Could be...But I had to put in a disclaimer.
- Al

Smart to do so.

Smart to do so.
- L_B_R

Yep...I can be wrong on my own.

Desperation to win, or desperation to believe the prospects are a lot better than what they are? I'll take Door #1 Monty.
- John Jaeckel

How much cap space do the HAWKS have right now ,under 2 mil I believe .What talent are you going to be able to acquire at that .You are better off to bring in the young talent and start the progression . Playing young players will be the way in the flat cap Era ,and not just in Chicago . Hang onto your prospects it is not going to get any better anytime soon

TVR is not and likely never will be a Top 4 defender. And the Hawks are gonna have a rebuild at some point. Only a complete fool would shy away from going after a 4th Cup to hold on to the likes of TVR, Svedberg, Pokka or Forsling.
- John Jaeckel

I understand TVR's likely limited potential but I don't get why that makes him expendable. Just as the biggest different between your 2012 first round losers and your 2013 Cup champs was a 5th dman named Rozival, you now have a guy that reliably eats 14 minutes a game and it's not easy to replace that.

Now if you had faith any of the farmhands about to get their looksie, which I don't think you do... Perhaps that does make him expendable.

Well as speculated on Sunday on this site, it would take a $2 million dollar deal to get Hudler's name on a contract. It hurts that it's Dallas. I would imagine And this is just speculation, Stan might have offered the proverbial, 1 year, 1 million with the carrot he plays lots of top 6 minutes, produces points and goes UFA in the summer of 2016 again.

Oh well, hockey writers said Hudler was after money. He got his 2 million.

On the trade front. Detroit is butted up against the cap but want to upgrade their defense before the season. In looking at their forwards.

Would the Hawks have any interest in wingers Thomas Jurco or T. Pulkinnen ?

Both make around $900,000. Hmmm

Well as speculated on Sunday on this site, it would take a $2 million dollar deal to get Hudler's name on a contract. It hurts that it's Dallas. I would imagine And this is just speculation, Stan might have offered the proverbial, 1 year, 1 million with the carrot he plays lots of top 6 minutes, produces points and goes UFA in the summer of 2016 again.

Oh well, hockey writers said Hudler was after money. He got his 2 million.

On the trade front. Detroit is butted up against the cap but want to upgrade their defense before the season. In looking at their forwards.

Would the Hawks have any interest in wingers Thomas Jurco or T. Pulkinnen ?

Both make around $900,000. Hmmm
- Omahawk

Dunno... but if the Hawks do lose out on Mr. Hudler, we could a guy like TVR go in trade that brings a winger back. Dont think Hawks have much choice.

Well as speculated on Sunday on this site, it would take a $2 million dollar deal to get Hudler's name on a contract. It hurts that it's Dallas. I would imagine And this is just speculation, Stan might have offered the proverbial, 1 year, 1 million with the carrot he plays lots of top 6 minutes, produces points and goes UFA in the summer of 2016 again.

Oh well, hockey writers said Hudler was after money. He got his 2 million.

On the trade front. Detroit is butted up against the cap but want to upgrade their defense before the season. In looking at their forwards.

Would the Hawks have any interest in wingers Thomas Jurco or T. Pulkinnen ?

Both make around $900,000. Hmmm
- Omahawk

Are either of those two a upgrade to what we already have . I did not believe the HAWKS would do very much this off season .Soupy was a nice surprise .And I got caught up in the move Crow hype .I still believe Crow and maybe another core member will be moved next year in a attempt to make a splash at the Draft ..

Wait.....couldn't the Hawks have afforded Hudler at that same price?

Wait.....couldn't the Hawks have afforded Hudler at that same price?
- SimpleJack

Sure, they have a little over $2m in cap space depending on which ELC and/or cheap vet players are on the team. But it's possible that the Hawks either didn't offer that deal or he just preferred the Stars.

If the report is true, is it really that surprising Hudler might like the Stars better than other teams for himself? They had one of the best records last year and they score a lot, which makes them seem like a great team on the surface. Hudler also has a connection with Nill from their time in Detroit and he's friends with Hemský.

Wait.....couldn't the Hawks have afforded Hudler at that same price?
- SimpleJack

Yes. Played hard ball and got the short pointy end sans the lube. Grab Russell and let he, Tootoo, and Lundberg go nuts on the 4th.

that seems like it could have been affordable for the Blackhawks. oh well. next option?
- matt_ahrens

Could have afforded Purcell or McGinn too a month and a half ago. But odds are those players probably did not want to play in Chicago. Kind of a head scratcher from a fan's POV, but it is what it is.

