Both you and walter above make good points. I do think Darling has the ability to be a number one goalie. The looming expansion draft is another valid point. Now is when he'll have some value versus waiting until next year when Stan could be desperate.

I still dont quite understand what Stan meant when he says we dont have a cap problem any more. Is it because their current roster is under contract and no RFA's?
- golfbard

Smokescreen for the fans. Pretty sure every GM knows the Hawks need more cap room to stay competitive.

Both you and walter above make good points. I do think Darling has the ability to be a number one goalie. The looming expansion draft is another valid point. Now is when he'll have some value versus waiting until next year when Stan could be desperate.

I still dont quite understand what Stan meant when he says we dont have a cap problem any more. Is it because their current roster is under contract and no RFA's?
- golfbard

I think that - they are under cap right now so pressure in the moment is down, but IMO also because lower pressure is leverage in next moves he wants to make. So posture and stronger bargaining position (perceived, in the moment anyway). Scott Powers wrote a great piece on where the Hawks are cap wise. They basically have a bit under $8M (not counting Moose's salary) to complete the roster. https://theathletic.com/2...khawks-trade-andrew-shaw/

They really need to come up with a better system than this. I'm sick of seeing this team get gutted. Couldn't some sort of luxury tax work? The Hawks other than Hossa and Campbell have not built their team through free agency. How dare they want to keep their players and pay them to stay.

Morning all

Draft starts at 10 am, time to start building the prospect depth again.

Hate that Shaw is gone, but honestly, they couldn't pay him 4+ mil, not in today's NHL cap world.

Something that really pissed me off more last night was Craig Button taking shots at the Hawks and Stan.

I got home late and didn't see much of the draft but when i turned it on, he was bashing the Hawks saying "you don't give 4 mil to a Bryan Bickell, that's how you lose a TT".

Just really aggravated the hell out of me. While we all can agree the Bicks shouldn't be paid that, every team overpays someone. Those two things are really not connected at all.

I know I'm probably being paranoid, but it seems like all connected with NHL are revelling in the Hawks problems and taking shots and piling on.

If Button was so brilliant, maybe he'd still have a real job in the NHL.

Smokescreen for the fans. Pretty sure every GM knows the Hawks need more cap room to stay competitive.
- ikeane

I just took it as he doesn't have to do anything. In the past few years, he did have to make a move to get under the cap.

He didn't say anything about the roster quality.

Getting under the Cap, and Roster quality are mutually exclusive

I think that - they are under cap right now so pressure in the moment is down, but IMO also because lower pressure is leverage in next moves he wants to make. So posture and stronger bargaining position (perceived, in the moment anyway). Scott Powers wrote a great piece on where the Hawks are cap wise. They basically have a bit under $8M (not counting Moose's salary) to complete the roster. https://theathletic.com/2...khawks-trade-andrew-shaw/
- Marlowe

What I also found interesting was on the broadcast, Button and McGuire talked about free agency and Button said the Dmen will get paid and thought the forwards would be the ones struggling to find big contracts.

What I also found interesting was on the broadcast, Button and McGuire talked about free agency and Button said the Dmen will get paid and thought the forwards would be the ones struggling to find big contracts.
- golfbard

Good news for the Hawks if it plays out that way. I still think if they feel like the D needs buttressing they sign Soupy (who was out and about and tweeting in Chicago last night) to a small $$ contact a la Richards. Then they go about fortifying the F position - maybe Ladd or soemone else (arguably) capable of playing 1LW. If they trade CC then they can get more/better F help.

We still don't have anything solid on CC being asked to waive do we? Just Grasso's tweet and JJ's conversation which IIRC wasn't definitive on that topic. (Correct me on that please if you have a better/different recollection)

Good news for the Hawks if it plays out that way. I still think if they feel like the D needs buttressing they sign Soupy (who was out and about and tweeting in Chicago last night) to a small $$ contact a la Richards. Then they go about fortifying the F position - maybe Ladd or soemone else (arguably) capable of playing 1LW. If they trade CC then they can get more/better F help.

We still don't have anything solid on CC being asked to waive do we? Just Grasso's tweet and JJ's conversation which IIRC wasn't definitive on that topic. (Correct me on that please if you have a better/different recollection)
- Marlowe

If they don't move salary they cannot sign anyone close to a Laad type. I'm not sure they can really afford to sign Campbell either off its anything north of a mil. That is what I was upset yesterday they have to move a big contract and gamble on a roster spot to fill some gapping holes they have zero fill ins for. The forward depth without shaw is scary thin. I just don't see how they sit on this roster as is going into next year. I hope Panik has one hell of an offseason training wise we are going to need him to burst onto the seen!! (And then not be able to sign him next year)

Morning all

Draft starts at 10 am, time to start building the prospect depth again.

