Question for the board:

Would you:

A) More money on a shorter term?

or

B) Less money on a longer term?

Just curious. I think I would take B for the stability. Emphasis on "think."

Question for the board:

Would you:

A) More money on a shorter term?

or

B) Less money on a longer term?

Just curious. I think I would take B for the stability. Emphasis on "think."
- CanOCorn

Same. Stability and more financial responsibility. More longer term guaranteed income on top of a job. Allows you to be more responsible with your money and less frugal spending. You blow through your money in shorter periods of time and dont play well enough to earn another contract when your current one expires (Bickell?) then you might be screwed later in life with money as most players dont have fall back gigs to make money later in life outside of announcing guest appearances or coaching gigs that dont pay much. 90% of NHL players dont have any higher education

radio analyst Kelly Chase joined The Ryan Kelley Morning After Tuesday to reflect on the Blues’ 3-2 Game 7 win over the Blackhawks Monday night.

Read excerpts and listen to the interview below:

What was it like last night?

“I was holding my breathe. Obviously, the Blues dug down. I have to give them a lot of credit. The Hawks didn’t go away by any means. The Blues had to push them out and they did. What a game. They are a beat up group after playing us. Last night the Hawks got on the plane and I guess Brent Seabrook was barely able to get on the plane.”
- walleyeb1

With the Ducks exit last night, St. Louis is the most physical team remaining in the West. Suspect that this will be an advantage against the Stars, but less so against the Sharks who are good at drawing penalties, which could temper the Blues' physical play. First things first, however - both the Blues and Sharks have to advance.

Look at teams that just got bounced from the 1st round (or missed the tournament entirely):

-Chicago
-LA
-Rangers
-Ducks
-Boston

Those 5 teams have been the class of the entire NHL, making deep playoff runs every spring, since 2009/10. These teams all being beaten in the 1st round or missing the playoffs completely demonstrates the Salary Cap driven parity that Bettman desires. Chicago, LA, New York and Boston are the largest hockey markets in the USA. When the TV results for the rest of this playoff season come in, will Bettman and the Owners be so happy with the results?? IDK, but it is clear that a changing of the guard is happening in regard to the NHL's elite teams....

What about "5 Dollar Hot & Ready Center"?? or "Cheese Filled Deep Dish Arena"? or "Horrible Pizza Place"? or "I'd Rather Eat DiGiorno Arena"?
- EnzoD

Mckenzie floated "The Pizza Hut". Kinda like that one!

With the Ducks exit last night, St. Louis is the most physical team remaining in the West. Suspect that this will be an advantage against the Stars, but less so against the Sharks who are good at drawing penalties, which could temper the Blues' physical play. First things first, however - both the Blues and Sharks have to advance.
- etchtech

Tough for the Stars - no Seguin, suspect defense, and who knows what goalie will play. Sharks, if they do advance will give the Blues a hard fought series. Pretty difficult and formidable power play in San Jose and their defense isn't all that bad. Would love to see a WCF of these two teams.

Exhausted/beat up guys who have played a schit load of hockey the last 6 years. Get some rest... All things considered they are still a damn good team and will be fine next year with rest and a mental re-charge..
- z1990z

People keep forgetting the World Cup of Hockey. I don't think the key guys will be getting as much rest as one would assume. It is a two week tournament and I bet guys will be practicing for at least two weeks prior with their teams. Toews, Keith, Kane, Hjalmarsson, Hossa, TT, Panarin, Anisimov, and maybe Crawford will all likely be playing. Wish the Hawks front office would tell the players they cant play. I know that will never happen.

With respect to Shaw, in order to retain his rights as an RFA, and even begin the conversation, the Hawks must at minimum provide a qualifying offer of $2MM for one year, matching last year's salary.

Otherwise he becomes a UFA, making him able to select any offer he chooses.

With Shaw saying in the presser that he is waiting for a call from the FO for the discussion to begin, he is waiting to see if a QO will even be tendered at $2MM.

Mckenzie floated "The Pizza Hut". Kinda like that one!
- Marlowe

It is the catchiest, unfortunately it is Little Cesar's competition in the dogpoop pizza market. Little Ceasars, Dominos, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut and the rest of those franchises produce pizza that is worse tasting than DiGiorno or other frozen/oven baked pizzas.