Well as speculated on Sunday on this site, it would take a $2 million dollar deal to get Hudler's name on a contract. It hurts that it's Dallas. I would imagine And this is just speculation, Stan might have offered the proverbial, 1 year, 1 million with the carrot he plays lots of top 6 minutes, produces points and goes UFA in the summer of 2016 again.

Oh well, hockey writers said Hudler was after money. He got his 2 million.

On the trade front. Detroit is butted up against the cap but want to upgrade their defense before the season. In looking at their forwards.

Would the Hawks have any interest in wingers Thomas Jurco or T. Pulkinnen ?

Both make around $900,000. Hmmm
- Omahawk

Detroit is in need of RHD men. Only one they had last year, at least most of the time, was Mike Green. Pulkinnen has a shot and a decent compete level. I'm looking at Tatar.... I know, unlikely at $2.75M

6 players on long term deals costing $45m against the cap. Lot of comparisons of Penguins and Hawks. Maybe the answer for the Hawks is to go expensive rather than cheap. If a Phil Kessel ($7.8m cap hit) was available how could the Hawks pull off the deal? Perhaps Rick Nash?

I know it probably sounds bizarre but figuring out how to do another big contract might be the best option. People will say it is impossible...I think it can be done.

I agree, and I'm not saying the two compare now (or even at this stage of development). I was just looking at some old reports on Hammer and they sounded similar to Pokka, although hammer was known to be a bit more physical.
- Chunk

Well,

Hammer's a lefty, Pokka's a righty.

Hammer has an unorthodox, flailing all over skating style, but actually above average speed and quickness. Pokka has some skating issues, and that alone basically means he'll not be a regular top 4 guy. Not in where the NHL is going.

I know Pokka can mix it up a bit too, and Hammer is no longer really "known" for that. He has been coached up in Chicago to not go for the big hit like he used to. But every once in a while in the playoffs, he will absolutely destroy someone.

So as for the reports, Chunk, caveat emptor. They used to also compare the "Great" Klas Dahlbeck to Hjalmarsson too.

You remember him? He was the last Pokka/Forsling.

Just like TT was the last Schmaltz.

Point being, sometimes, occasionally if not rarely, as with a kid like Saad, those comparisons to great NHL players are warranted. But that is the exception, rather than the rule. It really is—not just in my opinion, but the statistics bear it out.

For every Saad, there's a Rob Schrempf, a Nikita Filatov, a Jack Skille, a Kyle Beach, a Sam Gagner. All guys projected for stardom.

Pfffffffffft.

So when I hear the oft-repeated mantra that it's "desperate" to deal one of our "prized prospects" for a missing piece that might get this team to the Cup Finals, I shake my head.

Are either of those two a upgrade to what we already have . I did not believe the HAWKS would do very much this off season .Soupy was a nice surprise .And I got caught up in the move Crow hype .I still believe Crow and maybe another core member will be moved next year in a attempt to make a splash at the Draft ..
- oldduffman

With Jurco, it's debatable, probably not—except he is bigger, as fast or faster and more mature physically, and has more experience than the Wonder Smurfs.

Pulkinen is also on the small side, but he has been dramatically more productive in the AHL than Hinostroza has been (for example). He has legitimate top 6 winger skill. AND, he has a LOT more pro experience than our prospects. Pulkinen is also one of those guys who can play either wing position.

If you could get him from Detroit for TVR and Forsling today, IMO, you do it in a heartbeat. And maybe Forsling ends up being a better NHL player than Pulkinen, maybe, possibly, doesn't matter. You need a top 6 winger today, for this season.

They did NOT go after Vesey because they thought they had that position filled with what they have.

Wait.....couldn't the Hawks have afforded Hudler at that same price?
- SimpleJack

My information, from someone in position to know, was . . . no, he wanted more $ than the Hawks could offer.

Or maybe they could have paid that and, God Forbid, Hudler liked his chances with a team that went deeper in the playoffs last year.

Ya think maybe??????????

Or you can repeat the following over and over: "no, the Hawks were never interested in Hudler. We have Hinostroza!!!!!!"

It's like the summer of 2014 all over again.

LOL.

When all the Teuvo Timers were CONVINCED the Hawks were never after Ryan Kesler (although they were) because the Great TT—with zero North American experience—was going to be our second line C in 2014-15.

CONVINCED.

Then they were convinced that interest in Brad Richards was false. Because . . . "TT awesomeness!!"

Aaaaaaaaaaaand . . .

SMH.

Well,

For every Saad, there's a Rob Schrempf, a Nikita Filatov, a Jack Skille, a Kyle Beach, a Sam Gagner. All guys projected for stardom.

