Speculation on both of your parts (and now my own). I know that when I was on a team that keeps losing, morale lowers and "clicks" within the room are more likely to evolve. I know for damn sure if I'm a young guy making $950K and I see Toews out there falling down, handling the puck like he has stone hands, and simply playing at a 3rd line level while making $10.5mil.....it's human nature for there to be some resentment there.
- EnzoD

Sorry Enzo, but this is just wrong.

Toews has not been great by the standards he has played to in the past, and he has not played to his $10.5mil, but he is by far, and its not even close, the best center on this team, and he would be the best center on a whole bunch of the other 30 teams in the league also. The rhetoric that he is only a 3rd line player right now is just comical.

Mind you, Ottawa will probably trade Cole ...

In the end Ottawa for their 2nd/third line center could end up getting:

Good Prospect (the goalie)
A number 1 pick (albeit low)
an asset for Cole (I'd guess he would easily fetch a #2)

Does THAT LOOK LIKE ANYTHING like that stupid ass rumor involving Philly? (frank) no! I honestly think both Pitts and Ottawa did well on this trade.
- kwolf68

This is what I was thinking. Although I am surprised the Sens retained any salary.

This may not look like the Philly rumor, but remember that Stan is totally inept and he always gets less value in a trade that any other GM would.

Lets hope Stanblow does not F--- it up.
- Hawkster

Anisimov still has a full NMC and his agent said they aren't expecting to move.

This is what I was thinking. Although I am surprised the Sens retained any salary.

This may not look like the Philly rumor, but remember that Stan is totally inept and he always gets less value in a trade that any other GM would.
- DarthKane

Yea I was surprised too. But it's not that much and its only for 2 years. So I think Ottawa is fine on that front. Ottawa got total futures for this pick.

Anisimov still has a full NMC and his agent said they aren't expecting to move.
- JRoenick97

I bet he waives for CBJ.

LOL Pittsburgh with great trade...they did Bowman for Daley a couple years ago and they're back again...

gave up a low #1, a goalie they don't need and a player they didn't want for a legitimate piece that elevates them toward another Cup.

Sorry, but Pittsburgh is the NHL's best franchise over the last 10 years, their legitimate chance to 3-peat is simply remarkable.
- kwolf68

That's more than Stan gave up for Vermette and got a cup out of it. Every team makes good and bad moves

Trades must be viewed objectively in a vacuum. Bowman has made some absolutely brutal trades in the past. The Ladd trade was bad - and this has nothing to do with the fact that the Hawks were knocked out early. The Vermette trade was also bad - and this isn’t changed by the fact that the Hawks won the Cup. People argue that Vermette scored a few goals, won some face-offs and we won the Cup. So what? - he wasn’t a dominant addition or the reason the Hawks won the Cup. I’d expect him to do at least something for a First Rounder. If we hadn’t won the Cup the trade would be viewed far more negatively. Win or not he wasn’t a key contributor to the Cup win. He chipped in. These trades must be looked at completely objectively. When Vermette became a Free Agent, after the Cup, teams did not come knocking.

The trade with Montreal was abominable. Weise and Fleishman, who were arguably not even NHL players at that point, for Danault and a Second Rounder. This is as bad as a trade can be. It is incomprehensibly bad.

These all seemed like panic trades, unnecessary trades. They were clearly made with no thought to the value of draft choices. A good GM doesn’t treat draft choices as unimportant. I’m not saying you don’t consider trading your First Rounder but you sure as hell don’t do so for Vermette or Ladd. Remember also that Danault himself was a First Rounder. Bowman treated First, Second and Third Round draft choices as bags of pucks. Curious in making trades for players he can never get a First Rounder back.

Scotty has had a bit too much power. Neither Tallon or Savard read this properly. Would have thought that at least Tallon would have sensed the danger when Scotty’s own son was the Assistant GM. You would’ve thought he would have seen that one coming.

Speculation on both of your parts (and now my own). I know that when I was on a team that keeps losing, morale lowers and "clicks" within the room are more likely to evolve. I know for damn sure if I'm a young guy making $950K and I see Toews out there falling down, handling the puck like he has stone hands, and simply playing at a 3rd line level while making $10.5mil.....it's human nature for there to be some resentment there.
- EnzoD

You are missing the point of how Toews ineptitude is vitally important to the young guys coming up. If you are one of the more average prospects the Hawks bring up and you see Toews falling down, handling the puck like he has stone hands and playing at a 3rd line level while makIng $10.5Mil, you’ve got to be happy and be thinking that you might be in line for some bigger bucks some day than your meager skills deserve. Maybe Toews is doing this as a good captain to give his teammates an incentive.

LOL Pittsburgh with great trade...they did Bowman for Daley a couple years ago and they're back again...

gave up a low #1, a goalie they don't need and a player they didn't want for a legitimate piece that elevates them toward another Cup.

Sorry, but Pittsburgh is the NHL's best franchise over the last 10 years, their legitimate chance to 3-peat is simply remarkable.
- kwolf68

It was easy to fleece Stan there, everyone in the world knew Q did not like Daley.

