Toronto: Moore, Bozak are booth capable centers. Bozak is phenomenal on faceoffs. Leafs also have a logjam of young prospect forwards, figuring who could be a steal is beyond my expertise.
- ObeseOprah

Good call on the Leafs. Someone else mentioned that earlier and it skipped my mind. Bozak would be nice since he's a veteran with some good years left in the tank at 31 years old. Great at faceoffs and able to chip in offensively (40 point player at least). Don't know much about his defensive game but I assume he's at least average.

I've always liked Moore but wonder about journeymen like him who seem to be on a new team each year. It's not because he's horrible; teams do like him or else he'd be in the AHL or Europe. But I would prefer an experienced 3C who would be around for a few years to help anchor the bottom-6.

Good call on the Leafs. Someone else mentioned that earlier and it skipped my mind. Bozak would be nice since he's a veteran with some good years left in the tank at 31 years old. Great at faceoffs and able to chip in offensively (40 point player at least). Don't know much about his defensive game but I assume he's at least average.

I've always liked Moore but wonder about journeymen like him who seem to be on a new team each year. It's not because he's horrible; teams do like him or else he'd be in the AHL or Europe. But I would prefer an experienced 3C who would be around for a few years to help anchor the bottom-6.
- AEL_Fox

Is Bozak that much of an upgrade from AA? He's better at faceoffs, but he's 2 years older. Id' just keep AA and not look at Bozak. D prospect/player is probably the best trade target.

Well you just gave Vandermeer23 a huge woody. Can he play Top 4 minutes in the NHL playing actual hockey? Remains to be seen.
- kwolf68

I thought we were trading Hartman to the Jets for Marko Dano.

Then how about finish some damn scoring chances.

I remember early in the season after that hot start(essentially just the Penguins game opening night) he simply couldn't put the puck in the net no matter how many golden opportunities he was given by Kane or Schmaltz.

Idk who he thinks he is. Seems like he's got a snobby attitude and thinks he better than he really is, and that he can just go and whine about it when things dont go his way instead of busting his ass off to become better. Good riddance bottom 6er. Have fun not making anyone else top 6 either.
- SimpleJack

Couldn’t have said it better.... I said the same thing about Bickell about 6-7 years ago... do you wanna make 600k or do you wanna make 3 mil.., as scrappy as he is he should be in front of the net causing havoc and screens... and by god... like Hossa used to do.. get the puck on your blade and take it to the net... no reason this kid shouldn’t score 20-25 every year.

Is Bozak that much of an upgrade from AA? He's better at faceoffs, but he's 2 years older. Id' just keep AA and not look at Bozak. D prospect/player is probably the best trade target.
- JRoenick97

Good question. My M.O. lately has been assuming Anisimov is traded either by the TDL or this summer. Anyway, basic comparison:

Faceoffs: edge to Bozak
Age: edge to Anisimov
Durability: wash? both seem to miss time each year
Offense: Bozak
Defense: don't know much about Bozak's defensive game so for now I'd give the edge to Anisimov

Maybe the advanced stats can paint a clearer picture, but advanced stats aren't my forte.

Bozak is just an example of who could be pursued if Anisimov is no longer a Hawk and a veteran center is needed. This also assumes Schmaltz is a center moving forward and the wing experiment or training wheels is over.

I thought we were trading Hartman to the Jets for Marko Dano.
- breadbag

we would have to throw in a first for that, surely

if we LTIR Crow, does that give us $6MM more Cap Space to take on an expiring bad contract + say a 1st round pick?

Is Bozak that much of an upgrade from AA? He's better at faceoffs, but he's 2 years older. Id' just keep AA and not look at Bozak. D prospect/player is probably the best trade target.
- JRoenick97

Agree would rather have AA. Also Hawks don't need another small forward

that's what i'm thinking.

what are your guys needs?
- Tumbleweed

What ya got?

Good call on the Leafs. Someone else mentioned that earlier and it skipped my mind. Bozak would be nice since he's a veteran with some good years left in the tank at 31 years old. Great at faceoffs and able to chip in offensively (40 point player at least). Don't know much about his defensive game but I assume he's at least average.

I've always liked Moore but wonder about journeymen like him who seem to be on a new team each year. It's not because he's horrible; teams do like him or else he'd be in the AHL or Europe. But I would prefer an experienced 3C who would be around for a few years to help anchor the bottom-6.
- AEL_Fox

Bozak is a UFA after this year. Wouldn't make sense to trade for him.

