FWIW, rumor per Eklund (many of you probably saw this already on the homepage):

On Niklas Hjalmarsson...

Hearing today the Montreal Canadiens are "heavily scouting" Hjalmarsson...There have been reports the Hawks are also interested, but my sources are saying that currently the Hawks may be looking elsewhere...

Where would you play Hjalmarsson if the Hawks re-acquired him? Maybe something like:

Keith - Hjalmarsson
Murphy - Seabrook
Forsling - Rutta

Or consider swapping Murphy and Hjalmarsson so they play on their handed side. Murphy does seem to be playing quite well on his opposite side and to be forming an increasingly stable pair with Seabrook. Would both regress if split up?

Rick could speak to the economy in Ottawa but it would be more similar to Springfield or Rockford rather than Chicago. They don't throw money around and they could trade Karlsson but it will be for the mother load and won't put them in an uncomfortable financial condition.

Everything fell into place last season for them, which makes this year feel worse.
- Al

Didn’t I hear (Sirius-XM, maybe) that they are looking to get a new building up there - and moving Karlsson or otherwise busting up the team would not send the right signal to whatever money there is up there?

FWIW, rumor per Eklund (many of you probably saw this already on the homepage):

On Niklas Hjalmarsson...

Hearing today the Montreal Canadiens are "heavily scouting" Hjalmarsson...There have been reports the Hawks are also interested, but my sources are saying that currently the Hawks may be looking elsewhere...

Where would you play Hjalmarsson if the Hawks re-acquired him? Maybe something like:

Keith - Hjalmarsson
Murphy - Seabrook
Forsling - Rutta

Or consider swapping Murphy and Hjalmarsson so they play on their handed side. Murphy does seem to be playing quite well on his opposite side and to be forming an increasingly stable pair with Seabrook. Would both regress if split up?
- AEL_Fox

Unless the Yotes take Seabrook for him

I would look at more of a panik for cole deal. Pens want scoring, this would add a top 4 dman to the team.

Hate to say it but the Hawks shouldn't throw any more assets away, unless it helps them with the power play.

If Q starts playing the 4th line on the power play you can't tell me this won't motivate the girls to be tougher on the power play

Rick could speak to the economy in Ottawa but it would be more similar to Springfield or Rockford rather than Chicago. They don't throw money around and they could trade Karlsson but it will be for the mother load and won't put them in an uncomfortable financial condition.

Everything fell into place last season for them, which makes this year feel worse.
- Al

Ottawa is the capital of Canada. And with that you get plenty of civil servants and government employees who don't spend money on tickets but have their hands out looking for freebies.

Population is big enough at about 1.2 million if you combine city of Ottawa and Gatineau across the river in Quebec. (I'd submit there is far more wealth there than a city like St. Louis or Buffalo or Newark for example).

But the big issues are Owner Eugene Melnyk and where the arena is in Kanata, far from downtown on a slow moving road.

Melnyk sure loved the playoff revenue last year but he won't want to pay Karlsson max money so he will be gone just like Kyle Turris, Zibanajad and others before him. But he is definitely part of the plans for a new arena just off downtown.

But I compare Ottawa to Atlanta and Miami - sh$tty pro sports towns.

So, instead of the game tonight, nbc is showing Olympic trials.

Bettman is an knucklehead.

Hate to say it but the Hawks shouldn't throw any more assets away, unless it helps them with the power play.

If Q starts playing the 4th line on the power play you can't tell me this won't motivate the girls to be tougher on the power play
- BetweenTheDots

Dude, seriously, as one of the girls on this board, I'd rather you not keep using that as an indicator of weakness or poor play. Pretty sure I am tougher than a lot of you.

With you here, Rick.

The best PPs I've seen are the ones that have constant net front + 2-3 players moving in sync (ie. Cutting through the slot, rotating, etc.) which the Hawks look like they've tried on about 4 PPs this year.

It's hard to defend when there are so many moving parts which cause confusion among the PKers.

The Hawks for years have been so predictable with perimeter play and the back door pass.

Time to evolve. Everyone sees it, not sure why Q and Co can't.
- Justin Lowe

Predictability is what is killing us on the PP. Opposing teams don't need to watch many of our game videos.

Opposing coaches have their players picking off those stupid drop passes in our zone almost every game giving them better scoring chances than our power play is getting. This is planned strategy not accidental.

They are coaching their players how to close our inside passing lane patterns as well. Consequently, we pass around the perimeter until someone like Keith fumbles it or it gets intercepted.

Maybe our power play is being over-coached.

John Jaeckel @jaeckel
2m

Heard this AM, just now, Hawks and Ottawa may be talking about a trade involving Michal Kempny and a Rockford defenseman for one Ottawa roster player. Not sure how serious, but as we've reported, lots of scouting presence from other teams in Rockford recently.

John Jaeckel @jaeckel
2m

Heard this AM, just now, Hawks and Ottawa may be talking about a trade involving Michal Kempny and a Rockford defenseman for one Ottawa roster player. Not sure how serious, but as we've reported, lots of scouting presence from other teams in Rockford recently.
- jt19

Is Pokka up for a showcase?

