Tie game 3-3

Kane produced when he had Bolland....Handzus...or Richards on his line/as his center.

Maybe Toews shouldn't have demanded 10.3 mil if he needed Saad or Sharp in order to be productive?

Toews gets "made up injury" excuses for poor season he did not live up to his contract. But Bickell who is legitimately not the same after actual surgeries, gets no excuses

Toews gets a free pass because they won Cups in the past, but Q doesn't as the coach of the team and second winningest in history

Why do the highest paid player in the league allowed the free pass but others not the same?

It's got nothing to do with Toews hate or Q love - but the reason they were in the cap crunch was Toews and Kane. Kane won the scoring title and the MVP. Toews had a horrible season. Hopefully his albatross contract doesn't continue the breakup of the team, but there's a very good chance it will. He going to need to produce a helluva lot more with less help next year, I hate to inform people

So either be ok with this team offense as is or raise expectations from Toews since he demanded the money

And not sure every GM would take Toews over Crosby, at least not this one
- PatShart

Toews has only scored 70 points once, and his RS career average is about 62. I'm not sure how you can say he had a horrible season scoring 4 fewer points than average, especially since he had a diminished Hossa, and no one at LW for 90% of the season. If you want to say that his point production and playoff performance didn't live up to his contract, that's fine, but Toews is being paid for his leadership, defense, and scoring. He is probably the most complete player in the NHL, and is paid as such. I still think he and Kane should have taken $1 million less each, and then the Hawks wouldn't be in quite the mess they are now.

God the Pens are doing everything they can to blow this game

Tie game 3-3
- 93Joe

pens marching to the box and the caps march right back and tie it up...

no damn lead is safe in this game...its a game of mo that swings and oh those penalties

idiot play by letang...that int all day long...he oshie never played the puck and letang went after him....

pens marching to the box and the caps march right back and tie it up...

no damn lead is safe in this game...its a game of mo that swings and oh those penalties
- bogiedoc

Sirius XM was saying earlier that the pens need to stay out of the box. So far... Not working to well.

pens marching to the box and the caps march right back and tie it up...

no damn lead is safe in this game...its a game of mo that swings and oh those penalties
- bogiedoc

All those 3rd period penalties and 5x3s - Washington only scored once - unfortunately, the tying one.

If we are to simply agree to disagree, does this mean you'll stop your hate posts about Q? Or I just need to stop pointing out all the excuses Toews is allowed for his dismal season and playoffs?

And if "most GMs" allegedly want Toews (not sure at 10.3million) is supposed to hold weight, what about Q getting voted by players as the coach most all want to play for?
- PatShart

I'm certainly not trying to tell you what to post and I'm sorry if it came across the way. I agree with you that Toews had a bad season. I also think Q mismanaged the roster. They're not mutually exclusive. I just believe that Q not rolling 4 lines is a bigger part of the reason for their early exit than Toews having a lousy year. Not rolling 4 lines is the reason Q himself gave. What I've said is that Q decides the lines, so not rolling 4 lines is ultimately on him.

All I meant by let's agree to disagree was that I didn't want to get into a back and forth with you. Keep pointing out whatever you would like. But just like I'm not going to convince you that Q cost them games by not icing the best roster possible until it was too late, you're not going to convince me that Toews having a bad season is the biggest factor in their elimination. So no point in bickering back and forth.

(And for the record, I don't hate Q at all. I think he's a very good coach who is sometimes too stubborn and occasionally does perplexingly dumb things. I've never even suggested or wished that they had a different coach instead of Q. I have critiqued some of his roster choices this year, said that he and Stan need to get on the same page, and that I didn't like him throwing the team under the bus and saying that the players didn't want it enough. Definitely not me hating him.)

pens marching to the box and the caps march right back and tie it up...

no damn lead is safe in this game...its a game of mo that swings and oh those penalties
- bogiedoc

I don't think I've ever seen 3 DOG penalties in one game, let alone 2 minutes!

I don't think I've ever seen 3 DOG penalties in one game, let alone 2 minutes!
- tvetter

nor can I....

that rule needs to change...as does the double minor for bleeding on a high stick...

I don't think I've ever seen 3 DOG penalties in one game, let alone 2 minutes!
- tvetter

Well it's usually just a bunch of too many men penalties when you're watching the Hawks

wow...3 A+ chances by daley and then hornquist and they play on

thar she blows...bonino wins it

thar she blows...bonino wins it
- bogiedoc

The curse of the president's trophy strikes again

The curse of the president's trophy strikes again
- maria_wyeth

Good point Maria.......now if Daley gets a Cup......I'm sure Q will be the first to call and congratulate him...... .....I know.....I'm such a trouble maker......

The curse of the president's trophy strikes again
- maria_wyeth

Another masterful coaching job by Barry Trotz, the NHL's most overrated coach since Dan Bylsma.

