Lil Artis 24th. Gonna miss that kid.

LA
- hocktock

Just until the PO start. Then you won't even notice he is gone.

As usual, I am a blog behind:




He is talking about subtractions after:

they secure a solid defenseman,

and have to start shelling out dollars because no bridges for their youngster big three.

And i heard talk that each Mathews/Eichel guy with ANY NHL club is going to EXPECT McDavid like money or only a dollar or so less...no chance they might not be McDavid.

A few might start the negotiations soon.

It seems that if you draft top three, that player is never going to aggree to a bridge deal...and all youngsters are trying to never bridge...yikes!

So many of you here STILL are THINKING fat cap addition the likes of Galchenyuk, Radulov, even lesser lights with ALL OF YOU THINKING oh, there is CAP SPACE...YOU DISREGARD THE RE-UP, THE ufa price b/c even the lesser lights are not values...

so instead finding a way to secure Komarovs JvRs, or Bozeks (all not all available NOW BUT IN THE FUTURE when Cap reality hits Lou Lamariello square in the dome) the hawks have to navigate to hold a steady course until game two....
- wiz1901

Exactly, they're in the perfect spot right now to max the cap and move Hossa to LTIR as soon as the season begins. Giving Stan the maximum flexibility to navigate the season!

Saw that Vegas has a good amount of centers. Maybe a deal for one of them to help with center depth? Lindberg or Karlsson would be good 3rd line guys.

He was a healthy scratch more and more as the year went on yet losing him hurts and is a bad decision by Stan? Just makes no sense.
- HawkFan27

When 95% of this board hates on what Stan does, you get nitpicking at every single little thing. We have cap issues, issues at 2LW, potentially 2C, at D... and people are angry with Ras, who didn't contribute much of anything. It only takes a couple people with pitchforks to start a riot.

When 95% of this board hates on what Stan does, you get nitpicking at every single little thing. We have cap issues, issues at 2LW, potentially 2C, at D... and people are angry with Ras, who didn't contribute much of anything. It only takes a couple people with pitchforks to start a riot.
- HawksHype

No one is angry lol. Phrases used were mostly things like "don't get it" and "prefer him to trash players like Bouma". Let's not be hyperbolic.

It's also misdirected sentiment if you look at the history of the posters making these comments. Hell, I got called a Bowman apologist or something similar on this board more than once. I get in general though - this board in general can turn into a pitchfork mob.

No one is angry lol. Phrases used were mostly things like "don't get it" and "prefer him to trash players like Bouma". Let's not be hyperbolic.

It's also misdirected sentiment if you look at the history of the posters making these comments. Hell, I got called a Bowman apologist or something similar on this board more than once. I get in general though - this board in general can turn into a pitchfork mob.
- L_B_R

My comment wasn't directed at only the Ras discussion, but really all discussions throughout the summer/year. It seems like there is praise/happy here and there, but when something is disagreed with by a poster, the s**t ball rolls downhill real fast.

No one is angry lol. Phrases used were mostly things like "don't get it" and "prefer him to trash players like Bouma". Let's not be hyperbolic.

It's also misdirected sentiment if you look at the history of the posters making these comments. Hell, I got called a Bowman apologist or something similar on this board more than once. I get in general though - this board in general can turn into a pitchfork mob.
- L_B_R

As someone upthread mentioned, there are players that people can't wait to get rid of when they are here, and then once they are gone, they question why.

Rasmussen was just sorta.....meh. Good sized body, but never really played that big, not a real physical player. Responsible player most of the time, but just not much there to definitively say he had more upside above what he already was. He had enough chances for the Hawks to cut him loose without necessarily worrying that it will come back to haunt them.

Every team needs its PK guys, faceoff guys, defensive specialists and grinders, but a team also needs its 3rd and 4th lines to have some kind of scoring threat(s). We have seen how easy it is to shut down a 1-line team, and even a 2-line team when the opponent is solid defensively. Cups are won by lines 3 and 4, Moose was "just a part" and easily replaceable, even by pieces the Hawks already have.

My comment wasn't directed at only the Ras discussion, but really all discussions throughout the summer/year. It seems like there is praise/happy here and there, but when something is disagreed with by a poster, the s**t ball rolls downhill real fast.
- HawksHype

If it wasn't directed at only the Ras discussion, might want to be more clear in the future? Cause in general, I agree with your assessment of the board - just not about this particular subject lol.

As someone upthread mentioned, there are players that people can't wait to get rid of when they are here, and then once they are gone, they question why.

