MexicoHawk came out and posted about 4 essay length comments about how he felt underappreciated for people questioning his (supposed) identity and for taking the mickey out of him and said he would recuse himself and just pop in for a look occasionally, so unless he's changed his name, I think he is done.

Ogi I haven't seen in a while either, but I am somewhat of a lurker myself, as these time-zones don't do me a lot of favours
- AusHawk

Mexico was a proven fraud, got off on being an in the know guy . Hilarious really , no one gives a poop on a rumor site just for fun talkin hockey but dude was uber serious about it. A couple of folks here knew the real (Brad Palmer ?? ) was it ? APparently the real BP didnt care thought it was funny. Nonsense really, he could have posted all that BS under a BS name , would have been just as entertaining without (frank)ing up "his own" family history. lol

Gotta take points off for Rundblad - twice! The trade and the resign. At least he eventually dumped him.

Acquiring Frolik. Hossa. Handzus. Rozsival. Desi. Darling.
- matt_ahrens

Yea, none of em are perfect but Stanley "Cup" Bowman has been pretty good.

The Chief Runsbad fiaso is kinda curious. I wonder what the Hawks management saw in him that made them over value him.

Gotta take points off for Rundblad - twice! The trade and the resign. At least he eventually dumped him.

Acquiring Frolik. Hossa. Handzus. Rozsival. Desi. Darling.
- matt_ahrens

From a TB perspective (assuming they've given up the season) they might as well get an asset for Boyle even if he plans to return. But it also depends on their relationship with Boyle, I'm sure they'll talk to him first and if they won't deal him if he doesn't want to go and their plan is to bring him back.

As far as the cost for Boyle, the market will dictate what he goes for if he's dealt. I think a couple of mid-round picks would be fair, maybe substitute a mid level prospect for one of those picks. If Stevie Y can do better then good for him, I hope it's just not done with Chicago.
- DarthKane

speaking of Boyle, a friend shared this with me today even though it is from two years ago - interesting read!

http://www.espn.com/espnw...-figure-skaters-seriously

speaking of Boyle, a friend shared this with me today even though it is from two years ago - interesting read!

http://www.espn.com/espnw...-figure-skaters-seriously
- matt_ahrens

My wife was telling me that Jeff Skinner was originally a figure skater. When we watched the Hawks play Carolina once, she could see some of the old figure skater in him, as she did some figure skating in her childhood.

My wife was telling me that Jeff Skinner was originally a figure skater. When we watched the Hawks play Carolina once, she could see some of the old figure skater in him, as she did some figure skating in her childhood.
- 333inthe3rd

Interesting!

You won 5 AAA insurance titles as salesman of the year? WOW. Mind BLOWN......
- bonecrusher27

Got to say bone......that is the FIRST thing that came to mind when I read that, or something along the line of a lifetime worth of free tows. But you beat me too it by a couple of hours......I bow down to you fine sir!!!!!!

Clearly you have ZERO clue. Stick to Cheerleading & wearing your jersey.
- Goalie-33

As John mentioned earlier, obviously, you don't understand professional hockey.

Go sell your negativity somewhere else.

Aquire Hanzel before the game tonight ?

Aquire Hanzel before the game tonight ?
- mrpaulish

Sounds like a good plan. What's going the other way?

Hossa seems to bring out the best with everyone he plays with. I wonder if we could see some offense from Kruger. If so Hossa would have to be reaching deity status.

Sounds like a good plan. What's going the other way?
- 93Joe

Kruger, McNeil and a 2nd.

Hossa seems to bring out the best with everyone he plays with. I wonder if we could see some offense from Kruger. If so Hossa would have to be reaching deity status.
- -Doh-

Already a Demi-God

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From Stan's NHL five questions interview:

You have made comments to other news outlets about the deadline and said you don't think you'll weigh too deep into the market, especially for rentals. Is your position on that the same? If so why won't you do that when you have done it in the past and it has worked?

