If that is what it takes to sign him, sign him now. If he makes it to next summer unsigned, he could get even more than that. Yes, it'll mean Stan needs to shed salary again next summer but maybe that means Crawford gets traded at the deadline.
- matt_ahrens

You cannot lose 3 Top 6 LWs in 3 years and still expect to be a Stanley Cup contender......can you?

- EnzoD

Ok... Plan B: How about saving our cap space for the deadline and add a piece then

Ok... Plan B: How about saving our cap space for the deadline and add a piece then
- hockey nut 28

Who knows, really. Like Matt just said, I think the most important thing for the current and long-term competitiveness of the Hawks is to lock up Artemi Panarin. Signing Darling would be nice too, but 72 has got to be the priority. With every point he puts up this upcoming season, his price tag goes up as well.....What good are a package of draft picks for a WIN NOW team (If he gets an offer sheet next summer as an RFA)?

Look. It's almost hockey.
I guess the endorsements are coming back.


https://youtu.be/Uu-ibdD-wYg


KANER

You cannot lose 3 Top 6 LWs in 3 years and still expect to be a Stanley Cup contender......can you?
- EnzoD

Can you imagine where we'd be if they hadn't acquired lil Arti? He's like we won the lotto. He's better than all of the oilers first rounders combined.

I think we'll be all right this year. Defense wins championships, no? Hey, it's our year. Win one, lose one.

The reason I believe is based on what this team has done. I have seen magic. You know, believing you can win when your down by a goal in the 3rd and on a p.k. 17 seconds. Shin pads.

TO A NEW SEASON

Who knows, really. Like Matt just said, I think the most important thing for the current and long-term competitiveness of the Hawks is to lock up Artemi Panarin. Signing Darling would be nice too, but 72 has got to be the priority. With every point he puts up this upcoming season, his price tag goes up as well.....What good are a package of draft picks for a WIN NOW team (If he gets an offer sheet next summer as an RFA)?
- EnzoD

Agreed. And I think we all know the money is in CROWs contract. I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe in darling as a number 1.

Lil Arti

You cannot lose 3 Top 6 LWs in 3 years and still expect to be a Stanley Cup contender......can you?
- EnzoD

not unless you replace them with equal talent.

Ok... Plan B: How about saving our cap space for the deadline and add a piece then
- hockey nut 28

Plan B should be plan A,especially if he signs Vesey.

not unless you replace them with equal talent.
- matt_ahrens

When you find equal talent of Panarin let me know.

2C > 3/4C. Having a hole at one of your bottom C's is a better problem to have than a hole at 2C.

I believe he has some untapped offensive potential. He will never be a goal scorer, but if you watch him from his Sweden days, you can definitely see some playmaking ability. Q has put him there for a few games over the past couple seasons, might be worth a try. If it works out, he becomes an underpaid 2C.
- Antz96

Kruger wouldn't be filling a hole at 2C. He doesn't have the offensive upside to stay at 2C for an extended period of time. He's also not known for screening the goalie, which was something AA did that helped 88 and 72 a lot. Plus Q has it set in his mind that Kruger is a 3/4C.

Who knows, really. Like Matt just said, I think the most important thing for the current and long-term competitiveness of the Hawks is to lock up Artemi Panarin. Signing Darling would be nice too, but 72 has got to be the priority. With every point he puts up this upcoming season, his price tag goes up as well.....What good are a package of draft picks for a WIN NOW team (If he gets an offer sheet next summer as an RFA)?
- EnzoD

Only way a package of picks does any good is if it provides a player or multiple players that can make an impact on the team right away. Otherwise that just leads to rebuild/retool time.

Ok... Plan B: How about saving our cap space for the deadline and add a piece then
- hockey nut 28

Or Stan might be optimistic he can bring over Ship from Russia and he joins the team by December or whenever he can escape from his contract.

When you find equal talent of Panarin let me know.
- Dabearshawks

That's why I think if 72 performs similar to what he did last year, his contract demand will start with a 7, not a 6. Guys who can consistently rack up 65-80 points in today's NHL are rare, and he's going to want to be paid (and understandably so). Tarasenko money would be my guess ....

Marcus Johansson agrees to $4.5M three year deal. Not a bad deal for the caps.

