Delight !!!

Give thoughts on the trade yet . ?


I dont mind it. Espexially because of the moves to come. Never loved TT , hate Bickell , so be it .
- mrpaulish

My thoughts are that it's a shame it cost them TT to dump Bickell, but I'd rather have Panik and Shaw than Bickell and TT. That said, Shaw still isn't signed, and the salary cap sucks.


I also didn't dislike Bickell as much as many did, and we must never forget that he earned that contract by doing this...



Which lead to this...



Totally worth it.

Is Kaner going to Pittsburgh for Malkin?
- eggsegan

Agree Rick
- 6628

Round peg square hole on a playoff team.

Agree Rick
- 6628

Round peg square hole on a playoff team.

For whatever reason, Daley really never got a shot with Hawks and was never favorably viewed upon by coach Q. I agree with your sentiment that they should have gotten more, but they sold low on Daley after not giving him an opportunity to fit into their scheme. They were looking for cap space and that's what they got.

From a front office that has made some really great trades/signings over the last few years, they have made some questionable trades the last two years. I know they needed to get Sharp's contract off the books, but I thought that was a horrendous trade when they made it. They made it even worse by trading the pieces they got for worse pieces that didn't fit their style of play.

As a Pens fan who has lived in Chicago for almost 20 years, I watch and root for the Hawks any time they're not playing the Pens. I'm seeing them take a very similar path the Pens took starting in 2010. You have two all world talents coming off bridge contracts and now have the two highest annual salaries in the NHL. Hossa is still a productive player, but that contract will become a burden since it stays on the books even if he retires, a very good goalie making good money, two top defensemen making good money (Keith's cap hit is great, but he has a lot of term left), young players and picks are traded for aging rentals, and questionable trades are being made.

There is no question the Hawks are still a top team with immense talent, but it becomes more and more challenging to build out top to bottom rosters like they've had previously when you have 7 players on long contracts (Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabs, Crow, Hoss, Anisimov) counting for nearly 70% of the cap.
- mw630

Good post and congrats on your cup........ Indeed each roster has two top talents and when yours were signed they were at the top of the league in pay and took a few years to show some "value" as compared to other salaries. In other words salaries caught up to Malkin and Crosby.

It will take awhile but Kane and Toews' numbers will look better in 2-3 years but IMO the Hawks have better and deeper talent than does the Pens. More expensive yes but lets swap out Keith-Letang and Kessel-Panarin and the Pens don't have a Seabs/Hajlmersson/Hossa. Having said that the Hawks don't have the flexibility that the Pens do either and we saw what that did from them from last offseason to the TDL.

I personally like th move Stan made. It was necessary to move Bicks contract.
The problem I will have is over valueing Shaw. If you listen to some of Coach Q comments regarding Shaw, he was quoted as "important component" "big part" or even "necessary player". Shaw is imo, over valued by Coach Q. I don't know if Stan shares the same opinion...I appreciate Shaw and what he has done with his grit...But there may be overvaluation here....I would rather trade Shaw as he has peaked in terms of trade value.....

I personally like th move Stan made. It was necessary to move Bicks contract.
The problem I will have is over valueing Shaw. If you listen to some of Coach Q comments regarding Shaw, he was quoted as "important component" "big part" or even "necessary player". Shaw is imo, over valued by Coach Q. I don't know if Stan shares the same opinion...I appreciate Shaw and what he has done with his grit...But there may be overvaluation here....I would rather trade Shaw as he has peaked in terms of trade value.....
- shidler

How do you feel about Ladd?

Personally i'd move Panarin to 1LW and acquire Jimmy Vesey play him at 2LW and see if Schmaltz is ready to sign if so give him a shot at center in the bottom six.
- Dabearshawks

Jimmy Vesey decided who acquires Jimmy Vesey.

if they need to move the contract and get a pick in the top 20, they should take the money, the pick and run. $10 million gives you a LOT of room to figure out who plays goalie, among other things.
- John Jaeckel

A 10-15 pick is only enough if they were desperate...I think there isn't much need to do anything drastic after today's deal.

