Scratch one option:

Dale Weise in a radio interview on TSN690 yesterday afternoon expressed his interest to return to the Canadiens when he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
- Return of the Roar

How many bottom 6 forwards are now itching to come to Chicago after the way Q "deployed" (scratched) several recent forward additions to the club? One must hope that internal bottom wing candidates outperform projections, a top-6 LW is added, and 2 viable D men are added. Likely?......

Maybe the Hawks were better off with 2 scoring lines instead of one? The results speak for themselves and I'm pretty sure everyone, including Patrick Kane, would trade in that Art Ross for another Stanley Cup. Saad > Anisimov and there is a reason that even with Stan backed up against the wall, that Jarmo acted quickly to pick up this rising star. Anisimov is a really solid C that complemented 88+72 perfectly. That being said, Toews+Hossa had the worst seasons of their careers bc of the revolving door of bottom 6 LWs. Also, Hawks bowed out in the first round for the first time since......Brandon Saad was drafted.
- EnzoD

And you think Toews+ Hossa and bowing out in the first round was all because of the loss of Saad. I think you are dead wrong,using the proper words so i don't get banned. Also Saad asked for ridiculous money that he knew he wouldn't get from the Hawk's so in my mind he wanted out. Also he's a Daddy's baby who had no mind of his own let his Daddy till him what to do. I for one am glad he's history, hope he likes spending the rest of his career with a losing team

75 point scorers, in today's NHL, get $7mil+/year. Saad averaged 50 points/year and got $6mil/6yrs. So, IMO, try to lock him up long term with a $5-6mil cap hit this summer or I fear he will be gone after this year.
- EnzoD

Barring injury I think he will eclipse 80 pts next year pretty easily. Wouldn't shock me if he stays on Kane's line they both put up 90 plus. He has the skill to be a 40 goal a year guy. Call it Friday afternoon optimism from me

And you think Toews+ Hossa and bowing out in the first round was all because of the loss of Saad. I think you are dead wrong,using the proper words so i don't get banned. Also Saad asked for ridiculous money that he knew he wouldn't get from the Hawk's so in my mind he wanted out. Also he's a Daddy's baby who had no mind of his own let his Daddy till him what to do. I for one am glad he's history, hope he likes spending the rest of his career with a losing team
- Maggie

Toews, Hossa, Q + Stan would respectfully disagree. You can disagree with me all you want but the loss of Saad+Oduya are the two primary reasons the Hawks are still not playing. Hawks won all 3 Cups without a legitimate 2C.

So you're saying g this defense as composed is good enough to get out of the first round of the playoffs?

Answer that question, please.
- John Jaeckel

No, but Keith, Seabrook, Hammer, and TVR is a great start. #5 and #6 need to be guys that are effective come playoff time and eat up more minutes so the top 4(mainly TVR) doesn't have to shoulder such a huge load. Gotta come up with better options than Gus/Svedberg/Runblad/Rozsival. Preferably adding someone who can skate. So, in the grand scheme of things, needing to upgrade the bottom of the D isn't at all impossible, and i think we'll find better answers next season.

Toews, Hossa, Q + Stan would respectfully disagree. You can disagree with me all you want but the loss of Saad+Oduya are the two primary reasons the Hawks are still not playing. Hawks won all 3 Cups without a legitimate 2C.
- EnzoD

I'd say won 2. Didn't Sharp play center, pretty well, for Cup 1 back when he had a two way game.

Hard to do the latter if the former is the case. Inclined to strongly believe it was the former.

How does a guy with a career of showing up when it counts suddenly become ineffective?

Now the issue of feeling "welcome in the room" raised by Toews in his post playoff presser seems to have more validity. What a shame if after bringing in Weise, Flash, Ladd and Panik that only one guy (Panik) may even want to stay.
- Return of the Roar

Can you elaborate on this? I didn't hear the presser. Were there personality issues that help explain the poor line up decisions and quality of on ice play?

I'd say won 2. Didn't Sharp play center, pretty well, for Cup 1 back when he had a two way game.
- bhawks2241

Sharpie was the 2C for the 2010 Cup but he has been a career winger, so technically, couldn't you say he was not a "legitimate 2C"? Regardless, my main point was that the loss of Saad made this a 1 line team. Show me one Cup Champ that had 1 scoring line....

If you move Crawford it is not going to be a case where you get a value for value return. You might get something that helps fill a hole (a useful top 9 winger, a defenseman) but you can't take a lot of salary back in the deal and you might have to take someone's lesser paid goalie back. It's about cap room this year and next year. Which is why dealing for a Mason whose deal expires next summer, net savings up to $6 million (Panarin?), and saves you $2 million this year MIGHT make some sense.

There IS a tradeoff. And I don't think they deal CC unless they believe that a combination of Darling and a veteran obtained in a CC deal or elsewhere (like maybe Johansson who is 27 and has a lot of pro experience overseas—think Niemi in 2010) can carry the load.

