If they're losing money FROM OPERATIONS now, they'll never make money - attendance above 100% and highest in league, presumably much better media contacts, ancillary income from the UC product sales (probably not hockey-related-revenues for the players to share in)....
- StLBravesFan

To Rocky Wirtz...hockey is a hobby not a profit center.

And Emery and Crawford's deals are "wayyyyy" better than Luser's.

At this point, unless Bowman can get Luser from Gillis for 2 bad contracts, Crawford, a pick and a project prospect, I'd say pass. I'd sooner take my chances riding Crawford and Emery into the midpoint of the season and trying to trade for a goalie at the deadline.

Take a look at the 2013 UFA list for goalies. Given, they won't all be available, but there could be some decent guys to be had if their teams are out of the playoffs.

http://capgeek.com/free_a...osition_id=G&fa_type_id=2
- EKolb13

Do any of these Goalies besides TT turn you on? Not me . I don't know what to do because I feel like the Hawks are going to suck again , maybe even be embarrassing to watch again. Ugh.

http://capgeek.com/free_a...osition_id=G&fa_type_id=2

Maybe 5 really good years left, with an emphasis on the word maybe. What do you do with him for the rest of the years when he's just "average" or "below average?"

I'm not trying to say Luser wouldn't help this team in the short term, I'm just trying to point out that his contract could hurt this team in the long run.
- EKolb13

You try to win your Cups now and worry about "average" and "below average" later, when the happen.

A note on the whole issue of players wanting to come here or not because of certain players.

That is maybe too simplistic. I will just put it this way: I know of at least one player who has left Chicago with a bad taste in his mouth (very bad) over how he saw certain players' behaviors being ignored and coddled, and how he and others were treated—especially when they spoke up about it.

THAT player, in turn, helped recruit at least one Chicago free agency target (an old, old friend of his) this year to another team.

Connect the dots. Just ONE example. The NHL player/scout/coach fraternity is pretty small. Word gets out.

And my personal belief is that the "One Goal" cult that the Hawks created—a bunch of great, young guys who are all pals on and off the ice— is something the Hawks themselves came to believe, even though it was never really true.

The Stanley Cup bloom is long off the rose. The Hawks have holes and problems just like any other team and more than some. I think the problem now is an organizational arrogance that prevents them from honestly seeing what the problems are—because these are people whose egos prevent them from admitting their own mistakes.

Personally, unless they pull 1-2 significant rabbots out the hat and turn this thing around in the next few weeks, I think a major house-cleaning is coming.

All this NONSENSE about Brandon Saad making the top 6, much less at center, is just insane and embarrassing. And there are people in the organization who see it that way.

It won't take much longer.
- John Jaeckel

Hey JJ! Great post. My main issue, which I think mirror others, is the braintrust which is making the decisions. Since the Cup not a lot of smart decisions have been made IMO. A lot of talent was here just two years ago, on the ice and off the ice is now gone with not much in return.

Think about it, Buff has an A and leading D men in the league is Goals, Ladd is a first liner and a captain, Versteeg a first liner now, Campbell is a first pairing dman, Brouwer, Eager, Burish, Fraser and Niemi all doing very well and young!!! OMG what a team we had! From Cheveldoff and Bergerin and Tallon in the Front Office. And what did we get for that?? Yes, I know, the darn salary cap.

Talented personnell men are now with other organizations.
Two assistants coaches are gone! What the heck is going on from Rocky Wirtz on down!?

Whoever decision it was to promote Stan to GM should be fired. It's not really Stan's fault. He's not ready yet.

Dale Tallon's team in Florida reminds me an awful lot like the 2008-2009 Hawks...not to mention cap space and a great prospect pool. Letting Tallon go might be a big mistake in the long run.

Do any of these Goalies besides TT turn you on? Not me . I don't know what to do because I feel like the Hawks are going to suck again , maybe even be embarrassing to watch again. Ugh.

http://capgeek.com/free_a...osition_id=G&fa_type_id=2
- mrpaulish

You know who I actually like? Jimmy Howard, I think he's the ceiling that Corey Crawford will never reach and would be happy to get him on a 4 year deal. Anyway, did people see the deal Mike Green got today? I know I have not always been the biggest Keith supporter, but Mike Green is a worse version who makes more than him now. At least we got one cup out of our talent, unlike Wash

To Rocky Wirtz...hockey is a hobby not a profit center.
- ArlingtonRob

Then it's a hobby that should be making a lot of money.

Again - from operations - he may be paying back loans from past years, but he has to have good positive cash flow from operations.

