About 60% of the NHL needs a guy like Crow. Of those teams that have the space to absorb his full $6mil? Probably a handful of teams that were already golfing 2 weeks ago. I have a feeling Stan will play it safe, part with Shaw,Ladd, Weise, Flash, Rosi and fill in with scrubs.
- EnzoD

Would consider taking him. How long is he signed for?

We also have to consider the rules of who can be protected in the entry draft for one (two?) new franchises... i believe it was only 1 goalie...

About 60% of the NHL needs a guy like Crow. Of those teams that have the space to absorb his full $6mil? Probably a handful of teams that were already golfing 2 weeks ago. I have a feeling Stan will play it safe, part with Shaw,Ladd, Weise, Flash, Rosi and fill in with scrubs.
- EnzoD

Crow stays. He's a steal. They're pretty much saddled with their big salaries. I don't see a move like that happening, and if it does, it hurts more than it helps.

Why would B Campbell sign for peanuts?

Yes, Forsling won't be ready, but Gus will get better.

A an old UC friend of my "Blackhawk Bob" voiced his frustartion on FB.

That the Cap era basically cheated the Hawks of more championships, that If tehre had been the ability to keep the depth, that they could continue to speand, retain, and fortify via the draft, but the system cheated us.

Let's be honest, despite the bounces/defections, the let play by refs, and the two teams matched up even...of course we can attempt to argue the team with the most chances and skill should have one, but we know in close series, and the hawks years of long 9.5 month seasons, that the Blues played well enough inside their teams are-up to win..and did.

(I know that is a tough pill to swallow and causes many here to start finger pointing, but the team that one the tight series scored more and inside their system, were better.)

I felt I learned a lot about the Blues, that Piertangelo is still a work in progress and their defense can be pressured inot cough ups consistently.

I learned that despite his size and weaknesses in his end Robbie Fabbri has a competitive nature and a far higher upside than I imagined...this series was a revelation...and Hitch who will all love to hate, call a hack and think of as a defensive tactitian and bully style bench boss...well, he certainly knew how to grow Robbie Fabbri.
He played him with Backus for months.
I would watch and scratch my heads at Backus on his line that to me was under-utilizing his over-all value...and sure Backus was moved around mid season...but what Hitch did early was give Fabbri the space and ability to play with Backus as a high end smart linemate, sort of like Sharp was played with Toews or with Kane early on.

Let's try and compare Teravainen, draft two years earlier, and if there was a good a fit in TT's linemates during his on the job training.

Kudos to that.

The Blues are going to be good, and the Hawks will have a core and it is going to be a great time of parity now were we all get to see how they work through and prepare for the Red Wing type end of dominance.

It might take a bit of pressure off, when every regular season tune up for the playoff game stops getting approached by opposition teams like it is a do or die imaginary playoff match up gae after game. And a rested core still hungry. And a management team in a bit hotter seat to find talent and moves, maybe even the owner starting to question some of the ones we saw take place.

I dunno but I want Shaw and Crow here, as they are under-rated and strong.
I want the core and the big 3 intact.
Figuring out the build a bear back order of the roster better be starting now...

And I need Kruger signed for what he is worth...

I am not pressuring StanBo on TT, but I said go see if you can scoop up that ultra reasonable contract of Travis Harmonic (please, don't tell me where he wanst to play...he would play here and be able to catch a flight out to Winnipeg every night before and off day.) from the Isles if you are pretty sure TT has reached a high water mark as a competitor...Believe me, I NEVER thought I would be advocating losing yet another developmental roster but.....

The CAP side of building the rosters is crucial.

Me thinks there has to be a few UFAs who might love to try and fit in this press offense.

and all:

Don't stop watching hockey now...the best is yet to come, alas just not for the Blackhawks

and the last thing...a swipe:

Wasn't it a little silly posting those most valuable player in the series (ala Con Smythe trophy) banter in the last blog?

I guess that's why I have been a bit distant (and busy).
- wiz1901

Not sure if u missed typed but Pietrangelo is far from a work in progress he was the best player on either team by a wide margin.

Would consider taking him. How long is he signed for?
- BINGO!

4 more seasons I believe

A an old UC friend of my "Blackhawk Bob" voiced his frustartion on FB.

That the Cap era basically cheated the Hawks of more championships, that If tehre had been the ability to keep the depth, that they could continue to speand, retain, and fortify via the draft, but the system cheated us.

- wiz1901

That is such as subjective statement. Who is to say Rocky would give the OK to spend say $20-30M more each season in a no-cap league. And who is to say teams such as Philly, NYR, Ana, Bos, Det or LA wouldn't spend the extra money.

The 'Hawks and all of us fans should be grateful for the three titles in six seasons timeframe. One can always lament the shoulda, coulda, woulda situations but what's the use?