I'm putting 50$ (CDN...so about 30$) on the Sharks DISMANTLING the Preds.

Oh, and to the Ducks, Kesler, Bieksa, and Perry specificially?


- kinigitt

no team with Bieska n Kesler will ever win

Don't know if true but I like saying it.

Scuds last year pays him $833K in real salary. I don't think he's going to get another contract again, so I'm doubting that he retires. I know I wouldn't.
- Lido_Shuffle

Not saying GeneralFanager is infallable, but they have Scud salary for 2016/17 at $2.5m. I kinda agree with you that a player at the end of their shelf life probably doesnt walk away from $833k. But I definitely think he doesnt walk away from $2.5M!

Any talk of him retiring and helping the Hawks erase $1.2m of cap hit next year falls in the category of "I'll believe that when I see it" for me.

People keep forgetting the World Cup of Hockey. I don't think the key guys will be getting as much rest as one would assume. It is a two week tournament and I bet guys will be practicing for at least two weeks prior with their teams. Toews, Keith, Kane, Hjalmarsson, Hossa, TT, Panarin, Anisimov, and maybe Crawford will all likely be playing. Wish the Hawks front office would tell the players they cant play. I know that will never happen.
- bhawks2241

As was pointed out to me some place else, there are two tournaments - the IIHF, which starts in May, and the WCoH.

The World Cup starts on September 17, goes through October 1 at the latest. The opening of the new NHL season is on October 12 - about a week later than this year (the Hawks' first game last fall was on October 5).

I would guess that the camps for the WCoH would be about a week before the tournament starts - and the Blackhawks' camp about the same time (about 3 weeks before the season starts?).

For those players who don't participate in the IIHF tournament, it looks like a normal summer off.

What do you guys think about Pokka. He will be turning 22 this summer and has progressed a bit. He has one more year on his current deal, so I'm thinking they might give him a bit more of a look to see if he is going to sink or swim in the NHL.

Or do you guys think Forsling will be brought over in the near future? (I think they still need to sign him)

I would think both of these guys are ahead of Dahlstrom or Norell in terms of upside.
- breadbag

Forsling will be only 21 in June.

Look at teams that just got bounced from the 1st round (or missed the tournament entirely):

-Chicago
-LA
-Rangers
-Ducks
-Boston

Those 5 teams have been the class of the entire NHL, making deep playoff runs every spring, since 2009/10. These teams all being beaten in the 1st round or missing the playoffs completely demonstrates the Salary Cap driven parity that Bettman desires. Chicago, LA, New York and Boston are the largest hockey markets in the USA. When the TV results for the rest of this playoff season come in, will Bettman and the Owners be so happy with the results?? IDK, but it is clear that a changing of the guard is happening in regard to the NHL's elite teams....
- EnzoD

The parity story doesn't hold up from the standpoint dominant teams dominate for awhile...

I wouldn't call it a changing of the guard yet but it is sure will be interesting to see what happens....I for one would not count the Preds out.

Look at teams that just got bounced from the 1st round (or missed the tournament entirely):

-Chicago
-LA
-Rangers
-Ducks
-Boston

Those 5 teams have been the class of the entire NHL, making deep playoff runs every spring, since 2009/10. These teams all being beaten in the 1st round or missing the playoffs completely demonstrates the Salary Cap driven parity that Bettman desires. Chicago, LA, New York and Boston are the largest hockey markets in the USA. When the TV results for the rest of this playoff season come in, will Bettman and the Owners be so happy with the results?? IDK, but it is clear that a changing of the guard is happening in regard to the NHL's elite teams....
- EnzoD

And if the results are so bad, do they do anything about it?

Obviously there's a lot of differing opinions among the posters here on whether the Hawks can be a contender next year. I think they definitely can be, the rest will help, we know that Seabrook among others was injured, you know there is no way Toews doesn't come back on fire next season after the early exit, Panarin will only get better, TVR was solid and can likely still improve, Hossa has regained some of his scoring touch...