You know who I actually like? Jimmy Howard, I think he's the ceiling that Corey Crawford will never reach and would be happy to get him on a 4 year deal. Anyway, did people see the deal Mike Green got today? I know I have not always been the biggest Keith supporter, but Mike Green is a worse version who makes more than him now. At least we got one cup out of our talent, unlike Wash
- rollpards19

I like Howard too but Detroit will resign him by then. Hell , they might resign him this summer they have boatloads of cap space.

If they're losing money FROM OPERATIONS now, they'll never make money - attendance above 100% and highest in league, presumably much better media contacts, ancillary income from the UC product sales (probably not hockey-related-revenues for the players to share in)....
- StLBravesFan

They are only losing money on paper because the secondary income comes in through other companies and the Hawks entity is repaying loans from the other entities. Rocky said the red ink ends once those loans are repaid in full.

Do any of these Goalies besides TT turn you on? Not me . I don't know what to do because I feel like the Hawks are going to suck again , maybe even be embarrassing to watch again. Ugh.

http://capgeek.com/free_a...osition_id=G&fa_type_id=2
- mrpaulish

If Colorado is out of it, Giguere could be good. He's won a cup.

If Phoenix is out of it, Mike Smith could also work.

Depending on what happens in Dallas, maybe Lehtonen could be available? Its not like Dallas is built to contend every season (right now), and Crawford could go back the other way and serve as a stop gap for them until Campbell is ready to step in.

I like Howard too but Detroit will resign him by then. Hell , they might resign him this summer they have boatloads of cap space.
- mrpaulish

With as weak as Detroit's defense is now, it's going to be interesting to see just how good Howard is. How far can Howard carry that team?

With as weak as Detroit's defense is now, it's going to be interesting to see just how good Howard is. How far can Howard carry that team?
- EKolb13

That's a good point, I mostly like him because he shows flashes where he is unbeatable, and while he will never be a top 5 goalie, that potential is always nice to have. That's why I think using the "sophomore slump" theory with C2 is bogus. He has never been lights out in his professional career, unlike most of the goalies he is compared to. I like your Lehtonen idea, but I can't really see any reason for them to give him up. They have Campbell as a replacement, so they might as well ride him out this year and see if he can help them sneak into the playoffs

If Colorado is out of it, Giguere could be good. He's won a cup.

If Phoenix is out of it, Mike Smith could also work.

Depending on what happens in Dallas, maybe Lehtonen could be available? Its not like Dallas is built to contend every season (right now), and Crawford could go back the other way and serve as a stop gap for them until Campbell is ready to step in.
- EKolb13

One problem is when will teams consider themselves out of it? I would have thought the Kings were out of it at the TDL. Their run this past spring may make some GMs hesitant to become sellers.

You know who I actually like? Jimmy Howard, I think he's the ceiling that Corey Crawford will never reach and would be happy to get him on a 4 year deal. Anyway, did people see the deal Mike Green got today? I know I have not always been the biggest Keith supporter, but Mike Green is a worse version who makes more than him now. At least we got one cup out of our talent, unlike Wash
- rollpards19

I'm glad you brought up Jimmy Howard. Take a look at these two statlines from both Howard's and Crawford's sophomore seasons as 1G in the NHL.

37-17-5, 2.79 GAA, .908% SV
30-17-7, 2.72 GAA, .903% SV

Now can you guess who's is who's? The top line is Howard's, from the '10-'11 season. I think people forget that Howard only has one extra year on his belt than Crawford. And the '10-'11 Wings were at about the same level as last year's Hawks.

Food for thought.

EDIT: Same level might be a bit generous. The Wings had a slightly better offense, which leads to Howard's extra wins.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. The line that got me was, "Give Corey Crawford another chance. If not, his deal is up one year later, and he could easily be traded, released, sent to Europe" So this season is a wash? With a top 5 player in the league entering his prime they aren't trying to win a cup? Stan better pull something because he's got a huge round of Bronx cheers coming his way later this week.
- rollpards19

One problem is when will teams consider themselves out of it? I would have thought the Kings were out of it at the TDL. Their run this past spring may make some GMs hesitant to become sellers.
- NewToHockey

That's the catch.

Put the Doan to ChiTown rumors to rest.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=400763

To Rocky Wirtz...hockey is a hobby not a profit center.
- ArlingtonRob

I have written this many times and speak with some authority on this issue from my line of work. That is Pro sports teams are NOT designed to be profitable year over year for the purpose of providing owners/shareholders with dividend income. Sports teams need to simply cash flow.

Owners typically pledge their names and collective credit scores to secure credit lines to operate the team. In the case of the Hawks and Wirtz, I do not know the extent of the Wirtz business portfolio; however, it can be assumed that it is diversified in such a way that there is one or two cash cows and probably some real estate (which probably got restructured over the past few years). Anyways, to my point, and that is hockey can very well be a cash drain for the Wirtz business portfolio. And that is fine. What is more relevant, and we will never really know, is what their budget is.