Crow stays. He's a steal. They're pretty much saddled with their big salaries. I don't see a move like that happening, and if it does, it hurts more than it helps.
- kinigitt

I agree with you that Stan likely won't make a big splash. Sign a couple undrafted players and old guys looking for a last shot at winning. Unless Bowman finds a stud Dman or winger like Panarin, this team will look very similar next season...which obviously wasn't good enough.

Which teams need a goaltender like Crawford? and who would they part with to get him?
- Bjm84

If I may... Who needs a goalie?
I can think of a few...
But who will pay $6 mill per-I can't think of any who are far enough along that can afford Crawford. Teams don't build from the goalie on out...

I agree with you that Stan likely won't make a big splash. Sign a couple undrafted players and old guys looking for a last shot at winning. Unless Bowman finds a stud Dman or winger like Panarin, this team will look very similar next season...which obviously wasn't good enough.
- EnzoD

I think Gustafsson, if allowed to develop properly, can be a difference maker on the back end. We've all seen it. The talent is there, the speed is there, the offensive vision is there.

Problem is. He doesn't play the right way. Yet.

If I may... Who needs a goalie?
I can think of a few...
But who will pay $6 mill per-I can't think of any who are far enough along that can afford Crawford. Teams don't build from the goalie on out...
- Al

Canes are going to have to spend around $20 million just to hit the cap floor next season.

I think Gustafsson, if allowed to develop properly, can be a difference maker on the back end. We've all seen it. The talent is there, the speed is there, the offensive vision is there.

Problem is. He doesn't play the right way. Yet.
- kinigitt

Panik-Toews-Kane
Panarin-Anisimov-Hossa
Desjardans-Kruger-TT
Ice Hogs/Dirt Cheap UFAs

Keith-Seabs
Hammer-TVR
Gustaffson-Svedberg

Crawford
Darling

Leaves a lot to be desired but if TVR continues to improve and TT can add 10lbs this summer, I don't hate the 3rd line or 2nd D pairing. Stan will fill in the 4th line and 3rd pair with <$1mil players and hope for the best. I think the Hawjs end up in this exact same situation next year if that's his course of action. Gotta go big for 4D/1LW of the next 5 years.

Bickell buyout would be a 1.5m cap hit this year and next year. (2/3rds of his remaining salary
- Antilles[3m of 4.5m] spread out over twice the length of his remaining years [1 -> 2]). With him only being a 3m cap hit if sent to minors instead, can't really save anything with a buyout, just spread it out over two years instead of all next year.

You're looking at the buyout cost, not the buyout cap hit. The buyout cost is where the 1/3rd and 2/3rds numbers are derived. The buyout cap hit for Bickell will be $1.0M for 16/17 and $1.5M for 17/18.

So buying out Bickell during the 15-30 Jun window will save the 'Hawks $2.05M in the 16/17 season versus burying him in Rockford again.

Canes are going to have to spend around $20 million just to hit the cap floor next season.
- BINGO!

Bickell, Shaw, Teravainen, and a some subway coupons for Justin Faulk

Bickell, Shaw, Teravainen, and a some subway coupons for Justin Faulk
- kinigitt

I'll throw in my CTA Ventra card. It has $30.75 on it

I wouldn't lay the blame for the roster entirely on Bowman's shoulders. He provides the player pool. Q decides who plays. and it seems that Q makes up his mind pretty quickly. if you're on his s**t list, forget it. he doesn't seem to like quick d-men; e.g. Leddy (who's in the second round) and Daley (who's in the second round and has been playing pretty damm good for Pit). And defense is the Hawks' problem area. TVR is at best, a third pairing D-man. Also, every year in the playoffs, Q seems to bumble around until he finally finds the right combo, which is a result of him judging plaYers too quickly. With the Canadiens in the 70s, the Islanders, and Edmonton their coaches already had their lineups set by the time the playoffs started. Q is a very good coach at making game time adjustments. not so hot at finding the personnel to make the adjustments.

Bickell, Shaw, Teravainen, and a some subway coupons for Justin Faulk
- kinigitt

Seabrook has a full no movement clause for the first 5 years of the contract. He's not going anywhere. I love Seabs but Stan paid for past performance on that contract.
- pierregruska

Here's the thing, after figuring out what is going to happen with the end of Marian Hossa's contract/retirement/LTIR, Seabrook is the next key.

I think we all need to hope that the drop in possession last season and further drop this season are due to running out of gas and having to babysit. Or maybe the poor play in the Blues series was due to an injury.

If he has permanently lost some foot speed and is in decline, then it's like we have the following D lineup:

Keith-Hammer
XXX - XXX
Seabrook - TVR

In other words, your top 4 are actually a first pairing and a third pairing. We are looking for a true #4D now with the hope TVR grows into it, but what if we are really looking for a #3 and a #4. To me... Cup window is closed...