But besides the rest this summer what makes me think they can be contenders next year is that changing of the guard/as more parity is achieved. As the teams even out skill-wise, the trump card is going to be championship mentality, experience, and energy level. At the beginning of this season a lot of people were predicting the Ducks in the SCF. A lot of people said the only team they were worried about beating the Hawks in 7 were the Kings. If Hawks had made it past the Blues I think they would have only gotten better, and without having to go through the Kings or the Ducks they could have had a nice road to the WCF. I can see next year playing out quite similarly as the Kings cap hell is only getting worse and the Ducks are gonna have to do something about their allergy to winning game 7s. I know their will to win wasn't enough this year, for a variety of reasons (health, exhaustion, roster mismanagement among others), but like people have pointed out they were still a bounce away from eliminating a very good Blues team. A non-broken backed Seabs, a healthy Toews, a rested Hossa, if they have all of that next year I think they're completely capable of a deep run, especially as the teams that have normally been their roadblocks are getting weaker.

I know JJ mentioned they would be 5th in the West if Stan doesn't fix some serious holes, but we can't forget the toll that a deep run is going to take on the Blues, and Dallas, and the Preds, who are used to longer summers, and the Ducks and the Kings have a lot of their own holes to fix. I don't know that there are 4 WC teams that I would give a huge edge over the Hawks next year barring some moves of their own

The parity story doesn't hold up from the standpoint dominant teams dominate for awhile...

I wouldn't call it a changing of the guard yet but it is sure will be interesting to see what happens....I for one would not count the Preds out.
- Al

There could also be a bit of turnover in the STL neighborhood. Will they become like a less-hateable Vancouver when Backes is gone? Unlikely.....the stench will just follow wherever he goes

"Little Caesars Arena"


- hawkeytalkman

Someone Posted it should be "Arena Arena"

Someone Posted it should be "Arena Arena"
- Jason Millen

Heh, good one!

Now, go win that Cup!!!

There could also be a bit of turnover in the STL neighborhood. Will they become like a less-hateable Vancouver when Backes is gone? Unlikely.....the stench will just follow wherever he goes
- phantasmo

Blues need to beat Dallas otherwise there will be significant changes.

Dont see how we can keep Shaw with this cap bullschit again. He could be a good piece to trade his rights for some D help. Or do we try to move TT for D help? Based on the comments from Q, he really wants to keep Shaw. Does Q go to Stan and say Shaw stays, move TT!? Opens the door for more HC/GM friction as we know Stan and his love affair with TT.

Blues need to beat Dallas otherwise there will be significant changes.
- Al

Does Boudreau keeps his job in Anaheim after the Ducks' fourth Game 7 loss in the last four years?

Blues need to beat Dallas otherwise there will be significant changes.
- Al

Go Sharks!!!

Does Boudreau keeps his job in Anaheim after the Ducks' fourth Game 7 loss in the last four years?
- etchtech

i think so, he did everything he could and had his guys ready to play game 7. bounces didnt go their way

I went back and looked at the trade deadline and the blackhawks were the only team to give up a 1st and probably gave up the 2nd most Danult 2nd, Compared to Rangers and Eric Staal. Florida picked up a few Forwards, Colorado picked up a few forwards. Ana picked up a few Forwards. san Jose picked up a D and Goalie, Dallas picked up a D. Both the later 2 2nds with no players if memory serves.

of the 8 most active teams 4 got bounced (FL,NYR,CHI,ANA) 1 did not even make the playoffs, Dallas, Caps, San Jose moved on. Dallas and Caps were #1 seeds so I'm not sure they really needed to do anything to get out of the 1st. San jose got out but Polak and he has probably helped but it was there best players that made a difference.

The biggest trade deadline deal was about a 4th rounder shane prince who has 3 goals in 7 games and is a 23 year old RFA.

our most productive trade player was probably Panik. So much of the NHL understanding the system and playing with confidence. If we would have found a role for Sekera and actually coached him and showed confidence in him could he have brought the same as Weiss and Flesch.

Trading for rentals is such a waste 80% of the time you are no better with them then without them. It takes to long to figure out your system and people only trade guys they for the most part do not want to keep.

i think so, he did everything he could and had his guys ready to play game 7. bounces didnt go their way
- arps714

They were down 2-0 in the first period. That is the 4th straight game 7 that Boudreau's team was scored on first. Don't you think that means his teams have not been ready to play?