Yes.... how to approach damage control when Lou fails. Also how to manage the payroll with a goalies' cap hit that's 2x higher than the rest of the roster was intended to be structured. Also, selling Rocky on a failed goalie experiment up to 4x as costly as Huet's playing in Europe.

If the 'Hawks had expensive pieces they didn't want, could unload and Gillis would take, then fine. Frolik, Hammer etc isn't nearly expensive enough pieces when we look at a several season picture.

Sorry, but Gillis is in the corner and CHI should not be the ones to let him out of it. The cap hit exchange & the overall risk are simply too high for CHI.
- blackhawk24

Agreed. Crawford, Monty and Olesz for Lou...otherwise bugger off.

He will be full time on the WPT in four years.
- 1970vintage

Could those teams swing a 3-way (no pun intended)...??
- blackhawk24

Sure if Gillis is looking at something the Hawks have, like Hammer, and Dale sees the need to move Markstrom.

But I think it can be done easier separately, from Florida's standpoint. Dale can shop Markstrom for the best deal and if he does he's in no hurry as Markstrom is at AAA.

I also don't see the Hawks moving Hammer for Markstrom, but do for Lou.

Yes.... how to approach damage control when Lou fails. Also how to manage the payroll with a goalies' cap hit that's 2x higher than the rest of the roster was intended to be structured. Also, selling Rocky on a failed goalie experiment up to 4x as costly as Huet's playing in Europe.

If the 'Hawks had expensive pieces they didn't want, could unload and Gillis would take, then fine. Frolik, Hammer etc isn't nearly expensive enough pieces when we look at a several season picture.

Sorry, but Gillis is in the corner and CHI should not be the ones to let him out of it. The cap hit exchange & the overall risk are simply too high for CHI.
- blackhawk24

But winning with his former goalie is the way to really stick it to him. Its a gamble, but he is arguably one of the five best goalies in the nhl. His deal blows, but the money is crazy all around the league. We cannot win a Cup without a change in net and i dont see other opportunities rising. The argument the last few years is that you can win cups with average goaltending. Quick has set that one aside for awhile. We cannot win with Crow. Period.[url]

I have disliked Lu in the past due to his affiliation with the free willies in Van, but I dislike losing even more. Can you imagine that storyline? With this move and a 2c, pretty good offseason if you can swing it. Seems like Crow would need to get moved...his already low self esteem has to be lower than sammy salo's missing nut right about now.

THis blog helps explain the money better, but is Gillis the gambler Tallon is? Simply put, he does not want to go into next season with the distraction of Lu. If I had to bet on it, I would bet TOR, FLA, CHI, VAN.

I say give it a shot. His numbers are regularly better than brodeurs.
- HealthyScratch1

Gillis has more up his sleeve than just dealing with the "distraction" of Lu and the $ remaining on the contract. He has 2 or 3 additional moves he'd like to do I think.

Not buying for a minute that Gillis and AV thnk Schneider is a better goalie than Lu right now. He knows Schneider is good enough to be their #1 goalie and moving Lu gives him financial flexibility to go after something else he wants for his team -Shea Weber next year, maybe Shane Doan right away, maybe Iginla etc. etc.

That's why I don't help him very much in fair trade value by trading NHL players back to him. Crawford and #1 pick next year - take it or leave it. Call Tallon and he"ll give you Scotty Upshall or unsigned Versteeg.

Yes.... how to approach damage control when Lou fails. Also how to manage the payroll with a goalies' cap hit that's 2x higher than the rest of the roster was intended to be structured. Also, selling Rocky on a failed goalie experiment up to 4x as costly as Huet's playing in Europe.

If the 'Hawks had expensive pieces they didn't want, could unload and Gillis would take, then fine. Frolik, Hammer etc isn't nearly expensive enough pieces when we look at a several season picture.

Sorry, but Gillis is in the corner and CHI should not be the ones to let him out of it. The cap hit exchange & the overall risk are simply too high for CHI.
- blackhawk24

Gillis is in less of a corner than you think. He's sitting on a full roster and $5 million to spare. He could hold out to the tdl if he really wanted to in an effort to see how badly playoff contending teams need a goalie. At that point the table are turned.

If anything, as I said above, it could be a perfect development situation for Markstrom.
- k

Markstrom was pissed he wasn't on the NHL roster last year. Now they bring in Lou and he sees he's not gonna be a #1 for 2-3-4-5 years?

Plus he's from Sweden and one worries he leaves for his homeland. Then Dale gets nothing for him.

But winning with his former goalie is the way to really stick it to him. Its a gamble, but he is arguably one of the five best goalies in the nhl. His deal blows, but the money is crazy all around the league. We cannot win a Cup without a change in net and i dont see other opportunities rising. The argument the last few years is that you can win cups with average goaltending. Quick has set that one aside for awhile. We cannot win with Crow. Period.
- HealthyScratch1[url]

This is one of the reasons why I don't think Gillis will move Luongo to Chicago, unless the deal is too good to pass up...and I would be surprised if Bowman offered such a deal. The idea of Luongo in a Chi jersey defeating the Canucks in a playoff round would be just too brutal for Vancouver. So, if the deal from Chicago is tepid, I see gillis trying to get Luongo out East...

But winning with his former goalie is the way to really stick it to him. Its a gamble, but he is arguably one of the five best goalies in the nhl. His deal blows, but the money is crazy all around the league. We cannot win a Cup without a change in net and i dont see other opportunities rising. The argument the last few years is that you can win cups with average goaltending. Quick has set that one aside for awhile. We cannot win with Crow. Period.
- HealthyScratch1[url]

If sticking it to the Canucks is your priority for getting Luogo ,then goaltending is not your biggest issue. Move on .