I personally like th move Stan made. It was necessary to move Bicks contract.
The problem I will have is over valueing Shaw. If you listen to some of Coach Q comments regarding Shaw, he was quoted as "important component" "big part" or even "necessary player". Shaw is imo, over valued by Coach Q. I don't know if Stan shares the same opinion...I appreciate Shaw and what he has done with his grit...But there may be overvaluation here....I would rather trade Shaw as he has peaked in terms of trade value.....
- shidler

The window is wide open these next few years. The time to win is now. Shaw is more valuable than TT to this team now, and I don't believe he's as replaceable as many seem to think.

I think Johansson will get a long look come preseason. He takes good angles and can be lightning quick going post to post. The one spot that needs a bit of work is rebound control but If he works on that I think he could be a good to very good goaltender in the NHL.
- Dabearshawks

Who's gonna make Lars Johansson taller than 6.05"?

I think the likeliest destination where CC might go, if he goes, is to a young, rebuilding club, with talent everywhere but in net, or to a GM who is a believer in him above what else is out there and sees him as a chip that helps take a good team to a great team.

I have heard him mentioned in connection with (as teams that like him and would deal for him):

WPEG
BUF
NJ

I would not rule out Toronto or NYI
- John Jaeckel

I was not a big fan of Crow until last year. He showed me something. Despite the fact that Pens won with an average unproven goalie, the goalie imo is still critical component of winning the Cup. If they want to move more money to create space, I would rather see Seabs go...I don't get the long term extensions that Seabs got. He looked awfully slow and made some terrible plays the 2nd half of the season and during the playoff.

I personally like th move Stan made. It was necessary to move Bicks contract.
The problem I will have is over valueing Shaw. If you listen to some of Coach Q comments regarding Shaw, he was quoted as "important component" "big part" or even "necessary player". Shaw is imo, over valued by Coach Q. I don't know if Stan shares the same opinion...I appreciate Shaw and what he has done with his grit...But there may be overvaluation here....I would rather trade Shaw as he has peaked in terms of trade value.....
- shidler

How would you value the best forward over the past 2 season in the playoffs and one that can play on any line??

Who else checks the boxes Shaw does?

That's why Q and Bowman like Shaw a lot.

A 10-15 pick is only enough if they were desperate...I think there isn't much need to do anything drastic after today's deal.
- Al

Agreed.

Wait for the cap number, make the offer to Shaw, use the rest for a vet LW who wants to win.

On to the draft.

If he is on the market, what would you want from Calgary? Would Backlund a 2nd and a prospect get it done? Backs is cheaper and younger than Ladd will be, a great 3 C, and would offer good cap flexibility.
- FLflames34

I'd make that deal. I'm a Backlund fan and think the guy is ready to make a jump from his 21 goals 47 points. Good size, legit 2C, 3 zone player, 2nd unit PP and 1st unit PK at 3.6 through 2017/18.

But if I'm Calgary I target ANA's Andersen. Think he'll sign for 1.5/2 mil less than Crow's 6 mil and be near as effective....

Did Bennett play more wing or center this year?

Who's gonna make Lars Johansson taller than 6.05"?
- wiz1901

And the angles and speed of the NHL game are different as well.

The window is wide open these next few years. The time to win is now. Shaw is more valuable than TT to this team now, and I don't believe he's as replaceable as many seem to think.
- Ogilthorpe2

Shaw? No he is not. Q had him centering Saad and Kane in '14. He can play on any line and can play center when needed. Provides much needed PP net front presence. Takes a few dumb penalties sure but there is no one in the Rock that can do all of that. Good like finding someone via FA, wouldn't be cheap and likely would take two bottom 6 guys to replace all of Shaws versatility. He looked to improve his skating last season too as he seemed to have a bit more burst.

Visentin was on a one-year deal and missed the last couple of months of the season to injury. My guess is that the injury might have been the same injury where he missed a season while playing in the 'Yotes system. If that's the case, Visentin could be calling it a career.
- EKB13

When I talked to Vis after the injury, he said it was the same ankle injury as before, but the other foot. He started skating last week so whatever team he plays for, he should be ready to go by the start of the season.

Who's gonna make Lars Johansson taller than 6.05"?
- wiz1901

Same height as Raanta and only an inch under Lundqvist

And the angles and speed of the NHL game are different as well.
- Return of the Roar

Very true which is why I said he should get a long look in preseason.

