Completely agree--if Keith can't be the 25 minute+ driver anymore, the window is closed.

Also, Panik's agent knows he can get at least $2M/year based on his stats this year, so it is likely the Hawks will trade him, unless there is a major overhaul and management likes him that much.

I agree with JJ that Panik may never again quite reach the output he had this year.

The window is Keith's legs and if those aren't there then the window has closed.
- RaleighHawk

Keith is the perfect player for Arizona - high cap with a lowering salary. In a season or 2, Dr. Bettman will LTIR him, and bingo, he takes Pronger's place.

[quote=RaleighHawk]

If you can't afford a physical 20 goal scorer that is young and can skate for 2 mil then the window is closed. That is one of my Big problems with Bowman. He waits to long to sign the young guys, and does the exact opposite for the older guys. I wonder what Leddy and SAAD take as a LT deal a year early? you look a Duchene and Seguin and so many others that are on reasonable Long term deals after the ELC. So we are now a team that has to Trade a guy away on ELC (Does not have NTC) and Keep all the older declining vets who will not allow us to trade them or can't (CRAW, SEABS). After his 2nd year we should have focused on extending SAAD. We should have told SEABS 7 X 5.75 and if not let him walk at the end of the season. We should have not setup NTC where they can block any movement. The same reason that the guys don't want to leave Chicago is the same reason you should not have to over pay to keep them and give them the world.

It was brutal and Ovi's slash to the head keeps getting missed by many. Watch it in the slo-mo feed and you will see Nishknan swing his arms and stick in a baseball hitters process before Sid slid near him. Intent is clear, and he had no business hitting a defenseless player who DID NOT have the puck. The head shots have to stop. There were two on this play.
- riozzo

The problem is everyone is focussing on the slow motion replay. The play unfolded in bang-bang fashion on the ice.

If you can't afford a physical 20 goal scorer that is young and can skate for 2 mil then the window is closed. That is one of my Big problems with Bowman. He waits to long to sign the young guys, and does the exact opposite for the older guys. I wonder what Leddy and SAAD take as a LT deal a year early? you look a Duchene and Seguin and so many others that are on reasonable Long term deals after the ELC. So we are now a team that has to Trade a guy away on ELC (Does not have NTC) and Keep all the older declining vets who will not allow us to trade them or can't (CRAW, SEABS). After his 2nd year we should have focused on extending SAAD. We should have told SEABS 7 X 5.75 and if not let him walk at the end of the season. We should have not setup NTC where they can block any movement. The same reason that the guys don't want to leave Chicago is the same reason you should not have to over pay to keep them and give them the world.
- kmw4631

[Insert Dan Berstien's voice here]We don't make those decisions. [End Voice]

I think almost everyone agrees, however its too late. The best we can do is speculate how to get out of this mess, hope StanBo reads it and sways his opinion away from any additional lengthy NMC contracts. Afterall he=we

The problem is everyone is focussing on the slow motion replay. The play unfolded in bang-bang fashion on the ice.
- RollingPuck

And the ref's got the second half right bang bang. Department of Player Unsaftey can and does use slo-mo to hand out short non-impactful suspensions.

Apparently the refs dd not need slo-mo to get the call right so what is your point... I pointed out the slo-mo to assist those that cant seem to grasp the brutality of both hits to 87's head.
- riozzo

Crosby was flying towards Niskanen with his stick in the air, upright, screaming towards's Niskanen's face. What was he supposed to do, raise his shield and smile?

And the ref's got the second half right bang bang. Department of Player Unsaftey can and does use slo-mo to hand out short non-impactful suspensions.
- riozzo

And they're not handing one out.

https://www.washingtonpos...y/?utm_term=.3c58c92211cd

What is the word on Kampf...type of player? 3rd liner?

[quote=RaleighHawk]
Maybe Keith can be close enough to the player he was IF he doesn't have as much TOI. Read: less Pp

Alas would Q go that route with his prize veterans. What, Kempny pp. We're down a goal. Out trots Keith.

Maybe his shot misses net but rebounds off boards to front of net. Hold on, there isn't a Blackhawk occupying that high risk real estate.

Does a more dialed in McDonough see that.

More to the point, what does Stan think about all this.

Ok, fire away Darthkane. Worththecup, can you sign up and go camp out in front of the net

Edit: no metrics needed to evaluate those issues.

Keith is the perfect player for Arizona - high cap with a lowering salary. In a season or 2, Dr. Bettman will LTIR him, and bingo, he takes Pronger's place.
- powerenforcer

Totally agree.... I would have moved him last year but of course everybody disagrees on that. He's declining rapidly whether through injury or attrition as is his VALUE !! I'm thinking that we could have gotten more for him last year versus this summer......... and even less after another year. The window is closed already if Toews can't be the player he was 3 years ago. Time to move as much of the core as possible or this team will miss the playoffs for the unforseen future. I hope I'm wrong here but many of us have seen this coming for 2 years now.
Have to get younger, faster, and CAP reliant NOW !!

