posted last night:

Sonny Sachdeva
‏@Sonny_Sachdeva
Spoke w/ Jiri Hudler's agent, Petr Svoboda, earlier tonight – was told Hudler will choose next team by end of this weekend. #NHL #FreeAgency

and lots and lots of tweets from a week ago and resurfacing now w/Vesey decision that are similar to this one:

purplegrimace ‏@Demitra_Van 12h12 hours ago
Jiri hudler close to signing with canucks. Likely 2 year deal
- pdx2ord

The guy has 600 followers ... I don't believe this in the slightest.

Have to agree JR...pretty embarrassing on our blog tonight...best of luck to the kid.
If folks want to be upset be upset with the hard cap which has robbed this team of talent repeatedly the last several seasons.

Without the flexibility it makes everyone's job tougher...Bowman can't make Bickell type mistakes because it can cost you a Saad. You have a veteran core group making top dollar and have no room to overpay or even at times pay market value for a supporting player. By moving young cost controlled talent - Dano and Danault at the TDL and Johns in the Sharp mess - Stan put his team possibly farther behind long term...

Would Vesey have been a nice add sure... and another PR prize for McD and Co. but it didn't happen. Meanwhile we have several kids: Motte, Hartman, Schmaltz etc... among them - who will get a chance - maybe just without the fanfare that Vesey would've.
- DK002

Do we even know if motte or schmaltz will be able to contribute at an NHL level or if they have potential to be top 6? I read a lot about those kids being bottom six and third lines players which isn't bad but what talent do the Hawks have that are prospects and actually projected to be higher than a third line player?

The guy has 600 followers ... I don't believe this in the slightest.
- TommyHawk

I know - wasn't the only one by any means - just the top one when I did the search. There are some more likely "credible" sources out there with the same type of speculation/info. All probably about as accurate on average as what we saw with Vesey.

Thought the one posted last night about the talk with the agent was of more interest.

I know - wasn't the only one by any means - just the top one when I did the search. There are some more likely "credible" sources out there with the same type of speculation/info. All probably about as accurate on average as what we saw with Vesey.

Thought the one posted last night about the talk with the agent was of more interest.
- pdx2ord

Hopefully it ends up being being the 'Hawks.

The Panthers misused him last season - especially in the post-season when he skated 3rd line minutes - and as such it's probably why his value has been depleted this off-season.

Hopefully the 'Hawks can swoop in and add him on the cheap. He would be a pretty substantial upgrade to the Toews line compared to whatever else we have on the roster.

Hopefully it ends up being being the 'Hawks.

The Panthers misused him last season - especially in the post-season when he skated 3rd line minutes - and as such it's probably why his value has been depleted this off-season.

Hopefully the 'Hawks can swoop in and add him on the cheap. He would be a pretty substantial upgrade to the Toews line compared to whatever else we have on the roster.
- TommyHawk

Hopefully, he and Campbell got on well and Brian's working the phones.

Vesey to NYR
- KINGS67

Yes and thank god this is over. Let´s move on. There is other players and better players than Vesey existing. Vesey would´ve been nice asset to have but he isn´t next Panarin for sure.

I think Hudler will be a Blackhawk soon. That will be a good thing too. Proven scorer.

Didn't take long for the trade CC crowd to show up That only happens in video game GM world. You don't give him up without finding an equivalent replacement, and news flash - Darling aint that guy.

Next year would be an even worse time to move him, as the other 29 teams will have their #1s protected for expansion. So we would be shopping at slot #31 for his successor.

Aaaaaaand the NMC....

How about if Q and the coaching staff make something out of a few of these kids in Rockford, and/or find a new system that plays to the strengths of the team they have to work with.
- Return of the Roar

If this were a petition I would sign it.........

The Rangers are a good team. That's a good fit for him. Just because we think the Hawks are the greatest ever, players looking at their future don't see it that way anymore. Yea, goto Chicago 2 years play for cheap and if all goes well you may get traded off because they can't afford you. The league is now littered with NHL players who the Hawks couldn't afford to keep. Who wants to be the next in the line of the expendable?
- kwolf68

Absolutely, and lose all leverage after your ELC contract and be moved to (?) Columbus for picks?

The same could happen with any team he signed with but the Vesey camp must have seen the NYR as being better able to sign him to his second contract than other options, besides New Jersey of course.

Mike. Yea, they turn quickly, but don't think for a second Chicago or Pitts fans don't either. I live in the Burgh...awesome place, but this city is freaking bipolar. Just like a lot of other places

In the end, the kid made the decision he made. The Rangers are no worse off than the Blackhawks. The Hawks just have the skins on the wall.

The Penguins could very well be setup to win another Cup or two if things fall right for them. They are a deep team and the move to get the kid from Notre Dame was absolutely brilliant...if Cullen wakes up and realizes he's 40 that kid may step right in and do just as well if not better. If nothing else he gives you center depth....I think the Pens, Caps and Lightning are still the best in the East and Vesey going to NY doesn't change that for me.
- kwolf68

DiPauli reminds me of a smaller version of Denault. Solid 2 way player with hockey smarts. Can't lose giving the kid a chance and as a 4 year college guy he's much closer than your average rookie.

