@TSNBobMckenzie

Gudas gets a four-year deal with PHI. AAV is in the range of $3M to $3.5M.
- DarthKane

Vandermeer's type of player....


Again, while I HOPE that StanBo makes a big splash to shed cap and address 1LW and/or 4D, the pessimist in me keeps saying to expect little movement from the Hawks this summer. What do you guys/gals think is going to ACTUALLY happen, not what you WANT to happen...?

IMHO, spot on in regards to cortisone and Oxy.

My experience with back/neck surgery is very different. Some surgeries should be a last resort (think fusion). Some surgeries are minimally invasive, lower risk and can have wonderful benefits (think microscopic discechtomy performed by a neurosurgeon).

Rehab/PT is huge. Focus on core and hamstrings to loosen up your lower back. Building strength and stability in the impacted areas is also big in my experience.

If anyone has specific questions on this stuff and going through it, feel free to pm me. I'm happy to share what worked for me and things I noticed though I am not an expert and you should decide what is best for you.
- Jason Millen

Again, choose something other than oxycotin. As a teen from the 70's I know what "flyin" is and that oxy I took fit right in with the "good"(?) old days. Nobody needs those problems.

Good luck, Jason.

or and both are quicker than Ladd
- wiz1901

Put me down for 4 trades - maybe 1 in the top 6; maybe 1 in the 7-10 range; 1-2 in the teens and maybe 2-3 in the 20s.

I think at this point, it is true that Stan had to overpay to keep them, but overpay is still overpay.
- breadbag

and now the team is strangled by these two contracts and is having to trade players and is unable to resign existing players due to the top heaviness of the team....so not much depth and not likely to repeat anytime soon unless they dump a lot of salary........how's that working out for you?

and BTW greedy is the only word that comes to mind.....look at Hammer's contract and that defines loyalty and hometown discount....

Thanks guys. I am a fan of all sports (I actually prefer watching high level Futbol over the MLB), but my scouting of league wide players is limited the the NFL (Fantasy football) and the NHL. I know that Robin Lopez is a monster with decent touch, but he has also been injured lately, right? Jose Calderon is a nice depth player but the 2015 1st rounder is who really intrigues me. He played on a bad team last year but only averaged 5ppg. This is my last NBA post, but I just feel like trading D-Rose for a 1st rounder would have been a better option. Are they really trying to contend for a title next year? or is it a full rebuild around Butler?
- EnzoD

I had Lopez on my fantasy team this year and he did quite well for one of my later round pickups. As for injuries, he played every game this past season but I think he missed like 20 games the season before.

I loved the hometown hero narrative for D.Rose and a few years ago I would have thought he'd retire a Bull. He's just not the player he used to be, I think they rushed him back too soon after his first ACL injury and it's gone downhill from there.

Forman is insisting it's more of a retool than a rebuild but a full rebuild around Butler seems probable.

If your only concern is the 2016-17 season, I agree, you keep Seabrook. But, that contract, going forward, on an aging, slowing D-man, is going to be an albatross.
I think Stan needs to look at the future....if he can get a good, young, cost controlled D-man, or #1 pick, he has to consider it.
- tompo1015

No and hell no!

If you trade either one of our top 3 D-man, you might as well blow up teh whole team and start rebuilding right away. Hawks can only be competitive if they add to D, or one of teh young players steps up big (rookie year Hammer style). Last year was the proof.

If Seabrook contract becomes albatros in a few years, then you unload him them. If Philly can trade Pronger's conrtact and Wings Datsyuk's, why can't the Hawks do the same with Seabs in a few years? His contract is not subject to recourse like Keith's and Hossa's.

Seabs still has 3-4 good years in him, it's not time to get him moved. Hawks will find ways to be competitive for next few years.

Vandermeer's type of player....


Again, while I HOPE that StanBo makes a big splash to shed cap and address 1LW and/or 4D, the pessimist in me keeps saying to expect little movement from the Hawks this summer. What do you guys/gals think is going to ACTUALLY happen, not what you WANT to happen...?
- EnzoD

I think Hawks are trying to make several big deals, but easier said than done, while I hope they pull off something substantial , I think Shaw or Kruger will likely be gone and a minor deal or two may come about with all the talking with other teams they are doing. After training camps are done in September, they will still be trying to make deals.

