Or option #2 (and the better option IMO)

Emery and Leddy for Bernier and Forbert
- mochoson

No thanks. Leddy is looking good for sure. But he isnt gonna fit into our D line up. Emery and Saad is right up my alley. Perhaps a bigger deal happens with more players going each way. But if im LA im targeting Saad and letting him join the team next year when Gagne and Penner are both gone.

Am I wrong, or is the general rule that defensemen take longer to develop...often steady to great play isn't seen for 4 years plus.
- ArlingtonRob

Yes, that was Wiz's point so eloquently stated. I can't recall many (Bobby Orr the exception) taking the league by storm before having been in the league at least 2-3 years. Leddy got extensive minutes in his 1st full year. More, we know, than he was ready/able to handle. And yet, by season's end, he seemed to pull out of the funk he encountered during the 9 game losing streak.

Hoping he's adding a few lbs and muscle over the summer. It's got little to do with height and/or weight re toughness. One of the toughest guys I ever played D with was a good 1/2 ft shorter than me (probably went about 5'9"), 200 lbs (stocky as hell). It always cracked me up when some big guys thought they could take advantage along the boards or in the slot -- and when the inevitable scrap would ensue, my D partner would take but a few moments to bring his opponent quickly to the ice. He was the toughest, strongest mofo for his size.

So all the Leddy=smurf comments aside, if the kid does add some weight/muscle and gets some coaching/mentoring on how/when to engage, he might surprise us all.

On the flip side, at 6'3", Hjalmarsson takes much more of a brutal beating along the boards yet rarely dishes any out, even when he could. He's got the size/weight for sure but lacks either the instinct OR more likely, the coaching encouraging him to lay some bodies out.

I know what all you skeptics will say -- what about Seabs???
Anomaly?
Maybe. Although even Seabs has been known to not engage when he should. To me, this stuff is instilled and coached all the time and I don't think you are getting that with Q's "system" and his staff of crack assistants.

I would love to get Leddy on the Bruins, He and D. Hamilton would make a formidable D pairing in a few years. Not to mention he could learn from one of the games best Dmen in Chara. I think a Krejci for Leddy swap could be made, with other parts added if necessary. The Bruins get a young PMD who would thrive in their system. Blackhawks get their #2 center to play alongside Hossa, its a win win for both teams. Krejci would really boost Hossa's production.
- fudd1689

Jesus Christ

Krejci, Krug, 3rd for leddy and Stalberg.

Or a Major trade could be

To Bos: Kane & Leddy
To Chi: Krejci, TT(assuming he would play) Caron, 2nd

A little overpayment on Bos. end but we would get that electric top line winger we need to play with Lucic and Seguin.
- fudd1689

The major deal I would nix. If Tim Thomas isn't playing, he shouldn't be considered in a trade.

As for the other trade, I don't know much about Krug. On paper, he looks smallish at 5' 9". Unless someone can provide some insight for me, I wouldn't be interested.

What about Leddy and Stalberg for Krejci and a 1st?

Jesus Christ
- Double_A

Theres going to be a time in the near future where Krejci's services wont be needed on this team. Seguin is probably 1-2 yrs away from taking over #1C duties and Bergy will not be leaving anytime soon, so I can't imagine Krejci being demoted to #3C making the kind of money he does/and will command. I also don't think Krejci will get the return most fans in Boston think he is worth. Leddy is a young promising player, other players would be needed in the trade like maybe Stalberg or Hayes

Theres going to be a time in the near future where Krejci's services wont be needed on this team. Seguin is probably 1-2 yrs away from taking over #1C duties and Bergy will not be leaving anytime soon, so I can't imagine Krejci being demoted to #3C making the kind of money he does/and will command. I also don't think Krejci will get the return most fans in Boston think he is worth. Leddy is a young promising player, other players would be needed in the trade like maybe Stalberg or Hayes
- fudd1689

Seguin is as much a #1C right now as Kessel or JVR.

Of the B's core, is Krejci the most likely to move at F? Sure, I guess. Do you move him for Nick (frank)ing Leddy? Not in a million years.

