Kruger is a 4C. If the Hawks can move his out of whack contract they should do so in a heartbeat. A 3C should have no chance of going scoreless.
- Z3Hawk

Usage/deployment and TOI do not agree with you. Structure of a team does not mean having a scoring 3C.

- j.boyd919

If you're just going to reply with crappy gifs, just go away instead.

Jimmy Murphy
@MurphysLaw74


Things very fluid so this could change but hearing #Kings #Blackhawks #Blues & possibly #Stars in on #EvanderKane #NHLExpansionDraft

Usage/deployment and TOI do not agree with you. Structure of a team does not mean having a scoring 3C.
- L_B_R

You cant honestly justify Krugs contract by performance. That isn't up for debate.

Jimmy Murphy
@MurphysLaw74


Things very fluid so this could change but hearing #Kings #Blackhawks #Blues & possibly #Stars in on #EvanderKane #NHLExpansionDraft
- walleyeb1

No thank you. E. Kane is the definition of unmotivated. And he's a jack ass.

If you're just going to reply with crappy gifs, just go away instead.
- JRoenick97

Agreed, a Nicki Minaj gif nonetheless. No room for these types of clowns for people who actually want to talk about hockey.

You cant honestly justify Krugs contract by performance. That isn't up for debate.
- nickmo2699

Umm, 50% corsi with 75% defensive zone deployment. Leads the league in defensive zone faceoff percentage. You can't match that anywhere. He took a cheap 1 year deal to help us out. His contract is not breaking us.

With the Hossa news Neal to the Hawks would make a lot of sense. $5 million for one more season then Neal's a UFA. Neal certainly cannot replace Hossa overall, but the contract fits and he's good for 25 goals and would likely play with Toews.
- DarthKane

i dont want neal....he was invisible this playoff other than taking dumb penalties...preds don't need him neither do the hawks

With the Hossa news Neal to the Hawks would make a lot of sense. $5 million for one more season then Neal's a UFA. Neal certainly cannot replace Hossa overall, but the contract fits and he's good for 25 goals and would likely play with Toews.
- DarthKane

Evander Kane has a similar cap hit also for one more year. I think he would have a greater impact and is apparently on the block. If Sabres retain some salary, he could be a nice 1 year stop gap.

i dont want neal....he was invisible this playoff other than taking dumb penalties...preds don't need him neither do the hawks
- bogiedoc

Line him up by Toews, may just be held a tad more accountable imo

I don't understand why people are blaming the 'hawks franchise?

The NHL allows this to happen. They allowed it with Pronger. They can't NOT allow it now.

Teams found a loophole and they are going to use it. Especially when the contract, when signed, was perfectly legal. Any other GM would do the exact same thing, even if they are currently peeved.

For years people on this board has been pointing to this year of $1M in salary as the time Hossa might "hang it up." It's not a shock and it's not a surprise.

It does suck though, because he was absolutely my favorite player and I don't think the 'hawks win 3 in 6 without him.
- CanOCorn

I don't believe in any way that this is an attempt to circumnavigate the cap and the recapture penalties. Hossa is still a very effective player, and one who I don't believe was ready to hang them up. If after a season of declining production and/or more injuries I would maybe consider it, but this past season was not it.

If you're just going to reply with crappy gifs, just go away instead.
- JRoenick97

My gifs are grade-A thank you very much.

Agreed, a Nicki Minaj gif nonetheless. No room for these types of clowns for people who actually want to talk about hockey.
- ObeseOprah

And the Penguins have quite a haul to resign this year:

UFA: Cullen, Bonino, Kunitz, Dailey, Hainsey, Ruhwedel

RFA: Sheary, Dumoulin, Schultz.

They'll have ~$20 M to resign some of these guys and get someone to replace Fleury.

The next year its:
UFA: Hornqvist, Cole
RFA: Rust, Kuhnackl, Sheary

As of right now, there are certainly 5-7 AHL guys filling the ranks. Hayden, Schmaltz, Kero, Hinostroza, Tootoo, Jurco, Forsling, Rutta, Glass, Motte.

I like these guys, but most of them have no business in a starting lineup at the NHL level. Certainly not in an important role.

Schmaltz, Forsling, and Kero might stick this next year.
- ObeseOprah

Well, your assessment of some of those players don't line up with the performance and you're listing quite a few that aren't even necessarily on the team.

Hinostroza, Motte, Hayden, and Forsling are not on the team currently as they are prospects as they are waivers exempt. They're listed on CapFriendly because they were up at the end of the year, not because they're somehow on the team. they'll all need to make it out of camp. And Glass was only reupped for expansion draft reasons so he's not going to be on the roster, come on.