Good evening Mr. R. From a business standpoint, anyone is replaceable. There I would agree with you. I like that you provided the defense of the Penguins as an example because that is relevant in my opinion. The way the team (Chicago) is currently structured is not a top-notch and arguably worse than last season (so far). I also think your point from previous blogs "to get less worse and to stop the hemorrhaging" is very important and relevant also. The Penguins rolled 4 lines and assisted the defense on every shift and that should be taken into account.

If we take Seabrook out of the equation, the team, arguably, gets more worse so to speak. If he is strong and healthy and not playing babysitter, we know he can play and compete at a high level. The core, with all three captains, hammer, and Kane can be replaced, but the chances of winning decrease dramatically. So where I stand with this is IF Seabrook is being shopped, it has to be For and NHL ready player, defenseman of course who can contribute. Another thing is that they just gave him the 'A' and a new raise which makes me think one reason is he stays put. Moving him does create some nice cap room and maybe a 1st round pick, but is it worth reading a guy who knows how to win and is probably the pillar in the locker room? I'm not against the idea entirely, I just think the Hawks become a way worse team if he is shipped.
- 93Joe

How they are constructed. Yes the CURRENT model (kick the can a year down the road, hemhorrage some talent and reload as best as possible year after, year, after year is set up where you can't lose a,b or c. But is that model sustainable in the Hawks' eyes, is it changing (good Lord they are talking about a 9.5 mil player), if so at what speed (timeline) and/or have they decided to change to core? If so how?

I don't even know what question to ask cuz I don't see the model as sustainable. When I look for players to add in some hypothetical I look for anyone who might play for a million, cuz that's based in reality, the math insists on it.

How other way is their to attack roster losses, ie "get less worse", or define a successful NHL franchise's goals from year to year? STL is getting less worse this year, DAL is getting less worse this year, TB is getting less worse this year, NYR is getting less worse this year, ANA is getting less worse this year and this will hit any and EVERY team that has any kind of success at least every other year. Unfortunately it's not even arguable.

I'm not advocating moving out player a,b or c nor am I advocating not. Cuz I don't know what a sustainable model is but I sure as hell hope the Hawks do.

and now the team is strangled by these two contracts and is having to trade players and is unable to resign existing players due to the top heaviness of the team....so not much depth and not likely to repeat anytime soon unless they dump a lot of salary........how's that working out for you?

and BTW greedy is the only word that comes to mind.....look at Hammer's contract and that defines loyalty and hometown discount....
- Hawkster

Ding, ding, ding.

Agree on greedy part... Hawks made them whole on their first contracts $6.5m/y for 5 when UFA's (they were RFA's) barely were getting that; and then they needed to get $10.5/y for 8... If they took $9M/y, they would already have made over $100M in their careers, excluding endorsment money. Will the extra $12M they get over next 8 years make them happy, when that money could have been spend to better the team around them.

Vandermeer's type of player....


Again, while I HOPE that StanBo makes a big splash to shed cap and address 1LW and/or 4D, the pessimist in me keeps saying to expect little movement from the Hawks this summer. What do you guys/gals think is going to ACTUALLY happen, not what you WANT to happen...?
- EnzoD

Kempny is you're #4 Dman. Whatever needs done to extend Panarin. At least two rookies in the bottom 6, including Rasmussen as a rookie. Motte makes the cut. Panik will be in the top 6 (no other choice). Schmaltz starts in Rockford. The vets (core) come back hungry. One of Shaw or Kruger are gone. Crow is your goalie.

Ding, ding, ding.

Agree on greedy part... Hawks made them whole on their first contracts $6.5m/y for 5 when UFA's (they were RFA's) barely were getting that; and then they needed to get $10.5/y for 8... If they took $9M/y, they would already have made over $100M in their careers, excluding endorsment money. Will the extra $12M they get over next 8 years make them happy, when that money could have been spend to better the team around them.
- Nerko77