Bozak is a UFA after this year. Wouldn't make sense to trade for him.
- Justin Lowe

Three way trade, al la Nashville, Colorado and Ottawa

We get the picks/prospects
Toronto gets AA
Third team looking for a rental gets Bozak, but he goes thru us first so we can retain 50% salary and get more draft compensation

when you are cap strapped...you can't have everything and fill every hole....no he did not get destroyed in that trade, that trade had context and good reasons for it:

1. hossa was gone; needed a big forward to replace him
2. panarin didn't fit the long term costs and cap structure
3. Saad for panerin satisfied both 1 and 2
4. they could not have both or meet stated needs at the same time

unfortunately saad had a down/bad year as did a host of others; with forsberg the the jury is still out...he may develop into a solid 1b...they need to find this out...

easy to take armchair GMimg pot shots when you ignore the entire back ground and rationale for the trade.
panerins points got replaced to some degree by smaltz and ADB
- bogiedoc

If you want to add other guys like Schmaltz and ABD into the conversation then you also need to subtract 177 points from guys who are no longer here from last year. List upon request.

we would have to throw in a first for that, surely
- AusHawk

and kaner...

Eight NHL scouts credentialed for tonight's Senators-Blackhawks game. There are representatives from Calgary, Dallas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Jersey (2), San Jose and Winnipeg.

and kaner...
- riozzo

at 50% retained.

Plus Dano would get a NMC

I reached out to my Flyers contact to get his take on the Philly rumour that John posted earlier today:

On Sanheim's potential/availability:

"Sanheim is going to be a stud.. top 4 potential for sure and likely top pairing D. He is tearing up the AHL right now. I only see Hextall trading him if he's getting a real good young FW back. So Hartman could make sense."

On whether Sanheim could play top 4 with the Hawks as soon as next year? "Yep he could.. some feel he could be in PHI top 4 right now but Hastol is reluctant to play some young guys without any rationale on why he plays some and opts not to give opptortunity to others."

Ok, how about Sam Morin? "I like him also.. big, tough, mean, can skate for a big guy.. makes a good first pass. His potential is more like 4-5 dman."

Knowing Hextall, would this be a deal that you can see happening? It's possible as PHI could use the exact depth that Anisimov and Hartman would offer. They also have room next year financially. To be honest, Franson makes sense as they need veteran depth on the right-side.

However, they just got some help with Mrazek in net and they in good shape other than that. They have some nice picks coming up and are ahead of their plan according to Hextall, but I think he knows that they aren't winning a cup this year. My guess is they add a couple depth pieces by deadline day."

If you want to add other guys like Schmaltz and ABD into the conversation then you also need to subtract 177 points from guys who are no longer here from last year. List upon request.
- Savoy

i responded to your tunnel vision hindsight panarin great + saad bad = idiot stanbow..
expressed that smaltz + adb replaced panarins (already @ 80 with 38 goals) points...and now you move the goal posts about other points that needed to replaced...

i get it: saad and hartman with down years and with hossa production loss...

Panarin is head and shoulders above any Hawk player except Kane. He was when he was here and he is now. Scoring at a 65 point clip with no help whatsoever in Columbus is not that far away from his 74 points last year when he played with superstar Kane. His performance this year is making Bowman who got destroyed in that trade look like a complete jackass as predicted. Making everything much worse is the fact that Bowman failed miserably to replace Panarin's point production and presence on Kane's line thereby hurting Kane's point production too. Pissed off Kane does not deserve this slap in the face treatment and neither do the Hawks. Is there any doubt this malfeasance contributed more than any other issue to a one way ticket to last place.
- Savoy

Wow do you ever irrationally love Panarin. Even in an off-season Saad is a much more valuable player. Almost same number of goals. Saad better defensively and is great on PK. Kane not mad at trade - rumour was Kane and Toews both made it known they’d love Saad back. May even have known what it would take. Of course Kane indicated that he’d miss Panarin - what would you like him to say publicly? Kane also said that there had been absolutely no contact between Panarin and him long after the trade - that is not how close friends act. Savoy you have never mentioned that fact.

As for replacing Panarin as Kane’s LW hard to blame Bowman. It is clearly Q’s fault. DeBrincat has been on the team all year. He is perfectly suited - a sniper who shoots off-wing right-handed as a LW. Just like Panarin. Should have been playing with Kane all year - may already have 30 goals.

We signed Panarin as a free-agent. Gave him last contract knowing he was going to be traded. Not coincidence that amount was same as Saad. Trade may have been in place since before that time. Hawks’ management had tired of his bologna in the same way as they tired of TT’s bologna. We got Saad back for a free-agent. Works for me. Let him celebrate with Tarasenko wearing a Columbus sweater. Let him race back to Russia to play his best hockey after taking off his Columbus sweater. Glad I don’t have to care about these things anymore.

Best 19 on ice tonight - Troy Murray - one more skate.....

Love it when we play a Canadien team……..for some reason their anthem just makes it feel more like a hockey game for me.

Love it when we play a Canadien team……..for some reason their anthem just makes it feel more like a hockey game for me.
- BobP.

I love watching the anthems, they both well and truly destroy the Australian one

Doug MacLean just said on Sportsnet that his feeling is the #Blackhawks need to figure out their management and coaching before they look to analyze what they have on the team.

This was something that I was hearing in regards to moving a core piece; the Hawks management (more Rocky and John) needed to decide who's steering this ship before making big moves.

wasnt Kane a -1 with 5 pts vs OTT last time?

I know it would be better if the Hawks lost but just can't root for that. Let's go Hawks