The Chicago Bears and GOT discussions holding sway today. Great
- EbonyRaptor

I have no issues with chatting about the Bears with the passing of Buddy Ryan. It was a good change of pace as we wait to see Stan does or does not do come 7/1. Now GOT?

Anyone who believed Mike Ditka was a schmuck was ok in my book.
RIP Buddy.

Correct but the difference is with the Player's Union everyone gets the same amount of votes....At some point a good portion of the 80% aren't going to feel like the present structure is in their best interest....
- Al

I totally agree and this offseason it seems like the shift is even more evident; a few guys getting top dollar, a few guys getting mid-level deals, and a lot of guys at the minimum or the outside looking in.

As others have said here, the dumb money will get spent early on July 1st, then some deals can be made when guys think the music is going to stop soon and all of the chairs are filling up.

@stevekouleas beleives Soupy is a lock in chicago... at a very reduced rate.
- jt19

As reported, if he takes a really restrictive contract, he likely has a job in Chicago.

Hey Johnny Cakes, we need a new blog.
- furso27

Ouch, that's a low blow.

Anyone who believed Mike Ditka was a schmuck was ok in my book.
RIP Buddy.
- tompo1015

He was a schmuck, but he was our schmuck. Ditka coulda been great, but he went 100% loco clown shoes outer limits after he started to idolize his own star and would often change the actual jet stream by fanning the flames of his own burning self interest.

As reported, if he takes a really restrictive contract, he likely has a job in Chicago.
- John Jaeckel

Hey JJ, if he does sign with the Hawks...do you think he'll be looking to finish out his NHL career here being that he's already 37? Ie. maybe sign for 2 years at a very reduced rate of 1.5mil per or so?

Ouch, that's a low blow.
- 6628

Not really. It's our shared love of mafia movies

The likelihood of Seabrook being gone any time soon is almost nill. Players rarely waive their NMC before the final year or two because they will lose it for the duration of their contract. No one has ever waived a NMC in the first year or two. Unless they trade Seabrook before his NMC kicks in 3 days (and as long as he doesn't have a Jeff Carter clause), then he'd going to be here for the long haul.

Crawford is somewhat different because he has less time on his deal, but waiving NMC even with 3 years left (if he did it next year) is still not common. It is not the same as waiving a NTC, like what Campbell did, because a NTC can be upheld by the receiving team.
- L_B_R

Crawford has BOTH a NMC and a modified NTC, wherein he would be asked to submit a list of 8 teams to which he would accept a trade. What is not clear is when his Modified NTC kicks in (or if it has already).

Kruger has a similar setup (NMC with MNTC), as does Seabrook.

Seabrook's MNTC does not kick in until the last two years of his deal.

Kruger's kicks in AFTER the first year of his.

Kruger's calls for a list of 7 teams he would NOT accept a trade to. More club-friendly.

Seabrook's calls for 5-7 (in that range, I don't recall exactly) he would accept a deal to the first year and 10 teams the second year—which is the last year of his deal.

I know with the cap crunch the Hawks really don't have a lot of options, but Soupy coming back would be a pure win. He is a MORE than capable third pairing guy and will likely spend some time working our PowerPlay. He's a capable, smart veteran who is exactly what we need. IF we can get him for sub 2 million that's an even better win. I hope he invested wisely and well...if so it may not matter to him and getting back in Chicago is the way to go. Hope this works out.

Hey JJ, if he does sign with the Hawks...do you think he'll be looking to finish out his NHL career here being that he's already 37? Ie. maybe sign for 2 years at a very reduced rate of 1.5mil per or so?
- Murph76

Hope so! He has done some time at the CSN desk during the run up in 2015 (panthers didn't make the playoffs and he was up waiting on the birth of his child) and I thought he did a great job. Wouldn't be surprised if he ended up doing some broadcasting.

Hey JJ, if he does sign with the Hawks...do you think he'll be looking to finish out his NHL career here being that he's already 37? Ie. maybe sign for 2 years at a very reduced rate of 1.5mil per or so?
- Murph76

Or less, the guy has $50 million or more in the bank.

My complaint is how on earth do some of these people get from Essos to Westeros and then back to Essos in the blink of an eye? I'm assuming we won't have to wait long at all for Daeny's army to make it to their destination at the start of season 7...
- SimpleJack

Haha especially Varys! Ends up in Dorne, and then back in Essos in a couple scenes...Dude must have great air miles, or maybe The Lord of Light has created a clone using Vary's own balls..