Charlie Roumeliotis‏
@CRoumeliotis
Joel Quenneville was asked if a specific player
- pdx2ord[Murphy] had more to give, to which he responded while signaling at the locker room: "Here are another 23 guys who need more." #Blackhawks

So, if I'm a player who is playing my a** off each night but I am making mistakes, either of my own volition, or more likely, because I'm playing with yet another set of line mates or a D-man with whom I've practiced either not at all or for a whopping 20 min just that morning, I am not going to go to battle for a guy who says stuff like this. You guys can talk all you want about believing that pro players getting paid shouldn't need motivation, but they can definitely become demoralized like every human being.

He has a bee in his bonnet about Murphy and has since he got here. Dollars to doughnuts it's because he came back for Hammer.

I am 100% with a change of voice etc.... #endQtyranny

That's more than Stan gave up for Vermette and got a cup out of it. Every team makes good and bad moves
- JRoenick97

The ole' fallback, every team hits and misses. Yes, true partially. Some teams make more bad moves and those teams either suck (see Oilers, Edmonton before McJesus arrived) or they make good moves and are consistently good for an ungodly number of years (see Detroit early 1990s to 2013 or so).... Pittsburgh is the Red Wings of this era, just always in the mix, never misses playoffs (even when their star center had a couple of rough years with injuries), working on a fourth Cup as we speak, loaded to the max with talent, with a window that's probably got another 2-3 years in it. They have depth, enough talent on the farm where they can still add TDL players to make a run. Their stars are also handsomely paid as well, but down the middle no team is better and their Defense only needs to be average with the firepower they will throw at you. What Pittsburgh has done in this cap era is mind blowing. Instead of falling off a cliff like Chicago where 'stans fans" blame the cap, Pittsburgh just keep son keeping on. Kudos to their GM, who should win another GM of the year.

Trades must be viewed objectively in a vacuum. Bowman has made some absolutely brutal trades in the past. The Ladd trade was bad - and this has nothing to do with the fact that the Hawks were knocked out early. The Vermette trade was also bad - and this isn’t changed by the fact that the Hawks won the Cup. People argue that Vermette scored a few goals, won some face-offs and we won the Cup. So what? - he wasn’t a dominant addition or the reason the Hawks won the Cup. I’d expect him to do at least something for a First Rounder. If we hadn’t won the Cup the trade would be viewed far more negatively. Win or not he wasn’t a key contributor to the Cup win. He chipped in. These trades must be looked at completely objectively. When Vermette became a Free Agent, after the Cup, teams did not come knocking.

The trade with Montreal was abominable. Weise and Fleishman, who were arguably not even NHL players at that point, for Danault and a Second Rounder. This is as bad as a trade can be. It is incomprehensibly bad.

These all seemed like panic trades, unnecessary trades. They were clearly made with no thought to the value of draft choices. A good GM doesn’t treat draft choices as unimportant. I’m not saying you don’t consider trading your First Rounder but you sure as hell don’t do so for Vermette or Ladd. Remember also that Danault himself was a First Rounder. Bowman treated First, Second and Third Round draft choices as bags of pucks. Curious in making trades for players he can never get a First Rounder back.

Scotty has had a bit too much power. Neither Tallon or Savard read this properly. Would have thought that at least Tallon would have sensed the danger when Scotty’s own son was the Assistant GM. You would’ve thought he would have seen that one coming.
- Z3Hawk

You use that word objectively a lot for someone who really isn't. Any trade that helps you win a cup, are the best trades made that year, to say its not, well I can't really put it into words other than keep up the good"objective" work.

The ole' fallback, every team hits and misses. Yes, true partially. Some teams make more bad moves and those teams either suck (see Oilers, Edmonton before McJesus arrived) or they make good moves and are consistently good for an ungodly number of years (see Detroit early 1990s to 2013 or so).... Pittsburgh is the Red Wings of this era, just always in the mix, never misses playoffs (even when their star center had a couple of rough years with injuries), working on a fourth Cup as we speak, loaded to the max with talent, with a window that's probably got another 2-3 years in it. They have depth, enough talent on the farm where they can still add TDL players to make a run. Their stars are also handsomely paid as well, but down the middle no team is better and their Defense only needs to be average with the firepower they will throw at you. What Pittsburgh has done is mind blowing. Kudos to their GM, who should win another GM of the year.
- kwolf68

Um they gave up a 1st and Cole, which they could of traded for picks, and that's a great trade? Not really

It's great if they win a cup this year other wise, like the Hawks, they gave up assets for a rental and made themselves a little weaker after this year

The ole' fallback, every team hits and misses. Yes, true partially. Some teams make more bad moves and those teams either suck (see Oilers, Edmonton before McJesus arrived) or they make good moves and are consistently good for an ungodly number of years (see Detroit early 1990s to 2013 or so).... Pittsburgh is the Red Wings of this era, just always in the mix, never misses playoffs (even when their star center had a couple of rough years with injuries), working on a fourth Cup as we speak, loaded to the max with talent, with a window that's probably got another 2-3 years in it. They have depth, enough talent on the farm where they can still add TDL players to make a run. Their stars are also handsomely paid as well, but down the middle no team is better and their Defense only needs to be average with the firepower they will throw at you. What Pittsburgh has done in this cap era is mind blowing. Instead of falling off a cliff like Chicago where 'stans fans" blame the cap, Pittsburgh just keep son keeping on. Kudos to their GM, who should win another GM of the year.
- kwolf68

You know it's 2 GMs right? Shero, then Rutherford.

