He was 2C much of 2012. I wouldn't fret it from an endurance/conditioning standpoint. Kruger is a warrior. The more legit worry is does his skill level/game acclimate to playing with elite scorers. I think it could. Others may differ, and I respect their opinion.
- John Jaeckel

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated

Nice on the piss. Spent some time between Melbourne (mostly), Sydney and Adelaide a decade or so ago, (thinking about it 20 years ago), man time flies.

Spent time in probably 25 countries around the world, Aussie was always my favorite.

One foreign country where it was good to be an American. Single in your 20s, it was always a looked forward to trip!
- vabeachbear

But can you say you've had a Big Harv and Timbits with the Neighbour from Canadian Tire?

Eh?

Thanks for the response. Much appreciated
- AusHawk

Welcome to the thread.

The geography is amazing: Finland, Czech, Australia, Scotland, ehhhh . . . Mex-i-co, all over Canada and the US.

Very cool and gratifying.

Welcome to the thread.

The geography is amazing: Finland, Czech, Australia, Scotland, ehhhh . . . Mex-i-co, all over Canada and the US.

Very cool and gratifying.
- John Jaeckel

http://www.thescore.com/news/1051573

an article about Perrron and Habs, I hope they sign him. between shaw and him I think if ship comes we might be at the top.


If this happens why did we not do this with Kane and Teows:

McCown: "I've been told by a source that would definitely know this. The Maple Leafs have a plan to give Stamkos a minimum of $3.5M a year in a marketing contract, in broad terms, and that the legitimacy of the deal has been vetted by lawyers."

Other host: "Lawyers or the league?"

McCown: "Both. The league and the players' association. So it is a vetted thing. Does that mean Stamkos has agreed to terms? On the day that I found out about it, the Leafs couldn't legally talk to him, so I can't say that. But this person said to me that he believes Stamkos will sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The $3.5M wouldn't be in the player contract."

Other host: "So this would be a side deal, and in theory the Maple Leafs could never be connected to this deal, or construed to have orchestrated this deal as this would be in circumvention of the CBA."

Other host: "When Cliff Fletcher signed Doug Gilmour in the 90s, they signed him to a $6.5M deal that included marketing rights. That's when you saw Dougie everywhere, wearing cow legs for milk ads, etc. That was because the Maple Leafs controlled his marketing rights."

Welcome AusHawk!

http://lastwordonsports.c...28/2016-unqualified-team/

some interesting names on this list. Mostly older RFA's that have produced but they did not want to qualify and goto Arbitration. I would have interest in all of them. I highly doubt Pirri would want to come back.

Welcome to the thread.

The geography is amazing: Finland, Czech, Australia, Scotland, ehhhh . . . Mex-i-co, all over Canada and the US.

Very cool and gratifying.
- John Jaeckel

Thanks again all for the welcome.
Would be good to see the hockey world keep expanding. Hopefully a guy like Nathan Walker in the Caps system can keep building interest down here in hockey, and as a result we see less of the Canada vs USA "exhibition matches" highlighted by the announcement that Brandon Bollig had joined this years tour (be still my beating heart), and more high quality matches.

Welcome to the thread.

The geography is amazing: Finland, Czech, Australia, Scotland, ehhhh . . . Mex-i-co, all over Canada and the US.

Very cool and gratifying.
- John Jaeckel

Hey JJ,from Labrador city/wabush,long time reader and just started posting,really enjoy reading your blogs,keep up the good work!!

Hey JJ,from Labrador city/wabush,long time reader and just started posting,really enjoy reading your blogs,keep up the good work!!
- Wabush_Hawks

And Newfies!

Your Newfie "countryman" Dr. Mike Hart, the cannabis doctor of Canada, is a good friend and loyal reader here.

Thanks again all for the welcome.
Would be good to see the hockey world keep expanding. Hopefully a guy like Nathan Walker in the Caps system can keep building interest down here in hockey, and as a result we see less of the Canada vs USA "exhibition matches" highlighted by the announcement that Brandon Bollig had joined this years tour (be still my beating heart), and more high quality matches.
- AusHawk

Love the B52.

From Mirtle:

Blue Jackets have told teams they're willing to retain salary in order to dump guys. Desperate to shed money. Hartnell, Tyutin, Boll etc.

Love the B52.
- John Jaeckel

Was good to have a current NHLer out here for sure, even more so a Hawks alum and Stanley Cup winner (the fact he scored a goal in the playoffs before putting up a point in the regular season is a wonderful anomaly).

But to bring a noted pugilist out to an event that's raising money for a concussion charity, therefore not allowing him to be overly physical, probably wasn't the best marketing idea

Hi all,
First time poster, grateful daily reader.

First off, thank you to all for the (often) informative discussion and chat that occurs.
As an Australian, sadly hockey is a minority sport, so Hockeybuzz is a lifesaver, especially as my job allows me to read a computer most of the day, and as most of the good stuff happens overnight my time, I often have a lot of catching up to do .

JJ, you do a fantastic job, so please keep up the good work, or else my days will get very boring, very quickly.

Hoping for some signings/good news soonish, and a good year to follow .
- AusHawk

Also more reader than writer, but I have to ask:

Of course there should be many Hawks fans in Australia, but you haven't been to Panama last month, right? Been a great situation, two die-hard Hawks fan from Germany and Australia meeting up in Bocas del Toro, Panama

Cheers and welcome aboard!