I've said it before, you move Krejci now - be prepared to see Chris Kelly centering your 1st line about 3 weeks into the season.

Seguin is as much a #1C right now as Kessel or JVR.

Of the B's core, is Krejci the most likely to move at F? Sure, I guess. Do you move him for Nick (frank)ing Leddy? Not in a million years.

I've said it before, you move Krejci now - be prepared to see Chris Kelly centering your 1st line about 3 weeks into the season.
- Double_A

You guys keep talking it out. I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab some popcorn and get ready to watch.

You guys keep talking it out. I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab some popcorn and get ready to watch.
- EKolb13

Ha ha, right?

You guys keep talking it out. I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab some popcorn and get ready to watch.
- EKolb13

We'll get back to you with an offer in the am after we hash out the details.

We'll get back to you with an offer in the am after we hash out the details.
- Double_A

Ok, we'll be waiting.

Ha ha, right?
- moylander

Like there's anything else better to do.

This is crazy, Leddy getting moved because he has same agent as Suter. Leddy might get you best return over Hammer but to give up on 20 year old defenseman that was top 10 prospect is a little over the top. I have no idea where this rumor stared but it is not a valid one sorry JJ love your work and we as fans want to see Hawks do something but I been saying the same thing since eve of draft. Hawks are building from within and over value all their prospects face it your looking at your 2012/13 Blackhawks.

“If you’re counting on going in the free agent market to improve your team that’s a tough strategy to be successful at,” Bowman said on Friday regarding the Hawks’ quiet approach to free agents.

Al,

Notice he said 'improve' this time and not 'build' through FA


SB and tough don't mix.

Blackhawks still closest to a deal with Habs that will send Hjalmarsson. Hawks still want Plekanec but Habs want Stalberg included. Now some attention shifted to Bourque with the Hawks feeling out of Doan.

This is crazy, Leddy getting moved because he has same agent as Suter. Leddy might get you best return over Hammer but to give up on 20 year old defenseman that was top 10 prospect is a little over the top. I have no idea where this rumor stared but it is not a valid one sorry JJ love your work and we as fans want to see Hawks do something but I been saying the same thing since eve of draft. Hawks are building from within and over value all their prospects face it your looking at your 2012/13 Blackhawks.
- DeepThreat

Jesus, talk about run-on sentences...

Granted, I only saw him once during prospect camp. But I find it hard to believe that Clendening is anywhere near ready. And if he is, he'd still be a rookie D who needs to be babied, and whose minutes would be severely limited. And who is the trusted veteran you pair him with?

I understand the frustration with Neil Sheehy. But I don't think you throw out the baby with the bathwater. I think these rumors might be to make "team leddy" sweat a little. I don't see Leddy being traded at all.
- yahoodi

I am not saying he's ready. Your hero Stanley, however, is. I only connect the dots.

Jesus, talk about run-on sentences...
- EKolb13

Fun to drive and write a blog on IPhone. Leddy is not going anywhere is that better

Nah, the Habs would be more interested in Hjalmarsson than Leddy. We don't need another small, soft offensive defenseman.

This is crazy, Leddy getting moved because he has same agent as Suter. Leddy might get you best return over Hammer but to give up on 20 year old defenseman that was top 10 prospect is a little over the top. I have no idea where this rumor stared but it is not a valid one sorry JJ love your work and we as fans want to see Hawks do something but I been saying the same thing since eve of draft. Hawks are building from within and over value all their prospects face it your looking at your 2012/13 Blackhawks.
- DeepThreat

No disagreement on overvaluing.

I also left out of the blog that a source told me in the last 48 hours, they're shopping Leddy aggressively.

Today, why is Bowman suddenly talking up Clendening to the media? He does these things for a reason.

The Hawk Hype Machine has also worked wonders for Leddy. There IS a reason Chuck Fletcher dealt him for Cam barker and it probably wasn't Barker's glacial foot speed.

^This.

