As Al likes to say, we need to look at the moves and decisions made by the Hawks in "real time" when passing judgement.

When the Hawks are in a constant pursuit of Cups - with legitimate chances to win it all each season during this "golden era" (and it truly is - just ask anyone who's been a fan for a few decades) there are certain opportunity costs that have to be accepted.

First, trades of key players are usually not going to be when their value is at their highest - but rather when the cap dictates and the situation is forced. Why? Because that player is a piece that helps you win during the season. Should Stan have traded Sharp, Leddy, et al. at the respective trade deadlines - when their value was arguably higher than the off season? No - because they were key in the team's depth for a Cup run. Winning championships is more important than winning trades - so you live with the trade offs.

Also, bemoaning the Hossa contract now is misplaced. Let's remember what a highly sought after commodity he was. Pittsburgh made a trade to get him for a '07 Cup run - then Detroit lured him away for their '08 season. It was a coup and a creative contract structure that landed him on the Hawks to start the '09 campaign - which resulted in the first of the three Cups. The signing of Hossa was absolutely essential - and I'm willing to wager that the Hawks/Hossa will have the last laugh on the cap recapture penalty retroactively issued by the league when Hossa goes out on LTIR ala Pronger.

I could go on, but you get the point...
- Chief4Feathers

Quality post. You nailed it so clearly when you stated Winning Championships is more important than winning trades.

Even if the current contracts prevent another championship, there should be zero regrets.

This is the point that really aggrevates me. This was what I thought was the model. When you have to get rid of good players, you do it for picks, that you then draft, over-develop, and bring to the NHL when they are really good players.

Getting an extra two or three picks a year only increases the chance that you are going to get good players (ie. perfect example was the year they got both Danault and Saad after their own 1st rounder McNeill).

You build what should be one of the top prospect organizations and it lets you move guys out and back fill with seasoned talented youngsters, some of which will become future core guys.

This model was working, and the last 12 months, before this week, they went completely off script and drained the system.

Look at the prospects list over the last 2 years when the Hawks had a top 5 system:

TT, Danault, Johns, Dano.

If those 4 guys had been in Rockford (yes, I know but TT was never seasoned enough to be playing in the league, he should have been in Rockford being over seasoned, remember that is a key part to the plan) and now being ready to move up with the moving out of Shaw, Kruger, would there be such nashing of teeth and thoughts of doom and gloom.

They need to get back on this plan, even if it means no cups for a couple years. They need to move guys when they have to for picks and build the top prospects in the system up.

Otherwise, when it crashes with this current core, its going to be Edmonton ugly for a while.
- vabeachbear

Agreed - the basis for continued success is predicated upon the model you describe above. But, the siren call of the Cup - particularly this last season with the added lure of being the first team to repeat as a champion in the cap era - appeared to take the Hawks off their plan more so than in previous moments. Was that a calculated risk - or hockey hubris? Its a reasonable debate. But, many observed that this team had some structural flaws (5v5, PK, etc.) that seemingly went beyond what typically could be solved at the trade deadline. And as you pointed out - the cupboard was cleaned out in the process. It's an interesting push and pull between building the team through long-term investment/development versus the "win now" mindset.

Agreed - the basis for continued success is predicated upon the model you describe above. But, the siren call of the Cup - particularly this last season with the added lure of being the first team to repeat as a champion in the cap era - appeared to take the Hawks off their plan more so than in previous moments. Was that a calculated risk - or hockey hubris? Its a reasonable debate. But, many observed that this team had some structural flaws (5v5, PK, etc.) that seemingly went beyond what typically could be solved at the trade deadline. And as you pointed out - the cupboard was cleaned out in the process. It's an interesting push and pull between building the team through long-term investment/development versus the "win now" mindset.
- Chief4Feathers

I'll tell you what. The team that doesn't add that key piece because they are afraid of the salary cap implications 6 years down the road probably never wins the championship in the first place.

Did you know there are actual fans that argue that being competitive for 15 straight years trumps a single championship. Sorry, I would rather be Carolina than St Louis .

Agreed - the basis for continued success is predicated upon the model you describe above. But, the siren call of the Cup - particularly this last season with the added lure of being the first team to repeat as a champion in the cap era - appeared to take the Hawks off their plan more so than in previous moments. Was that a calculated risk - or hockey hubris? Its a reasonable debate. But, many observed that this team had some structural flaws (5v5, PK, etc.) that seemingly went beyond what typically could be solved at the trade deadline. And as you pointed out - the cupboard was cleaned out in the process. It's an interesting push and pull between building the team through long-term investment/development versus the "win now" mindset.
- Chief4Feathers

The Hawks have given this city and the NHL a level of success that is amazing. Since 2008-09, this team has won 3 Cups, been in multiple Conference Finals and put up damn good point totals. For a city that has been teased with the one and dones (Bears/Sox), this has been one heckuva ride. You have to go back to glory years of the Bulls to see this kind of sustained excellence.

