Moving out a Seabrook would be a lot harder than you make it sound. Gonna be hard to find somebody to take that on.
- BINGO!

There are arguments that would make moving any of the Hawks big contracts difficult or the repercussions too penal. Ignoring the NTC/NMC's and assuming you can find a trade partner. You have the following:

Seabrook - $'s and term make finding a partner difficult
Keith - recapture penalty means he stays a Hawk
Hossa - recapture penalty means he stays a Hawk
Toews - salary and expected return make find a partner difficult
Kane - would return the most in assets but return can likely never replace what he provides
Hjarlmarsson - Doesn't provide the cap relief you need in relation to the return you would get. In other words he is worth way more than his $4mil cap hit
Anisimov - Candidate
Panarin - Candidate, though he would leave a huge hole in the offense. (no NMC)
Crawford - no replacement on the roster anymore, any cap savings would be offset by having to find/trade/sign a #1 goalie.

I'm just glad that Sidney Crosby is the greatest hockey player in the history of the NHL......thank god I don't live in Canadian to hear that TSN love fest.

Crosby has 159 pts in 143 playoff games with 56 goals and 103 assists in his career.
He has scored 1 OT winner, and led league in goals 08/09 and assists/points in 07/08

Yet everyone up north wants to anoint him as a top 5 ALL TIME player? Ahh.....NO

Malkin has 154 points in 144 playoff games, with 56 goals and 98 assists in his career.
He has scored 1 OT winner and led league in assists/points in 08/09 and assists/points THIS playoff year.

Kane has 123 points in 127 playoff games, with 50 goals and 73 assists.
He has scored 5 OT winners and led league in pts in 14/15

So in another 16-17 playoff games could Kane pump in another 6 goals? probably....but this again just shows you how badly the Canadian media is hell bent on getting Crosby the Conn Smythe right now......Malkins to lose or it should be.

Crosby is great player, but lets curb the all time top 5 talk.......Orr, Gretzky, Messier, Jagr, Lemiuex, Roy, Howe, just to get started.............
- SteveRain

We have Pierre for that here in the states....

We have Pierre for that here in the states....
- powerenforcer

Oh don't I know it.......he's beyond annoying. Loved Peter LaLoviotte (spell) staring up at the scoreboard and then a hole through McGuire after he asked that stupid question to him........

I haven't been here for awhile, due to
a) all the whining, and
b) simply busy trying to put some favorable comments up for the 2017 prospects pool that has oh so many warts, on DraftSite

There are many that would look at Alex DeBrincat as a guy who isn't going to get taller, or faster, and is wjhat he is, a guy who at the lower level has had a uncanny knack for being in the right place and display elite scoring prowess, and see him as Toews wing NOW.

Graham Knott needed to work on his footspped and agility when they selected him, and he truly is a lot farther down the developmental road than then.

It's tough to say what will happened until you see them in camp, so i wouldn't discourage thoughts that the kid DeBrincat plays a scoring role immediately and then if it doesn't work, goes back to Erie...
- wiz1901

I wouldn't rule it out, especially if they don't get any meaningful business done in any other way this summer. of course they will look at him. They'll look at Fortin, too, I'm sure, hell they'll probably give some homeless guy a shot if he can lace up skates.

I will just go by what I see of him against pros. He was in camp and few exhibition games last year—did nothing. And that after having a big year in the O the prior year.

Has he grown up and matured THAT much since then? Maybe.

And I hear the argument, if you think he can grow into the role over the course of the year, showing "patience" with him.

Just seems to me to be the thinking of a rebuilding team instead of a team that has all kinds of dollars tied up in a business model predicated on going deep in the playoffs—and hasn't done so in two years.

The Hawks are close, but the pieces don't fit right and what they really need is more "proven" big boy help in a couple of key areas (speed on the wing, especially left wing, and I believe DeBrincat is a right wing, center depth, lower line sandpaper.

Or it's a default answer out of desperation—made easier by the willingness of enough fans to embrace it. Sorta like Motte and Schmaltz last year.

NO ONE, outside of a few people I won't name, saw that Hartman would be the best of the rookies. But he was, and I do recall someone saying he might be because he had pro experience. Fully marinated in Rock City.

Schmaltz is another guy like Panik and Kempny they could get more out of this year and improve organically that way. And it's probably a safer bet than Debrincat jumping out of the OHL, playing a wing he probably isn't used to, having to defend pro players, and being the answer on Toews line.

There are arguments that would make moving any of the Hawks big contracts difficult or the repercussions too penal. Ignoring the NTC/NMC's and assuming you can find a trade partner. You have the following:

Seabrook - $'s and term make finding a partner difficult
Keith - recapture penalty means he stays a Hawk
Hossa - recapture penalty means he stays a Hawk
Toews - salary and expected return make find a partner difficult
Kane - would return the most in assets but return can likely never replace what he provides
Hjarlmarsson - Doesn't provide the cap relief you need in relation to the return you would get. In other words he is worth way more than his $4mil cap hit
Anisimov - Candidate
Panarin - Candidate, though he would leave a huge hole in the offense. (no NMC)
Crawford - no replacement on the roster anymore, any cap savings would be offset by having to find/trade/sign a #1 goalie.
- TheTrob

Not to mention a #2 goalie also.

I wouldn't rule it out, especially if they don't get any meaningful business done in any other way this summer. of course they will look at him. They'll look at Fortin, too, I'm sure, hell they'll probably give some homeless guy a shot if he can lace up skates.