Gillis has more up his sleeve than just dealing with the "distraction" of Lu and the $ remaining on the contract. He has 2 or 3 additional moves he'd like to do I think.

Not buying for a minute that Gillis and AV thnk Schneider is a better goalie than Lu right now. He knows Schneider is good enough to be their #1 goalie and moving Lu gives him financial flexibility to go after something else he wants for his team -Shea Weber next year, maybe Shane Doan right away, maybe Iginla etc. etc.

That's why I don't help him very much in fair trade value by trading NHL players back to him. Crawford and #1 pick next year - take it or leave it. Call Tallon and he"ll give you Scotty Upshall or unsigned Versteeg.
- RickJ

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.

Gillis has more up his sleeve than just dealing with the "distraction" of Lu and the $ remaining on the contract. He has 2 or 3 additional moves he'd like to do I think.

Not buying for a minute that Gillis and AV thnk Schneider is a better goalie than Lu right now. He knows Schneider is good enough to be their #1 goalie and moving Lu gives him financial flexibility to go after something else he wants for his team -Shea Weber next year, maybe Shane Doan right away, maybe Iginla etc. etc.

That's why I don't help him very much in fair trade value by trading NHL players back to him. Crawford and #1 pick next year - take it or leave it. Call Tallon and he"ll give you Scotty Upshall or unsigned Versteeg.
- RickJ

This is very true. Gillis will push for one or both.

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.
- Scooby_Doo

Versteeg must be trying to set a record for most teams played for in 3 years.

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.
- Scooby_Doo

Versteeg must be trying to set a record for most teams played for in 3 years.

Markstrom was pissed he wasn't on the NHL roster last year. Now they bring in Lou and he sees he's not gonna be a #1 for 2-3-4-5 years?

Plus he's from Sweden and one worries he leaves for his homeland. Then Dale gets nothing for him.
- Mr Ricochet

So what if he was pissed. He played 7 games last year, had some good games, crapped the bed in others. People speak on this board as if Markstrom is a sure thing...seriously. Look, he may well turn out to be great, or he may be another Andrew Raycroft, Jim Carrey...if Tallon says I'm going to wait it out for Markstrom that move is a gamble too, maybe it will pay off, but the kid's played 8 games, and has not been lights out in them all, to say the least. Markstrom should worry more about not giving up 5 goals to Tampa on 34 shots than whether he's on the starting roster.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/pl..._/id/5452/jacob-markstrom

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.
- Scooby_Doo

Is Theodore going to waive NTC

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.
- Scooby_Doo

Who is your source, Shaggy or Vilma?

B

Who is your source, Shaggy or Vilma?
- k

Agreed. Crawford, Monty and Olesz for Lou...otherwise bugger off.
- Ogilthorpe2

That's a Gillis guaranteed, "no", so end the discussion now. "Hey, thanks for playing the 'who's gonna get Lou' sweepstakes." "We have a few nice parting gifts, Bob, tell them what they've won."

They will not make the playoffs if they don't upgrade. Wash and Car got stronger and Fla will probably finish 3 rd in their division.
- VANTEL

Yeah, that's what everyone said last season. No doubters here anymore. Carolina DID get stronger, how could they not? Washington is another story. We're going to be ok, and..I doubt Tallon is done. We already have a good team, and there's a ways to go to even hit the cap floor. More to come.

Is Theodore going to waive NTC
- VANTEL

Not sure. I just figured he'd be in the deal. My hairdresser knows Versteeg, said he's trying to work out a deal with Canucks before the trade can be made.

No idea what he wants, but I'm guessing 4-5.

Yeah, that's what everyone said last season. No doubters here anymore. Carolina DID get stronger, how could they not? Washington is another story. We're going to be ok, and..I doubt Tallon is done. We already have a good team, and there's a ways to go to even hit the cap floor. More to come.
- PanthersGoal

I like the look of Florida, good young team, lots of promise/potential, and you really should have taken NJ out. This is why the Luongo move is intriguing for Tallon; could blow up in his face, but could also be good timing for a team moving in the right direction, especially in an Eastern conference that is fairly wide open I think. Pitt seems the best, but then again they seemed that way last year headed into the playoffs.

But winning with his former goalie is the way to really stick it to him. Its a gamble, but he is arguably one of the five best goalies in the nhl. His deal blows, but the money is crazy all around the league. We cannot win a Cup without a change in net and i dont see other opportunities rising. The argument the last few years is that you can win cups with average goaltending. Quick has set that one aside for awhile. We cannot win with Crow. Period.
- HealthyScratch1[url]

There's other options. Remember back in 2010 how everyone and their mother was clammoring for Vokoun in Feb when they thought Niemi couldn't do it?

CC had one so-so season and we're basing everything on 2 soft goals. When in fact there was no guarantee the 'Hawks would have won either or both of those 2 games. Fortifying the team defence - striving towards the 2010 teams' approach - with CC in net is OK.

They have the cap space to do it. Just acquiring Moore, Winnik and Hannan to go along with Brookbank and full seasons of Shaw, Oduya and Carcillo can work wonders.

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.
- Scooby_Doo

I see nothng on my twitter. Where does this infor come from?

That's a Gillis guaranteed, "no", so end the discussion now. "Hey, thanks for playing the 'who's gonna get Lou' sweepstakes." "We have a few nice parting gifts, Bob, tell them what they've won."
- blackhawk24

agreed. I wouldn't be surprised to see Frolik in the deal, but something useful would have to be in the deal.

Versteeg, Theodore, Howden is the deal about to be announced.
- Scooby_Doo

Linky?