Hate that Shaw is gone, but honestly, they couldn't pay him 4+ mil, not in today's NHL cap world.

Something that really pissed me off more last night was Craig Button taking shots at the Hawks and Stan.

I got home late and didn't see much of the draft but when i turned it on, he was bashing the Hawks saying "you don't give 4 mil to a Bryan Bickell, that's how you lose a TT".

Just really aggravated the hell out of me. While we all can agree the Bicks shouldn't be paid that, every team overpays someone. Those two things are really not connected at all.

I know I'm probably being paranoid, but it seems like all connected with NHL are revelling in the Hawks problems and taking shots and piling on.

If Button was so brilliant, maybe he'd still have a real job in the NHL.
- vabeachbear

You are not being paranoid. When a team that has won three Cups in six years and the media darlings of the league as well some will be thrilled to see the Hawks come back to the pack. I say screw them and let's win the Cup this year.

Probably in the lower percentile on here, but two 2nds for Shaw? Sign me up, especially if Shaw goes for over 3.5mil/year. He signs in MTL for 4+ then I will GLADLY take 2 2nd rounders for a basically bottom 6 guy. You dont get that often.

Now thats all said and done, next move for Stan I think is to try to package up AA or CC and get a player of value back that helps diminish the cap along with being a now player. How that happens who knows, but I am sure that Stan has something up his sleeve.

Also, the fact that Stan says that he is in good shape now with the cap means that Shaw wanted a high dollar and now can breathe a little with the ability to make some other moves that he can now put more focus on. Hopefully, they flourish.
- purepone

No mystery as to why Shaw was moved and why wouldn't he be looking for a sizeable raise - he's earned everything the market will pay him.

What the Hawks got in return was 2 lottery tickets - good luck to them with that trying to find an equivalent to replace the overachiever, heart and grit guy Shaw is. The dressing room won't be the same and the team on the ice will feel the loss big time for quite awhile. Q and Stanbo are probably quite depressed this morning.

Can you image the cap room we would have if you could take 10, 20, 25% off the cap hit for your home grown players? Somebody with a calculator and a mind for cypherin should figure that out.

GO HOCK SCOUTS! PICK A COUPLE WEINERS!
- hocktock

20-25% is a bit much, (remember this is Bettmans parity nhl) but I'd be good with even with 5-10%.

They really need to come up with a better system than this. I'm sick of seeing this team get gutted. Couldn't some sort of luxury tax work? The Hawks other than Hossa and Campbell have not built their team through free agency. How dare they want to keep their players and pay them to stay.


- jhawk159

Part of it is on the players and agents. Did T&K need 10.5. No. Did Seabs need almost 7? No. Inflated salaries play a huge part

No mystery as to why Shaw was moved and why wouldn't he be looking for a sizeable raise - he's earned everything the market will pay him.

What the Hawks got in return was 2 lottery tickets - good luck to them with that trying to find an equivalent to replace the overachiever, heart and grit guy Shaw is. The dressing room won't be the same and the team on the ice will feel the loss big time for quite awhile. Q and Stanbo are probably quite depressed this morning.
- RickJ

It also shows how much the extra $1 mill or so raise meant in the big picture....Just like it mattered when Oduya was gone to in essence save $400K. That one didn't turn out well and Shaw won't be easy to replace. Nice trade for the Habs and we will see down the road how much this move hurt.

If they don't move salary they cannot sign anyone close to a Laad type. I'm not sure they can really afford to sign Campbell either off its anything north of a mil. That is what I was upset yesterday they have to move a big contract and gamble on a roster spot to fill some gapping holes they have zero fill ins for. The forward depth without shaw is scary thin. I just don't see how they sit on this roster as is going into next year. I hope Panik has one hell of an offseason training wise we are going to need him to burst onto the seen!! (And then not be able to sign him next year)
- bhawks2241

Pretty much agree except to say that if they want to avoid being over cap and having 0 leverage later in the off season they can't afford any FAs. Doesn't mean they can't sign just that it might not be the best decision to do so. I always tell my friends when things look bleak at any point in the game that there's still a lot of hockey left to play and I really think that's the case here. Not going to throw in the towel and declare the Hawks done. We really need to see what the team looks like when the puck drops on the regular season (and after the trade deadline on 2/28/17).

The other reason moving CC's contract would have value (aside from the big one of cap space which is huge) is that teams can only protect one goalie in the expansion draft. That is why Elliott and Bishop are available - both teams want to get something for the asset, not give them away, and both teams have another very good option in goal and in the case of Bishop - a lower cost one - that they want to protect.
- Marlowe

lower cost one - that they want to protect.

