What nobody remembers, or perhaps never knew, was that Roenick was making 1.5 as his agent was negotiating with WWW who offered to tear up the contract right then and there and pay JR 3.5. When JR and his agent refused that WWW said to show him what the market was. So JR played another year and a half at 1.5 and eventually shot his mouth off to WWW and in the press, which is when WWW pulled the rip cord on JR. So after JR left what did he sign for? Swear to God, 3.5 million per.

I'm not trying to defend WWW as there were multiple reasons people didn't like him and they all had valid reasons. But I think it's safe to say JR wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, and there's more than just this that makes it pretty obvious to those in the know.

Personally I wish JR never left. He'd be in the rafters for sure. But ya never know, time heals wounds. I also think if Larmer never gets his sweater up there it would be a friggin shame.
- 6628

Great points...

Back around that time similar happened to Chelios and Belfour. Wirtz had one rule and if it wasn't kept you were gone...Thou shall not blaspheme.

If a player criticized him or the Organization they were gone, otherwise they were fine. Same way with hockey ops and that's why the Hawks had the worst scouting staff for decades. Wirtz rewarded loyalty over performance.

I told this before...I parked in the same lot as Belfour. One day there were rumblings about Belfour being banished from the building. I asked the guy who ran the parking lot if he heard anything as Belfour's car was gone.

He told me MR WIRTZ told Belfour to pack his stuff up any never come back to the building....I was surprised and asked if he thought that was gospel...He said absolutely.

Shortly thereafter Belfour was dealt to SJ and was never welcomed back after he retired until years after WWW died.

Belfour's journey out of town, like Roenick, Chelios and even Amonte started over money. In the cases of Roenick and Belfour for sure they ticked the old guy off.

Sad thing was the Hawks could never beat EDM in the playoffs but as a package there wasn't many better than JR, Cheli and Belfour.

The great Alex Ovechkin has never won 8 games in a single postseason. Think about that for a minute.
- golfbard

Yes but what is it we always talk about here, 4 lines and solid top 4 defensively,

Their 3rd and 4th lines combined vs the rest of the NHL lead the league scoring goals

Defense solid

Oh yeah they got this guy by the name of Holtby

That team is going to be a handful come playoff time

He knows the system and he is a UFA (no future commitment to the cap). There is value there if you can get him cheaply. but thats the thing, you need to get him cheaply.
- gnosox1986

Even if you can get Dallas to retain the max 50% of his salary without giving away the farm, then you aren't left with much for anything else. As JJ and others have reported the Hawks may want an upgrade on D too. Rather not blow what little wad we have on a declining Sharp. Regardless of how well he knows the system.

He knows the system and he is a UFA (no future commitment to the cap). There is value there if you can get him cheaply. but thats the thing, you need to get him cheaply.
- gnosox1986

NO..... you need to get him for nothing because that is what he'll bring.
Ok maybe if Dallas retains 95% of his salary, we'll thow in David Rundblad !!
Oh wait................

Yes but what is it we always talk about here, 4 lines and solid top 4 defensively,

Their 3rd and 4th lines combined vs the rest of the NHL lead the league scoring goals

Defense solid

Oh yeah they got this guy by the name of Holtby

That team is going to be a handful come playoff time
- BetweenTheDots

Their 3rd and 4th lines combined vs the rest of the NHL lead the league scoring goals


....And that's huge for them.

new blog up

Yes but what is it we always talk about here, 4 lines and solid top 4 defensively,

Their 3rd and 4th lines combined vs the rest of the NHL lead the league scoring goals

Defense solid

Oh yeah they got this guy by the name of Holtby

That team is going to be a handful come playoff time
- BetweenTheDots

Just remember that Trotz is their coach. He's like the Ovechkin of coaches.

Great points...

Back around that time similar happened to Chelios and Belfour. Wirtz had one rule and if it wasn't kept you were gone...Thou shall not blaspheme.

If a player criticized him or the Organization they were gone, otherwise they were fine. Same way with hockey ops and that's why the Hawks had the worst scouting staff for decades. Wirtz rewarded loyalty over performance.

I told this before...I parked in the same lot as Belfour. One day there were rumblings about Belfour being banished from the building. I asked the guy who ran the parking lot if he heard anything as Belfour's car was gone.

He told me MR WIRTZ told Belfour to pack his stuff up any never come back to the building....I was surprised and asked if he thought that was gospel...He said absolutely.

Shortly thereafter Belfour was dealt to SJ and was never welcomed back after he retired until years after WWW died.

Belfour's journey out of town, like Roenick, Chelios and even Amonte started over money. In the cases of Roenick and Belfour for sure they ticked the old guy off.

Sad thing was the Hawks could never beat EDM in the playoffs but as a package there wasn't many better than JR, Cheli and Belfour.
- Al

Hey Al, hope all is good. Belfour was a head case. He wasn't easy to be around on a daily basis. When he left and was traded to SJ they were looking for veteran leadership as well as netminding. He got blown out the first few games and came up with a "sore back" and never played for them again. He stiffed them. Signed as a free agent asap with the top defensive club in the league in Dallas. The year they won the cup most of the netminders in the league win the cup that year with that team. He didn't average 20 shots a game that year. I lost any respect I had for him.

And Chelios couldn't stand losing. No matter what they would have offered him he wouldn't have been happy here. He would have demanded a trade at some point.

It is sad they broke up the band, but people who think it was all about the money are a bit off base. One thing you mention is for sure - loyalty was more important than performance back then.