Had the chance to listen the NHL Radio for 4 hours yesterday on the way up to MSP. Lots of interesting stuff from the local guys they had on.

Quite a few other teams with interesting CAP decisions to make this summer, including LA, NYR, and DET.

Also, someone, sorry, don't remember who, brought up the possibility that if there is an expansion team announced this summer, the NHL would link that to an additional compliance buyout this summer.

And the announcement of an expansion team would force all the GMs to start planning for the expansion draft next summer. It'd be an interesiting curve to add to this summer's chaos.
- scottak

This would be a godsend for many of the teams. And actually a fair thing given the new cap reality with HRR and the less-than-fantastic Canadian dollar.

- BINGO!

Oh come on that's about 5 mil towards the Cap floor!

Bickell buyout would be a 1.5m cap hit this year and next year. (2/3rds of his remaining salary
- Antilles[3m of 4.5m] spread out over twice the length of his remaining years [1 -> 2]). With him only being a 3m cap hit if sent to minors instead, can't really save anything with a buyout, just spread it out over two years instead of all next year.

According to capfriendly.com, Bickell buyout is $1M cap hit in 2016-17 and $1.5M cap hit in 2017-18. So it opens up $2M next year as opposed to burying him.

(1) Keith and Seabrook probably played their worst games since their rookie years. It was disturbing how poorly they played, namely Seabrook who has looked bad for the past couple of months. I'm not sure if he's playing concussed, hurt, or losing a step, but for the most part in the year 2016, he did NOT look like the #2 d-man. Hopefully the longer summer will give him time to rest up and return to the old #7 that we all know and love, regardless of his career high in point totals.

(2) I'm going to give Toews the benefit of the doubt because I truly believed he played hurt. He didn't look okay skating up and down the ice, even though he battled. He won a lot of the wall battles and kept possession of the puck but did nothing with it except for pass. He didn't go to the net as we are accustomed to.

(3) Hossa was fantastic, and as aforementioned earlier in the blog, it's a shame that his impact was essentially for nothing. Love the idea of him on the third line next season as I think he can still make a major impact without getting major minutes.

(4) Crawford wasn't perfect and didn't make every save, including giving up a few questionable ones in this series, but he still kept the team in it and made some huge saves down the stretch when it mattered. I still felt as if he outplayed his counterpart, but the team in front of him were outplayed.

(5) I don't care how, but Bowman 110% needs to find a way to ensure that Shaw wears the Indian head next season and beyond. Losing him will hurt more than losing Ladd, Brouwer, etc. Shaw is the fire that we need. His game has improved so much from rookie season, and he's just as valuable to the team as he is to the fans. THIS is the top priority of the off-season. Regardless of what everyone says, there's no one in the farm system like him. His attitude, willingness, and heart is what drives this team. Losing him will be catastrophic.

(6) Panarin disappeared. If found, please return to the UC.

(7) Weise was just getting settled. If he would have been given a chance earlier on in the series I think the tables may have turned. Don't think he'll be back next season, but we saw what he was capable of, albeit in a small sample size.

(8) No comments necessary on Rundblad. That dead horse has been beaten for a while.

(9) TT needs to be moved this off-season. I don't give a hoot about his age/potential.

Full marks to the Blues, they were the better team in this series and deserved to move on. Hitch would have been canned if they didn't pull off the win yesterday.

Can't win it every year, but I'm proud of our boys for the valiant effort they gave. Backs against the wall and they almost pulled away as victors.

I expect St. Louis to win the cup. No other team, minus Pittsburgh, has impressed me.
- TommyHawk

Was thinking the same about Panarin, too. I guess he needs Patrick Kane to make him better...

As for Shaw, say StanBo has him do the loyalty thing like Kruger and then repays him the following year. Then I think that is when Crawford gets traded, as they will need $4M for Shaw and >$5M for Panarin.

Oh come on that's about 5 mil towards the Cap floor!


- kinigitt

You've got me there, I guess...

Hossa should maybe consider calling it a career, I did t watch alot of hawk games but he seems to have lost a step.
- Alexzanki

Did you watch the game last night? He was one of the most noticeable players on the ice other than Kane.

No one thinking outside the box yet... my view is that you do not trade a 2-cup goalie who makes reasonable dough.
To solve many troubles, it might be considered to send the Ross trophy winner to fetch a stud D, say Hedman or Subban or Doughty. And what a short memory we all have... nine months ago this board wanted him out of town anyway. Talk about cap relief and defense bolstering.

No one thinking outside the box yet... my view is that you do not trade a 2-cup goalie who makes reasonable dough.
To solve many troubles, it might be considered to send the Ross trophy winner to fetch a stud D, say Hedman or Subban or Doughty. And what a short memory we all have... nine months ago this board wanted him out of town anyway. Talk about cap relief and defense bolstering.
- RedFeather

not a ton of cap relief there though, is it?