Look what the last PK player the Hawks had got paid. Frolik got 5yrs 21 million so Kruger is a deal if you look at it that way.

Isn't Pittsburgh a team similar to the Hawks in terms of cap difficulties and two high priced super stars? They also traded away picks and prospects over the past few years like the Hawks. They seemed to have turned it around, so what can Hawks management learn from them?

Maybe a coaching change?

Kruger is a secondary shutdown center. Toews handles most of the big boys.

Compare Kruger to a guy like Courterier. Both get crap for zone starts and Coots still puts up 35-40 points.

Kruger is where offense goes to disappear. PK guys are a dime a dozen.
- TTtime

Coutourier is a player and will only get better (he's barely 22yrs old). Big body, good at the dot, underrated skill, and frustrates opponents. Between his injury and Steve Mason getting drunk before each game, Philly had a real shot at beating Washington (who I believe loses tonight).

I'm aware what he brings, and I do know how important it is to this team. Kruger is also a shutdown C. We know how Q likes his "4th" line to lineup against the opposition's first. Freeing up one of the top 2 lines is Q's goal every game. Shaw has averaged ~16g the past 3 years (hit 20 once in'13-'14). I think of his ability as a top 6 W as I do his ability at C, he would be fine in a pinch. I think Kruger is a better fit for this team going forward, and depending on how much $ Shaw is looking for.
- Antz96

Fair enough. I just want both.

Kruger is a secondary shutdown center. Toews handles most of the big boys.

Compare Kruger to a guy like Courterier. Both get crap for zone starts and Coots still puts up 35-40 points.

Kruger is where offense goes to disappear. PK guys are a dime a dozen.
- TTtime

Depends on the team and the matchups. Kruger was all on Getzlaf and Kesler like stink on poop whenever Q could get the matchup in the 2015 WCF. Just one example.

Short memories.

Funny, the "mad props" for the Hawks' judgement ("they've won 3 Cups," etc) except when it comes to Kruger.

But there's a reason he is never offered in trade and is being paid $3 million a year.

It's not because he's Stanley's Little Bobo, nor because he doesn't score enough goals for some.

The Hawks cannot afford to pay Panarin $7M/year unless they know the Hossa contract can be shed without penalty if expansion is in the works. Even with saying that, I hope they could get Panarin to sign in the $5M range, but we will have to see.
- Dannyboy

Taresenko got 8 mil SAAD got 6 mil why would panarin ever sign for $5? He had 77 PTs and was one of if not the best hawks Forward in the playoffs. he is not going to take a bridge deal (nor should he) If you reduce your goalie by $4mil and let bickell and scuds come off the books you have 7 mil for Panarin. Having panarin signed from 25-32 at 7 mil (assuming health) will look like a bargain.

What do you think the realistic value of Shaw's rights are considering that all other teams know the Hawks have cap issues?

I had suggested on Carol's blog something revolving around Etem and Sbisa for him and Bickell, is that way off ?
- belcherbd

Hard to say, dealing rights a week before the guy could go to RFA is tricky. But it gets done. Def a late first round pick at minimum IMO, player/prospect wise harder to say.

Shaw is an RFA, so if you are going to trade his rights you need to get back more than he would bring by signing somewhere else:

$1,826,328-to-$3,652,659 Second-round pick
$3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 First and third-round picks
$5,478,986-to-$7,305,316 First, second and third-round picks

It's all a matter of what type of contract you think he will demand. If I'm the Hawks I am assuming that his ask will be in the second tier above, so return needs to be at least a first round Pick+
- TheTrob

I see. The Leafs have bigger needs in net and on defense. I’d save pitts 1st for that, not for shaw, so other teams may outbid the leafs.

I start by offering leivo, cowen (for his +ve caphit on buyout this year) and NJ 2016 3rd.

I might be willing to pay more if there is comparable player that actually got more.

Kruger is a secondary shutdown center. Toews handles most of the big boys.

Compare Kruger to a guy like Courterier. Both get crap for zone starts and Coots still puts up 35-40 points.

Kruger is where offense goes to disappear. PK guys are a dime a dozen.
- TTtime

Couturier was averaging over 18 minutes per game. He is their 2C and has always been extremely talented offensively. I disagree about PK guys. If they were a dime a dozen you would never see 19 or 81 out there. We saw what happened when our PK% dropped.