I agree with the contracts of 19, 88+ 7 as the anchor dragging this team back down to the depths of the NHL(along with the stagnant salary cap). Lets say 19+88 each took 9.5mil to match Sidney Crosby (at the time the objectively best player in the NHL) and Seabrook kept his same 5.8mil deal. Those deals are STILL inflated for the individual production that both players had prior to their extensions. Kane's high of 88 points and Toews' high of 77 points were never top 5 in NHL scoring. That is 3 mil in cap space (plus Bickell's 4mil) and the Hawks are able to keep Saad long term. Saad is the guy that hurts the most to lose since Byfuglien. Saad is a perennial all-star and is still only 23 years old. Guy had 30G, 30A on one of the worst teams in the NHL. CBJ traded away their 1C at the TDL and he still produced. Brandon Saad should never have been allowed to leave. Whether it was Bickell, or anyone else, Brandon Saad is the guy that is nearly irreplaceable.. and Stan should have done whatever is necessary to make it happen. I dont want to hear about Artem Anisimov. He cant hold Saad's jockstrap, IMO. So it goes. We will see what the Hawks can win without Saad or Byfuglien in the Top 6 forward group....

Kempny is you're #4 Dman. Whatever needs done to extend Panarin. At least two rookies in the bottom 6, including Rasmussen as a rookie. Motte makes the cut. Panik will be in the top 6 (no other choice). Schmaltz starts in Rockford. The vets (core) come back hungry. One of Shaw or Kruger are gone. Crow is your goalie.
- Mr Ricochet

Sounds about right.

I agree with the contracts of 19, 88+ 7 as the anchor dragging this team back down to the depths of the NHL(along with the stagnant salary cap). Lets say 19+88 each took 9.5mil to match Sidney Crosby (at the time the objectively best player in the NHL) and Seabrook kept his same 5.8mil deal. Those deals are STILL inflated for the individual production that both players had prior to their extensions. Kane's high of 88 points and Toews' high of 77 points were never top 5 in NHL scoring. That is 3 mil in cap space (plus Bickell's 4mil) and the Hawks are able to keep Saad long term. Saad is the guy that hurts the most to lose since Byfuglien. Saad is a perennial all-star and is still only 23 years old. Guy had 30G, 30A on one of the worst teams in the NHL. CBJ traded away their 1C at the TDL and he still produced. Brandon Saad should never have been allowed to leave. Whether it was Bickell, or anyone else, Brandon Saad is the guy that is nearly irreplaceable..and I dont want to hear about Artem Anisimov. He cant hold Saad's jockstrap, IMO. So it goes. We will see what the Hawks can win without Saad or Byfuglien in the Top 6 forward group....
- EnzoD

Of course this wasn't a question last year but this next year it would be, Saad or Panarin? Who do you keep?

Of course this wasn't a question last year but this next year it would be, Saad or Panarin? Who do you keep?
- Mr Ricochet

Saad bc he can kill penalties and is more physical. Saad could have been the Conn Smythe trophy winner from 2015 and is younger than Panarin.

Of course this wasn't a question last year but this next year it would be, Saad or Panarin? Who do you keep?
- Mr Ricochet

Panarin, I think. It appears that Panarin has that Kane-skill of making those around him better players and I don't know that Saad is as good of a play-maker

and now the team is strangled by these two contracts and is having to trade players and is unable to resign existing players due to the top heaviness of the team....so not much depth and not likely to repeat anytime soon unless they dump a lot of salary........how's that working out for you?

and BTW greedy is the only word that comes to mind.....look at Hammer's contract and that defines loyalty and hometown discount....
- Hawkster

Two Hall of Famers - 3 Cups (2 at the time they signed) - still only 26/27, lots of productive years left....

Tell the greedy owners to loosen the cap restrictions and lower ticket prices so the average fan can afford to go to games, to forego the $500MM expansion windfall and instead relocate failing franchises to cities that might actually result in increased revenues and caps. Not sure why the players are expected to act out of loyalty by giving hometown discounts when everyone else connected with the league can just maximize their revenues

Don't object to two of the best players in the league getting paid like it - players who produced and achieved the "one goal" three times.

Yeah, it hurts to be in this cap situation every year, but enough with demeaning Toews and Kane - pay them and deal with it.

Saad bc he can kill penalties and is more physical. Saad could have been the Conn Smythe trophy winner from 2015 and is younger than Panarin.
- EnzoD

Killing penalties is a legit win in the Saad column. I think we will likely see Panarin get more physical as he has adjusted to the changes in the game. He definitely was more physical at the end of the season than at the beginning.

ETA: I didn't mean that Panarin will be more physical than Saad, but more physical than what we've seen so far

Two Hall of Famers - 3 Cups (2 at the time they signed) - still only 26/27, lots of productive years left....