I can remember my first Hawks game at the old Barn (1989) with Greg Millen in net against the Blues. From then on I was hooked. We are in the golden age of Blackhawk Hockey....

I'll tell you what. The team that doesn't add that key piece because they are afraid of the salary cap implications 6 years down the road probably never wins the championship in the first place.

Did you know there are actual fans that argue that being competitive for 15 straight years trumps a single championship. Sorry, I would rather be Carolina than St Louis .
- Jeropotato

It's a delicate balance - and one which Stan and company have done a tremendous job in navigating during this era. Their accomplishments tend to be taken for granted - as we as Hawks fans have enjoyed an embarrassment of riches over the past eight seasons.

It's a delicate balance - and one which Stan and company have done a tremendous job in navigating during this era. Their accomplishments tend to be taken for granted - as we as Hawks fans have enjoyed an embarrassment of riches over the past eight seasons.
- Chief4Feathers

Of course they did a great job. Can't be disputed with 3 cups.

I'll tell you what. The team that doesn't add that key piece because they are afraid of the salary cap implications 6 years down the road probably never wins the championship in the first place.

Did you know there are actual fans that argue that being competitive for 15 straight years trumps a single championship. Sorry, I would rather be Carolina than St Louis .
- Jeropotato

The 'Hawks had an owner, two some would say, that being competitve every year trumps titles. Pretty much every 'Hawks fan here lived through many years of that poop.

O.K., here's what needs to happen. (Since we're all dreamin )
Toews and Kane need to retire for one day, making their contracts null and void. Then, they can re-sign for 7 mill each for ten years, thus opening up 7 mill in cap space. (They would still be the highest paid on the team.) Then they can make some ONE GOAL commercials that I would believe.
"Our ONE GOAL is to win the cup 10 years in a row." I'm a believer in that scenario.

THAT'S ALL.

O.K., here's what needs to happen. (Since we're all dreamin )
Toews and Kane need to retire for one day, making their contracts null and void. Then, they can re-sign for 7 mill each for ten years, thus opening up 7 mill in cap space. (They would still be the highest paid on the team.) Then they can make some ONE GOAL commercials that I would believe.
"Our ONE GOAL is to win the cup 10 years in a row." I'm a believer in that scenario.

THAT'S ALL.
- hocktock

Bettman would have a stoke...

Stempniak would be a nice pick up for you guys

I'll tell you what. The team that doesn't add that key piece because they are afraid of the salary cap implications 6 years down the road probably never wins the championship in the first place.

Did you know there are actual fans that argue that being competitive for 15 straight years trumps a single championship. Sorry, I would rather be Carolina than St Louis .
- Jeropotato

Well said, cough cough Bolts

Bold working in reverse, weird

He's not coming cheap, he can score goals.....
- Ur Not Me

Plus isn't he a RW?

Plus isn't he a RW?
- tyweb69

Yea I think he is...

I'll tell you what. The team that doesn't add that key piece because they are afraid of the salary cap implications 6 years down the road probably never wins the championship in the first place.

Did you know there are actual fans that argue that being competitive for 15 straight years trumps a single championship. Sorry, I would rather be Carolina than St Louis .
- Jeropotato

Those must be the same type of fans that claim winning it first and winning divisions trumps multiple championships.

Hudler/McGinn... Yes neither are what you would consider a #1 LW, but we dont have alot of options right now. Either would be fine in my book as they are veteran players that would blend just fine with 19 or 15. I would still like to see what it would take to get Yak from the Oilers. I think he would flourish on this team.

Anyone think Debrincat can start as a rook? The more of his highlights I see the more I like him.
- z1990z

We have a 1LW, we need a 2LW. Face it Toews is a 1C but he plays on the 2nd line. 2 players that are top 10 scoring is your first line regardless of what they call it.
So a decent 20 goal LW would be just fine.

Glad to hear Shawzie is getting a $4 million per year deal. That does price him out of the 'Hawks market, however; so the trade was the right thing to do.
I suspect, due to the cap, there is going to be a plethora of affordable free agent veterans who will ultimately be available at affordable prices. This makes for an opportunity for the 'Hawks.
- 35Tony0

We can sign 3-4 decent free agents for that kind of money. Then we can trade them for picks at the TDL if we are out of the playoff picture.