However, given Stan's comments today, it sounds like he wants to throw the young kids in the ring and see what holes they can/cannot fill during the first half, then have some cap room at the deadline to use to fill said holes that remain.

Q also thinks Saad may be able to not only make the team, but be a big part of it.

Q and Stan on the same page?
- Assman22

Strongly doubt it. Because Q knows what I and a lot of other people do: Saad ain't ready for prime time. Bowman just falling back on his usual default argument when he fails to produce NHL quality players.

Krejci, Krug, 3rd for leddy and Stalberg.

Or a Major trade could be

To Bos: Kane & Leddy
To Chi: Krejci, TT(assuming he would play) Caron, 2nd

A little overpayment on Bos. end but we would get that electric top line winger we need to play with Lucic and Seguin.
- fudd1689

sorry pal, any trade with the bruins with the name kane mentioned in our corner has to have the name lucic mentioned in your corner or no deal!

It's a free country, and I can't stop people from being idiots, but please try to actually read this since some of you could not process the blog as written:

1) I am not saying the Hawks should trade Leddy
2) I am reporting some of what I see and some of what I hear

If you think its not plausible, that's fine. i will just tell you, I have heard separately from arguably my two best Hawk sources that:

a) the Hawks would consider dealing Leddy (weeks ago)
b) they are shopping him hard now

And in my opinion, yes, Leddy has a couple of flaws, one of which could seriously impair the development some see as a given. I'll leave those true believers with this.

Two words: Tom Poti.

Strongly doubt it. Because Q knows what I and a lot of other people do: Saad ain't ready for prime time. Bowman just falling back on his usual default argument when he fails to produce NHL quality players.
- John Jaeckel

Exactly.

If you see JJ write about Saad, he isn't convinced that Saad isn't the next messiah.

One of JJ's post from the last thread:

This is why I get impatient with fans who get all over the moon based on some junior numbers— they are buying the Stan Bowman/organizational excuse for NOT acquiring competent NHL players HOOK, LINE AND SINKER.

This is the same garbage the organization fed us ten years ago when it was all about Ruutu (the greatest player outside North America, the next Peter Forsberg), Yakubov, Vorobiev, Babchuk, etc.

I am telling you there's a valid reason Saad fell out of the top 10 and to 43rd overall. It's not that 29 other GMs, and 12 of them TWICE, were that stupid. Or that Bowman was that smart.

It's because Saad has historically dominated against weaker, smaller competition. When he gets in against bigger, better kids, he becomes closer to average. He's big, he can skate, he looks the part, well-schooled but I haven't seen anything really special in his hands or shot to tell me he's going to be a big time scorer in the NHL—yet. That's why it's also important to him to let him mature at his own pace and not destroy him mentally by expecting him—Good Lord—to be a top 6 forward in the NHL next year.

I haven't seen enough of Saad myself to support an honest idea. Bernier can play in the NHL. He's a former AHL all-star goalie. I'd take a chance with trading Saad for Bernier. I'd think it's got to be easier and less time consuming to develop a forward then it is a goalie.
- EKolb13

Eli...

I'm well aware of JJ's skepticism, and it's justified. We all should be skeptical of prospects, especially those marketed heavily by the big club. One thing I'm not gonna do is draw conclusions based on draft position, and whether he fell or not. There's a long list of quality NHL talent taken in later rounds.

But Bernier, as an example, is NOT an established NHL goalie in my mind.

If Hawk scouts think highly enough of Bernier to make the move...then I'll bless it and hope for the best.

Regarding Saad...like every fan I'm hopeful. But the guy has lit it up in Juniors, and that's all he can do until he faces stiffer competition. Some were promoting Makarov as a future NHL scorer, but that guy never scored much at any level...and now he's long gone.

Time will tell on all these players.

And how could I forget the greatness that is Jack Skille...we're all still waiting for him to light it up.

Am I really in the minority regarding J. Bernier?

Is he that much of a lock for greatness?
- ArlingtonRob

The next playoff game Bernier wins will be his first one. He may be a great goalie someday but I can't see giving the Kings the kind of return they are looking for.