If this is the case, this is serious mismanagement of assets, they should have protected TVR or traded him for decent return. I really liked TVR as top shot blocker on the team for minimum contract he had.
- vshun

I think it wa only due to the Hossa announcement. The plan before was to send TVR to Vegas so they would take Kruger.

However, they had to protect Keith and Seabs, and you're protecting Hammer over TVR every day, so they really couldn't protect TVR anyway.

I think it wa only due to the Hossa announcement. The plan before was to send TVR to Vegas so they would take Kruger.

However, they had to protect Keith and Seabs, and you're protecting Hammer over TVR every day, so they really couldn't protect TVR anyway.
- JRoenick97

Wait, so you mean they get to protect TVR now?

Wait, so you mean they get to protect TVR now?
- busmaster

No. Picks are already made. I mean they aren't going to pick Kruger anymore is the specualtion.

Wait, so you mean they get to protect TVR now?
- busmaster

If this is the case, this is serious mismanagement of assets, they should have protected TVR or traded him for decent return. I really liked TVR as top shot blocker on the team for minimum contract he had.
- vshun

Agree, I'll miss Kruger but he should not be a Hawk next year.

If this is the case, this is serious mismanagement of assets, they should have protected TVR or traded him for decent return. I really liked TVR as top shot blocker on the team for minimum contract he had.
- vshun

Maybe they didn't know about Hossa's decision until after the list was put in. There were reports he started his training like two weeks ago, so it might have been very recent that it was determined that he shouldn't play anymore. The reports now seem to suggest that this came a bit out of left field.

Or the plan was always for Vegas to take TVR and then trade Kruger later, possibly at the draft. Who knows. I would have preferred to keep TVR too, though, because he's a solid #5 who potentially could have been a #4 with the right partner (Hjammer in a completely shutdown role).

I honestly keep Kruger now unless a good trade comes up.

For a young athlete, it's very hard to get into hockey playing shape, and to stay there.

It's much harder - physically and more so, as you age, mentally - for an older athlete.

Add in the yearly toll of a physical game on the body and the little injuries that add up over time - back, legs, knees, neck, concussions - and it's no surprise that players are done at 35.

Now add in a very serious akin condition / allergy - and the real and potential effects of the drugs required to control it - and I'm inclined to believe Hossa and his doctor on this - and it's no surprise that even as dedicated a hockey player as Hossa apparently is, when his salary dropped from $4MM to "only" $1MM, he's decided to hang up the skates while he's still young enough to enjoy his wife and family and life in Slovakia.

The question is - should this be considered a retirement, or is only an injury preventing him from continuing to play - would he continue playing without the skin and meds issue?

As a Hawks fan, I'm hoping it's the latter.
- StLBravesFan

i think your analysis is very fair and sensible...i am just incredulous that this never leaked out or even got rumored the last 12-15 months. There are reporters all over that locker room with guys undressed...

STARTING A MOVEMENT TO MAKE 8/1 CHICAGO'S MARIAN HOSSA DAY.

No. Picks are already made. I mean they aren't going to pick Kruger anymore is the specualtion.
- JRoenick97

So now with Hossa's money they're going to nix the deal with LVGK and keep Kruger and his 3m cap hit because they can? Seems like we can do better with the money...

Go hit the bong. You're either too high or not high enough if you dont think the NHL wanted the next Generational Canadian player in Edmonton over Buffalo. There's a reason that the NHL has pre-selected card stock for the lottery and not an actual lottery ball random selection on live TV.
- EnzoD

In what world does McDavid on the Oilers help the league? We sold put every game while in last place. We generate money gor the league no matter what. Unlike the bandwagon jumping hawks fans who had an empty arena while in the exact same position. Wouldn't it make more sense to put him in a small market if they were to rig anything? Or is that too much sensible thinking for you to handle?

So now with Hossa's money they're going to nix the deal with LVGK and keep Kruger and his 3m cap hit because they can? Seems like we can do better with the money...
- busmaster

Yes, and I agree.

Since the last lockout had to do with teams signing cap work arounds like Hossa and penalties to the cap if he retired too soon don't you think this will be seen for what it is?--Hossa's reitirement with a cap work around?

What penalties do you think will come from it?

In what world does McDavid on the Oilers help the league? We sold put every game while in last place. We generate money gor the league no matter what. Unlike the bandwagon jumping hawks fans who had an empty arena while in the exact same position. Wouldn't it make more sense to put him in a small market if they were to rig anything? Or is that too much sensible thinking for you to handle?
- Ihatebrianburke

Thinking the situations were similar is telling that you don't know the history of the Hawks org at all.

In what world does McDavid on the Oilers help the league? We sold put every game while in last place. We generate money gor the league no matter what. Unlike the bandwagon jumping hawks fans who had an empty arena while in the exact same position. Wouldn't it make more sense to put him in a small market if they were to rig anything? Or is that too much sensible thinking for you to handle?
- Ihatebrianburke

If you're going to smack talk, at least learn about the team your smack talking. Bill Wirtz dying is what made the Hawks popular again, not the cups. Home games became televised again, team actually spent money on players, etc.

Also, go away if you're just here to start poop.

In what world does McDavid on the Oilers help the league? We sold put every game while in last place. We generate money gor the league no matter what. Unlike the bandwagon jumping hawks fans who had an empty arena while in the exact same position. Wouldn't it make more sense to put him in a small market if they were to rig anything? Or is that too much sensible thinking for you to handle?
- Ihatebrianburke

Playoff ratings. With all 7 canadien teams not making the playoffs in 2016, the ratings were at a huge low...
When Canada wins, more of Canada watches
When the US wins, usually only those markets (except for a couple big ones, Chi, NYR, BOS) watches

Since the last lockout had to do with teams signing cap work arounds like Hossa and penalties to the cap if he retired too soon don't you think this will be seen for what it is?--Hossa's reitirement with a cap work around?

