I know people have cringed a bit on Vanek... but a 1 year, 2M per might be a Brad Richards-ish type deal Stan might jump on.

Don't love Vanek's character though. I'm torn.

I tweeted, CHI needs to replace Shaw's grit/character on the cheap. Some names that come to the top of my mind... Ryan White, Vernon Fiddler, Matt Martin, Downie, Eaves... or dare I say Weise.
- TyCamScore

There is nothing wrong with Weise as a poor man's Shaw. If Hawks come out of this weekend with Ladd and Weiss, that is a positive result.

I agree with your Jack. The problem lies with Bowman handing out these NMC like candy. Crow if ask to wave the NMC for a trade has the right to say NO. This is Bowman's fault and not the players. I think the only way to help relieve the cap problem is to trade Crow and now that Shaw is gone you need to try and add Kruger or AA in the deal. I know this isn't a popular decision on the board, but what else do the Hawks do? Trade KANE OR TOEWS? I don't think so
- scott.jackson

As the theory goes, a player will take a little less AAV for the NTC/NMC. But I am not sure we'd ever find out the truth until long after said player is retired and GM is retired. Maybe.

So does that mean if CC had no NMC, Stan would have had to pay $6.5M AAV?

Now I realize why I never click on any of the local scribes Twitter feeds. They have nothing of substance. Re-tweets don't count.

Their priority is counting American vs Canadian draftees and how Lindy Ruff got a nice applause. Nifty.
- blackhawk24

Tracey Myers is utterly useless.

She literally has not worked at all since the Hawks got eliminated over a month a go and then is complaining on Twitter about the draft being long

She provides nothing and just relays sound bytes

There is nothing wrong with Weise as a poor man's Shaw. If Hawks come out of this weekend with Ladd and Weiss, that is a positive result.
- RedFeather

Or if Stan can sign Matt Martin for something like $1.5M AAV 7/1 instead of Weise, that'd be even better.

Not sure on Ladd, seems like more money has to go.

Shawzy deal really only moved $2M.

According Lazerus' Tweet 3hrs ago, it came from the SunTimes. FWIW
- blackhawk24

Thanks!

When conversation revolves around Vanek, that's not the talk of someone interested in competing for a Cup run.
- kwolf68

We aren't close to a cup run so it fits.

Yeah, I've been confused for months now as to why moving Crawford is such an unpopular decision to make. I mean, its pretty obvious to me at least that by keeping him we simply can't put together enough forward depth to compete for a Cup. I mean its pretty straight forward. And now here we are....
- SimpleJack

If I were Q and Bowman I would roll the dice on Darling. I know we don't know much about the goalie we signed on a one way from Sweden but who new what Hasek had when we signed him? This guy put up elite numbers in the Swedish elite league and people on the board say well the ice surface is bigger over there. The puck and net are the same size so roll the dice and trade Crow for some draft picks and prospects. Look at what it would take to sign Ladd and if the price is to steep roll the dice that you can land Brouwer or Lucic!!

We aren't close to a cup run so it fits.
- bhawks2241

Good point

Or if Stan can sign Matt Martin for something like $1.5M AAV 7/1 instead of Weise, that'd be even better.

Not sure on Ladd, seems like more money has to go.

Shawzy deal really only moved $2M.
- blackhawk24

Here's where Stanley earns his money, by moving Rundbad for some Ladd cash. Ladd is willing to take the discount. Does Ladd at $3.5 get it done?

Tracey Myers is utterly useless.

She literally has not worked at all since the Hawks got eliminated over a month a go and then is complaining on Twitter about the draft being long

She provides nothing and just relays sound bytes
- hawkeytalkman

all she ever does is make me wonder why she chews so much gum

What should we expect from Shaw? Can he play as top 6 RW?

We aren't close to a cup run so it fits.
- bhawks2241

That's the final nail in the coffin.

What should we expect from Shaw? Can he play as top 6 RW?
- deadpoulet

Here's where Stanley earns his money, by moving Rundbad for some Ladd cash. Ladd is willing to take the discount. Does Ladd at $3.5 get it done?
- RedFeather

Stan didn't earn his money when he traded for him, then doubled down by resigning him....

there is no chance he unloads him...any team in the NHL had a chance to get him last year and the ONLY team who wanted him --in the end--was the Blackhawks.

What should we expect from Shaw? Can he play as top 6 RW?
- deadpoulet

Yeah he can play just about anywhere, but it would really only make sense if he had at least one player with legit top 6 talent on his line. He's had some nice spells of play on the Toews line at LW, and on the Kane line at C. I believe he was at his best with the Hawks at RW though when he was on a "4th" line with Kruger.

What should we expect from Shaw? Can he play as top 6 RW?
- deadpoulet

In spots. He's a brilliant third line winger...plays PK, PP, gives toughness, edge, heart, soul. There is NOTHING bad a Hawks fan will say about him.

Here's where Stanley earns his money, by moving Rundbad for some Ladd cash. Ladd is willing to take the discount. Does Ladd at $3.5 get it done?
- RedFeather

From Rocky's pocket book, Rundblad is worth $1M. From a cap hit perspective, it's $50k since he's buried in Rockford (hopefully in concrete).

If I had to guess I would say Ladd's deal here would be $4.5M AAV. He may hit up to $6M on the open market. I still believe there will be stupid money thrown around 7/1. Lotsa teams gotta get up to that $54M floor.

What should we expect from Shaw? Can he play as top 6 RW?
- deadpoulet

He can head the puck into the net

What should we expect from Shaw? Can he play as top 6 RW?
- deadpoulet

I wonder if his pure heart devolves into rougher edges under new management?
In other words, not as effective as when playing for the beloved...

In spots. He's a brilliant third line winger...plays PK, PP, gives toughness, edge, heart, soul. There is NOTHING bad a Hawks fan will say about him.
- kwolf68

He's an excellent head butter

Meanwhile better options came and went. Now you have an open roster space.

Vanek is bottom of the barrel.
- blackhawk24

What do you think the Hawks will be looking at? There are too many spots with not enough space right now. Maybe suggest something else?

OK, but neither is the answer at 1LW. Can we stop this group hallucination, please?
- John Jaeckel

Its easy to say who is not a good first line winger. So who do you propose and how do we go about it? Trade Crawford and sign Ladd? Then how do you sign Panarin next year? Its easy to say we need a 1LW. Its easy to say we need to sign Panarin long term. But with the cap how do we do it? And then there is absoultely no one out there to replace Crawford in net. Its just filling one hole to create another. So I propose toews, aa, panik, hoss, kane and breadman in top six. Kruger, desi., rasm., hartman, motte, schmaltz. Sign campbell to solidify the back end. There is no magic bullet out of this. We are hamstrung.

He's an excellent head butter
- SimpleJack

Yea, he is. LOL....that was so cool. Shaw was a laugh a minute. Will miss that little ball of hate.

- EnzoD

I'm sold.

Here's where Stanley earns his money, by moving Rundbad for some Ladd cash. Ladd is willing to take the discount. Does Ladd at $3.5 get it done?
- RedFeather

Ladd is looking for $6.5M per year for 7 years. I'm not sure where this crazy notion of him taking a big discount is coming from. I would absolutely love Ladd but it's not happening.

"When we spoke after the season, they said it would be tough," Ladd told Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet via a phone conversation Tuesday. "The likelihood is they don't have the room to make it work."