Tell the greedy owners to loosen the cap restrictions and lower ticket prices so the average fan can afford to go to games, to forego the $500MM expansion windfall and instead relocate failing franchises to cities that might actually result in increased revenues and caps. Not sure why the players are expected to act out of loyalty by giving hometown discounts when everyone else connected with the league can just maximize their revenues

Don't object to two of the best players in the league getting paid like it - players who produced and achieved the "one goal" three times.

Yeah, it hurts to be in this cap situation every year, but enough with demeaning Toews and Kane - pay them and deal with it.
- StLBravesFan

I still think the FALSE projections of Bettman and Co are why the Hawks are in this awful predicament with the 19/88 extensions. However, look at ANY professional sports league and when you give out contracts based on PAST performance, you almost always regret it.

Killing penalties is a legit win in the Saad column. I think we will likely see Panarin get more physical as he has adjusted to the changes in the game. He definitely was more physical at the end of the season than at the beginning.

ETA: I didn't mean that Panarin will be more physical than Saad, but more physical than what we've seen so far
- maria_wyeth

They are both outstanding talents and just think if StanBo was a bit tighter with his spending....we could of had both long term....

Again, choose something other than oxycotin. As a teen from the 70's I know what "flyin" is and that oxy I took fit right in with the "good"(?) old days. Nobody needs those problems.

Good luck, Jason.
- Mr Ricochet

I've taken one oxy when I was in severe pain and it was magic. Five minutes later pain gone. ALL pain everywhere. I figured that stuff had to be bad for you if it worked so good. Never took another one. I can see how it can hook ya.

Thanks J.

I just got my diploma in the mail over the weekend. Finished with a 3.9 GPA, and my senior thesis is up for consideration for an award from the History Dept. later in the year.

The missus and I have moved into the new house. Finished installing the hardwood floors in 3 rooms yesterday. Things are moving along...

I hope all is well on your end.
- EKB13

Good for you Eli. Major cudos to you! Especially doing it later in life.

Very impressive!

Good for you Eli. Major cudos to you! Especially doing it later in life.

Very impressive!
- TexasFlood

I would be remiss if I didn't second this.

I still think the FALSE projections of Bettman and Co are why the Hawks are in this awful predicament with the 19/88 extensions. However, look at ANY professional sports league and when you give out contracts based on PAST performance, you almost always regret it.
- EnzoD

May be apocryphal, but:

Ed Lopat - a terrific pitcher for the terrific Yankee teams of the late 40s/early 50s - asked for a salary increase after a pretty good season - the GM told him he hadn't won twenty games in a season yet - he would get a big increase when he did.

So - next season he did - and the GM said (you can guess) - can't give you the big increase - how do we know you can do it again?

Certainly, with Toews and Kane, you can assume THEY will do it again.

I still think the FALSE projections of Bettman and Co are why the Hawks are in this awful predicament with the 19/88 extensions. However, look at ANY professional sports league and when you give out contracts based on PAST performance, you almost always regret it.
- EnzoD

I think with the two of them, it wasn't a case of pay for past performance only. They wouldn't have gotten as much money without that past, sure. But, they've won another Cup since the signing. And, given their ages and relative talent level at the time of the signing, you'd expect them to keep performing at a very high level as they were both entering their prime. Isn't that what we are saying we wish StanBo would do? Pay for likely future output?

May be apocryphal, but:

Ed Lopat - a terrific pitcher for the terrific Yankee teams of the late 40s/early 50s - asked for a salary increase after a pretty good season - the GM told him he hadn't won twenty games in a season yet - he would get a big increase when he did.

So - next season he did - and the GM said (you can guess) - can't give you the big increase - how do we know you can do it again?

Certainly, with Toews and Kane, you can assume THEY will do it again.
- StLBravesFan

Only if the team around them pulls the weight. This year was the proof. After the deadline trades, we all thought Hawks were the team to beat, but we saw the 1st round exit. Tazer and Kaner pulled their weight, others did not. This is why we lost. Hockey is a team game, one or two players never decide teh outcome; they can ignite the team to perform with their performance as they have done during the 3 cup wins, but the rest has to follow.

BTW, Crawford won the finals in 2013 and should have been finals MVP, hands down!