Losing Shaw I going to hurt this team and I fully expect the spin machine to leak out the homophobic slur as a course of reasoning. Especially given the past year of hell off the ice. Ross will surely be gone. I dont' like the idea of just dealing him away. I'd take Shaw at 3.5 before I'd take Ladd at 5.5-6 million. call me crazy.

Crawford...no surprise here Been blowing this horn for weeks. I would expect given his NMC he goes to somebody like Ottawa IF he were dealt. Hawks will probably try to do right here and would prefer to keep him out of the west.

Teuvo....again, no surprise. This kid's value is only going to go down and in the end it's strickly on Teuvo. A lack of wanting to be better and improving off the ice to adding muscle, so he isn't a non factor like he is so many nights.

Just amazing the Hawks would extend a 1 dimensional player with a bad wrist, a history of being the target of so many highlight reel hits and likely head and back issues over a guy with back/concussion issues but with more versatility and more bang for your buck. I've heard teammates state how he's a guy you want to go to war with....haven't heard anyone say that about MK.

Oh well...I'll get off that horse....good bye Shaw........a man who has overachieved in his skill set and his fight/hungry to succeed in his game.
- SteveRain

Agree. Danault could have filled up most of what MK does eventually, with a bit more body. I'd love to keep Shaw, but the kid needs to cash in now. At this rate, he'll be lucky to be around in 5 years, with the way he throws around his body.

Has anyone else heard the rumors that Crawford went on a 2 day bender after getting eliminated by the Blues?

Also heard talk that Brian Campbell wants to come back to Chicago for under 3 million a year.
- waitforawhistle

There are reasons they consider dealing guys that none (or most) of us never really know.

I have heard "talk" about Campbell but it's all sounded like conjecture til now—what I heard anyway.

I disagree... If looking at the small Q-influenced sample size then maybe but if looking at Weise in Montreal I'd say Weise is a better player overall. He's a larger and more technically gifted version of Shaw... The one thing I will give shaw is that he understands his role more and doesn't try to do more than he should (largely why I feel Q was so reluctant to play Weise). I'm a huge fan of Shaw, but to say Weise isn't even in the same league as Shaw is craziness
- Frenchy4488

There is no way in the world Weise is more skilled then Shaw. In Montreal he was used in a role because of injuries and had a very hot start due to an unsustainable shooting percentage. Weise can't play center. OR LW for that matter. He sure the heck can't be used in a shutdown role. He is terrible defensively.

Also. Go look at what Weise did over the 65 games of the season. Weise barely sniffed 20 goals in 2 seasons let alone one.

Shaw is better and its not even close.

There is no way in the world Weise is more skilled then Shaw. In Montreal he was used in a role because of injuries and had a very hot start due to an unsustainable shooting percentage. Weise can't play center. OR LW for that matter. He sure the heck can't be used in a shutdown role. He is terrible defensively.

Also. Go look at what Weise did over the 65 games of the season. Weise barely sniffed 20 goals in 2 seasons let alone one.

Shaw is better and its not even close.
- TTtime

All else being equal, Shaw is a much better player.

I think it's the all else (in addition to his salary demands) that make him tradeable.

Exactly...I'm going to need help swallowing that one.......Kruger is what he is, a nice player but he's more readily replaceable then Shaw.

The Hawks as it is have very few guys will to get dirty and score the necessary "net presence" goals. I'm very hopeful JJ is wrong on this one.

Shaw to me is what Leddy is to Savvy and Q even LIKES Shaw......
- SteveRain

same, Shaw is one of the very few players on the team who shows up to every game and gives everything he has. I also want him to stay for selfish reasons, as I just got his sweater this past season

What do you think the realistic value of Shaw's rights are considering that all other teams know the Hawks have cap issues?

I had suggested on Carol's blog something revolving around Etem and Sbisa for him and Bickell, is that way off ?
- belcherbd

The cap issues really have nothing to do with the value of Shaw's rights. As long as the Hawks qualified him and hold his rights he can't just sign elsewhere without the Hawks getting compensation in the form of draft picks. So, therefore, his value is at the minimum, whatever they would be compensated based on his salary expectation.

Depends on the team and the matchups. Kruger was all on Getzlaf and Kesler like stink on poop whenever Q could get the matchup in the 2015 WCF. Just one example.

Short memories.