Tootoo is a replacement level players, which is the definition of a 4th liner, so while not good, still came play the game. Kero, and Jurco are a bit above replacement level, so bottom 6 depth guys. It's weird you included Schmaltz considering how well he performed last year, especially the second half when put in a top 6 role. He's NHL ready.

Rutta is the only one that cannot be categorized since he's hasn't played yet.

Man, I really hope Hossa comes back for the playoffs. Just to piss fans everywhere off.

Umm, 50% corsi with 75% defensive zone deployment. Leads the league in defensive zone faceoff percentage. You can't match that anywhere. He took a cheap 1 year deal to help us out. His contract is not breaking us.
- JRoenick97

Any contract above $1M needs to be evaluated when the bulk of the cap is taken up by 8 players.

You cant honestly justify Krugs contract by performance. That isn't up for debate.
- nickmo2699

You obviously don't know me very well

I not only can I justify Kruger's contract, I have done so several times, breaking down usage via video and stats. It might be what I'm known most for here, other than my love of JVR. To a cap strapped team, it's hard to justify keeping a player with Kruger's contract, but the contract itself can def be argued.

Well, your assessment of some of those players don't line up with the performance and you're listing quite a few that aren't even necessarily on the team.

Hinostroza, Motte, Hayden, and Forsling are not on the team currently as they are prospects as they are waivers exempt. They're listed on CapFriendly because they were up at the end of the year, not because they're somehow on the team. they'll all need to make it out of camp. And Glass was only reupped for expansion draft reasons so he's not going to be on the roster, come on.

Tootoo is a replacement level players, which is the definition of a 4th liner, so while not good, still came play the game. Kero, and Jurco are a bit above replacement level, so bottom 6 depth guys. It's weird you included Schmaltz considering how well he performed last year, especially the second half when put in a top 6 role. He's NHL ready.

Rutta is the only one that cannot be categorized since he's hasn't played yet.
- L_B_R

Hinostroza, Motte, Hayden, and Forsling are all on the team. Maybe you weren't watching the majority of the games last year. They're going to be there for camp and in the first couple weeks of the season. Kero is very questionable, Jurco is moving closer to bust status.

I like Schmaltz but he's not a sure thing to be a top 6. He's just our best prospect next to Debrincat right now. I hope he pans out great, but we can't assume he's going to be the next Brassard.

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

If these were hand shake deals agreed to by both parties, could have future ramifications, unless both parties agreed it wasn't binding and subject to last minute changes or backing out.

Umm, 50% corsi with 75% defensive zone deployment. Leads the league in defensive zone faceoff percentage. You can't match that anywhere. He took a cheap 1 year deal to help us out. His contract is not breaking us.
- JRoenick97

Umm, you can find a stat that favors any NHL scrub if you look hard enough. I played the sport long enough to know what I see. Faceoffs are important and if he isnt scoring at least 10-12 goals you better be 55-60 % in the dot. Kruger serves a purpose, just not a 3 million dollar purpose. CORSI, Zone deployment, cmon man. Take your 16 jersey and put it back in the closet. Nick Bonino makes less than that and any NHL team would take him before Kruger. He scored some big goals in the 13 run. Is that your next "He is a huge Piece" argument?

Any contract above $1M needs to be evaluated when the bulk of the cap is taken up by 8 players.
- ObeseOprah

Other large contracts do not make krugers contract unjustifiable in and of itself.

Man, I really hope Hossa comes back for the playoffs. Just to piss fans everywhere off.
- TTtime

You took the words right out of my mouth!

You obviously don't know me very well

I not only can I justify Kruger's contract, I have done so several times, breaking down usage via video and stats. It might be what I'm known most for here, other than my love of JVR. To a cap strapped team, it's hard to justify keeping a player with Kruger's contract, but the contract itself can def be argued.
- L_B_R

Fair enough. Cap situation aside, if he isnt chipping in 25-30 points a year, he better be 55% plus in the dot for 3mil

Another thing that gets lost is Panarin doesn't seem to care about winning Cups in North America the way other players do. At least he hasn't shown it after the First Round losses. He then of course after being exhausted with the Hawks plays absolutely lights out for Russia. Also, unlike super-star Ovie, Panarin feels no responsibility to learn English or become part of the community. Panarin is also not a teen-agee - he needs to grow up.
- Z3Hawk

He was a PPG player in the STL series so was neck and neck with his countryman on the other team.

Subban certainly had the better of him in the last series and like most of the rest of the team, he had issues finding space and not sucking.

Probably not going to be the norm with him moving forward.

Man, I really hope Hossa comes back for the playoffs. Just to piss fans everywhere off.
- TTtime

Icing on the cake. Great post