Hey JJ, if he does sign with the Hawks...do you think he'll be looking to finish out his NHL career here being that he's already 37? Ie. maybe sign for 2 years at a very reduced rate of 1.5mil per or so?
- Murph76

Lets hope we have some nice Soup on Friday! Still skating what 18 minutes a game.
Let's also hope its that low of a cap hit Murph

Crawford has BOTH a NMC and a modified NTC, wherein he would be asked to submit a list of 8 teams to which he would accept a trade. What is not clear is when his Modified NTC kicks in (or if it has already).

Kruger has a similar setup (MNTC), as does Seabrook NMC/MNTC.

Seabrook's MNTC does not kick in until the last two years of his deal.

Kruger's kicks in AFTER the first year of his.

Kruger's calls for a list of 7 teams he would NOT accept a trade to. More club-friendly.

Seabrook's calls for 5-7 (in that range, I don't recall exactly) he would accept a deal to the first year and 10 teams the second year—which is the last year of his deal.
- John Jaeckel

Clarification, Kruger only has a MNTC after the first year, no NMC.

Specifics of Crawford's deal (to the extent it's available):

http://www.generalfanager.com/players/480

My complaint is how on earth do some of these people get from Essos to Westeros and then back to Essos in the blink of an eye? I'm assuming we won't have to wait long at all for Daeny's army to make it to their destination at the start of season 7...
- SimpleJack

Realistically though, I think its because his scenes were clearly a long time apart in the show and Episode 10 may have likely occurred over a time span of weeks or even months. If you look at the sails in the last shot of Dany heading to Westeros, you can see sigils for Martell, Tyrell, and Greyjoy. This means that enough time passed for Martell and Tyrell to send their own ships to accompany Dany to Westeros. Varys likely traveled with them.

Hey JJ, if he does sign with the Hawks...do you think he'll be looking to finish out his NHL career here being that he's already 37? Ie. maybe sign for 2 years at a very reduced rate of 1.5mil per or so?
- Murph76

Yes. 2 years, 3mill. Max. Would make sense.

Yes. 2 years, 3mill. Max. Would make sense.
- walter34

How about with the promise to move into a front office position upon retirement?

Haha especially Varys! Ends up in Dorne, and then back in Essos in a couple scenes...Dude must have great air miles, or maybe The Lord of Light has created a clone using Vary's own balls..
- SoftServe

Yeah, im just going to assume they skipped a few months there as they were preparing the fleet. Seemed like a day or 2, when in reality it was much longer. We'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Realistically though, I think its because his scenes were clearly a long time apart in the show and Episode 10 may have likely occurred over a time span of weeks or even months. If you look at the sails in the last shot of Dany heading to Westeros, you can see sigils for Martell, Tyrell, and Greyjoy. This means that enough time passed for Martell and Tyrell to send their own ships to accompany Dany to Westeros. Varys likely traveled with them.
- SoftServe

Spot on.

Lets hope we have some nice Soup on Friday! Still skating what 18 minutes a game.
Let's also hope its that low of a cap hit Murph
- DK002

Agreed, DK! I'd love to have the Soup back as our 3rd or 4th D. Keith, Seabs, Hjarlmarsson, Soup, Kempny, and TVR/Moore I could definitely live with

How about with the promise to move into a front office position upon retirement?
- kwolf68

That guy...baring injury could go for 4 more years... He still has great wheels... Better now than rossy ever had.. If he stays healthy he can play as long as he wants

So how cheap are we talking here with Campbell? Like 1 year 1mil? less than 1mil? Would he really take a discount like that?

That guy...baring injury could go for 4 more years... He still has great wheels... Better now than rossy ever had.. If he stays healthy he can play as long as he wants
- southernhawk

Oh no argument....

Lets hope we have some nice Soup on Friday! Still skating what 18 minutes a game.
Let's also hope its that low of a cap hit Murph
- DK002

Over 22 ATOI actually, ranked in the mid 60's overall for D (7 was about 120). I would not underestimate the impact he can have - he can play top 4 for sure. As Pitt demonstrated speed of exit hides a lot of warts defensively