I don't think they are exploring dealing Seabrook either.
- John Jaeckel

Would it be possible they trade Crawford for a draft picks/prospects and then trade for a lesser priced vet goalie or grab a FA goalie as indicated or take a run with Darling and Leighton? Lot of cap room freeing up beyond 2016.

I could see Crow and Shaw being being packaged together before RFA hits.

I'd say won 2. Didn't Sharp play center, pretty well, for Cup 1 back when he had a two way game.
- bhawks2241

I tend to agree. if you put Danult or Shaw as center of that Line I bet they put close to AA numbers.

The thing that makes no sense to me at all is. If he knew SAAD wanted a long term deal why did he wait on Sharp? Let say the best offer the day of the draft was a 3rd for sharp and he takes it. and also moves Steeg since he already has all top 4 wings accounted for. That changes the course of history. He gets SAAD signed for 6 years and 5.575. Basically swapping out Sharps contract. He then has to decide if he wants to keep Kruger or JO and can only keep 1. I would keep JO on 3.3 x 3. (Unless you can find a asset to throw at Bickell like 2016 1st you can keep both) Move Kruger for ECL player of future Pick.

So we would have
SAAD-T-H
PAN-shaw-Kane
Des-TT-Moose-danult-Hartman, probably sign 1 or 2 Vet on a 1 -year deal at $900K

Then your d is
keith-seabs
Hammer-JO
TVR-Gus.sved-johns and Roz.

you don't need to trade away your 1st because you do not need a top 6 or top 4. you probably take a harder look on if long term you can afford to keep Seabs and don't overpay by 2 years and 1 million $.

instead he did not jump at trading Sharp which then made him lose SAAD which then meant he need to get back players to fill in those spots and he takes AA and Daley and one fits but is not nearly as good as who he replaces and one does not work at all and makes a even worse trade by taking on Scuds and his cap hit next year. How does somebody in the room of power not say what we get for sharp is irrelevant we need no salary coming back!!!!

I should be over it by now but I can't it set the franchise back from being a historically great team and now just a great team.

I know that we would still have cap problems but we would have so much of value that people want we could wait for the right deal.

Sharpie was the 2C for the 2010 Cup but he has been a career winger, so technically, couldn't you say he was not a "legitimate 2C"? Regardless, my main point was that the loss of Saad made this a 1 line team. Show me one Cup Champ that had 1 scoring line....
- EnzoD

Oh I agree completely. I think Sharp was a legitimate center in 2010 though. He played a nice 200 ft game. He just decided after that year he didn't want to be a center.

We learned this year that Toews and Hossa can't carry a bum LW around and produce. We know Kane can drag bums along and make them look good. I really think they should have moved Panarin up with Toews. Kane and Anisimov would have been just fine. Kane Anisimov Laad would have done just fine come playoff time. Would have had 2 scoring lines.

Toews, Hossa, Q + Stan would respectfully disagree. You can disagree with me all you want but the loss of Saad+Oduya are the two primary reasons the Hawks are still not playing. Hawks won all 3 Cups without a legitimate 2C.
- EnzoD

Saad and Oduya loss, especially Oduya cost the Hawks this year. You sir are correct.

What if the plan is to keep Shaw and Crawford and deal Panarin for a lesser LW and a true #4 D.

Lesser LW - Toews - Hossa
Someone Kane can make look good - Anisimov - Kane

Maybe that's a more balanced scoring threat from 2 lines?
- DMChi2010

Panarin is a keeper. He is a 1/2LW on any team, more importantly this team. Again it would be trading one need for another. Plug one hole and create another.

Can you elaborate on this? I didn't hear the presser. Were there personality issues that help explain the poor line up decisions and quality of on ice play?
- Dieselhead

I didn't see the press conference where he said that either.

It's a bummer if true, but I'm not surprised. Locker rooms are "clicky."

It would be a shame to lose good (athletically and personality-wise) guys because of some silly locker room stuff.

I didn't see the press conference where he said that either.

It's a bummer if true, but I'm not surprised. Locker rooms are "clicky."

It would be a shame to lose good (athletically and personality-wise) guys because of some silly locker room stuff.
- Hank3Henshaw

Best way to build team chemistry? IMO, Winning. Hawks didn't do a whole lot of winning after those new faces came into the room....

I didn't see the press conference where he said that either.

It's a bummer if true, but I'm not surprised. Locker rooms are "clicky."

It would be a shame to lose good (athletically and personality-wise) guys because of some silly locker room stuff.
- Hank3Henshaw

https://www.nhl.com/black...ws/t-277443408/c-43754503

Best way to build team chemistry? IMO, Winning. Hawks didn't do a whole lot of winning after those new faces came into the room....
- EnzoD

True. But who knows...a lot of those guys were mismanaged, in my opinion.

On the other hand...remember our bet? Haha.

I lost on the Stars, but Pens and Sharks advanced for me.

