Darling was a Belichick/Pats type move. Something for nothing. Sell high if you know the market will go lower due to contract circumstances. Shaw looked a bit that way. Aside from those it's hard to see any plan. Danault is still a mind blower but that could have been the Q disconnect too.
- tredbrta

Yeah, I have no issue with the Darling move, esp if CC was a no go. Another case (like AA for Saad) where SB made the best of a bad situation and probably had all his bases covered.

On the planet or on the bandwagon? LOL
- John Jaeckel

On the bandwagon, Uncle took me to closed circuit theater telecasts. Not sure if it was the Ritz or one of the few others in the late 60's.

I like everything--except the resigning Oduya...and teaming him with Seabrook. neither are fleet of foot. That's a pairing that will get smoked.

But, why would Philly swap Simmonds and Panarin?? They'd be taking on more salary.
- tompo1015

Their offense is abysmal and Panarin is 3 years younger than Simmonds. They are in a rebuild waiting for Provorov, Morin, Sanheim , Gostisbehere etc...

Or
Hossa goes on the LTIR Pronger Program, Hawks recoup 5.0 annually while only paying 1.0 - is it then the greatest contract ever?
- riozzo

They would have to get that past the same league officials who decided - ex post facto - that Hossa's signed and accepted contract was suddenly basically illegal, and that there would be a recapture penalty.

I'm not counting on the Hawks being able to solve Hossa's problem by claiming LTIR status - unless there is a real provable injury.

I think Marlowe had a great idea earlier on this blog or last blog suggesting all the guys have to submit a list. Then none of them will know for sure who's in or out. Might save someone from getting their nose out of joint. If something unexpected pops for Stan it might be easier for him to take advantage of.
- 6628

Downside = you loose the locker room.

Yeah, or all the guys load their list with poison pills like CC allegedly did (or threatened to).

FWIW, I would do it the other way, find the best deal(s) first, go to the player and say look, we appreciate what you've given us, but you bring back the best return and we have to do something, be flattered, go knock em dead with your new team.

All that said, asking everyone for their list certainly sends a potentially unsettling and possibly motivating message that no one is really safe.

Dunno.

But I would definitely be open for business with damn few sacred cows.
- John Jaeckel

Or he could ask if anyone wants a change of scenery.

Or he could ask if anyone wants a change of scenery.
- walleyeb1

That's just it, they adore Q, all the "Maintenance" days, they adore the area - great place to raise children if you can afford to be taxed near death. No incentive to move.

They would have to get that past the same league officials who decided - ex post facto - that Hossa's signed and accepted contract was suddenly basically illegal, and that there would be a recapture penalty.

I'm not counting on the Hawks being able to solve Hossa's problem by claiming LTIR status - unless there is a real provable injury.
- StLBravesFan

I am sure the knee he wears a brace on is arthritic by now - not too hard to prove...

Yeah, I have no issue with the Darling move, esp if CC was a no go. Another case (like AA for Saad) where SB made the best of a bad situation and probably had all his bases covered.
- John Jaeckel

Another woulda coulda shoulda (from me)... but I think that trade was a Stan error. He should have required a pick in addition to Dano and Anisimov. He was eating Jarmo's dead weight in contract dumps. Stan has been far too generous that way. He should have required one of Jarmo's 2 firsts or a 2nd at least. If he could have grabbed Werenski or Karlsson their d future would be much, much better.... and WHERE are the conditional picks based on performance/playoff TOI from Stan for players like Daley? He pays extra picks for hot garbage like Timmonen all the time. Why not require teams to pay it back occasionally?

You used the phrase "country club atmosphere" a few weeks back. I think that atmosphere isn't just the locker room. Kelly, Maciver and Stan deserve some of that too.

Could be the window's already closed and they just don't know it yet.

He went on some weird vegan diet last year - looks like he's smaller than in year's past. Get that man a steak and baked potato.
- RollingPuck

Was a little bored the other day so I watched a little of the first period from the 2015 WCF against Anaheim. (No matter how hard I try I can watch the Blues and Preds.) It seems almost immediately apparent that Toews looked bigger and stronger two years ago than he does now. His whole body language on the ice was different then than now. If I recall correctly, earlier this season even TT put a check on Toews that pretty much stopped JT in his tracks. It did see that for much of the year, we were watching a different Toews than we were accustom to.

Downside = you loose the locker room.
- riozzo

Are you sure they didn't already to some extent? They weren't all for one and one for all in the first round when it counted.

Yeah, or all the guys load their list with poison pills like CC allegedly did (or threatened to).

FWIW, I would do it the other way, find the best deal(s) first, go to the player and say look, we appreciate what you've given us, but you bring back the best return and we have to do something, be flattered, go knock em dead with your new team.

All that said, asking everyone for their list certainly sends a potentially unsettling and possibly motivating message that no one is really safe.

Dunno.

But I would definitely be open for business with damn few sacred cows.
- John Jaeckel

I like this thinking!

We need to spice up our fantasy trade ideas:

Panarian and Q for Aaron Ekblad and FL 1st rounder

Yeah, I have no issue with the Darling move, esp if CC was a no go. Another case (like AA for Saad) where SB made the best of a bad situation and probably had all his bases covered.
- John Jaeckel

Why do I feel like the Saad situation was Bowman being stubborn and playing hardball. You reported they wanted Saad for 5yrs x $5mil and Saad signed 6 x 6 with CBJ. I am not a Panarin hater by any means, but I'd much rather have Saad at $6 mil. Seems like StanBo overvalued both Dano and Anisimov over $1mil....

