He's a 2nd line center with Patrick Kane that is clear...His skill set and production is that of a vg 3rd line center.
- Al

Yep.

And we probably keep Ladd after 2010 had Toews NOT gotten the bonus for playoff MVP. I thought David Bolland should have gotten it for the job he did on EVERY LINE he faced.

The bonus to 19 is what prompted the need to move Ladd. Never liked moving Brouwer either, despite his doochy ways against us last round.
- kwolf68

100% ACCURATE post. Except I thought Campbell should have won it, they don't get past Nash if he didn't get back in the lineup.

I like AA but think he is more of 3rd line center...as is Kruger in reality.
But AA has a $4.5 mil cap hit....If TT stays where does he play?

To your point that's what happens when you are forced to play musical chairs...Someone is always left standing.
- Al

I am not so sure about your assessment AA. First of all AA is the best 2nd line center the Hawks have had in over 5 years. Tell me the last time the Hawks had a better 2nd line center? There is a good reason Stan signed AA . He is big and physical, ,plays in tough areas in front of a goalie, knows how to score, good passer, very responsible on the defensive end, good vision and smart player.only negative needs to be better at the dot.

100% ACCURATE post. Except I thought Campbell should have won it, they don't get past Nash if he didn't get back in the lineup.
- powerenforcer

A lot of people thought Keith as well...

Johns was -2 in 11:32 tonight. The Stars should just send him back to Chicago...maybe for Svedberg.

A lot of people thought Keith as well...
- Al

Anybody but Ladd and who knows...Hawks may make a deep run in 2011....Canucks barely survived beating the 8th seeded Hawks and then easily blew through the West.

I am not so sure about your assessment AA. First of all AA is the best 2nd line center the Hawks have had in over 5 years. Tell me the last time the Hawks had a better 2nd line center? There is a good reason Stan signed AA . He is big and physical, ,plays in tough areas in front of a goalie, knows how to score, good passer, very responsible on the defensive end, good vision and smart player.only negative needs to be better at the dot.
- spanky

Agree with everything you said but on a very good team AA would be a very good 3rd line center as well.

Issue here is if they keep TT as cheaper option and Kruger as centers, can they afford to pay AA $4.5 mill??
I stated my view a few times and there will be a couple of players having a new address by October.

FTR-I was a big fan of AA from when he was with the Rangers, but offensively he isn't a 2nd line center on a lot of teams....When you play with Kane-Handzus can play 2nd line center and an over the hill Richards.

Point is Bowman has some options...

Johns was -2 in 11:32 tonight. The Stars should just send him back to Chicago...maybe for Svedberg.
- DarthKane

Stars goaltending didn't help...

Stars goaltending didn't help...
- Al

I know, I'm just making an excuse to get Johns back.

Dallas pays an awful lot for 2 goalies that are sub-par at best.

I gave the players 4 players and it could be 2 or 3 of 4 are gone with less expensive replacements. AA/TT/Kruger/Shaw in no particular order...

But if I'm Bowman I'm looking seriously at TT's future and if AA is worth $4.5 mill per under current cap conditions.
- Al

AA centered the best line in the NHL for most of the year and they just extended him last summer and he got hurt this year and played anyway. I think they keep him.

Kruger and Shaw are heart and soul guys, I think they try to keep both.

TT seems like he has some value. I think they try to use him and a D prospect to get some team to take Bickell for a legit defenseman.

CC seems like a possible trade candidate. He's playing great and his cap hit is reasonable for a goalie so that makes him attractive to other teams. With Darling and another cheaper goalie, you might save $2m to $4m on the goalie position next season.

Seabrook seems like the other possibility to me. He's in his prime and will be the third highest paid player on the team next year. He could bring back some value, at least a cheaper replacement and cap space.

AA centered the best line in the NHL for most of the year and they just extended him last summer and he got hurt this year and played anyway. I think they keep him.

Kruger and Shaw are heart and soul guys, I think they try to keep both.

TT seems like he has some value. I think they try to use him and a D prospect to get some team to take Bickell for a legit defenseman.

CC seems like a possible trade candidate. He's playing great and his cap hit is reasonable for a goalie so that makes him attractive to other teams. With Darling and another cheaper goalie, you might save $2m to $4m on the goalie position next season.

Seabrook seems like the other possibility to me. He's in his prime and will be the third highest paid player on the team next year. He could bring back some value, at least a cheaper replacement and cap space.
- matt_ahrens

For who? Who is a cheaper replacement for a 2/3 defenseman that someone is willing to give up? Besides the fact that the Hawks problems are defensive and defensive depth, why would you trade one of your top 3 defensemen!