Wouldn't consider Hudler as "bargain bin", he would make a little more than Shaw.
Mcginn came off 39 points last season, not so sure he's accept $1m a year

We need a top 6 LW, an entire 3rd line, and a 4/5D.

We have about 5-6mil to make all of that happen.

May god have mercy on our souls...

Unfortunately where the cap is, the fat contracts, we are in restructure mode, I didn't want to believe 5 on 5 issues or wanted to believe the Hawks would step up in the playoffs. However little things did the Hawks in vs the Blues, and the little things many times came from our core players.

With the additional losses this year, I don't expect much of a playoff run, I see this as more of a reset button for line 3 and 4 with experience for the young defenseman. The question is how much will the core have left after this year?

Answered this about a year ago. Better get used to it, because its going to continue until

A: The cap goes way up
B; Toews or Kane is moved or retire at the end of their contracts

Nothing else is going to stop it. Even when you move core guys out, another guy steps in to the core (ie. if you moved CC and reupped Panarin) you still have the same cap problem).

Also another reason you should get used to it, the Hawks are going to spend to the cap every year. Think about it. If you spend to the cap every year, to do something at the following FA period you can only take on cash if cash is moved out.

No its going to be this way for probably 7 or 8 more years, so get used to it.

I still take this for the cups
- vabeachbear

This is how the cap is set up, so there are sooooo many obstacles put in front of a Chicago, LA, TB, STL, NYR type teams that draft and spend that you are forced to hemorrhage talent to stay cap compliant year, after year after year after year until there is no more rope to pull as the AAA cupboard is now bare and NHL FA are too expensive to even come close to replacing what's been lost. So these teams come BACK to the CAR-NYJ-AZ types.

This happens until the LA's-CHI's-NYR's don't make the playoffs and revenue goes down even more and so will the cap making those teams even weaker and the AZ's-NYJ's AZ's a little stronger.

A system set up to knee cap the revenue drivers to allow the anchors a place at the table. And it was voted for by the LA's-CHI's-NYR's.

So the revenue drivers hope to get "less worse" each year and the anchors hope to get a little bit better each year like CAR getting "TT's for free" and the two different business models meet in the MIDDLE.

Wouldn't consider Hudler as "bargain bin", he would make a little more than Shaw.
Mcginn came off 39 points last season, not so sure he's accept $1m a year
- puckhead17

I am still curious to see what some of these free agents left without contracts after the first week of free agency get when teams' cap spaces evaporate.

Bettman would have a stoke...
- z1990z

They would be heros, win or lose, fpr years to come.

ONE GOAL!!! (Money or cups.)

This is how the cap is set up, so there are sooooo many obstacles put in front of a Chicago, LA, TB, STL, NYR type teams that draft and spend that you are forced to hemorrhage talent to stay cap compliant year, after year after year after year until there is no more rope to pull as the AAA cupboard is now bare and NHL FA are too expensive to even come close to replacing what's been lost. So these teams come BACK to the CAR-NYJ-AZ types.

This happens until the LA's-CHI's-NYR's don't make the playoffs and revenue goes down even more and so will the cap making those teams even weaker and the AZ's-NYJ's AZ's a little stronger.

A system set up to knee cap the revenue drivers to allow the anchors a place at the table. And it was voted for by the LA's-CHI's-NYR's.

So the revenue drivers hope to get "less worse" each year and the anchors hope to get a little bit better each year like CAR getting "TT's for free" and the two different business models meet in the MIDDLE.
- Mr Ricochet

because the other way, (the old way), the NHL becomes the MLB.
the MLB can do this and get away with it, the NHL would be back to a 24 team league.

I am still curious to see what some of these free agents left without contracts after the first week of free agency get when teams' cap spaces evaporate.
- 67hawks

Maybe too early to piece it together, with more potential buyouts possible.
They can buyout until the end of the month is it?

Glad to hear Shawzie is getting a $4 million per year deal. That does price him out of the 'Hawks market, however; so the trade was the right thing to do.
I suspect, due to the cap, there is going to be a plethora of affordable free agent veterans who will ultimately be available at affordable prices. This makes for an opportunity for the 'Hawks.
- 35Tony0

I think you are correct here, TonyO. Patience might just might be a virtue, if not a necessity, and there will be middle class employees left to settle for crumbs left (that's the system) by the elite.