I sure hope guy can win some face offs.
- SimpleJack

I think he is the brother of That Guy, This Guy and Some Other Guy.

Jack Han‏ @ml_han

interesting idea from @FriedgeHNIC. CHI has never had a RH slot player who's been any good on 131PP. gagner or debrincat would be an upgrade
- JRoenick97

Wasn't Sharp a righty?

Wasn't Sharp a righty?
- resqmed99

He was, but did we use him in a 1-3-1 PP? I can't remember our powerplay formation back then.

EDIt: I asked TheAthletic guy who posted that.

@ml_han 41s41 seconds ago
Replying to @badseedjr @FriedgeHNIC
he played at the point. shaw played mid slot for a bit but he's not effective on the PP

Didn't trade Havlat. In fact, wanted to keep him and did not want Hossa. Hossa was a Scotty Bowman coup...as was Q
- PatShart

You know more about that time than I do, please go on.

Yup. Which of these feels better:
Kane/Schmaltz/Debrincat
Kane/Schmaltz/EKane.

I like the 2nd (though it costs about $4m more).
- Cmonalready

I'll take #1 since #2 is definitely an expensive 1 year gamble (who leaves to pay for it?), and the potential locker room/CPD/PR nightmare.

I think Gagner is a guy you love on your third line, and eh above that. Vermette Sharp and Teuvo was our third line 2015. All good players but if they are on your second line you are not thrilled with your depth. If they are on the third you are sitting pretty.
- kevndevries

This, this, and this. Perfectly sums up what has changed (and what may be forever changed) from the Summer of '15 onwards. I thought it appropriate to bold, underline, and italicize the message, because YES.

I think both Tootoo and Roz get sent down to Rockford and knew that at the time and that they were getting some free money since both would be out of the league if they did not get that. Maybe they guard against injury, But this was all about being expansion draft compliant so the hawks had more leverage vs Vegas. They could have traded TVR to a team that had to expose a better player and then They would have had to pick kruger with the extra 2 mil or POKKA I suppose.
- kmw4631

This, this, and this.

Oh and this: can I get some free money??

@Thefourthperiod
Thornton likes the west coast, no doubt, but will consider options elsewhere, if the right opportunity arose. NYR? CHI? MTL? EDM? BOS?

I'll take #1 since #2 is definitely an expensive 1 year gamble (who leaves to pay for it?), and the potential locker room/CPD/PR nightmare.
- ArlingtonRob

I disagree (somewhat). I think if you can fit EKane on the roster for a season you take the chance and do it. The "somewhat" depends on what the cost is. What do you have to give to BUF to get that done? if it's AA then yes, because Kane/Schmaltz/Kane > Kane/Schmaltz/Debrincat. EKane has proved that he can produce at the NHL level. He is big, strong, fast, doesn't shy away from contact, etc. etc. etc. He checks a heck of a lot of boxes off. Is he possibly a PR nightmare waiting to happen? maybe, but worth the risk if it gets you another needed piece, and if he gets you closer to the possibility of a cup for 1 season, AA has been on 2 first round exits in 2 seasons.

I disagree (somewhat). I think if you can fit EKane on the roster for a season you take the chance and do it. The "somewhat" depends on what the cost is. What do you have to give to BUF to get that done? if it's AA then yes, because Kane/Schmaltz/Kane > Kane/Schmaltz/Debrincat. EKane has proved that he can produce at the NHL level. He is big, strong, fast, doesn't shy away from contact, etc. etc. etc. He checks a heck of a lot of boxes off. Is he possibly a PR nightmare waiting to happen? maybe, but worth the risk if it gets you another needed piece, and if he gets you closer to the possibility of a cup for 1 season, AA has been on 2 first round exits in 2 seasons.
- TheTrob

Not sure we really have anything Buffalo needs.

Jack Han‏ @ml_han

interesting idea from @FriedgeHNIC. CHI has never had a RH slot player who's been any good on 131PP. gagner or debrincat would be an upgrade
- JRoenick97

Someone on the NHL Network on Sirius was just asked about Gagner and NYI's interest in him because he and Tavares are both from Oakville and are friends; this person's immediate response was "yaa... but Sam is slow. It doesn't fit with Tavares' game".

So in this getting faster theme we're going off of with these new Hawks, that might be a roadblock.

Also, Gagner had his "prove it" year last year and should get a solid contract for a few years from a team looking for scoring.

Not sure we really have anything Buffalo needs.
- walleyeb1

I think more accurately stated it would be.....I don't think Buffalo needs anything we are willing to give up.

I think more accurately stated it would be.....I don't think Buffalo needs anything we are willing to give up.
- TheTrob

Good point!