Why do I feel like the Saad situation was Bowman being stubborn and playing hardball. You reported they wanted Saad for 5yrs x $5mil and Saad signed 6 x 6 with CBJ. I am not a Panarin hater by any means, but I'd much rather have Saad at $6 mil. Seems like StanBo overvalued both Dano and Anisimov over $1mil....
- EnzoD

interesting way of Jammer characterizing the Hawks' lack of grit on CSN's Hawks Talk a week ago: The Hawks missed a guy like Andrew Shaw "who dragged the rest of the team to battle" so that they would play "in a way they're not comfortable of playing."
- BMWChiFan

And to think I always thought that's what the captain is supposed to do!

I expect Hossa to start playing only 55-60gms a year

Here's the "dream" moves to make -
Trade Panarin for Simmonds
Trade Anisimov, Schmaltz & Forsling for Duchene
Sign Joe Thornton 1yr 3-4mil - cue the tears, but he still wins faceoffs, has size, played with Kane in the Swiss league
Re-sign Oduya
Hope/get LV to take Kruger
Trade Paniks rights for a pick

Duchene-Toews-Simmonds
Xxxxx-Thornton-Kane
Xxxxx-Kero-Hossa
Xxxxx-Rassmussen-Hartman

Let Hayden, Fortin, Debricant, Motte, Hinostroza, Tootoo, Jurco or any other they sign to fight for remaining spots

Hjarrl-Keith
Oduya-Seabrook
Kempny-TVR
- PatShart

I like it - post of the "series" for me. I'd somehow would love to get Hammer on the "right" (left) side but beggars getting THUMPED in the first round can't be choosers.

Seabs, TVR, Rosi, Pokka are right sight defenders.

Hjalmarsson, Keith, Kempny, Forsling, Campbell (not coming back), Oduya (not coming back), Gus, Svedberg, Dahlstrom, Norell, Fournier, Valleau, Snuggergard are left side defenders.

They need to do some serious readjusting on defense.

If they move Seabs they get even more lopsided.

If TVR is taken in the expansion draft and Seabs is traded then what?

Whether you like Seabs or not I think he has to stay. (and his contract may be untradeable).

I like Hjalmarsson as much or more than Seabs. But I do not like Hjalmarsson as much on the right side. Defensively he is fine on the right side, but offensively it is ugly. I think they need to consider trading Hjalmarsson in a salary dump and sign a UFA?.

UFA's right side defenders Michael Stone? Cody Franson? Jared Cowen? Roman Polack? Eric Gryba.

Prediction - Hawks use their first pick to draft a right side defender.Timothy Liljegren? Conor Timmins?
- -Doh-

This too!! (just got to reading your post). I am with you getting more "right" with right-handed defencemen. Can't trade 7 and then have 57 in our 2nd pairing - that's suicide.

I'm not in love with Anisimov, but feel he fills the 2C spot well. He makes $4.5m cap hit. Go up and down the rest of the league and look at the 2C of each team (easy to do in the Cap Central tab at top of page). I'd call him a mid-level 2C. There are certainly better, certainly worse. But most teams have a 2C making more than $5m. There are exceptions, but when I look across the list of 2Cs and look at their salaries, AA feels like he compares to the basic $5.0-5.5m 2C. The second we trade him, we'll be looking for a replacement 2C, and the going rate is AT LEAST $4.5m.

I don't know. One guy won you three cups and is the perfect captain, on and off the ice. The other guy has lost both playoff series he has been in.

Trading guys like Toews, Kane, Hossa, Keith, Seabs, Hammer and CC....it's like letting Bobby Hull go to the WHA, losing Roenick, Chelios, Savard. When we lost those players we blasted management. And now we want to get rid of the one guy who is the exemplary player and face of our franchise? It makes no sense nor will it happen.

Panarin can fetch us a lot...maybe even close to what Toews would just because he is younger.
- onehundredlevel

The Eagle, and JR were at the apex of their career when traded before the cap was a thing so they could have spent the money to keep the boys together.

Savard brought back Chelios soooooo that was an OK trade. And Chelios was moved after his best years were over.

I could do without Bobby Hull ever being associated with the franchise again.

Toews has been on a 4 years slide with the last two being the worst. No bueno. If moving Toews brought cap relief and a comparable hall of famer like Savard did with Chelios then that may not be a bad deal. Especially if that guy has a back problem and especially if he needs two very good players on either side to be better than above average.

I expect Hossa to start playing only 55-60gms a year

Here's the "dream" moves to make -
Trade Panarin for Simmonds
Trade Anisimov, Schmaltz & Forsling for Duchene
Sign Joe Thornton 1yr 3-4mil - cue the tears, but he still wins faceoffs, has size, played with Kane in the Swiss league
Re-sign Oduya
Hope/get LV to take Kruger
Trade Paniks rights for a pick

Duchene-Toews-Simmonds
Xxxxx-Thornton-Kane
Xxxxx-Kero-Hossa
Xxxxx-Rassmussen-Hartman

Let Hayden, Fortin, Debricant, Motte, Hinostroza, Tootoo, Jurco or any other they sign to fight for remaining spots

Hjarrl-Keith
Oduya-Seabrook
Kempny-TVR
- PatShart

I'd live in that fantasy land

I think the Capitals get Swept. Seabrook and Kruger for Ovi!!!

We need to spice up our fantasy trade ideas:

Panarian and Q for Aaron Ekblad and FL 1st rounder
- riozzo

Q has a NTC

Q has a NTC
- bogiedoc

And unlikely he would waive to be reunited with Tallon.