They know where they are signing, or are likely already made up their decisions. If I had to guess, they are probably circling back with their respective teams and laying it out for them. Giving them an opportunity to match or beat it before moving on.

Prediction (other than pain): Parise to Pitt. Suter to Minny. Stan gets shut out and gives us the 'we tried, but we like our team' response. Book it
- eburgio

Just curious, given the information that JJ has shared with us today, it appears that they really did try and its up to them. What else would SB say?

I dunno, I don't think Bowman is the GM of the year, but wow it seems like this guy can't do anything right....

yes
- fattybeef

Campbell had a NTC and he left...it's not hard. Just have to work the trade partner work on the player.

Per Buccigross...Redwings had a private jet land and take off in Madison today. Now that could be the Chelios clan wooing him....So if that's the case, and they promise use of the corporate jet for his family.....AND tons of $$....good bye.

This is going to be one gigantic tease....

Josh Rimer via twitter: Looking like the Penguins and Blackhawks are the front runners for Zach Parise.

Consider this:

If Kane was sent apcking to Buffalo, would they consider newly acquired OTT and Miller to round out the Hawk playoff challenge team.

Withe the new collective bargaining agreement going to close many loopholes and longer term deals like the ones being mentioned, it basically is now or never for the big spender franchises...
- wiz1901

If the Pens sign Parise, I want to be the commissioned sales agent for the insurance company that writes the policies on Crosby (head), Malkin (knee) and Parise (knee).

Probably, the yotes have been signing a bunch of borderline nhl/ahl jumpers. Chris Conner, Alex Bolduc, etc. If Mr. Doan abandons the sinking ship, you'd have to think they'll never sniff out another playoff series win.
- prd797

It's always good to have organizational depth...but have a feeling Doan will pull a Brodeur....tease, tease and stay put.

Just curious, given the information that JJ has shared with us today, it appears that they really did try and its up to them. What else would SB say?

I dunno, I don't think Bowman is the GM of the year, but wow it seems like this guy can't do anything right....
- hawkfan79

Results....are what matters.

How do you NOT sell Chicago over Minn, Pitts, Det, Nash, or NJ? 3rd largest market, HUGE endorsement opportunities, get to play with a young CHAMPIONSHIP PROVEN core, play in front of the largest building in the NHL (at least it used to be)..

These deals reek of McDonough. Throwing huge cash to buy a splash. Just like he did with Soriano, just like he did with Huet. You don't just JUMP in at the last second unless you are pushing hard for a splash and trying to appease an angry fan base.

Regardless, they are still the same team on paper that they were when Phoenix booted them out. Brookbank is a young O'donnell. Nothing more. Same holes still exist.

So I'm not buying the college try hard routine. Glad they did, but in the end results are all that SHOULD matter....not excuses.

Campbell had a NTC and he left...it's not hard. Just have to work the trade partner work on the player.

Per Buccigross...Redwings had a private jet land and take off in Madison today. Now that could be the Chelios clan wooing him....So if that's the case, and they promise use of the corporate jet for his family.....AND tons of $$....good bye.

This is going to be one gigantic tease....
- SteveRain

I don't claim to be an expert on the CBA, but wouldn't this be an impermissible extra benefit that is prohibited?

Campbell had a NTC and he left...it's not hard. Just have to work the trade partner work on the player.

Per Buccigross...Redwings had a private jet land and take off in Madison today. Now that could be the Chelios clan wooing him....So if that's the case, and they promise use of the corporate jet for his family.....AND tons of $$....good bye.

This is going to be one gigantic tease....
- SteveRain

He just bought a house, just had a baby, seems to love Chicago, is playing on a good team, is a leader on the team that everyone likes, and just started his new contract. Now some of that may change in the future, but I would be willing to wager a ton of money that he will not waive his NTC this year for any reason. Also, after spending many months looking for the ideal house to raise a family, I disagree that buying a house is no big deal for multi-millionaires.

Results....are what matters.

How do you NOT sell Chicago over Minn, Pitts, Det, Nash, or NJ? 3rd largest market, HUGE endorsement opportunities, get to play with a young CHAMPIONSHIP PROVEN core, play in front of the largest building in the NHL (at least it used to be)..

These deals reek of McDonough. Throwing huge cash to buy a splash. Just like he did with Soriano, just like he did with Huet. You don't just JUMP in at the last second unless you are pushing hard for a splash and trying to appease an angry fan base.

Regardless, they are still the same team on paper that they were when Phoenix booted them out. Brookbank is a young O'donnell. Nothing more. Same holes still exist.

So I'm not buying the college try hard routine. Glad they did, but in the end results are all that SHOULD matter....not excuses.
- SteveRain

Yeah I feel like no matter what happens today, if Chicago misses grabbing one of these players everybody is going to feel cheated. The fans will be happy with a slightly tinkered with version of the same team that exited the first round against Phoenix last season? No... the team as it stands leaves some things to be desired...