Agree with everything you said but on a very good team AA would be a very good 3rd line center as well.

Issue here is if they keep TT as cheaper option and Kruger as centers, can they afford to pay AA $4.5 mill??
I stated my view a few times and there will be a couple of players having a new address by October.

FTR-I was a big fan of AA from when he was with the Rangers, but offensively he isn't a 2nd line center on a lot of teams....When you play with Kane-Handzus can play 2nd line center and an over the hill Richards.

Point is Bowman has some options...
- Al

he has options...none of them very good...he has to dump again and thats not how you improve your weaknesses...you get weaker or you pick your poison

For who? Who is a cheaper replacement for a 2/3 defenseman that someone is willing to give up? Besides the fact that the Hawks problems are defensive and defensive depth, why would you trade one of your top 3 defensemen!
- TheTrob

Because he makes lots of money and is washed up, according to some.

Most absurd idea on the planet to trade Seabs. Just shut it down and start over if that's the answer to this crap.

50 years of season tix...man you have been through a few boom bust cycles....thats impressive...

interesting summer indeed....winning leads to big contracts leads to cap deleveraging...who gets deleveraged this summer....
- bogiedoc

I had posted several days before to the Blues fans, enjoy your day in the sun if you win the cup because after that those young guys are gonna wanna get paid, so guess what happens!
At times I get mad at Stan , but somehow I think he will pull off at least 1suprise possibly with Toronto.... Maybe... I am sure along with a D man , the CAPTIAN is leaning on them to get him another 1st line LW. Connect the dots ? Just speculating.... And hoping!

Because he makes lots of money and is washed up, according to some.

Most absurd idea on the planet to trade Seabs. Just shut it down and start over if that's the answer to this crap.
- kwolf68

My point is also that any proposed trade needs to make sense. Quality defenseman are a premium in the NHL. Why would a team trade you a younger and cheaper defenseman of similar quality for Seabrook?

I agree Kwolf. If you are trading any of 2/4/7/19/81/88 you are throwing in the towel and blowing it up.

Something along the lines of the above TOR trade at least make sense.

One last point. The Hawks are up against the cap again and everyone knows it, because of this it's going to be very hard if not impossible to "win" any deal. The best the Hawks can hope for is that a prospect outplays his ceiling or an older player is helped by the change of scenery.

Agreed but I still despise the Blues for their stable of goons in the bottom 6. Hopefully San Jose and Tampa advance to the Cup.
- EnzoD

As much as I'd like to see San Jose, St. Louis has demonstrated that physical play and a good defense wins you close games in the playoffs. San Jose should get by the Preds tomorrow, but if Elliott continues to play at this level the Blues should advance to the Cup. But Preds, Sharks, Blues -- not sure it matters because the Penguins look like they will be tough to beat. They look like a team that can put up four or five goals each game. Kessel looks like a man possessed, and Bonino playing like a top line center.

I know, I'm just making an excuse to get Johns back.

Dallas pays an awful lot for 2 goalies that are sub-par at best.
- DarthKane

What 10.4 million looks like:



(From @HawksBreakdown on Twitter)

Because he makes lots of money and is washed up, according to some.

Most absurd idea on the planet to trade Seabs. Just shut it down and start over if that's the answer to this crap.
- kwolf68

I'm with you I think it would be a mistake. For all the talk of a Toews' intangibles, Seabrook is next after him when it comes to leadership. I think Sharp departing affected the mood in the locker room more than people anticipated, and I imagine it would be even worse if they lost Seabrook.

I'm with you I think it would be a mistake. For all the talk of a Toews' intangibles, Seabrook is next after him when it comes to leadership. I think Sharp departing affected the mood in the locker room more than people anticipated, and I imagine it would be even worse if they lost Seabrook.
- maria_wyeth

But....but...just think of the cap space!

If Stan trades Seabrook he'd have enough cap space to acquire a Seabrook-type defenseman.

I'm with you I think it would be a mistake. For all the talk of a Toews' intangibles, Seabrook is next after him when it comes to leadership. I think Sharp departing affected the mood in the locker room more than people anticipated, and I imagine it would be even worse if they lost Seabrook.
- maria_wyeth

Absolutely. Hockey is more than talent or skill, hockey is also that "something" that sees certain players (Messier, Yzerman types) who just seem to permeate greatness leading to championships. Seabrook is this exact type player. He has one season "not quite to par" and he's washed up, time to dump him.