Funny, the "mad props" for the Hawks' judgement ("they've won 3 Cups," etc) except when it comes to Kruger.

But there's a reason he is never offered in trade and is being paid $3 million a year.

It's not because he's Stanley's Little Bobo, nor because he doesn't score enough goals for some.
- John Jaeckel

Completely agree. If you rephrase the question as "If you could cancel out one of the opposition's best centers for 3.5m/yr, would you?" a lot more people would say yes.

Well, I believe there is a long and robust history of guys submitting lists—and getting dealt—often to teams not even originally on their list. Happens a LOT. Rick Nash comes to mind. I believe Jeff Carter. Many others.
- John Jaeckel

Nash got a whole lot of quantity.

I didn’t think carter waived to Columbus … prior his NTC kicking in. LA pretty much stole him from Columbus afterwards.

Anyways, I didn’t think we were far off in value with the percy/pitts 1st deal.

I just don’t see a high-end piece going back for Crawford.

There are reasons they consider dealing guys that none (or most) of us never really know.

I have heard "talk" about Campbell but it's all sounded like conjecture til now—what I heard.
- John Jaeckel

John, Any idea why Seabs and his agent bent over Stan so much? We upgraded him to the A and he was a solid 2/3 Defender not getting any younger. how does that come up with being the 9 highest paid D player in the league next year, and a full NMC, and given a 8 year deal kicking in at 31?

http://www.spotrac.com/nh.../2016/cap-hit/defenseman/

Teams I would watch with regard to Crawford: Buffalo, Winnipeg, Philadelphia, Toronto, Arizona, the Islanders and Ottawa.

LOL becuz philly and goaltending problems amirite?

Another past performance back pat deal from SB (you would have thought he would have learned his lesson from Bickell's contract) and before he was fully healed no less - what was the rush? If he does many more of these reward contracts, it's game over for him and the Hawks window. I am really beginning to believe that the arrogance of both him and Q think they don't need to adapt and change. If SB doesn't make a deal at the draft, it will cement the fact that he didn't learn anything from the debacle last year and he will get pantsed again.

As far as his shot, it is really weak after the injury and his prospects for contributing offensively are very limited. This is a luxury deal when we can't afford that luxury for a one dimensional PK player.
- Sundevil

Exactly and 100% in agreement with you.

[quote=waitforawhistle]Has anyone else heard the rumors that Crawford went on a 2 day bender after getting eliminated by the Blues?

That was me on that bender.

JJ,

Thanks for the post! Always hate seeing guys leave the team, but it's part of it. Do you have any insight on the Lars Johansen signing? Probably AHL bound?

And what about Arizona as a destination for Crow?
- HockeyBatman

I am not seeing Crawford as a fit in AZ with Smith’s anchor contract.

Maybe if they can get smith out of there, but that won’t be an easy task.

Nash got a whole lot of quantity.

I didn’t think carter waived to Columbus … prior his NTC kicking in. LA pretty much stole him from Columbus afterwards.

Anyways, I didn’t think we were far off in value with the percy/pitts 1st deal.

I just don’t see a high-end piece going back for Crawford.
- Tumbleweed

If they move Crawford I doubt they expect a high end piece in return. If he is moved it is for Cap reasons, not for equally as expensive alternate pieces.

The cap issues really have nothing to do with the value of Shaw's rights. As long as the Hawks qualified him and hold his rights he can't just sign elsewhere without the Hawks getting compensation in the form of draft picks. So, therefore, his value is at the minimum, whatever they would be compensated based on his salary expectation.
- TheTrob

That is a good point and I didn't think of it but if they qualify and he ends up going to arbitration are you not forced to sign him to whatever amount is decided?

Depends on the team and the matchups. Kruger was all on Getzlaf and Kesler like stink on poop whenever Q could get the matchup in the 2015 WCF. Just one example.

Short memories.

Funny, the "mad props" for the Hawks' judgement ("they've won 3 Cups," etc) except when it comes to Kruger.

But there's a reason he is never offered in trade and is being paid $3 million a year.

It's not because he's Stanley's Little Bobo, nor because he doesn't score enough goals for some.
- John Jaeckel

Kesler was matched up against Toews for much of that series. Its a terrible contract and was a reward for taking a one year deal.

At 2M a year he has value. At 3M there isn't a team in the league that would touch him because of his lack of offensive ability.