My main source agrees with you, thinks it's a big win for Stan.

Interesting side note: Hawks not shopping Crawford but are getting calls from "multiple teams" on him. Market appears to be a first round draft pick. Salary cap will determine what moves are next.

Ladd returning is still a possibility, but not very likely "at this point."
- John Jaeckel

JJ, if they are being offered a 1st in this goalie market I think they have to do that. Darling a #1 and sign a vet UFA (Ramo/Scrivens/Johnson/Khudobin)?......Even still a helluva gamble giving up a 2 time cup winner with the 4th best save percentage over the last 3 years.

I'm a Ladd fan, think he brings more intangibles than is given credit for plus his skill/size/grit but I'd rather go younger/faster with any money.

A 10-15 pick is only enough(for Crawford) if they were desperate...I think there isn't much need to do anything drastic after today's deal.
- Al

Definitely the Hawks would have to be desperate to take a pick in the 10-15 and ONLY that!

Besides the defenseman Fabbro and Bean who LOOK like they can develop into solid NHLers, after the giant developmental forward Logan Brown goes off the board, the draft starts its 4th tier already at 10-11...even though I have Jacob Chychrun laugishing in slot 12, he will be gone before 11 too.

Sure there looks like some nice forwards who might score in the NHL but things start getting suspect, and I am not the Hawks chief scout, but trading Crawford for a pick?

You cleared Cap, but flushed...and started your rebuild now.
Go out an spent on a UFA goalie...has that worked for anybody yet???? (is Jimmy Howard?)
I hope that pick doesn't decide to go to college and play four years and sign elsewhere.
The forwards I have slotted at 11 on Clayton Keller (Boston U) Tyler Jost (North Dakota), Keiffer Bellows (Boston U) are going to school
So do the hawks pick a guy not going to college, just as insurance, to take away that option?

So...the vocal majority that wants Crawford gone must either think
a)Darling is a horse who can play 50 games and the playoffs and start absorbing pucks to his pads instead of not controlling their whereabouts, or
b)you think that somebodys is giving you the next Martin Jones, or
c) Antti Raanta's cousin can come in and do it,
or d)some team actually let a REAL starter go UFA.

Here's the thing with TT - with Carolina he might make the statistics lovers real happy and put up 20G and 60 points eventually in a regular season and the team might even squeak into the playoffs. And then he will have to go up against the real big boys in the playoffs - Crosby, Malkin, Stamkos, Giroux, Barkov, Backstrom, even a Tyler Johnson or Nick Bonino.

How well is he going to do knocking heads every night with those kind of guys when they are playing for keeps? Not well methinks, and that's probably the main reason why he is gone.
- RickJ

This x1000.

In the STL series, Teuvo had an assist against one of the nastiest teams in the league. In those same 7 games, Shaw had 4 goals and 2 assists, and this was after being suspended for one game. When the going gets tough (read: the playoffs), Teuvo disappears, yet Shaw gets going.

They sold high on Teuvo. That's excellent.

Can Tyler Motte play LW??

Definitely the Hawks would have to be desperate to take a pick in the 10-15 and ONLY that!

Besides the defenseman Fabbro and Bean who LOOK like they can develop into solid NHLers, after the giant developmental forward Logan Brown goes off the board, the draft starts its 4th tier already at 10-11...even though I have Jacob Chychrun laugishing in slot 12, he will be gone before 11 too.

Sure there looks like some nice forwards who might score in the NHL but things start getting suspect, and I am not the Hawks chief scout, but trading Crawford for a pick?

You cleared Cap, but flushed you started you rebuild now.
Go out an spent on a UFA goalie...has that worked for anybody yet????
I hope that pick doesn't decide to go to college and play four years and sign elsewhere.
The forwards I have slotted at 11 on Clayton Keller (Boston U) Tyler Jost (North Dakota), Keiffer Bellows (Boston U) are going to school
So do the hawks pick a guy just to take away that option?
- wiz1901

Can't trade Crawford for only picks even if it was a small basket full at this point. That's the type of deal that could haunt Bowman forever and he could lose the room.

I think there could be a time Darling may get the nod but not now. Today's deal took a lot of pressure off of Bowman.....A lot.