So is it going to be a (see gif#1) day:



OR:



OR:


- gifman

Awesome 2nd one is the Rozy signing
3rd one is the Mash signing
I don't care if they are the 13th fw or 7 d why would we do that . This may be a long year

Barring an injury to a legit #1 elsewhere in the league, I would submit to you the market is finished spending money on goalies - especially those with higher price tags. The teams in greatest need of a #1 - TOR and CGY - already bought, and they went cheaper and/or younger.

With a market now flooded with goalies whom their teams would love to dump - Fleury, Bishop, Lehtonen, Niemi, Pavelec to name a few - not to mention those whom are "moveable" - the buyers have spoken.

Now we are on to expansion next year. Teams are positioning themselves to have their #1 in place. Moving CC exposes the Hawks to an unknown second goalie from the reject pile, as well as the very real prospect that if Darling can carry the ball and be lights out, he will demand #1 money as a UFA. Thus they may lose him before expansion, AND only have the pool of unprotected goalies available to reload with.

Now throw the whole issue of NMC/NTC in the mix where those players must be protected, and combine that with the universe of remaining teams that may or may not need a #1.....

I think the net is the most important position not to scrimp on. Especially since the net dollars gained after moving CC are not going to improve any area enough to offset the loss of quality in goal.

Im happy to agree to disagree on this, but i thnk the extended and intelligent dialogue on this issue is healthy if for no other reason than laying out fully the pros and cons of a move.

Bottom line is there is NO way to ice a better team this year than last, and NO way we ice a better team next year than this year just because of the reality of the cap, and contracts and clauses granted to the core to date.
- Return of the Roar

Valid and fair. I agree with a good deal of your elaborated response. CC has earned the money he has, and I think he is still a top 5 goalie. And, as you addressed, the NTC/NMC seem to hamstring some of the potential deals and are important in the upcoming expansion draft.

I wouldn't say that the Hawks would go to the reject pile for goaltending, but a Darling/Lehner duo (for example) wouldn't be the worst thing, especially since the D core with Keith, Seabrook, Hammer, TVR,Campbell, Kempny is pretty formidable
(At least on paper so far). A good combination of forwards who play at both ends of the ice, help out the defense, and forecheck well can help keep the puck at the other end of the ice.

Unfortunately, I do not think we will come to an agreement on movement, but this is a good discussion.

If you had to move someone for $ for Panarin and some forward depth help, how would you address it and who would you move?

Don't knowing he was discussed already, but Korpikoski could be a decent target for the bottom 6. Not a show replacement but he has good speed and he's decent defensively.

Don't knowing he was discussed already, but Korpikoski could be a decent target for the bottom 6. Not a show replacement but he has good speed and he's decent defensively.
- DarthKane

Not a small guy either. Like his two way game.

Vanek
Hudler
McGinn
Staal
(repeat)

They're looking for a veteran LW to accept a low money deal for a guarantee to play in Chicago for at least one year with 19 and 81.

I have a feeling this will not get resolved until at least the third day of FA.

Hawks want someone to commit now for low $. Targets are probably going to wait and see what the broader market is for them.

At some point, someone will decide Chicago for low $ is better than nothing.
- John Jaeckel

Who you pickin'? who you want?

Who you pickin'? who you want?
- blackhawk24

Good question actually. Probably money dependent.

My rankings would be:
1-Hudler
2-McGinn
3-Staal
4-Vanek

Do not want 3 or 4 in the list above.

Who you pickin'? who you want?
- blackhawk24

Oh, you're asking me? Great!

1) McGinn
2) Staal
3) Hudler
4) Vanek

I think "HUGE" mistake would be signing him for a 1.5 mil dollar deal. At 575K they are pretty much just filling a roster spot. Playing him might be the mistake, but tough to call it a huge mistake when the coach and teammates seem to like him and you are saving cap space.
- breadbag

You're right, this is true. I was just thinking more along the lines that we know Q will play him, over better players, and I thought the solution was for Stan to just not resign him and then Q wouldn't have that option. Wishful thinking

Despite my hyperbole, I don't even actually think Mashinter is terrible. It's just extremely frustrating when both the advanced stats and the eye test tell you the team is worse when he is on the ice, and there are better players available that are sitting instead.

Who you pickin'? who you want?
- blackhawk24

I would take McGinn. He looked fantastic playing in Anaheim on the top-line. It is hard to gauge what the other three will command dollar wise. Especially since each one of them are coming off larger contracts.

Agreed Al.
Also, some guys seem to "play down" to the level of guys around them versus other guys that can lift/elevate their teammates' play.

Not saying Baun is the former, really don't know and the fact he was injured for a good part of the year - not surprising there isn't much to say about his time at the Rock this past season.

Would like to see the guy succeed.
Has he put in any effort off-season? Not long to go before we all find out what he and others efforts have been.
- savvyone-1

It didn't help that he was injured shortly after getting sent down and was out for nearly three months either.

Wiz is always injured---do you think he would do it at 600K-- like Rozy?
- jb3333

If he does, he gets the rookie hazing, and Seabs is first on the list to administer.

Valid and fair. I agree with a good deal of your elaborated response. CC has earned the money he has, and I think he is still a top 5 goalie. And, as you addressed, the NTC/NMC seem to hamstring some of the potential deals and are important in the upcoming expansion draft.