Was Sami Pahlsson a 3C? Answer: yes. Are they basically the same player? Answer: yes.
- John Jaeckel

Not following you. Are you saying Kruger has been played out of position for 4-5 years or that Pahlsson was? Or that cuz Pahlsson was so can Kruger be played out of position?..... And besides do you think two positions are weakened, 3C and 4C, if Kruger is moved to 3C?

Not that I agree or disagree but the thought of Kruger moving to 2C and subtracting AA's hit got me to thinking, had never thought of that.

Hey JJ,from Labrador city/wabush,long time reader and just started posting,really enjoy reading your blogs,keep up the good work!!
- Wabush_Hawks

Welcome aboard also!

Also more reader than writer, but I have to ask:

Of course there should be many Hawks fans in Australia, but you haven't been to Panama last month, right? Been a great situation, two die-hard Hawks fan from Germany and Australia meeting up in Bocas del Toro, Panama

Cheers and welcome aboard!
- MDGHawk

Thank you kindly!
Sadly no, Panama hasn't been a holiday destination of mine, much to my chagrin as I sit here and shiver through winter haha.

Good to see some Australian hockey fans getting abroad though, and good to see hockey and the Hawks uniting people the world over!

Also more reader than writer, but I have to ask:

Of course there should be many Hawks fans in Australia, but you haven't been to Panama last month, right? Been a great situation, two die-hard Hawks fan from Germany and Australia meeting up in Bocas del Toro, Panama

Cheers and welcome aboard!
- MDGHawk

Deutschland im Haus.

No, their job is to play hockey at the highest level, Seabrook (kane and Toews too but I don't think they are overpaid) did just that hence he did his job (happened to win 3 cups along the way). BUT, that does not mean he deserves to be overpaid the next contract based on what he accomplished. He should be paid on what his trajectory is moving forward. GM's made a bad habit in the 90's and early 00's for paying older players big dollars who were clearly on the decline. I might ask you how old you are as you probably do not recall the awful 3 yr 6M deal the Hawks gave Gilmour who was DONE at that point, or at the very least nowhere near worth 6M. Past performance should matter very little if at all when negociating a contract. THAT was my point.
- tyweb69

Point taken. Your age or mine isn't really the issue here, so i apologize for that. i just remember the days without cups. So to say they were just doing their jobs by winning them, I found a little greedy, I guess. i do remember the 90s and 00s. Gilmour was a free agent and there was no cap at the time. He was paid because teams couldn't count on as many quality guys coming on the market because good teams couldn't afford to pay them.
is Seabrook on the decline? Maybe. I think he was tired/hurt last year. He was an integral part of 3 cups and got paid for it. I don't think Stan should be taken to task for that. Agree to disagree.

Thank you kindly!
Sadly no, Panama hasn't been a holiday destination of mine, much to my chagrin as I sit here and shiver through winter haha.

Good to see some Australian hockey fans getting abroad though, and good to see hockey and the Hawks uniting people the world over!
- AusHawk

Would have been an unbelievable coincidence, but you never know. Small world...
You should go there some day and perhaps meet another Hawks fan at a pub crawl His last name was Seabrook, so guess which jersey he had

I know your "shivering" in Australia. We are even shivering here in the summer right now...


Alright, back to hockey...

Not following you. Are you saying Kruger has been played out of position for 4-5 years or that Pahlsson was? Or that cuz Pahlsson was so can Kruger be played out of position?..... And besides do you think two positions are weakened, 3C and 4C, if Kruger is moved to 3C?

Not that I agree or disagree but the thought of Kruger moving to 2C and subtracting AA's hit got me to thinking, had never thought of that.
- Mr Ricochet

I just think the labeling of Kruger as strictly a 4C is inaccurate. And really wildly so.

The fact is, the Hawks have had the luxury really of two "3rd" lines for a couple of years. maybe not as much last year. Kruger can definitely play the role of a classic, third line shutdown center. Remember, Rico, traditionally, fourth lines have just been energy/checking lines. Kruger is more than that kind of player (think: Jack Skille, Adam Burish, or even say a Vernon Fiddler, or a Nate Thompson). How much more? I don't know. I would like to see what he can do in more of a third line ("two-way") role with a couple of skilled wingers for a year.

Pahlsson was a third liner. A classic shutdown center. His game was REALLY a lot like Kruger's. At least as far as Kruger's has been thus far in his career. I personally think he can score more. But it depends on the ask of him and the wingers he's with.

From Mirtle:

Blue Jackets have told teams they're willing to retain salary in order to dump guys. Desperate to shed money. Hartnell, Tyutin, Boll etc.
- furso27

Well depending on what happens when the chaos unfolds 7/1, thats another thing to look at. I know many have said no to Hartnell, but if the Jackets retain some salary then it becomes a possibility. He falls into the power forward type. Things being what they are, Stan will have to leave no stone unturned.

And lastly there were a couple posts yesterday saying Soup to the Hawks was all but a done deal? Was I reading that correctly?

Well depending on what happens when the chaos unfolds 7/1, thats another thing to look at. I know many have said no to Hartnell, but if the Jackets retain some salary then it becomes a possibility. He falls into the power forward type. Things being what they are, Stan will have to leave no stone unturned.

And lastly there were a couple posts yesterday saying Soup to the Hawks was all but a done deal? Was I reading that correctly?
- z1990z

I could roll with Boll on the fourth line. Crystal Lake kid.

Hope the back is doing better JJ. Baby steps i know. Hoping to get a new rumor blog out of you today.

Seth Jones' six-year extension with #CBJ carries a $5.4M AAV.