I don't care what you do, you simply can't replace the intangibles #7 brings to the ice. He UNDERSTANDS what it takes to achieve greatness. You can't promise me any unproven player is the same.

Either keep the main core and try to figure out the cap situation around the edges or just blow it up.

Russell with 0 goals, 2 assists and -4 in the second round. His ice time was cut to just over 16 minutes tonight. 2 assists in 6 games in the first round as well.

Maybe as a 4 behind Hammer, Seabs and Keith you get a different result but from what I saw, he was mostly what I remembered with the Blues and seemed to be an expensive rental.

It will be interesting to see what he gets as a UFA.

So Sharp, Oduya and Johns met the same fate as their fellow Blackhawks, a loss in game 7 against St.Louis.

So now the script flips a bit because Sharp and Oduya have one year left. So they are "impending free agents". And so now the genius Jim Nill will have to make some tough decisions with guys getting into their mid to late 30s. Hmmm.

Back to the original thread topic. I am amazed at the number of people who think Stan has to trade Crawford and he would be a salary dump. By that I mean buffalo, Philly, and other fans on here. That is just plain foolish.

Stan is not going to dump a goalie, who plays the most important position in hockey, just for salary cap relief. Crawford is coming off his best statistical year and is a two time cup winner who has outplayed the likes of Quick, Rask , Bishop along the way.

The only way Stan moves Crawford is if he is able to make a "hockey trade" in which he gets a ton of assets back and the trade makes the Hawks better in 2017 and beyond.

This is not the same as the Bickell situation or Sharp or Campbell. Not one of those guys was a first line player when the time came to cut bait. Crawford is every bit a 6 million dollar goalie. When John says he is in play, I believe that. But don't think for a second it's going to be a schlep like Steve Mason coming back. To quote Patrick Kane "not a chance".

So Sharp, Oduya and Johns met the same fate as their fellow Blackhawks, a loss in game 7 against St.Louis.

So now the script flips a bit because Sharp and Oduya have one year left. So they are "impending free agents". And so now the genius Jim Nill will have to make some tough decisions with guys getting into their mid to late 30s. Hmmm.

Back to the original thread topic. I am amazed at the number of people who think Stan has to trade Crawford and he would be a salary dump. By that I mean buffalo, Philly, and other fans on here. That is just plain foolish.

Stan is not going to dump a goalie, who plays the most important position in hockey, just for salary cap relief. Crawford is coming off his best statistical year and is a two time cup winner who has outplayed the likes of Quick, Rask , Bishop along the way.

The only way Stan moves Crawford is if he is able to make a "hockey trade" in which he gets a ton of assets back and the trade makes the Hawks better in 2017 and beyond.

This is not the same as the Bickell situation or Sharp or Campbell. Not one of those guys was a first line player when the time came to cut bait. Crawford is every bit a 6 million dollar goalie. When John says he is in play, I believe that. But don't think for a second it's going to be a schlep like Steve Mason coming back. To quote Patrick Kane "not a chance".
- Omahawk

There's no way I trust Bowman at this point to make a 'hockey trade'. We've seen how he's done. And while CC is an elite goalie its what the market will bear. I can't see any GM willing to help the poor Hawks who are once again against the cap. So more than likely it'll be another forced bad trade by Stan the man after he waits all summer to get something done. And meantime Runny and Bickell will still be here.

We saw what happened with Sharp - Stan overplayed his hand as usual and got screwed. BTW Sharp's stats 20g 35a this season and 4g 2a in the playoffs. Not to bad. If Bowman plays this summer like the last he'll have set the Hawks back even farther.

There's no way I trust Bowman at this point to make a 'hockey trade'. We've seen how he's done. And while CC is an elite goalie its what the market will bear. I can't see any GM willing to help the poor Hawks who are once again against the cap. So more than likely it'll be another forced bad trade by Stan the man after he waits all summer to get something done. And meantime Runny and Bickell will still be here.

We saw what happened with Sharp - Stan overplayed his hand as usual and got screwed. BTW Sharp's stats 20g 35a this season and 4g 2a in the playoffs. Not to bad. If Bowman plays this summer like the last he'll have set the Hawks back even farther.
- DK002

stan is leveraged...you dont get value back when you are in his position; a CC trade requires taking minimal salary back...you would hope that minimal salary is a guy on his ELC with some big time potential

Anisimov is clearly a 2C. He was having a stellar season until he got hurt mid-season.
- DarthKane

He could play either role. His weakness in the dot makes him almost better as a 2C though. He's good defensively, not as good defensively as Kruger across the board. And he's more productive offensively. So he's #2, Kruger's #3.