There is almost no possible way Chicago could land both today, and if it did happen it would mean other core player or players going elsewhere. Best case scenario fantasies run rampant in my head

He just bought a house, just had a baby, seems to love Chicago, is playing on a good team, is a leader on the team that everyone likes, and just started his new contract. Now some of that may change in the future, but I would be willing to wager a ton of money that he will not waive his NTC this year for any reason. Also, after spending many months looking for the ideal house to raise a family, I disagree that buying a house is no big deal for multi-millionaires.
- coldsteelonice

I agree with what you are saying and I don't think it EVER comes to that. Sharp is too valuable in the locker room. He won't be dealt.

A guy like Bolland who is paid a TON to be a 3rd line center is a prime candidate to go...>Especially with the GM who gave him that asinine deal lurking in Florida.

I guess. I hate big gatherings of drunken morons.

It's my wife's doing. I'm just along for the ride.
- EKolb13

You mean like Twitter?

I agree with what you are saying and I don't think it EVER comes to that. Sharp is too valuable in the locker room. He won't be dealt.

A guy like Bolland who is paid a TON to be a 3rd line center is a prime candidate to go...>Especially with the GM who gave him that asinine deal lurking in Florida.
- SteveRain

with the deals being pissed around 3.3375 is nothing....

Results....are what matters.

How do you NOT sell Chicago over Minn, Pitts, Det, Nash, or NJ? 3rd largest market, HUGE endorsement opportunities, get to play with a young CHAMPIONSHIP PROVEN core, play in front of the largest building in the NHL (at least it used to be)..

These deals reek of McDonough. Throwing huge cash to buy a splash. Just like he did with Soriano, just like he did with Huet. You don't just JUMP in at the last second unless you are pushing hard for a splash and trying to appease an angry fan base.

Regardless, they are still the same team on paper that they were when Phoenix booted them out. Brookbank is a young O'donnell. Nothing more. Same holes still exist.

So I'm not buying the college try hard routine. Glad they did, but in the end results are all that SHOULD matter....not excuses.
- SteveRain

Would you please stop with the Soriano comparison? Totally different situations...

You mean like Twitter?
- John Jaeckel

Any recent rumblings JJ?

Yeah I feel like no matter what happens today, if Chicago misses grabbing one of these players everybody is going to feel cheated. The fans will be happy with a slightly tinkered with version of the same team that exited the first round against Phoenix last season? No... the team as it stands leaves some things to be desired...

There is almost no possible way Chicago could land both today, and if it did happen it would mean other core player or players going elsewhere. Best case scenario fantasies run rampant in my head
- Ballam

This is probably why they were trying to lower expectations that no major changes were going to happen. Now if they strike out when everyone is expecting a big splash it creates a big problem for the brand and they could lose some in the fan base.

I don't even know if getting both Parise AND Suter is the smart hockey move considering there's a cap, but I'm all ancy waiting for something exciting to happen nonetheless. So I will be let down if nothing happens.

Just curious, given the information that JJ has shared with us today, it appears that they really did try and its up to them. What else would SB say?

I dunno, I don't think Bowman is the GM of the year, but wow it seems like this guy can't do anything right....
- hawkfan79

He either has to:

(a) sign one or both of P and S

or

(b) what does he do if they don't?

I would understand not getting either - although if that happens, I would like Rocky to do an analysis of why Chicago and Blackhawks were shut out - but I would certainly hope - and expect - that he/they haven't thrown everything at P & S, with no other plan.

Offseason could be a success without P & S if there is other movement to solve current problems: 2nd line center, crease-clearing defenseman, face-off circle improvement, PK improvement, PP improvement.

Actually, that holds true even if the do get P and / or S.

This is probably why they were trying to lower expectations that no major changes were going to happen. Now if they strike out when everyone is expecting a big splash it creates a big problem for the brand and they could lose some in the fan base.

I don't even know if getting both Parise AND Suter is the smart hockey move considering there's a cap, but I'm all ancy waiting for something exciting to happen nonetheless. So I will be let down if nothing happens.
- coldsteelonice

We're all so pumped Bowman is kicking the tires but the disappointment when nothing happens is going to really suck....... I hope I'm wrong here

This is probably why they were trying to lower expectations that no major changes were going to happen. Now if they strike out when everyone is expecting a big splash it creates a big problem for the brand and they could lose some in the fan base.