Good point Maria.......now if Daley gets a Cup......I'm sure Q will be the first to call and congratulate him...... .....I know.....I'm such a trouble maker......
- ILGolfer

Does this mean Washington should blow up their team and trade Ovechkin, Backstrom and Holtby?

Does this mean Washington should blow up their team and trade Ovechkin, Backstrom and Holtby?
- DarthKane

They won't deal those 3 but there will be a good amount of changes...

This is a great thread. Lots of good discussion here.

So it would seem they have to upgrade at 4D, but it can't be too good an upgrade because only 3 D's get protected for expansion next summer? Maybe that has something do with why Stanley didn't keep Oduya, because he knew there would be a claim on him and they'd get nothing for him, whereas Daley's contract ends next season?

I'm curious as to how much Shaw's recurring back problems are going to affect his trade value and how much he'll get paid. I hate to lose him, but it seems inevitable unless he does a Kruger deal, and I don't see that being too likely.

It would be great if they could keep Ladd, but I don't see how, and I don't see how they can sign Campbell, either. Crawford would have to be moved for either no salary coming back or for three rostered players for us to even entertain these thoughts, I would think.

This is a great thread. Lots of good discussion here.

So it would seem they have to upgrade at 4D, but it can't be too good an upgrade because only 3 D's get protected for expansion next summer? Maybe that has something do with why Stanley didn't keep Oduya, because he knew there would be a claim on him and they'd get nothing for him, whereas Daley's contract ends next season?

I'm curious as to how much Shaw's recurring back problems are going to affect his trade value and how much he'll get paid. I hate to lose him, but it seems inevitable unless he does a Kruger deal, and I don't see that being too likely.

It would be great if they could keep Ladd, but I don't see how, and I don't see how they can sign Campbell, either. Crawford would have to be moved for either no salary coming back or for three rostered players for us to even entertain these thoughts, I would think.
- 333inthe3rd

Do inquiring/acquiring teams have full access to a player's medical history before making the trade? Have to wonder how much is actually documented by the team physicians.

Geez, again with all the silliness.

The repeated teeth gnashing about contract numbers is kind of wasted breath. "I don't like X player at Y salary". If Stan held firm and said "I'm not paying you a dime over $9.5M" and 19 and 88 said stuff it and went to free agency, there would be pitchforks and torches at his house. There are two sides for every negotiation. In those negotiations you have to take into account the market and what that player does/means to that team.

The Hawks have had a good team for a long time, hence they have good players that need to be paid. I can't imagine the comments here if 19,88, or 7 were allowed to walk or traded when their contracts were about to be up.

Are the contracts great? No, but it's the nature of the beast. Do I think different decisions could have been made? In some cases yes, but overall I think the FO has done an above average job. My only big problem was the Sharp deal.

Also, all this "he needs to live up to his contract" stuff is peeing in the wind as well. Players will have down years. Exhibit A: Patrick Sharp. Reasons for said down years can vary. These are not excuses, but they do happen. I fully expect a number of our big guns to have better years next year, but If Kane doesnt average a point per game next year, is he suddenly not worth his contract?

Thanks JJ for the post and info. I really appreciate this forum (even if I really don't understand a lot of the vitriol). Man, this wasn't even fueled by scotch this time!

Caps waste yet another great regular season...

...extra Crosby is too much Crosby.

Go Blues!

Geez, again with all the silliness.

The repeated teeth gnashing about contract numbers is kind of wasted breath. "I don't like X player at Y salary". If Stan held firm and said "I'm not paying you a dime over $9.5M" and 19 and 88 said stuff it and went to free agency, there would be pitchforks and torches at his house. There are two sides for every negotiation. In those negotiations you have to take into account the market and what that player does/means to that team.

The Hawks have had a good team for a long time, hence they have good players that need to be paid. I can't imagine the comments here if 19,88, or 7 were allowed to walk or traded when their contracts were about to be up.

Are the contracts great? No, but it's the nature of the beast. Do I think different decisions could have been made? In some cases yes, but overall I think the FO has done an above average job. My only big problem was the Sharp deal.

Also, all this "he needs to live up to his contract" stuff is peeing in the wind as well. Players will have down years. Exhibit A: Patrick Sharp. Reasons for said down years can vary. These are not excuses, but they do happen. I fully expect a number of our big guns to have better years next year, but If Kane doesnt average a point per game next year, is he suddenly not worth his contract?

Thanks JJ for the post and info. I really appreciate this forum (even if I really don't understand a lot of the vitriol). Man, this wasn't even fueled by scotch this time!


- Chunk

Amen brother......all good stuff.

They won't deal those 3 but there will be a good amount of changes...
- Al

I know Al, I was being sarcastic and trying to put some perspective on the silliness of the call for Stan to make an equally big move.

As disappointing as our season ended I can't help but feel bad for the Caps fans. Washington had a special (regular) season and anything short of a Cup final appearance is a disappointment.

Caps waste yet another great regular season...

...extra Crosby is too much Crosby.

Go Blues!
- ArlingtonRob

No Capital can withstand this much Crosby.