I think I saw Justin on a milk carton this afternoon, sources must be napping.

You know it's 2 GMs right? Shero, then Rutherford.
- JRoenick97

I argue JR has done even more amazing because he has had to manage the cap and has two Cups under his belt and looks to be heading for a third. JR took over a team with an elite core and has made it BETTER. Kessel gets ripped a lot, but that's an insane bargain. He snagged Shultz, Horny, even got use out of hands of stone Haglin, drafted well, found a goalie, then shipped off salary without getting bent over the barrel. He also get the exact guy his team needs. Shero built the foundation, but Rutherford put the walls and doors on and is currently touching up the trim. They look like they should also compete for at least another 2-3 years...conceivably 13 years straight of playoffs with at least 3 Cups, and maybe now a frontrunner for a 3-Peat. Simply amazing.

Um they gave up a 1st and Cole, which they could of traded for picks, and that's a great trade? Not really

It's great if they win a cup this year other wise, like the Hawks, they gave up assets for a rental and made themselves a little weaker after this year
- BetweenTheDots

Yeah, people are acting like a rental trade isn't some normal thing that happens every year. We've done it, other teams do it. Pretty standard deadline deal. Brassard could totally not fit their system and it could blow up in their faces. Look how long it took Duchene to get going in OTT.

Read what they say about Nashville.

https://sports.yahoo.com/...titude-nhl-125525020.html

Read what they say about Nashville.

https://sports.yahoo.com/...titude-nhl-125525020.html
- Savoy

Then try to defend Bowman.

Um they gave up a 1st and Cole, which they could of traded for picks, and that's a great trade? Not really

It's great if they win a cup this year other wise, like the Hawks, they gave up assets for a rental and made themselves a little weaker after this year
- BetweenTheDots

They gave up assets for a rental?

Ah no. Brassard has another year on his deal

The goalie they don't need, the dude is like fourth on their depth chart. Ian Cole has been a healthy scratch most nights.

This is a great trade for Pittsburgh. Thing is I don't think its bad for Ottawa...if they can flip Cole for a #2 then they have a #1, #2 and a potential future goalie.

I argue JR has done even more amazing because he has had to manage the cap and has two Cups under his belt and looks to be heading for a third. JR took over a team with an elite core and has made it BETTER. Kessel gets ripped a lot, but that's an insane bargain. He snagged Shultz, Horny, even got use out of hands of stone Haglin, drafted well, found a goalie, then shipped off salary without getting bent over the barrel. He also get the exact guy his team needs. Shero built the foundation, but Rutherford put the walls and doors on and is currently touching up the trim. They look like they should also compete for at least another 2-3 years...conceivably 13 years straight of playoffs with at least 3 Cups, and maybe now a frontrunner for a 3-Peat. Simply amazing.
- kwolf68

Rutherford has done well, yes. The Pens were looking like the end of the Detroit years where they would make the playoffs, but never were going to make the finals. He took them back to contender status.

Rutherford has done well, yes. The Pens were looking like the end of the Detroit years where they would make the playoffs, but never were going to make the finals. He took them back to contender status.
- JRoenick97

I agree. Pittsburgh didn't have the depth back then and Crosby and even Malkn were injured a bit. I think Crosby had serious concussions a couple of those years.

What Pittsburgh has done is nothing short of brilliant. I am rooting against them in these playoffs as I am good and sick of them, but it would not shock me to see them lift the Cup yet again.

Sorry Enzo, but this is just wrong.

Toews has not been great by the standards he has played to in the past, and he has not played to his $10.5mil, but he is by far, and its not even close, the best center on this team, and he would be the best center on a whole bunch of the other 30 teams in the league also. The rhetoric that he is only a 3rd line player right now is just comical.
- TheTrob

He'd be the best center on a whole bunch of the 30 teams in the NHL? At his current level of play? I think not. He's arguably not a top 15 center in the league anymore.

Crosby, Malkin, McDavid, Begeron, Kopitar, Tavares, Eric Staal, Seguin, Eichel, Matthews, Getzlaf, Coutrier... all better not even really an argument (not sure if all are playing C this year exclusively). You could add several more that are having better overall years than Toews.

Crap Braydon Schenn is having a great year with the Blues even. Ryan Johansen is having a down year but he dominates Toews when they match-up. Do you take Scheifele over Toews?

Then try to defend Bowman.
- Savoy

3 Apples and zero Oranges. Now if you want to compare Pitt - well that's a different story.

Then try to defend Bowman.
- Savoy

Defend him for what? Paying guys for winning 3 cups in 6 years? Nashville and Tampa would love to have 3 cups. Toews and Kane's second contracts were very affordable. Then they won 3 cups. Put some time perspective on your criticisms. Lets see Nashville win a couple before you start envying them.