I don't even know if getting both Parise AND Suter is the smart hockey move considering there's a cap, but I'm all ancy waiting for something exciting to happen nonetheless. So I will be let down if nothing happens.
- coldsteelonice

We're all so pumped Bowman is kicking the tires but the disappointment when nothing happens is going to really suck....... I hope I'm wrong here

Mike Halford ‏@HalfordPHT

Free agency, man. RT @clipper377 Jet owned by Red Wings parent company left Madison WI 45 mins ago. Carrying Suter? http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N559LC

He just bought a house, just had a baby, seems to love Chicago, is playing on a good team, is a leader on the team that everyone likes, and just started his new contract. Now some of that may change in the future, but I would be willing to wager a ton of money that he will not waive his NTC this year for any reason. Also, after spending many months looking for the ideal house to raise a family, I disagree that buying a house is no big deal for multi-millionaires.
- coldsteelonice

Sharp is an athlete...traveling and moving around is part of the game. I seriously doubt he drove around for 3 months (like I did) looking for the perfect house to fit his budget. The uber-rich don't do it like us. He probably looked at a few houses, no more. He got a list of mansions and went to look at a few and then picked one. Give me a salary of 5/million per and I could get a great house, with great everything, in a great school system in a few days.

It is PURE conjecture to say he wouldn't waive his NTC to move. PURE conjecture based on extraneous factors. Who would have dreamed Campbell would waive HIS NTC to play in freaking Florida.

YOU DONT know what Sharp will do. YOU DONT know. So until then, his movement should be on the table if it will help the organization. I'd rather keep Kane than Sharp even though I think Sharp is a better guy. Lets roll the bank Kane matures, grows up (it may happen)...younger, far more dynamic than Sharp.

Just curious, given the information that JJ has shared with us today, it appears that they really did try and its up to them. What else would SB say?

I dunno, I don't think Bowman is the GM of the year, but wow it seems like this guy can't do anything right....
- hawkfan79

I understand your point. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks that maybe all of the vitriol that was spewed toward the front office on Sunday, may have been noticed by those IN the front office, which prompted them to get in on Parise. I know the Hawks keep things close to the vest, but they weren't in on Parise and Suter and all of a sudden they were front-runners. Hmmm.

So the whole 'we like our team' thing, is a low blow, sure. I'll admit. But you're all assuming that their offer in Suter/Parise is earnest. Perhaps Stan knew Parise was into Pittsburgh and just wanted to give him something to think about, at least for his own fan base. Seems like a stretch, but would you put it past a guy who afraid to make the ballsy move? Just looking at the other side of the coin.

Mike Halford ‏@HalfordPHT

Free agency, man. RT @clipper377 Jet owned by Red Wings parent company left Madison WI 45 mins ago. Carrying Suter? http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N559LC
- KillaB917

....heading to ORD???

Results....are what matters.

How do you NOT sell Chicago over Minn, Pitts, Det, Nash, or NJ? 3rd largest market, HUGE endorsement opportunities, get to play with a young CHAMPIONSHIP PROVEN core, play in front of the largest building in the NHL (at least it used to be)..

These deals reek of McDonough. Throwing huge cash to buy a splash. Just like he did with Soriano, just like he did with Huet. You don't just JUMP in at the last second unless you are pushing hard for a splash and trying to appease an angry fan base.

Regardless, they are still the same team on paper that they were when Phoenix booted them out. Brookbank is a young O'donnell. Nothing more. Same holes still exist.

So I'm not buying the college try hard routine. Glad they did, but in the end results are all that SHOULD matter....not excuses.
- SteveRain

I don't know, maybe I'm just not as cynical as you, but I just don't think that decisions of that magnitude are that impulsive. I don't care where McDonough came from (let's eliminate the "Cubs" way for a minute) I have a real hard time believing they made a decision to go all in just because a few message board fans were really angry.

Like I've mentioned before, I'm not going to judge this team until the season starts, there were a lot of bit players that changed hands, a few players that might have helped the Hawks, but I"m going to wait until October before I bust out my pitchforks.

And if they offered up a fair deal, and they choose not to go here, how's that on SB? Reminds me of the Dwight Howard not wanting to come to Chicago. I'm not implying that Parise or Suter are like Dwight Howard, but some Bulls fans were all mad at the organization because they couldn't convince Dwight Howard to come here. You never know what the motivations are behind a decision of that magnitude, you put your best foot forward and let the chips fall where they may. The point that they are actually giving it a significant effort shows to me they are giving an effort, and that's all you can really ask for.

....heading to ORD???
- blackhawk24

more than likely it could have been a last ditch effort to talk. I doubt he is on that plane even if he decides to sign there. Sheesh. This is almost as bad as Theo-watch for the Cubs.

I agree with what you are saying and I don't think it EVER comes to that. Sharp is too valuable in the locker room. He won't be dealt.

A guy like Bolland who is paid a TON to be a 3rd line center is a prime candidate to go...>Especially with the GM who gave him that asinine deal lurking in Florida.
- SteveRain

Bolland is no longer paid a ton..

With current contracts, his contract has him right where he should be IMO.