Curios Wolfy if leaving the Panthers out as a top team in the East was just an oversight? Doesn't look like this team is a fluke and are built to be very good for a long while.

Did anyone see the tweet from Matt beleskey:

@19Vesey bad decision fella ....

My spin: Most of the loyal HB readers bought in to JV ended up here. While most agree it was the smartest hockey move, the kid just wanted to play with his friend - This leads me to his decision making process. He has a dad scout who can point out where JV could flourish, an agent that can direct him which situation will pay bank contract 2. Yet, he wants to play with a premier 4th liner who may not even be in hockey contract 2 (and dumb as a box of rocks from what i have read). This to me makes me think the sting of ripping the band-aid sucks, JV signing with the Rags may be a blessing. This is indicative of bad decision making processes... HE had the info to choose 2 or three significantly better situations. Hell, I would have played with Ekiel well before 4th line Hayes.

And if I were Toronto there would be one less Vesey on my payroll.

Spin it anyway you want. You would have been delighted to have him on your team. So let's rip the kid for making his choice now.

Spin it anyway you want. You would have been delighted to have him on your team. So let's rip the kid for making his choice now.
- mattstake

Umm - No & ripping his decision making ability - really hard to do that BEFORE he made a decision...

My spin: Most of the loyal HB readers bought in to JV ended up here. While most agree it was the smartest hockey move, the kid just wanted to play with his friend - This leads me to his decision making process. He has a dad scout who can point out where JV could flourish, an agent that can direct him which situation will pay bank contract 2. Yet, he wants to play with a premier 4th liner who may not even be in hockey contract 2 (and dumb as a box of rocks from what i have read). This to me makes me think the sting of ripping the band-aid sucks, JV signing with the Rags may be a blessing. This is indicative of bad decision making processes... HE had the info to choose 2 or three significantly better situations. Hell, I would have played with Ekiel well before 4th line Hayes.

And if I were Toronto there would be one less Vesey on my payroll.
- riozzo

Yes, besides being a Harvard grad his father is an NHL man, he has friends who play in the league, he's played with pros himself and of course he has an agent. A sharp kid with an old man in the sport will tell you he has plenty of tools to make a very educated decision.

Who knows exactly what the order of his priorities are but I'm sure the kid wanted to get top 6 minutes, with a team that has a chance to win, with players he likes or is familiar with, a team that plays the style he prefers, a coach he connects with, a team that has a chance to give him market value on his second contract, geography (Rangers have 1-2 hour road trips) to name a few. Seems the Rangers checked the most boxes or the most important ones.

If it was a second contract that was most important if I were him my first question to the Hawks would have been how is my situation different from Saad's? Where will the money come from, knowing the Hawks are gonna have to rearrange the deck chairs to ink Panarin, and why wouldn't I be moved to a Columbus the same way Saad was?

The above was why I didn't think the kid was coming to the Hawks and was really my only post on the subject all summer. It simply wasn't a fit for a second contract. If it was to have the best chance to win a cup and play with the best players on earth he signs with PITT or CHI, period.

Good luck to the kid. As little as I've seen of him his ceiling IMO is a Callahan. Nothing wrong with that. A solid complimentary guy but by no means a core player.

And of course he's shown he will use every bit of leverage he has going forward, whatever that may end up being.

Umm - No & ripping his decision making ability - really hard to do that BEFORE he made a decision...
- riozzo

And at this point while many of us believe that JV made a bad move career wise, we don't really know that because a. we don't know him and why he decided the way that he he did and b. it hasn't played out yet. Same sort of thing for the Hawks too - we don't really know yet what they have for the season - we know neither a. what the roster will be for the start of the season (will they sign Hudler or some other veteran, will the French Canadian forward get a deal, who will they pull from the rock), nor b. how the young guys will play in the big show.

EDIT: points about JV are pretty much what MrRicochet said.

I think Hudler will be a Blackhawk soon. That will be a good thing too. Proven scorer.

Didn't take long for the trade CC crowd to show up That only happens in video game GM world. You don't give him up without finding an equivalent replacement, and news flash - Darling aint that guy.

Next year would be an even worse time to move him, as the other 29 teams will have their #1s protected for expansion. So we would be shopping at slot #31 for his successor.

Aaaaaaand the NMC....

How about if Q and the coaching staff make something out of a few of these kids in Rockford, and/or find a new system that plays to the strengths of the team they have to work with.
- Return of the Roar

Would be good, and quite frankly, is what is needed. I always harp on the system they implemented when Scotty came in, moved Dale out and put Stan in his place. Detroit model if you will.

It requires young guys, one or two a year to over develop in the minors and come up and contribute. It requires moving guys out who aren't core, replacing them with draft picks, over stocking the minors, and having more chances for that one or two guys to come up and contribute.

They chose to move away from that to go for it last couple years trading away #1 and #2 picks, and good young players. They need one or two of the young guys to contribute, and they need to restock the farm system with over developed prospects.

Problem is, its probably going to take a few years, then your current core is aged probably enough to not win cups anymore. Its a tough situation to decide what the right thing is to do, but you have to win cups.