I wouldn't say that the Hawks would go to the reject pile for goaltending, but a Darling/Lehner duo (for example) wouldn't be the worst thing, especially since the D core with Keith, Seabrook, Hammer, TVR,Campbell, Kempny is pretty formidable
(At least on paper so far). A good combination of forwards who play at both ends of the ice, help out the defense, and forecheck well can help keep the puck at the other end of the ice.

Unfortunately, I do not think we will come to an agreement on movement, but this is a good discussion.

If you had to move someone for $ for Panarin and some forward depth help, how would you address it and who would you move?
- 93Joe

I think the cap is going down or not going up next season.

So, I cash in on Panarin, and not resign him.

In the unlikely event the cap goes up at all, Panarin's bonuses will eat it all up, and maybe more. They may have to lose a player just to cover that.

We can want to move these big contracts all we want, but even more teams will hit the ceiling we are next season, and you still have no move/no trade to contend with. The hell of it is that the only teams with cap room will be the floor teams that few if any of these guys will consent to go to.

Depends on the team.

All I heard was a first round pick but that was a while back before TOR and CGY filled their needs. Now it may be whatever the Hawks can get and save some money.

OR, only if it's a pretty good deal.

The logistics of signing Campbell, a winger and filling out the rest of the roster are tough.

CC to BUF (as a conversation between the clubs) is a rumor that started in February 2015. It has not died since, right up to today.
- John Jaeckel

Curious, does that mean we'd be stuck with Lehner as our backup goalie for a year?

This is interesting regarding Stamkos

Andy Strickland ‏@andystrickland 8m8 minutes ago
Steven Stamkos is actually saving huge money re-signing with #Lightning. As a Canadian citizen signing bonus money can only be taxed 15%

This is due to Can/US tax treaty signing bonus money can't be taxed more than 15% vs 39%. Saves #stamkos about 15 mil over length of deal
- tomcho

And don't forget folks, tip your CPA handsomely.

Curious, does that mean we'd be stuck with Lehner as our backup goalie for a year?
- walleyeb1

For this season yes,

Next season he will be an RFA. So in theory you have a UFA in Darling and an RFA in Lehner to re-sign as a duo for enough less than Crawford to give you space to add ANYTHING to the team.

Better off getting a return on Panarin in picks. Cannot resign him.

I would take McGinn. He looked fantastic playing in Anaheim on the top-line. It is hard to gauge what the other three will command dollar wise. Especially since each one of them are coming off larger contracts.
- JohnScott

This. X100

I think the cap is going down or not going up next season.

So, I cash in on Panarin, and not resign him.

In the unlikely event the cap goes up at all, Panarin's bonuses will eat it all up, and maybe more. They may have to lose a player just to cover that.

We can want to move these big contracts all we want, but even more teams will hit the ceiling we are next season, and you still have no move/no trade to contend with. The hell of it is that the only teams with cap room will be the floor teams that few if any of these guys will consent to go to.
- Return of the Roar

Regardless of the current income increase I think the players association will agree to the escalator clause which will increase the cap every year.

Plus with the $500 million the league is getting from Las Vegas, there should be at least that clause.

Those Blackhawks think of everything! The throwback Thursday video is about Hossa's choice to come to Chicago and all that he has accomplished since. It feels like an ad aimed at every free agent out there looking to get one ,ore shot at a cup! Hope the ones we need / want to land are watching!

Regardless of the current income increase I think the players association will agree to the escalator clause which will increase the cap every year.

Plus with the $500 million the league is getting from Las Vegas, there should be at least that clause.
- BearsnHawks

But the HRR will be split by 31 teams instead of 30, which by definition kind of means less.

And the $500MM franchise fee is all for the owners.

At best the accelerator will cover Panarin's bonus.

Regardless of the current income increase I think the players association will agree to the escalator clause which will increase the cap every year.

Plus with the $500 million the league is getting from Las Vegas, there should be at least that clause.
- BearsnHawks

The expansion fee is not part of HRR - it all goes to the owners.

The cap could go down even if the escalator is approved - it's applied to what the cap would have been without it, not to what the cap was last year.

Those Blackhawks think of everything! The throwback Thursday video is about Hossa's choice to come to Chicago and all that he has accomplished since. It feels like an ad aimed at every free agent out there looking to get one ,ore shot at a cup! Hope the ones we need / want to land are watching!
- Marlowe

Worked on Rozy and Mashinter

Worked on Rozy and Mashinter
- Sundevil

those aren't the droids we're looking for!

In all seriousness it's a great video! Seeing Hoss finally get to lift that cup still makes me want to tear up!

Those Blackhawks think of everything! The throwback Thursday video is about Hossa's choice to come to Chicago and all that he has accomplished since. It feels like an ad aimed at every free agent out there looking to get one ,ore shot at a cup! Hope the ones we need / want to land are watching!
- Marlowe

John McDonough. That has a Cubbie feel to it; even after Beanie Babies.

Next NHL Commish...

Worked on Rozy and Mashinter
- Sundevil

Rozy? Fine. Career AHL'er? Not. So. Much.

But the HRR will be split by 31 teams instead of 30, which by definition kind of means less.

And the $500MM franchise fee is all for the owners.

At best the accelerator will cover Panarin's bonus.
- Return of the Roar

It won't, it will be around 1.5 mil. However, if Panarin doesn't hit his bonuses (and no one else does either) that saves us another 3.1 mil. Plus, Scuderi's cap hit will come off the books next year (1.1 mil). Also, Rundblads contract will be over another 100k saved. That is 5.8 mil opening up in cap, so if Panarin takes 6 mil or less AAV I think we will be alright.