Rasmussen was just sorta.....meh. Good sized body, but never really played that big, not a real physical player. Responsible player most of the time, but just not much there to definitively say he had more upside above what he already was. He had enough chances for the Hawks to cut him loose without necessarily worrying that it will come back to haunt them.

Every team needs its PK guys, faceoff guys, defensive specialists and grinders, but a team also needs its 3rd and 4th lines to have some kind of scoring threat(s). We have seen how easy it is to shut down a 1-line team, and even a 2-line team when the opponent is solid defensively. Cups are won by lines 3 and 4, Moose was "just a part" and easily replaceable, even by pieces the Hawks already have.
- TheTrob

Anaheim will certainly let him bring out his inner big bodied bruiser personae, if he has one.

No, JVR, Bozak and Komarov are all available. All 3 are on the last year of their deals and the Leafs will look to move them. Provided the deal makes sense to them. The only one who can't be easily replaced from their system and cheaper is JVR. JVR is the asset most likely to be packaged to obtain a D-man. If they decide to go that way.

BTW. There were TWO Raddysh on the Erie Otters last season. One a D-man and the other a RW.
- TTtime

yeah the kid Raddyh, is a RW and was drafted by TB, took a step forward.

HERE is what I meant:

Do yopu REALLY think Lou and Babs are gonna weaken that line up with a trade now?

They want to recreate the same momentum and will not weaken their line up prior to the playoff.

babcock is talking about the future...moving on, one or two of these four will be subtractions...

so unless YOU me and babcock think their line up is solid w/o two of them to CONTEND, and that calls to light some rookie being able to replace them right now,
they stay FOR NOW.

There is no way I can read Babcock as saying, "someone is going now because they are...."

South Haven ? Hmmmm Clemintine's ? North Beach ? Lou's s bar ?

yeah the kid Raddyh, is a RW and was drafted by TB, took a step forward.

HERE is what I meant:

Do yopu REALLY think Lou and Babs are gonna weaken that line up with a trade now?

They want to recreate the same momentum and will not weaken their line up prior to the playoff.

babcock is talking about the future...moving on, one or two of these four will be subtractions...

so unless YOU me and babcock think their line up is solid w/o two of them to CONTEND, and that calls to light some rookie being able to replace them right now,
they stay FOR NOW.

There is no way I can read Babcock as saying, "someone is going now because they are...."
- wiz1901

Guess you missed the if it makes sense part? Or the if they decide to go that way, too?

No one is angry lol. Phrases used were mostly things like "don't get it" and "prefer him to trash players like Bouma". Let's not be hyperbolic.

It's also misdirected sentiment if you look at the history of the posters making these comments. Hell, I got called a Bowman apologist or something similar on this board more than once. I get in general though - this board in general can turn into a pitchfork mob.
- L_B_R

Ya... I don't know why Stan would elect to go with Bouma vs Rasmussen.
- DarthKane

i wish we could have sign Joikienn(sp) Oilers got him for 1.1m how much we paying Bouma

[quote=Ogilthorpe2]Lemme get this straight....

For years you people cried about not having a legit 2C, and now that we have one, we want to trade him for a LW who might be able to kind of, sort of, sometimes, play center...all because the legit 2C that we finally DO have is only fair to middling at the dot?



Last I checked there is a whole hell of lot more to being a good NHL center-iceman than winning faceoffs. Of those "other" things Anisimov, when healthy, seems to excel at some, and is above average at most.

Trading AA without a proven NHL caliber C coming back in return makes absolutely no sense to me, and I find the sudden fixation on one of the more meaningless stats in the game to be amusing.
- John Jaeckel[/quote]



I find the fixation on this inaccurate premise even more amusing.

AA is a useful player. Big, responsible positionally, really good around the net, smart.

But there is also a reason in both New York and Columbus he was periodically moved out to left wing. Not least of which, he sucks at faceoffs.

I will go with what coaches and scouts say, over interwebs truisms and analytics jockeys, faceoffs matter. Especially on special teams.

Sure, if that's all you do, like say Paul Gaustad or Never Panic Yanic himself, meh, not much use there. But you combine it with a guy who does other things . . . like a Toews or a Bergeron or a Duchene, among many others, it helps make a player much more of a total package and a weapon who can be used in more situations..

By the way, add this to your extensive repertoire of knowledge:

Artem Anisimov has won zero Cups anywhere, ever. Michal Handzus and Brad R=ichards, two legitimate NHL centers the Hawks had on kane's line in the last 5 years, and both of whom were better on draws than the great Artem Anisimov, have one a piece in Chicago.

Talk about short memories.