What penalties do you think will come from it?
- BluemanGuruu

The NHL has the right to choose a doctor to confirm whether the aliment / injury justifies LTIR, so if they find it's all in order, there will be no penalties.

Also, people were suggesting a better/cleaner work around the other day: Hossa goes to a cap floor team like Arizona and is boughtout - this way the cap floor team gets a $4m+ cap hit the first couple of year but pay only around $300-400k and the cap recapture penalties don't exist since he didn't actually retire. That solution would have allowed him to continue playing (possibly with the Hawks since they're not the buyout team).

If the Hawks were looking for a creative way to circumvent the rule, why wouldn't they go that route instead of LTIR? It makes no sense.

Since the last lockout had to do with teams signing cap work arounds like Hossa and penalties to the cap if he retired too soon don't you think this will be seen for what it is?--Hossa's reitirement with a cap work around?

What penalties do you think will come from it?
- BluemanGuruu

Zero penalties

The NHL has the right to choice a doctor to confirm whether the aliment / injury justifies LTIR, so if they find it's all in order, there will be no penalties.

Also, people were suggesting a better/cleaner work around the other day: Hossa goes to a cap floor team like Arizona and is boughtout - this way the cap floor team gets a $4m+ cap hit the first couple of year but pay only around $300-400k and the cap recapture penalties don't exist since he didn't actually retire. That solution would have allowed him to continue playing (possibly with the Hawks since they're not the buyout team).

If the Hawks were looking for a creative way to circumvent the rule, why wouldn't they go that route instead of LTIR? It makes no sense.
- L_B_R

I just learned today that a buyout wouldn't affect the Hawks for cap recapture. Surely that would have been the easier route.

The NHL has the right to choose a doctor to confirm whether the aliment / injury justifies LTIR, so if they find it's all in order, there will be no penalties.

Also, people were suggesting a better/cleaner work around the other day: Hossa goes to a cap floor team like Arizona and is boughtout - this way the cap floor team gets a $4m+ cap hit the first couple of year but pay only around $300-400k and the cap recapture penalties don't exist since he didn't actually retire. That solution would have allowed him to continue playing (possibly with the Hawks since they're not the buyout team).

If the Hawks were looking for a creative way to circumvent the rule, why wouldn't they go that route instead of LTIR? It makes no sense.
- L_B_R

Interesting idea, trade to ARI and have them buy him out, then the Hawks sign him? Did I read that correctly?

The league would likely be pissy about it, but hot damn if that worked.

I will personally scrub Hossa's gear with a crappy toothbrush and bleach after every shift if it will keep him playing for the Hawks.

I just learned today that a buyout wouldn't affect the Hawks for cap recapture. Surely that would have been the easier route.
- JRoenick97

Exactly. There's no way if there was another option that Hossa wouldn't still want to play, no matter his salary, but there was possibly potential for him to make money on top of that. Yes, Hossa probably was going to go a weird route to be taken off the cap at some point (most thought the back issues he's had since 2012 would catch up eventually) but it was not meant to happen this year, especially after having a resurgence last year. The fact that the Hawks are now trying to figure out what to do about Kruger is telling that they were not expecting this imo.

Apparently this allergy was one of the reasons he didn't play for Slovakia at the WC, though.

I will personally scrub Hossa's gear with a crappy toothbrush and bleach after every shift if it will keep him playing for the Hawks.
- ObeseOprah

I can understand the league wide skepticism, all I ask is for those questioning the integrity of the franchise, ask yourself this: From an on ice product standpoint, what do the Hawks gain from not having this kind of skillset and talent in their line up night in and night out?

I will personally scrub Hossa's gear with a crappy toothbrush and bleach after every shift if it will keep him playing for the Hawks.
- ObeseOprah

i'd use a new brush on each piece if it helps...

Interesting idea, trade to ARI and have them buy him out, then the Hawks sign him? Did I read that correctly?

The league would likely be pissy about it, but hot damn if that worked.
- ObeseOprah

It came up when articles about how Arizon needs to replace the Pronger/Datsyuk contracts where they have a cap hit but don't pay much / anything. Dellow on twitter mentioned the buyout option by another team causes no cap recapture penalties, and I was skeptical, but it looks legit. If that's the case, the only rule about buyouts is that a player could not sign with the team that bought them out - so technically, they could return to the team that traded them. Loophole loophole loophole.

I totally get the skepticism around this, but the Hawks are worse off now than they were before. Cap space is nice and stuff, but not if you can't find a good replacement, and the Hawks already don't have the greatest supply of assets to trade for pieces.

Maybe they didn't know about Hossa's decision until after the list was put in. There were reports he started his training like two weeks ago, so it might have been very recent that it was determined that he shouldn't play anymore. The reports now seem to suggest that this came a bit out of left field.

Or the plan was always for Vegas to take TVR and then trade Kruger later, possibly at the draft. Who knows. I would have preferred to keep TVR too, though, because he's a solid #5 who potentially could have been a #4 with the right partner (Hjammer in a completely shutdown role).

I honestly keep Kruger now unless a good trade comes up.
- L_B_R

Me too, because if you trade him, don't kid yourself, that's a position you have to backfill with another acquisition.

I don't think everybody's "find" of 2016, K%ero, is quite that guy. Decent enough player in some role for sure, but people have long undervalued all Kruger does . . .