One Brassard please.

John Jaeckel @jaeckel
2m

Heard this AM, just now, Hawks and Ottawa may be talking about a trade involving Michal Kempny and a Rockford defenseman for one Ottawa roster player. Not sure how serious, but as we've reported, lots of scouting presence from other teams in Rockford recently.
- jt19

Get the band back together!
Red rover red rover, Johnny Odyua come over

John Jaeckel @jaeckel
2m

Heard this AM, just now, Hawks and Ottawa may be talking about a trade involving Michal Kempny and a Rockford defenseman for one Ottawa roster player. Not sure how serious, but as we've reported, lots of scouting presence from other teams in Rockford recently.
- jt19

Kempny and Gustafsson for Stone, do it Stan!!!!

Is Pokka up for a showcase?

One Brassard please.
- JRoenick97

No way can we fit his $5M salary into our payroll. Would have to be someone on a much lower cap hit. Dzingel??

No way can we fit his $5M salary into our payroll. Would have to be someone on a much lower cap hit. Dzingel??
- 67hawks

Yeah, Panik would have to go over with Kempny. That would be almost exactly at 5m.

Kempny and Gustafsson for Stone, do it Stan!!!!
- DarthKane

Unfortunately, never going to happen for a fringe NHL defenseman in Kempny and a career AHL'er in Gus.

Yeah, Panik would have to go over with Kempny. That would be almost exactly at 5m.
- JRoenick97

Kempny and Panik for Stone

No way can we fit his $5M salary into our payroll. Would have to be someone on a much lower cap hit. Dzingel??
- 67hawks

Dzingel could be a decent option. Over the past few seasons the Hawks have been tied to rumors about Nate Thompson, he could be another option. He's not stellar but he's decent on face-offs (56.52%) and he's taken a solid number of draws this season (he'd be #3 on the team after Toews and Anisimov).

FWIW, rumor per Eklund (many of you probably saw this already on the homepage):

On Niklas Hjalmarsson...

Hearing today the Montreal Canadiens are "heavily scouting" Hjalmarsson...There have been reports the Hawks are also interested, but my sources are saying that currently the Hawks may be looking elsewhere...

Where would you play Hjalmarsson if the Hawks re-acquired him? Maybe something like:

Keith - Hjalmarsson
Murphy - Seabrook
Forsling - Rutta

Or consider swapping Murphy and Hjalmarsson so they play on their handed side. Murphy does seem to be playing quite well on his opposite side and to be forming an increasingly stable pair with Seabrook. Would both regress if split up?
- AEL_Fox

No

Get the band back together!
Red rover red rover, Johnny Odyua come over
- Slofire94

No

With you here, Rick.

The best PPs I've seen are the ones that have constant net front + 2-3 players moving in sync (ie. Cutting through the slot, rotating, etc.) which the Hawks look like they've tried on about 4 PPs this year.

It's hard to defend when there are so many moving parts which cause confusion among the PKers.

The Hawks for years have been so predictable with perimeter play and the back door pass.

Time to evolve. Everyone sees it, not sure why Q and Co can't.
- Justin Lowe

Why would the Hawks PP be any good. THe best PP's have great puck retrieval. Who is going to truly go and dig a puck out? Toews is the only one, and at the current time he is a step behind and the puck is dumped before he can get to the loose puck. Shaw was good at this. It was what made him such an asset on the PP, plus he took front of the net duty away from Toews.

Keith looks to truly be the biggest detriment to the 1st unit. Gustav and Seabs with Toews Cat and Kane up front.

Dzingel could be a decent option. Over the past few seasons the Hawks have been tied to rumors about Nate Thompson, he could be another option. He's not stellar but he's decent on face-offs (56.52%) and he's taken a solid number of draws this season (he'd be #3 on the team after Toews and Anisimov).
- DarthKane

Yep. He's a guy they have liked in the past but watching him last night, he is sllloooww.

Doesn't fit into the plan to push more pace of Hawks.

Is Pokka up for a showcase?

One Brassard please.
- JRoenick97

Would love Brassard. This team doesn't need another Kruger type that does everything well but score. This team needs offense. Brassard would do for us what Turris has done for Nashville.

No
- BlazinMike

sarcasm...

JO is done. No to that. Brassard would be nice snag. A true Bolland style C that is good at the dot and can score.. Panik and Kempny going back?

Why would the Hawks PP be any good. THe best PP's have great puck retrieval. Who is going to truly go and dig a puck out? Toews is the only one, and at the current time he is a step behind and the puck is dumped before he can get to the loose puck. Shaw was good at this. It was what made him such an asset on the PP, plus he took front of the net duty away from Toews.

Keith looks to truly be the biggest detriment to the 1st unit. Gustav and Seabs with Toews Cat and Kane up front.
- nickmo2699

Forsling at the point, shooting and "quarterbacking" with Kane
Kane/Cat on the half walls, play making and one-timers
Saad/Toews retrieving pucks and cycling for tips/one timers and plays down low