I will just go by what I see of him against pros. He was in camp and few exhibition games last year—did nothing. And that after having a big year in the O the prior year.

Has he grown up and matured THAT much since then? Maybe.

And I hear the argument, if you think he can grow into the role over the course of the year, showing "patience" with him.

Just seems to me to be the thinking of a rebuilding team instead of a team that has all kinds of dollars tied up in a business model predicated on going deep in the playoffs—and hasn't done so in two years.

The Hawks are close, but the pieces don't fit right and what they really need is more "proven" big boy help in a couple of key areas (speed on the wing, especially left wing, and I believe DeBrincat is a right wing, center depth, lower line sandpaper.

Or it's a default answer out of desperation—made easier by the willingness of enough fans to embrace it. Sorta like Motte and Schmaltz last year.

NO ONE, outside of a few people I won't name, saw that Hartman would be the best of the rookies. But he was, and I do recall someone saying he might be because he had pro experience. Fully marinated in Rock City.

Schmaltz is another guy like Panik and Kempny they could get more out of this year and improve organically that way. And it's probably a safer bet than Debrincat jumping out of the OHL, playing a wing he probably isn't used to, having to defend pro players, and being the answer on Toews line.
- John Jaeckel

During the two games I saw during the Memorial Cup, DeBrincat played left wing...right hand shot on the left side.

Apologies if I've missed it, but who would you like to see or who do you think might be there at 26 for the Hawks to draft? I always appreciate the insight.

- resqmed99

Some possibilities:


Urho Vaakanainen – D

Isaac Ratcliffe – LW

Jason Robertson - LW

Hawks not the only team looking to potentially shake up/break up the band:

Isabelle Khurshudyan‏@ikhurshudyan

On Ovechkin: Caps won't strip of captaincy. Not ready to trade him but "maybe" if a hockey deal came around at some point, MacLellan said.

Yeah, if you trade him, you're losing that trade.

At 29 I don't know if he'll have a resurgence, but he should be a 55-60 point, two-way C for the next 5 years at minimum.
- BINGO!

Sounds a lot like P Bergeron except Bergeron makes 3.625M less. Not saying Toews should be making 6.875 but I am saying he should not be making 10.5. Horrible contract that is in part crippling this team.

During the two games I saw during the Memorial Cup, DeBrincat played left wing...right hand shot on the left side.
- RickyBear

Well, that helps, thanks

Most reports I've seen list him as a RW. But those can be unreliable.

Not to mention a #2 goalie also.
- John Jaeckel

Speaking of a #2 goalie, any thoughts on possibilities?

Speaking of a #2 goalie, any thoughts on possibilities?
- RaleighHawk

Have heard nothing.

My sense is that's a low priority.

I could easily see them holding an open tryout in camp with lots of PTO guys, including prospects and former NHLers. Whoever Jimmy Waite likes best, he's your guy at or near league minimum. I mean, that's all they can afford, unless the goalie situation gets totally and unexpectedly reengineered as part of larger moves this summer.

News is so slow this time of the year without a dog in the hunt I find myself reading other writers. Michael Pachla wrote a nice piece on goal v no goal. worth a few minutes for a perspective from another market.

Some possibilities:


Urho Vaakanainen – D

Isaac Ratcliffe – LW

Jason Robertson - LW
- walleyeb1

Connor Timmins - D and Robert Thomas - C could also be good draft options.

Connor Timmins - D and Robert Thomas - C could also be good draft options.
- DarthKane

who would you like of they were able to jump into the mid teens? and is that move worth a player?

NHL key dates from now until free agency:

https://t.co/zMgDsrUWt9

who would you like of they were able to jump into the mid teens? and is that move worth a player?
- riozzo

Not sure, I haven't looked at the prospects in that range too much. I'm hoping the Hawks can grab a quality defenseman in the first round.

Not sure, I haven't looked at the prospects in that range too much. I'm hoping the Hawks can grab a quality defenseman in the first round.
- DarthKane

Puck moving or stay at home, seems we can't latch on to a player who is truly both ?

Here is Wiz's site with mock drafts and scouting reports:
https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2017/

Puck moving or stay at home, seems we can't latch on to a player who is truly both ?
- riozzo

Either, the team need more quality d-men in the pipeline.

who would you like of they were able to jump into the mid teens? and is that move worth a player?
- riozzo

It's not a deep draft. Moving up into the mid teens doesn't really get you much. After the top few picks the rest are a crap shoot, and more likely than not it will be 3-5 years before any of them make much of an impact on an NHL game.

It's not a deep draft. Moving up into the mid teens doesn't really get you much. After the top few picks the rest are a crap shoot, and more likely than not it will be 3-5 years before any of them make much of an impact on an NHL game.
- TheTrob

So in essence the Blackhawks are hosting a snooze fest and should keep all capital available to the trade market?

So in essence the Blackhawks are hosting a snooze fest and should keep all capital available to the trade market?
- riozzo

That all depends, if there's a guy that stands out and the Hawks feel is worth it they should move up. If the draft isn't deep then it shouldn't cost Stan too much to move up.

In 2014 the Hawks moved from #26 to #20 but swapping first picks with San Jose plus giving them a 3rd in exchange for their 6th.

I'd expect Stan to find a way to use the extra draft picks he has to move up a few slots now that I think about it.

Here is Wiz's site with mock drafts and scouting reports:
https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2017/
- jt19

Thanks! You too, DK and Walleye!

Puck moving or stay at home, seems we can't latch on to a player who is truly both ?
- riozzo

http://www.mynhldraft.com...Profiles/Urho-Vaakanainen