How very ironic. Good to have TSJ back in the house

Bouma had 34 points in 2015. Was that a fluke season or has he since been hobbled by injuries? I've only heard his name before, I've never seen him play. Is that kind of production even possible for him again?

South Haven ? Hmmmm Clemintine's ? North Beach ? Lou's s bar ?
- OutlawSteve

The original Onion Ring tower.

Flown in for a burger a time or two. Nice little airport there too, gotta watch out for the deer at night though.

Bouma had 34 points in 2015. Was that a fluke season or has he since been hobbled by injuries? I've only heard his name before, I've never seen him play. Is that kind of production even possible for him again?
- 333inthe3rd

He rode a shooting % that was almost 3 times any other season for him.

Personally, I don't need a checking line player to produce many points as long as he can shot suppress and prevent goals, which Bouma has historically been bad at most of his career. The fact that he's also injury prone is just a icing. I hope he's either in the AHL or that Q and his staff can work their magic.

1) 1) Of the top 20 teams in CF%, half were below 50% at the dot. 2 teams were exactly 50%. 2) The top FO team in the league, Anaheim, was 21 st in CF%.

3) Yeah, I think FOs get overblown in regards to possession. 4) They are one of many different elements to the game.
- TTtime

Some interesting "selective statistics" here:

1) CF 5-on-5 or overall, because if it's only 5-on-5, no, faceoffs are not as important.

By the same token, please come out and say if you're implying they aren't important on special teams——which, by the way, is really the point I made.

And why cite the 'top 20?' Seems like an odd metric. How about the top 10?

How about . . . say . . . just picking a name out of a hat . . . the Chicago Blackhawks, let's talk about them, ok?

They were 49.9% in CF% in the regular season (but finished with the best record in the West—but fancy possession stats, they mean everything!)—and were 47.7% in the dot.

2) OK, so Anaheim wins draws and are overall not a great possession team. Like that's never happened before?

3) Who made the argument that face-offs mean possession—beyond the fact that in some situations at least, like in man-advantage situations and penalty kill— they do mean, quite literally, possessing the puck?

4) No argument, they are one part of the game.

And a center who can't win draws in critical situations is a center with a flaw in his game.

Not sure if this means anything, but Bouma isn't listed on the roster on the Blackhawks website. Recent acquisitions that are listed include: Saad, Sharp, Wingels, Murphy, Rutta, Oesterle, Berube, and Forsberg.

How very ironic. Good to have TSJ back in the house
- Ogilthorpe2

Oh, please don't speak in code. Come out and say what ya really think, big guy. Eli might (or might not) be around, but I'm more than glad to handle it.

No one is angry lol. Phrases used were mostly things like "don't get it" and "prefer him to trash players like Bouma". Let's not be hyperbolic.

It's also misdirected sentiment if you look at the history of the posters making these comments. Hell, I got called a Bowman apologist or something similar on this board more than once. I get in general though - this board in general can turn into a pitchfork mob.
- L_B_R

Funny, how some always come here (for years now) and criticize the "tone of the board," speak in code, pile on, send nasty little PMs—in between excoriating other posters for their lack of knowledge—but when called on it, someone else always "started it first."

Classic.

Not sure if this means anything, but Bouma isn't listed on the roster on the Blackhawks website. Recent acquisitions that are listed include: Saad, Sharp, Wingels, Murphy, Rutta, Oesterle, Berube, and Forsberg.
- AEL_Fox

I wouldn't have Bouma in my starting lineup. A 13th forward if anything.

I actually think that with Wingles-Kero/Dauphin-Hayden/Hinostroza we'll be able to form a very solid 4th line.

I wouldn't have Bouma in my starting lineup. A 13th forward if anything.

I actually think that with Wingles-Kero/Dauphin-Hayden/Hinostroza we'll be able to form a very solid 4th line.
- SimpleJack

Kero or Dauphin centering Wingels and Hayden is ideal to me as well for the 4th line.

No, JVR, Bozak and Komarov are all available. All 3 are on the last year of their deals and the Leafs will look to move them. Provided the deal makes sense to them. The only one who can't be easily replaced from their system and cheaper is JVR. JVR is the asset most likely to be packaged to obtain a D-man. If they decide to go that way.

BTW. There were TWO Raddysh on the Erie Otters last season. One a D-man and the other a RW.
- TTtime

I don't think the Leafs will have anybody knocking down their door to offer a top notch defenceman in exchange for a LW one year away from UFA status. And now that Marleau got $6.3M for 3 years, JVR will want that or more and 30 other teams know the Loafs aren't able to cough up that kind of cake.