I still don't like what they did going for it last year, didn't think they could win the cup, and gave way too much away for Ladd and Wiesse/Fleisch trades. Year before I guess you could argue you don't win without Vermette, so that was OK, but the Timmo trade was just insane.

I'll just say if you take the picks and players traded away in the last two years, put them into the system now, I believe there would be a much different view of the guys coming up who could help.

Maybe he figured after two years here with the Hawks, the cap situation with too many players on long term contractsand NMC there would be no chance he would be able to sign here. Then he would get traded to anywhere the Hawks wanted ie Saad to Columbus no disrespect meant. Not sure What the Rangers cap situation will be in 2 years but ours will still be bad. Either way he made a choice that he thought was best for him so I don't understand all the anger towards him.

What the friggin hell.....do some of you read what you say before you hit submit. Pretty embarassing way to go about trashing a player when he doesnt sign with your team. The Rangers as a pick is questionable from the outside... but why.... why not the blackhawks type stuff....
- nelson911

I think you are overeacting. a few posters maybe, not even close to a majority, I believe most are glad its over.

My bet is NO ONE here, saw him play enough to even know if he's going to be a great player who could actually play on the 1L, or if he was LeBlah (whom everyone was very excited about when they signed him as well).

It won't be topic here in about a day or two, and we are all better for that!

Maybe he figured after two years here with the Hawks, the cap situation with too many players on long term contractsand NMC there would be no chance he would be able to sign here. Then he would get traded to anywhere the Hawks wanted ie Saad to Columbus no disrespect meant. Not sure What the Rangers cap situation will be in 2 years but ours will still be bad. Either way he made a choice that he thought was best for him so I don't understand all the anger towards him.
- HamiltonHawk

Saying you don't think he made the best decision doesn't = angry. And questioning his decision doesn't mean you necessarily believe that anything but signing with the Hawks was a bad decision.

posted last night:

Sonny Sachdeva
‏@Sonny_Sachdeva
Spoke w/ Jiri Hudler's agent, Petr Svoboda, earlier tonight – was told Hudler will choose next team by end of this weekend. #NHL #FreeAgency

and lots and lots of tweets from a week ago and resurfacing now w/Vesey decision that are similar to this one:

purplegrimace ‏@Demitra_Van 12h12 hours ago
Jiri hudler close to signing with canucks. Likely 2 year deal
- pdx2ord

Damn man I didn't see those. After Hudler I have no clue who they can maybe sign for a LW. All of the somewhat good wingers have been taken. I wonder if they move Panarin up and find somewhat to slot with Anisimov and Kane..? Seems as if after Vesey that Hudler is/was their contingency plan. Now time is really running out to fill that hole on the top line or second line... Whatever some may wish to call it.

Do we even know if motte or schmaltz will be able to contribute at an NHL level or if they have potential to be top 6? I read a lot about those kids being bottom six and third lines players which isn't bad but what talent do the Hawks have that are prospects and actually projected to be higher than a third line player?
- Ehstripes

This is the kind of stuff I love, (no disrespect to you, but)

"Do we even know if Motte or Schmaltz can contribute on the NHL level?"

but,

"Jimmy Vesey can play on the 1L and take the Hawks to a SCF"

reality folks, grab some reality

I've admitted that I've only see the 3 players above play couple times, but i will say that the limited viewing, in college and world jrs, no way I would put Vesey ahead of either of them. I know he's older and probably stronger but I just was so impressed with Motte when I saw him play, and I thought that Schmaltz was the best guy on the ice in a couple of the world jr games, yes I know Auston Matthews was on the same team. Didn't say he was a better player, said he was the best guy on the ice in a game or two of that tourney.

If this were a petition I would sign it.........
- Mr Ricochet

Unfortunately, I think there's a better chance of;

A: Hell freezing over, and

B: Pigs flying



ps. que the gifs

Our prospect camp standout, Alexandre Fortin, hasn't signed yet. Maybe (when or if they sign him) he is somewhat of a black ace that can help the scoring on the left side on the 3rd line?

posted last night:

Sonny Sachdeva
‏@Sonny_Sachdeva
Spoke w/ Jiri Hudler's agent, Petr Svoboda, earlier tonight – was told Hudler will choose next team by end of this weekend. #NHL #FreeAgency

and lots and lots of tweets from a week ago and resurfacing now w/Vesey decision that are similar to this one:

purplegrimace ‏@Demitra_Van 12h12 hours ago
Jiri hudler close to signing with canucks. Likely 2 year deal
- pdx2ord

And why not? Dateless at the dance...

Absolutely, and lose all leverage after your ELC contract and be moved to (?) Columbus for picks?

The same could happen with any team he signed with but the Vesey camp must have seen the NYR as being better able to sign him to his second contract than other options, besides New Jersey of course.
- Mr Ricochet

I won't pay that much attention to it going forward, but I will be paying attention to that next contract.

Will be interesting to see if all the angst over the second contract will come to fruition.

I still argue if he was that good, two years from now, he would be part of the long term core with Panarin.

Others would be moved to keep them both. Getting traded for picks, again, if he was that good, (Panarin good), just wouldn't happen, and doesn't make sense.