More the above plus Elliot wanted to move on...

No mystery as to why Shaw was moved and why wouldn't he be looking for a sizeable raise - he's earned everything the market will pay him.

What the Hawks got in return was 2 lottery tickets - good luck to them with that trying to find an equivalent to replace the overachiever, heart and grit guy Shaw is. The dressing room won't be the same and the team on the ice will feel the loss big time for quite awhile. Q and Stanbo are probably quite depressed this morning.
- RickJ

Agreed. They are going to miss his presence. His grit and junkyard dog mentality is really all they had in that department. Those intangibles will be missed come crunch time.

Haven't read all the post so sorry if repeating. Sorry to see Shaw go, know he had to but as JJ pointed out really dosn't help our cap. if anyone thinks we can now sign Lucic or Ladd no way even if we could find a way to pay this year no way we could keep Breadman next year. Holland I think has made SB look bad getting rid of Dysuk and his 7.5 contract and all he had to do is move down 4 spots hey they even get a second round from the CCoyotes. We had to dump a 21 year old with a lot of potential great vision and great defence of ability to lose 4 million. I don'tthink there will be any takers for Crow and as much as I love Seabs and how much he has done for the Hawks but he shouldnt had been given a 8 year contract. I know we all wanted to repeat last year so is easy to say now but going for it last year and dumping prospects to lose salery has set this team back.

lower cost one - that they want to protect.

More the above plus Elliot wanted to move on...
- Al

Al - how badly do the Hawks want to protect Darling? If I understand the expansion draft rules they have to protect Crow because he has an NMC.

Haven't read all the post so sorry if repeating. Sorry to see Shaw go, know he had to but as JJ pointed out really dosn't help our cap. if anyone thinks we can now sign Lucic or Ladd no way even if we could find a way to pay this year no way we could keep Breadman next year. Holland I think has made SB look bad getting rid of Dysuk and his 7.5 contract and all he had to do is move down 4 spots hey they even get a second round from the CCoyotes. We had to dump a 21 year old with a lot of potential great vision and great defence of ability to lose 4 million. I don'tthink there will be any takers for Crow and as much as I love Seabs and how much he has done for the Hawks but shouldnt had be give a 8 year contract. I know we all wanted to repeat last year so is easy to say now but going for it last year and dumping prospects to lose salery has set this team back.
- HamiltonHawk

The Datsyuk contract and Bickell contract moves can't be compared because Bickells contract had a cash payment of $4.5M this year on a $4M cap hit; Datsyuks contract has a $0 cash payout (KHL team is paying his salary) and a $7.5M cap hit - gold for a cash strapped budget team trying to hit the cap floor.

It also shows how much the extra $1 mill or so raise meant in the big picture....Just like it mattered when Oduya was gone to in essence save $400K. That one didn't turn out well and Shaw won't be easy to replace. Nice trade for the Habs and we will see down the road how much this move hurt.
- Al

Unless 1st round picks Ryan Hartman or even McNeill turn out to be an adequate replacement, Shaw's loss will hurt big time. It isn't the pure hockey skill he brought to the team as much as the fibre.

But I always remember what Bill Torrey said about managing the Islanders at the end of their glory era - purely out of loyalty he waited too long to move out players he could have gotten good returns for and then they all got old together.

Hey Al,

It's probably not likely, but is there anybody in round 2 that could play immediately that the Hawks might be targeting. I know that doesn't happen often, Brandon Saad probably being the closest I can remember to someone that fits that bill. Who should we keep an eye on?

Hawks would have to be in great health and great form during the regular season to make the playoffs. With a gaping hole in the top 6 (LW), I don't see a return to form in the cycle and possession game
- phantasmo

I was thinking best case scenario.

Unless 1st round picks Ryan Hartman or even McNeill turn out to be an adequate replacement, Shaw's loss will hurt big time. It isn't the pure hockey skill he brought to the team as much as the fibre.

But I always remember what Bill Torrey said about managing the Islanders at the end of their glory era - purely out of loyalty he waited too long to move out players he could have gotten good returns for and then they all got old together.
- RickJ

Hartman has some big shoes to fill and if he's trying to live up to Shaw's presence, I fear he'll get out of control and be a PIM machine.

By the sounds of it, Lundberg might be closer to being effective like Shaw in the fibre dept.

*NEW BLOG*

At this point not from the Hawks!!
- scott.jackson

People forget the bonus money plus the retiring money from the Scuderi contract will go a lomg way towards getting the Breadman his cash !

Just let the Hawks work through this process....the sun will rise tomorrow