Watching the replay, it looked to me like he got hit in the head from one Caps player, was starting to go down and then got the crosscheck to the head from another Caps player with sufficient force to dislodge his helmet.
The second head hunter should be suspended as long as Crosby is out, plus more games after Crosby's return. COMPLETELY avoidable.
- 35Tony0

Question why a stick necessary. Was stick use a natural instict hockey play. Is a new culture need to be imposed across yoith hockey to draft elgible players how to play the game?

Stars concussrd is not hood for the game. Now if this happens yo a star Blackhaek i wish the heavy handed, effective voice and hand of McDonough would reasonate loudly thtoughout hockey world. Ok, i am dreaming. But concussion protocol! Absolutey necessary

Totally agree.... I would have moved him last year but of course everybody disagrees on that. He's declining rapidly whether through injury or attrition as is his VALUE !! I'm thinking that we could have gotten more for him last year versus this summer......... and even less after another year. The window is closed already if Toews can't be the player he was 3 years ago. Time to move as much of the core as possible or this team will miss the playoffs for the unforseen future. I hope I'm wrong here but many of us have seen this coming for 2 years now.
Have to get younger, faster, and CAP reliant NOW !!
- Hawkytalk

Keith, Panarin, Kruger and Schmaltz to Tampa for Viktor Hedman and Jonathan Drouin. That's a ton for a STUD defensman and a young 1LW.......but I don't think Stevie Y would still do it.

Keith, Panarin, Kruger and Schmaltz to Tampa for Viktor Hedman and Jonathan Drouin. That's a ton for a STUD defensman and a young 1LW.......but I don't think Stevie Y would still do it.
- Hawkytalk

Can't risk trading Keith due to potential recapture penalty.

And they're not handing one out.

https://www.washingtonpos...y/?utm_term=.3c58c92211cd
- RollingPuck

Bartholomew you have to feel vindicated.

Edit: To go with my point that the NHL has to stop looking the other way...

“I’m not going to defend anything,” Trotz said. “You want me to defend Alex? Then is [Chris] Kunitz’s predatory hit on [T.J.] Oshie okay? Or the one on [Nicklas] Backstrom, is that okay? I’m not gonna debate about all that stuff. So that’s a terrible question.”

Have not heard anything about punishment but in light of the details and especially the victim I would expect Niskanen to get a long break.
- John Jaeckel

Which is somewhat BS, Crosby almost takes off a guy's finger and gets not a God damn thing...Karma is a female dog for Bettman's sweetheart

Which is somewhat BS, Crosby almost takes off a guy's finger and gets not a God damn thing...Karma is a female dog for Bettman's sweetheart
- Murph76

No one said Crosby gets a pass. He is as dirty as OVI and he knows he can get away with more which is wrong.

No one said Crosby gets a pass. He is as dirty as OVI and he knows he can get away with more which is wrong.
- riozzo

Truth

What is the word on Kampf...type of player? 3rd liner?
- Beaks99

Probably destined for Rockford, but we'll have to wait and see what he shows us on the ice.

Another Stan failure. This team has a need that Shalunov could fill, but Stan cannot get him to sign in Chicago.
- DarthKane

As far as I am concerned I am happy we are not adding another "soft playoff" Russian. This guys is likely a 4th liner at best anyway.

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

In retrospect we should have kept Saad. That said, if at the time the Hawks had signed him for 6 years at 6 million per year....the blog would have blown up with the signing being a huge overpay....that Saad is only good because he plays with Toews and Hossa and is not worth the 6 million. Everyone would have gone nuts the same way everyone did when they signed Bickell for 4 million a year and Crawford for 6 million a year. Also, there was a ton of love for Dano, myself included, when that deal was made. Bowman made the best of a tough situation.

In retrospect we should have kept Saad. That said, if at the time the Hawks had signed him for 6 years at 6 million per year....the blog would have blown up with the signing being a huge overpay....that Saad is only good because he plays with Toews and Hossa and is not worth the 6 million. Everyone would have gone nuts the same way everyone did when they signed Bickell for 4 million a year and Crawford for 6 million a year. Also, there was a ton of love for Dano, myself included, when that deal was made. Bowman made the best of a tough situation.
- onehundredlevel

Its pick your poison, for a few years the talk was all, we cant find Kaner a competent center. AA and Saad swap and so does the problem, now day after day, we can't find Toews a competent left wing. Still a man down different position - and No AA is not truly a center, just a very good NHL'er.

Crosby and Sheary both confirmed to have concussions.

Crosby and Sheary both confirmed to have concussions.
- pdx2ord

From simple hockey plays!

It's looking like the Hawks will remain as the only dynasty of the salary cap era.

Who wins the cup now?

Crosby and Sheary both confirmed to have concussions.
- pdx2ord

That's a shame. Crosby is an incredible talent. Hate to see him go down like that.