Hudler would add quality proven NHL scoring. Something this team needs. Scoring depth. The Hawks are paper thin in actual quality scoring depth. One injury to the top 6 would be devastating. The Hawks have 5 forwards on the team that have cracked 30 pts in the NHL. Think about that for a minute or two.

- bhawks2241

True, but the Hawks also have two more puck moving d-men, one who knows the system and one who doesn't, but is experienced. Last year, they had Keith, who had a down year and...Daley? Gus?

There should be more crisp, solid exit passes. Which should open up the offense. We'll see when it matters, but on paper, the O should be up ice quicker, which should lead to more scoring.

That's why I think if 72 performs similar to what he did last year, his contract demand will start with a 7, not a 6. Guys who can consistently rack up 65-80 points in today's NHL are rare, and he's going to want to be paid (and understandably so). Tarasenko money would be my guess ....
- Hank_Greenberg

I'm surprised no one had signed Kucherov to an offer sheet, if Tampa is able to sign for $6 mil per or less what a deal.

Considering the situation Tampa is in with all of their FA and RFA really don't buy the fact that there was ever going to be an offer sheet for Saad, Kucherov is a better player and believe 7.5 mil per year would get it done

You and I had as many goals in the NHL as Kruger did last year

Kruger-Toews-Hossa makes Toews and his linemates the highest paid "checking-line" in NHL History. Pass....
- EnzoD

I never though that 2/3 of that line were checkers.

Kruger's a real good player all around say for the goal production, he will get those two the puck.

I actually think another Swede will get a chance there.

On SCH they were speculating the Hawks may be on of 4 teams talking to Vrbata, thoughts? He is a RW, so say he and Vesey flank JT
- Sundevil

you think they have the cap space for both?

For those who like to keep tabs on jersey numbers:

6 Kempny
8 Schmaltz
22 Tootoo
23 DeBrincat
28 Lundberg
42 Forsling
56 Gustafsson
64 Motte

Other prospects were assigned jersey numbers, too. Just listed the notable ones above.

For those who like to keep tabs on jersey numbers:

6 Kempny
8 Schmaltz
22 Tootoo
23 DeBrincat
28 Lundberg
42 Forsling
56 Gustafsson
64 Motte

Other prospects were assigned jersey numbers, too. Just listed the notable ones above.
- AEL_Fox

1. I wonder if Schmaltz asked Leddy for permission to wear his number.
2. If they're not going to retire #28 for Larmer at least stop assigning it informally

Other numbers of interest:

71 Bondra
37 Carrick
62 Johnson
31 Johansson
63 Dhalstrom
76 Norell

I never though that 2/3 of that line were checkers.

Kruger's a real good player all around say for the goal production, he will get those two the puck.

I actually think another Swede will get a chance there.
- wiz1901

Another Swede will get a shot at 1LW? Now you've got me curious. Is Stalberg coming back?

Another Swede will get a shot at 1LW? Now you've got me curious. Is Stalberg coming back?
- EbonyRaptor

Lundberg, wearing Larmer's #28.

For those who like to keep tabs on jersey numbers:

6 Kempny
8 Schmaltz
22 Tootoo
23 DeBrincat
28 Lundberg
42 Forsling
56 Gustafsson
64 Motte

Other prospects were assigned jersey numbers, too. Just listed the notable ones above.
- AEL_Fox

DeBrincat #23 remember the movie 23 it's special . Lousy movie with Jim Carey .
But I do believe the HAWKS may have stolen one there .

Lundberg, wearing Larmer's #28.
- DarthKane

Was just thinking how this might fire up PhilCo

Where has he been??

A bit old but the premise will always stand the test of time: Capturing The Entirety Of A Player's Impact On Team Success http://sbcpuckstorming.bl...of-players-impact-on.html

However consider this – the deeper a team goes in the playoffs, the better the opponents, the less opportunities to showcase the skill-level. Regardless of how skilled someone is, in a 7 game series against a good opponent the games are going to be a pretty equal back and forth and in instances like that there won't be the time for skill to shine on every shift, it becomes a game of attrition. Where two teams are equal, it's important that teams win in small things like winning board battles, making smart puck decisions, shutting down the player you're playing against, diligent defensive coverage, etc. In a 7 game series against a great team opportunities for highly skilled plays decrease compared to a random regular season game. What happens is that it becomes exponentially more important that you have players who execute everything at an elite level so that momentum can be shifted in your favor.