"My position really hasn't changed. Our team has done what I saw coming with our group. I saw us starting to play more of a team game and the younger players were starting to become just regular players. There is always that thing where everybody talks about the rookies, but they've played 50-60 games, so they're rookies technically by the rulebook but I don't look at them that way anymore. What I was trying to explain to people was these guys are just part of our team now. They're not trying to stay in the NHL or worried about getting sent down, they're just like anybody else now and they're getting better as the year goes on. Younger players have a lot of growth potential and they're better in March than they are in November whereas your veteran guys aren't going to be improving their game as you go along, they're just going to be maintaining it. They're already at a high level so how are you going to get better over the course of the year if you don't add players and just use the same group, and the answer is if you have young players, they're going to get better as the year goes on. If you have a bunch of veterans they're not really going to get better as the year goes on. So for that reason I am really not focused on a rental. I haven't had any discussions to that. If we add a player it might be more of a depth-type move but I really don't see us making a big splash and adding one of these names that you're reading about in the papers. It's just not in our plans right now. You have to have room for improvement from within. It's really hard to improve your team if you're going to go out and look to acquire players or sign free agents. It's just difficult to do that. I don't want to trade these young players."
- walleyeb1

You keep citing what Bowman says in the media as proof of what he'll do. It may be. It may not be—as history proves.

The other issue is, if he does follow through exactly on what he says, is it the right thing to do?

Stan (and Scotty) Bowman are notorious for setting expectations low in the media and with fans. It makes life a lot easier down the line. Don't you even suspect that's just bargaining?

Let me ask you, Wally, if Bowman does nothing, because that seems to be what you're advocating—no?), how sure are you this team, as composed, wins a Cup?

And if Bowman's goal is not to win a Cup, but instead " to hold on to and "build around" the likes of Schmaltz, Hinostroza, Motte, Forsling and Panik, he should probably be fired. On the spot.

His roster and a whole poop ton of money Rocky Wirtz is spending this year, and every year as long as the "core is intact, is built to win Cups.

You keep citing what Bowman says in the media as proof of what he'll do. It may be. It may not be—as history proves.

The other issue is, if he does follow through exactly on what he says, is it the right thing to do?

Stan (and Scotty) Bowman are notorious for setting expectations low in the media and with fans. It makes life a lot easier down the line. Don't you even suspect that's just bargaining?

Let me ask you, Wally, if Bowman does nothing, because that seems to be what you're advocating—no?), how sure are you this team, as composed, wins a Cup?

And if Bowman's goal is not to win a Cup, but instead " to hold on to and "build around" the likes of Schmaltz, Hinostroza, Motte, Forsling and Panik, he should probably be fired. On the spot.

His roster and a whole poop ton of money Rocky Wirtz is spending this year, and every year as long as the "core is instant, is built to win Cups.
- John Jaeckel

And if he does make a larger deal, which kinda depends on how you define larger, and someone questions him on it, he'll say we saw an opportunity. More likely, no one will question him on it, because no one in the media fully believes him. Not Myers, not Hedger, not Powers and no one else I talk to.

The only time Q misused him is when he put him in the line-up.

Weise's problem is he fails to realize he at best a bottom 6 player who can score an occasional goal. He is meh defensively. Invisible physically these days. The big problem is he thinks he is a top 6 sniper.
- TTtime

Rimshot. Good one.

Hidden translation: We're going after Malkin and not taking no for an answer
- SimpleJack

He'd be that bottom 6 add we've been missing all year.

The wings started facing the same budgetary crunches inside their set budgets, had kids they had to develop so they didn't choose to pay top end money for a non core guy...
- wiz1901

Aaaaaaand they are . . . where right now?

Sounds like a good plan. What's going the other way?
- 93Joe

3rd and a 5th .

With 20% retained by the Yotes

Played at higher level than 98% of your board. BTW Kruger is way overpaid & again right now Kero is better.

When you win 5 AAA Championships let me know then we can talk.
- Goalie-33

At least one person on this thread played in the NHL. Not you. Not "Mexico" either.

Some of the stuff that gets said around here, including this stuff, gets a good laugh from said individual.

Tone it down.

No matter how well Schmaltz continues to improve he's a question mark come playoff time. And don't forget last night's incredible effort had 3 rookies on the 4th line!!

No way you can't be excited by what the whole team showed last night but that lineup last night has playoff question marks. Doesn't mean they can't go deep and even win it that way, but it's a question mark with the rookies.

That's what the hockey guys get paid to prognosticate. Is it enough and if not where to add and for what? ......
- Mr Ricochet

More sanity, please. This all day.

And thank you, Rico.

Wrong again.

Answer is because he's bad at them.

Tough day for you.
- Goalie-33

Hmmm, seems like it's not going real well for you actually.

We need the Troll flow chart!
- BGKarras

Ogi, land the plane, log on. We NEEEEEEED you!!!!!

Morning John...intrigued about the possibility of Filppula who I believe you mentioned yesterday as someone they should look at but hadn't heard anything on yet.