So when I hear the oft-repeated mantra that it's "desperate" to deal one of our "prized prospects" for a missing piece that might get this team to the Cup Finals, I shake my head.
- John Jaeckel

Well said. I think moving a package like TvR, Forsling, and McNeil for one good LW prospect is a trade worth making. I mentioned Andreas Athanasiou in the last thread. A big bodied, once highly touted Prospect that is probably on the losing end of a numbers games in DET this year (and Det has a decent pipeline of other Fwds too. DET gets D depth they need adding TvR for this year, and gets 2 other prospects to play with. Hawks get a guy who may peter out, or maybe slots into the 2nd line with AA and Kane and gets a friendly bridge deal and becomes a nice piece for us for the next 2-3 season.

Is it a fool-proof sure fire Hawks win the trade move? no, but could he be the "one player". Maybe.

What other options are out there right now? I would think this would be as good of return as to be expected. Other names would be Jacob de La Rose, but he has been far from "spectacular" in his limited exposure to the Canadians lineup. Maybe a guy like Paul Bittner in Cbus, who has been great in juniors and is now coming off an injury and maybe had for a little less. All these guys have question marks, but as of right now, we would be no worse off moving a guy like TvR, a #4 dman AT BEST and really a #5, to potentially improve to top 6.

My information, from someone in position to know, was . . . no, he wanted more $ than the Hawks could offer.

Or maybe they could have paid that and, God Forbid, Hudler liked his chances with a team that went deeper in the playoffs last year.

Ya think maybe??????????

Or you can repeat the following over and over: "no, the Hawks were never interested in Hudler. We have Hinostroza!!!!!!"
- John Jaeckel

Assuming the report is true, it's another piece of evidence that the term of Chicago being a (the) desirable destination for quality players / prospects is coming to an end: players and agents seem to be seeing that they have better chances to win - and indidually shine - with other franchises.

The Hawks aren't getting players to take sweetheart deals to come here (excepting, of course, Campbell - but apparently family issues brought him here).

Could Panarin be the last of the best to choose Chicago?

Assuming the report is true, it's another piece of evidence that the term of Chicago being a (the) desirable destination for quality players / prospects is coming to an end: players and agents seem to be seeing that they have better chances to win - and indidually shine - with other franchises.

The Hawks aren't getting players to take sweetheart deals to come here (excepting, of course, Campbell - but apparently family issues brought him here).

Could Panarin be the last of the best to choose Chicago?
- StLBravesFan

Kempny signed this year, and i believe he can be a solid player.

And there really werent any "sweetheart deals" to be handed out this year. players over 32-33 looking for one last swing at glory. The closest thing is probably Vermette at just under 2M. Maybe you consider Vanek at 2.6M "Sweetheart".

I wouldn't read too much into this offseason as a "bad omen".

Well said. I think moving a package like TvR, Forsling, and McNeil for one good LW prospect is a trade worth making. I mentioned Andreas Athanasiou in the last thread. A big bodied, once highly touted Prospect that is probably on the losing end of a numbers games in DET this year (and Det has a decent pipeline of other Fwds too. DET gets D depth they need adding TvR for this year, and gets 2 other prospects to play with. Hawks get a guy who may peter out, or maybe slots into the 2nd line with AA and Kane and gets a friendly bridge deal and becomes a nice piece for us for the next 2-3 season.

Is it a fool-proof sure fire Hawks win the trade move? no, but could he be the "one player". Maybe.

What other options are out there right now? I would think this would be as good of return as to be expected. Other names would be Jacob de La Rose, but he has been far from "spectacular" in his limited exposure to the Canadians lineup. Maybe a guy like Paul Bittner in Cbus, who has been great in juniors and is now coming off an injury and maybe had for a little less. All these guys have question marks, but as of right now, we would be no worse off moving a guy like TvR, a #4 dman AT BEST and really a #5, to potentially improve to top 6.
- gnosox1986

Me thinks DET is not in need of another mid-Dman, they are looking to secure a true #1. Granted he is in better cap control position, but I just don't see them dealing for another #4/5 guy, when they currently have too many of them to begin with.

Me thinks DET is not in need of another mid-Dman, they are looking to secure a true #1. Granted he is in better cap control position, but I just don't see them dealing for another #4/5 guy, when they currently have too many of them to begin with.
- gringointoronto

Thats true, they would clearly prefer a #1. But who is selling a #1 dman? Getting TvR maybe allows them to make another deal somewhere else.

At this point, i not expecting a move, but these are the types of moves the Hawks would need to explore.

Hearing any rumors John?

Maybe Hudler feels like he has a better chance of winning in Dallas.

There were two open LW spots on that roster too.

Maybe Hudler feels like he has a better chance of winning in Dallas.

There were two opn LW spots on that roster too.
- wiz1901

Plus 2 million in Texas is a lot more than 2 mollion in Chicago and Vancouver. [/img]