Pro sports franchises derive their value from growth over time. Their enterprise value, which as an accountant, is some subjective math formula often floated about (yes there is some real cash flow analysis in the formula). Sports team owners are into sports for hobby. That is not to say they are not serious about winning and competing. Typically you have to be good at competing to assemble the assets to get into the discussion in the first place.

A few years ago, then GM Dale Tallon said the Hawks were going to play an exciting fast-paced brand of hockey. That style fit because they had many young players who skated well. Another reason to go with a fast transition game is because that type of hockey sells, and the Hawks needed to get fans back to the United Center. Now things could be different and Bowman doesn't have much time to decide what type of team he wants build.

Hawks' style of play under StanBowPops&McD seems to be a non-physical/perimeter/skill/speed game in all regards/zones with as little spent on goaltending as possible... That look like a successful playoff formula?

With as poor as this team plays defense losing Bolland will hurt unless what comes back addresses defense in some capacity.
- Mr Ricochet

My thougts on dealing Bolland are the same...Only if part of big blockbuster trade that can make an immediate significant impact.

I don't feel Kruger can last play 16-18 mins a night as a 2 center yet and last an entire season without being pounded so bad he won't be able to do much in the playoffs.

I don't think trading Bolland alone nets the Hawks a better 2nd line center than Kane or even what Bolland could become.

But since the summer of 2010 when I wrote about the untouchable 7 there has never been a rumor of any of the core being traded that I felt credible enough to write about.

This time I believe Bolland was offered around but he is a favorite of Q's and if he has more of say so now it is more unlikely Bolland will be dealt.

OnTwitter@AlCimaglia

Paulish...I see you're starting to drink the same Kool-Aid I've been sippin' for weeks.
- ArlingtonRob

Still need a better overall team defence in front of him. The D is essentially unchanged from this past spring. Forwards are no more physical either. Lou or no Lou, the team is not cup material.

Jason Blatchford (?) from the Province. He's a notoriously biased, Hawk hater in my experience, however.

When I was taken to task for saying Henrik Sedin had bad-mouthed the Hawks after eliminating them in 2011, it was Blatchford's piece that ultimately supported what I'd said— and he personally felt it was fine for Henrik to disrespect the Hawks, as though they "deserved it."

So I guess I'm saying, he might have some insight here in terms of what is leaking from the Canucks, but my experience is he is very biased.
- John Jaeckel

He can be a bit of a b!tch some times.

I have written this many times and speak with some authority on this issue from my line of work. That is Pro sports teams are NOT designed to be profitable year over year for the purpose of providing owners/shareholders with dividend income. Sports teams need to simply cash flow.

Owners typically pledge their names and collective credit scores to secure credit lines to operate the team. In the case of the Hawks and Wirtz, I do not know the extent of the Wirtz business portfolio; however, it can be assumed that it is diversified in such a way that there is one or two cash cows and probably some real estate (which probably got restructured over the past few years). Anyways, to my point, and that is hockey can very well be a cash drain for the Wirtz business portfolio. And that is fine. What is more relevant, and we will never really know, is what their budget is.

Pro sports franchises derive their value from growth over time. Their enterprise value, which as an accountant, is some subjective math formula often floated about (yes there is some real cash flow analysis in the formula). Sports team owners are into sports for hobby. That is not to say they are not serious about winning and competing. Typically you have to be good at competing to assemble the assets to get into the discussion in the first place.
- TrueGrit

Yeah...just like I said, it's a hobby...

Thanks for the details.

Can you imagine the glorious sight of the Hawks eliminating the Canucks with Lu in net or the Hawks winning the Cup again with Lu in net ?? Vancouver would fall off the map forever.
- mrpaulish

It might look a little something like this...?

Still need a better overall team defence in front of him. The D is essentially unchanged from this past spring. Forwards are no more physical either. Lou or no Lou, the team is not cup material.
- blackhawk24

I was trying to take a deep breath and figure this out....

A full season of Carcillo
A full season of Shaw
A full season of Bollig
A full season Brookbank

(If Mayers and Bickell can consistently play physical forecheck hockey that would be nice)

maybe the Hawks will be a bit tougher ,

But the power play and penalty kills will be about the same , unless someone else the soon to be named assistant coach is running them , We'll see, maybe it wont be that bad......

Still need a better overall team defence in front of him. The D is essentially unchanged from this past spring. Forwards are no more physical either. Lou or no Lou, the team is not cup material.
- blackhawk24

I realize not much has changed personnel wise, but what I want to see is better special teams play. Everything else being the same, if the PP and PK improve, the team will also.

I'm still amazed the Hawks reached 101points last year with lousy special teams.

And ya know how to improve the PK immediately?....goaltending.

It might look a little something like this...?


- 1970vintage

This would make the PK better