I disagree (somewhat). I think if you can fit EKane on the roster for a season you take the chance and do it. The "somewhat" depends on what the cost is. What do you have to give to BUF to get that done? if it's AA then yes, because Kane/Schmaltz/Kane > Kane/Schmaltz/Debrincat. EKane has proved that he can produce at the NHL level. He is big, strong, fast, doesn't shy away from contact, etc. etc. etc. He checks a heck of a lot of boxes off. Is he possibly a PR nightmare waiting to happen? maybe, but worth the risk if it gets you another needed piece, and if he gets you closer to the possibility of a cup for 1 season, AA has been on 2 first round exits in 2 seasons.
- TheTrob

If Buffalo takes a 4th round pick and agrees to eat 4M of the final year...

...maybe.

Pokka's cap hit confirmed at $650,000

Not sure we really have anything Buffalo needs.
- walleyeb1

Yes we do, a place to dump Evander Kane.

I would take him. What do we have to lose? The salary cap has eroded this team. EKane has talent and size. If we cannot do something in the next couple years, as someone else has mentioned, we probably have to consider moving the core for the full rebuild. Hopefully we don't wait too long and find ourselves with dead money with the aged core and no takers. I think it was a mistake not to start rotating some of the core out last year or the year before to stay younger and more competitive. Unfortunately, we may be in a downward spiral with no solutions if the core gets old and we can't move them.

I actually think EKane is the most probable and workable rumor discussed here. Duchene and Chucky are pipe dreams and won't happen. Thornton has no reason to come here. Enticing guys to come her for the chance to win a cup was a viable argument two years ago, but that ship has sailed.

Moose is not the answer to anything. He was big, but slow. He wasn't good at the dot and had limited offensive skill. If you are serious about a cup, he is not part of the team. Same with all the other retreads: Oduya, Campbell, Rosy, and Sharpy. Bowman has really strapped the team with some of these overpaid contracts and NMC's.

JJ hear anything about interest in Jordan Weal? Might be a good cheap UFA option.

Was thinking more, and the top 6 as it stands ain't terrible:

Schmaltz-Toews-Panik
Saad-Anisimov-Kane

You've got a playmaker, a power forward, and a defensibly responsible center on each line. If Anisimov is even at 50 or 51% at the dot, I think he stays.

Pokka's cap hit confirmed at $650,000
- DarthKane

Two way contract per Powers $200,000 AHL

E. Kane goes on IR every time he sneezes. That's my biggest issue with him.

Was thinking more, and the top 6 as it stands ain't terrible:

Schmaltz-Toews-Panik
Saad-Anisimov-Kane

You've got a playmaker, a power forward, and a defensibly responsible center on each line. If Anisimov is even at 50 or 51% at the dot, I think he stays.
- DMChi2010

Bottom 6 is more of a work in progress.

Hartman-Dauphin-Hinostroza
Hayden/Jurco-Kruger-Kero

If Dauphin crashes the net, Hartman makes a few slick stickhandling moves, and Hino adds some speed, is that a line that could be defensively responsible and pot a few goals now and then?

And if Kruger stays, he and Kero could make 2/3 of a good shutdown line, as Q seems to trust Kero, who was all over the lineup last year.

Again, line 3 is not exactly Sharp-Vermette-Teets, but it may not have to be if both the top lines get going.

One of the best stifled laughs I've ever heard
- ObeseOprah

I have an OnTV live feed on VHS where Foley and Tallon were cursing up a storm, thinking the broadcast wasn't live

I have an OnTV live feed on VHS where Foley and Tallon were cursing up a storm, thinking the broadcast wasn't live
- wiz1901

Wow Wiz there's one from the memory banks...how bout "HawkVision" - dollar bill at his finest...

Was thinking more, and the top 6 as it stands ain't terrible:

Schmaltz-Toews-Panik
Saad-Anisimov-Kane

You've got a playmaker, a power forward, and a defensibly responsible center on each line. If Anisimov is even at 50 or 51% at the dot, I think he stays.
- DMChi2010

Anisimov's NHL numbers suggest he'll never be 50% at the dot, so I guess he's gone.

Someone on the NHL Network on Sirius was just asked about Gagner and NYI's interest in him because he and Tavares are both from Oakville and are friends; this person's immediate response was "yaa... but Sam is slow. It doesn't fit with Tavares' game".

So in this getting faster theme we're going off of with these new Hawks, that might be a roadblock.

Also, Gagner had his "prove it" year last year and should get a solid contract for a few years from a team looking for scoring.
- TyCamScore

Gagner took $4MM pay cut to play for $650K with Columbus last year. He wanted stability. For those dollars, he put up 50 pts and was a +10.

http://www.thehockeynews....portunity-has-him-excited