I hate these summers of salary cap dumps as much as the next fan, but I think as long as we are a contender this is just a fact of life.

I'm in the camp of not making a move until the team has to, then making the minimal moves necessary and keeping the current group together as long as possible.

However, I do understand the camp that wants to get ahead of the perpetual salary cap dumps and go through a few seasons with minimal moves. But is this even possible, especially if the cap doesn't increase as fast as it use to? If the Hawks deal Crawford how much time does that buy the club?

There's no easy answer and this is the price of success. I just think we have to continue to be use to seeing some of our favourite players leave.

Sure, it's still a very good team. To get back in to Cup contention, taking the cap and upcoming contracts OUT OF IT, in terms of adding to the roster, massive changes are not required.

They have 2-3 holes, on defense and at left wing and ZERO likely candidates internally.

Don't believe the "set the expectation bar low" spin coming out of 1901. Classic Scotty/Stan Bowman tactic.

But what you guys are NOT GETTING is that the cap and upcoming contracts will FORCE this team to subtract a bit in order to add, in a calculated manner, and it may mean someone's sacred cow (TT, Shaw, CC) has to go for cap or value reasons.

You guys are just refusing to see it. It is dollars and sense and no, while this team is still very good, it is no longer good enough, as composed, to win a Cup. They're not. And you've seen the evidence.
- John Jaeckel

I know I am not refusing to see it. In fact I am going to embrace the change. This summer will tell us just how big Stan's balls truly are; by making the necessary and likely painful [cap] moves. What will tell me Stan has arrived as a humbled GM is if these moves are with an eye on the season+ after next, not just next season.

I hate these summers of salary cap dumps as much as the next fan, but I think as long as we are a contender this is just a fact of life.

I'm in the camp of not making a move until the team has to, then making the minimal moves necessary and keeping the current group together as long as possible.

However, I do understand the camp that wants to get ahead of the perpetual salary cap dumps and go through a few seasons with minimal moves. But is this even possible, especially if the cap doesn't increase as fast as it use to? If the Hawks deal Crawford how much time does that buy the club?

There's no easy answer and this is the price of success. I just think we have to continue to be use to seeing some of our favourite players leave.
- DarthKane

If I'm Stan I have a few goals this offseason:

1) Add a 4D
2) Re-sign Panarin or allot the cap space needed for his $6mil next summer

Anything beyond that is gravy (like Shaw or a Top 6W)

Can you elaborate on this? I didn't hear the presser. Were there personality issues that help explain the poor line up decisions and quality of on ice play?
- Dieselhead

Someone else(?) asked about Q's comments about the team not doing the right things/having the excitement or investment needed to win (hence, my "didn't want it badly enough" interpretation), so I'll address both here.

No surprise, the BH media team edited (sanitized?) the players' exit interviews posted on the team's site. They cut into Q's when he was talking about the (lack of) injuries, so I'm not sure if anything was edited out. Unfortunately, I can't find the full-length, raw video anymore.

Q's presser following the loss in game 7 has some of his comments: https://www.nhl.com/black...ia/t-277512494/c-43741103

Here were some direct Toews quotes from the media sitting in the interviews:

John Dietz ‏@johndietzdh Apr 27
Very telling comment by Toews today. He said there was a lot of movement, a lot of trades, guys coming up and down. Tough to build chemistry

John Dietz ‏@johndietzdh Apr 27
Toews: "All that kind of makes it difficult for us to try and get our group as close as possible and to get ... that chemistry and making sure that we’re a team that can go far into the playoffs."

So, don't think it was personality issues as much as not having the time he would have like to have had as a team leader to make that happen.

Can't stop laughing
- 6628

Running joke around my circle of friends on why Tiger's game deteriorated.....every time he sees a golf club he has flashbacks of her hitting him with it and he can't shake them.

How many bottom 6 forwards are now itching to come to Chicago after the way Q "deployed" (scratched) several recent forward additions to the club? One must hope that internal bottom wing candidates outperform projections, a top-6 LW is added, and 2 viable D men are added. Likely?......
- phantasmo

Q and Stan need to get back on the same page.

And Stan and his poppy need to ask Q: hey, do you have any ideas as to how to change systems to capitalize on our remaining strengths now that the talent gap is no longer there? If Q says no, then fire him on the spot. Seriously.

Would it be possible they trade Crawford for a draft picks/prospects and then trade for a lesser priced vet goalie or grab a FA goalie as indicated or take a run with Darling and Leighton? Lot of cap room freeing up beyond 2016.

I could see Crow and Shaw being being packaged together before RFA hits.
- stan-ley-cups

This has to bring back a legit, cost-controlled D. And maybe even a decent backup goalie.

If I'm Stan I have a few goals this offseason:

1) Add a 4D
2) Re-sign Panarin or allot the cap space needed for his $6mil next summer

Anything beyond that is gravy (like Shaw or a Top 6W)
- EnzoD

That would b a good offseason.