They get a cheap, big young player in Bickell....

New coach there now and he has had a chance to look things over and give his input....The Caps have been coming around but will look to improve.
- Al

How does shipping out two roster players for prospects and/or Bickell improve them?

My only question...how big of an upgrade is Erskine over O'Donnell? Honestly, I'm not too sure it is a big enough one to trade away prospects for. Sure it would give us depth, but I rather get depth in a #4/5 guy not another #6 guy.
- HawkFan27

+1

They get a cheap, big young player in Bickell....

New coach there now and he has had a chance to look things over and give his input....The Caps have been coming around but will look to improve.
- Al

Yep..Bicks will probably in the line-up! A change of teams, particulary to the east might really do him good.

I read somewhere that according to Scott his room-mate that Bickel is really fighting it and very down on himself.

I like this trade.

Brussard @ 3.2 mil for the next 2 years will cost you more but they might be buying low considering his under production this year. Might be worth a go for this year and possibly use him in aonther trade over the summer if they don't like his cap hit or he doesn't fit.

Halpern would be a player who can contribute on a regular basis...Hard nosed great faceoff man.

Upgrades or not - if any significant prospect is involved for either of these two players, I'd be unhappy.

Maybe I over-value guys like Morin, Smith, etc - but if the return is only a couple of low-level role guys, gritty and upgrade over Bickell or not, I don't quite understand the move. I don't see those two guys being the final pieces that win the 'Hawks a cup this year.
- FredoXV

Role players are exactly what the hawks need. They have the superstars already. just need grity players that can eat minutes, play defense, and play the PK. Everything else will fall into place when guys like hossa or keith are not burned out by playing an obsurd amount of minutes. Guys like shaw and hayes are successful because they get in the dirty areas and know their role. They aren't like bickell who thinks hes patrick kane

So why does a team that looks like a playoff team trade those 2 for prospects or Bryan Bickell?
- pri$ey

Prospect names I heard were not insignificant.

Halpern will help take some of the load off the top six on the PK.
- golfbard

And that is huge...those are tough added minutes for your top guys like Toews and Hossa!

Johnson did it last year and Madden the year before!

Prospect names I heard were not insignificant.
- John Jaeckel

Makes me worry. I'm sorry, but giving up a Pirri/Morin/etc for a Erskine, who I don't think is a huge upgrade over anyone, just doesn't make sense to me. For a #4/5 guy sure...but damn I donno how I am feeling about the potential rumors here.

Agreed. 3rd or 4th round draft picks in a package with Bicks or some other stiff in the org. Nothing more.
- philco28

As long as it's not a 5th rounder... thats were we get our Shaws from.


Any other 2011 5th rounders in the NHL.. what a steel!

Bickell may be on the out....imagine that...

Bickell may be on the out....imagine that...

Bickell may be on the out....imagine that...

Sorry bout the triple post

And that is huge...those are tough added minutes for your top guys like Toews and Hossa!

Johnson did it last year and Madden the year before!
- bogiedoc

Whta has been missing here are players who can play top mins on the PK unit...

A defenseman and a center...I expect at least one if not both needs to be filled.

Bickell may be on the out....imagine that...
- southernhawk

That would be great. Cant believe anyone would want Bickell though. But if the rumored return is what it is the Caps fans might be saying the same thing and their guys coming back this way. We'll see.

Prospect names I heard were not insignificant.
- John Jaeckel

Can you elaborate?

Prospect names I heard were not insignificant.
- John Jaeckel

Morin seems to be the big name I would think. Hoping Olsen is not in consideration. Morin has seemed to be less effective since his last concussion. I am wondering if Lepisto and Bickell plus morin might be shipped off for those two. I like that trade if WSH throws a pick back in the deal. Halpern and Mayers on the same line lets Jamal go back to the wing and make a pain in the @ss line for opposing top lines to face. Erskine has a hurt shoulder I thought I read. If healthy I think he is a perfect fit with Montador. Getting those two fill two large needs!

That would be great. Cant believe anyone would want Bickell though. But if the rumored return is what it is the Caps fans might be saying the same thing and their guys coming back this way. We'll see.
- mrpaulish

I can. He is one year removed from a pretty solid year and he has all the tools to be a quality NHL player. Effort is what is lacking but we have seen effort out of him in the past. A change of scenery would likely do him some good.

Makes me worry. I'm sorry, but giving up a Pirri/Morin/etc for a Erskine, who I don't think is a huge upgrade over anyone, just doesn't make sense to me. For a #4/5 guy sure...ebut damn I donno how I am feeling about the potential rumors her.
- HawkFan27

Well.. We are reading them on Hockey Buzz

A 4th line forward and a #6/7 defenseman???

Depth is nice, however, with 11.5M (full season salary) room underneath the cap, we should be adding good players to push our middle tier players down the depth chart. I know it takes two to tango and there are a lot more buyers than sellers, but adding Erskine and Halpern is probably only slightly more than an insignificant marginal improvement.

I heard he could be out 6 weeks, is it longer?...Do you know status after surgery, beyond foreseeable future?
- Al

Have not seen anything other than out 4-6 weeks; skating in a few weeks; and a projected return right before the trade deadline. Sorry...

I can. He is one year removed from a pretty solid year and he has all the tools to be a quality NHL player. Effort is what is lacking but we have seen effort out of him in the past.
- HawkFan27

Unfortunately the same can be said about Kane lately

Likely a pipe dream, but I would much rather see something along the lines of Bickell, Olsen, and maybe a pick for a guy like Smid. Smid's more of a top 4 calibre guy, and he's young enough to essentially replace Olsen as the next D-man off of the farm, buying time to develop some other youngsters for the pipeline.

Morin seems to be the big name I would think. Hoping Olsen is not in consideration. Morin has seemed to be less effective since his last concussion. I am wondering if Lepisto and Bickell plus morin might be shipped off for those two. I like that trade if WSH throws a pick back in the deal. Halpern and Mayers on the same line lets Jamal go back to the wing and make a pain in the @ss line for opposing top lines to face. Erskine has a hurt shoulder I thought I read. If healthy I think he is a perfect fit with Montador. Getting those two fill two large needs!
- ikeane

He did recently not play for 6 games....his TOI is about 8-10. Low Cap hit..one more year @ 1.5 mil. Nice fit for 6-7 dman.

Unfortunately the same can be said about Kane lately
- ikeane

Yea, but it doesn't matter with Kane as he is sort of the exception to the rule. Kane is so gifted that he is still very valuable to the team, even with this slump he is going through.