including some kind of formal program
He follows through

Over time - again, assuming nothing worse comes out of the investigation - he could rehabilitate much of his reputation.

Wow...

How about a Cup winning team losing FIVE top 6 forwards?

Saad
Kane
Sharp
Richards
Vermette

If we don't hit home runs with Dano, Panarin AND TT this coming year and have our vets come through I don't know if we make the playoffs.

From the blog:

"The team wants to do the right thing by Kane—assuming he wants to do the right thing for himself and his career going forward:

“A lot has been discussed by the Hawks’ front office about Kane, but they want to keep Patrick Kane, they do not want to ‘punish’ his actions by trading him, they want to give him the time needed to ‘get his act together’ and remain a Hawk.”"

Lots of ifs, but read the above: Hawks would prefer to keep Kane - AND they could IF:

He isn't criminally indicted
Nothing else comes out about the "incident" that points to physical violence on his part
He shows proper remorse in public
He convinces the Hawks that he will will do what it takes to turn things around, including some kind of formal program
He follows through

Over time - again, assuming nothing worse comes out of the investigation - he could rehabilitate much of his reputation.
- StLBravesFan

Maybe it"s just me but this seems to be a 100% about face compared to what we have been hearing. My question is why, what changed?

Maybe it"s just me but this seems to be a 100% about face compared to what we have been hearing. My question is why, what changed?
- walleyeb1

Yeah really seems like it. First we were hearing how this was the last straw. Now were hearing they dont want to punish him? Um, why not? Also, what about the sacred brand? Feels like something changed... DO they think he is innocent

Maybe it"s just me but this seems to be a 100% about face compared to what we have been hearing. My question is why, what changed?
- walleyeb1

A top prosecutor goes slowly, no mistakes. More important, they say as little as possible. So, I don't think we really know anything one way or the other. The information we are getting are merely guesses and speculation.

Get it done Stan!
- Ogilthorpe2

If he doesn't he should be fired!

#epicfail

Maybe it"s just me but this seems to be a 100% about face compared to what we have been hearing. My question is why, what changed?
- walleyeb1

Well, when nobody knows anything, and everyone is just speculating...things can sometimes change. Funny how that works.

Yeah really seems like it. First we were hearing how this was the last straw. Now were hearing they dont want to punish him? Um, why not? Also, what about the sacred brand? Feels like something changed... DO they think he is innocent

- Hawkeyes1

Considering they wouldn't have been able to get rid of him had he NOT been innocent and everything we were hearing was under the assumption that... you know he didn't RAPE someone after all. Not much has changed other than that fact that we're hearing they would rather to hold onto him than deal him.

Wow...

How about a Cup winning team losing FIVE top 6 forwards?

Saad
Kane
Sharp
Richards
Vermette

If we don't hit home runs with Dano, Panarin AND TT this coming year and have our vets come through I don't know if we make the playoffs.
- busmaster

Sharp and Vermette were both 3rd line/bottom 6, and the 4th line saw more ice time in the playoffs than either of those 2.

Still quite the personnel turnover. The team will be a very different, younger, maybe faster team this season.

If he doesn't he should be fired!

#epicfail
- HawkintheD

If only we still had Dale!

#StanBlowman

If only we still had Dale!

#StanBlowman
- Ogilthorpe2

Bickell and Stan for Tallon!

Bickell and Stan for Tallon!
- HawkintheD

Florida has to retain half of Dale's salary though

Florida has to retain half of Dale's salary though
- Ogilthorpe2

A top prosecutor goes slowly, no mistakes. More important, they say as little as possible. So, I don't think we really know anything one way or the other. The information we are getting are merely guesses and speculation.
- spatso

I think that statement is true of a well run NHL front office too.

Even assuming the Blackhawks front office has more information than we do, there are still many unknowns: legal proceedings, civil proceedings, Kane's public response, Kane's private response, Kane taking steps to make changes or not, the league's reaction, the public's reaction, the rest of the team's reaction, how the team plays without him, how the team plays when he gets back, how he plays when he finally can, etc

What's the best thing the team can do right now? I think exactly what this blog implies they plan to do: give Kane the support he needs to make the changes he needs to make; give him a chance to be successful. If he does, great. If he doesn't, chances are - once he gets cleared of course - he'll have other teams interested in his on-ice talent.

My guess is that the bar is a heck of a lot higher for Kane now than it was before the end of the season. He made some ill-advised public comments and then ended up being the subject of a rape investigation. Not cool. He's going to need to step up off the ice they way he's been known to step up on the ice. It's a new kind of showtime.

Maybe it"s just me but this seems to be a 100% about face compared to what we have been hearing. My question is why, what changed?
- walleyeb1

agree, and much different than what we've been hearing from sources. Something definitely has changed.

I know this seems a bit crazy, but is a 1 season suspension for Kane by the Hawks Front Office a viable option to let him get the help he needs and yet save some face for keeping him and giving them future chances to win cups? If he would be suspended, would they still be responsible for his cap?

agree, and much different than what we've been hearing from sources. Something definitely has changed.
- vabeachbear

No, I don't think it has really changed.

I still think a condition of Kane staying is that he makes a serious commitment to behavioral change. I have said that all along. But I think that's what the team would like to see happen for reasons that have already been stated.

agree, and much different than what we've been hearing from sources. Something definitely has changed.
- vabeachbear

Nothing has changed.