JJ, Excellent summation. Thanks for all the Blogs and for keeping on top of all things Blackhawk. Unlike some other bloggers I like how you fairly assess other teams while still being a 'homer'.
Worst case scenario Stalberg, Emery, Bolland and Leddy are gone assuming Bickell is resigned. Some nice depth players...but it is far from something that can't easily be overcome....
Any idea what the return from either a Bolland or Leddy trade will be? Stan just looking for picks in this strong draft?
Think they'll find someone to trade a pick for Stalbergs negotiating rights?
Reading Wiz's comments all the time, sounds like we should be acquiring picks in this draft for the guys that have to move. Love the stockpiling young talent for future trades of stud players.
Worst case scenario Stalberg, Emery, Bolland and Leddy are gone assuming Bickell is resigned. Some nice depth players...but it is far from something that can't easily be overcome.... - Tweek
I agree, there will be a parting of way with 3-4 good guys, but it will not be NEAR as impactful as 2010. First of all, The Hawks Prospect system is just loaded with good up-and-coming talent...Danault, McNeil, Terravainin, Pirri, LeBanc, Hayes, Morin, Clendenning....wow...
Now add a few young prospects and picks coming back in deals for Bolland, Stalberg, etc....and our future is indeed very bright!
Also, it is important to remember that Shaw, Kruger, Bickell, and others are still very young and improving....Kane & Toews are only 25 or so....Man, this team has a core like no oher....all kinds of depth....and a bevy of young studs who will be knocking down the door the next 2-3 years.
Changes will be made...but none that will decimate the team like 2010. As Hawk fans, we should be looking forward to many more years of solid competitiveness and Cup contention most every year!
Location: Turning a new Leaf, CA Joined: 09.29.2010
Jun 26 @ 8:17 AM ET
Thanks for the blogging JJ.
I appreciate the insight I get into the team from your posts. It helps me to evaluate my favourite team knowing what other competitive organizations are up to.
Kwolf, captain blackhawk, paulr and others who respond with personal attacks, notwithstanding, I enjoy the commentary and banter in the comments section as well.
Also, this is a fairly similar Hawks team to the one that got beat the previous two years in the first round, including by the Canucks who still retain the same core. The West is too competitive, unlike the East, to assume that your team can rest on its laurels if it wants to build a special legacy.
JJ great read as always...great work this season sir.
Would hate to see Bolland go, but we know he's had a rough year. Still a great finals. The reality is the cap hit is too much.
I'd really hoped Leddy would be here as well, but it sounds like his agent has also priced him off the team.
Love to see Rosy and Zeus back...although does Zeus have enough in the tank for a full season?
Two players you can't say enough about are Kruger and Frolik. And credit Q for putting them out there and making them the Hawks and the league's top PK unit. Full marks to Stan on that move - Frolik for Skille.
Bowman does deserve credit for sure. I didn't care for how Dale was run out of town by McCub, but Stan has been able to reshape the team while dealing with McD which in itself is a hard enough task. But a lot of credit must go to Q as well. And Dale's core is still here.
The trick is now how do they keep it going? Are the Hawks the new Gold Standard as several media outlets have stated in the new cap era? Still 2 Cups in my lifetime I never thought I'd live to see it...
This is the goal that brought me back to the Hawks. I hated what Bill Wirtz was doing to the franchise. The last year I followed the Hawks before this video was 2003. For some reason, I thought the addition of an aging Theoren Fluery would turn everything around....... Anyway, here it is.
Any idea what the return from either a Bolland or Leddy trade will be? Stan just looking for picks in this strong draft?
Think they'll find someone to trade a pick for Stalbergs negotiating rights?
Reading Wiz's comments all the time, sounds like we should be acquiring picks in this draft for the guys that have to move. Love the stockpiling young talent for future trades of stud players. - vabeachbear
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations.
I'm really gonna miss Bolly...he's a special player when healthy and in the right frame of mind. I hope Hawks find a way to keep him...but i can see the lipstick on the mirror
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations. - John Jaeckel
Would love to get McKinnon...but sounds like Roy and the Avs have designs on either him or Drouin.
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations. - John Jaeckel
Having survived and flourished after the 2010 purge I'm not worried about this summer. Changes will happen and we'll lose players we like. But life will go on and our team will continue to be successful and have a shot at the Cup. Stan and Co have done a good job of keeping the pipeline full of prospects.
In my heart I'd like to see Bolland stick around. But if there's no way he's staying after then end of this contract now is the time to trade him. You'll get more for Bolland after he just scored the Cup winning goal than any other time in the coming year.
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations. - John Jaeckel
High in draft says Florida to me. I know you said Uncle Dale really wants TT. Do you think Bolland, Leddy, and TT bring back Shore/Bjestad and the #2 overall, or something like that?
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations. - John Jaeckel
Thank god. Finally some action. I've been bored senseless since Monday night.
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations. - John Jaeckel
Really like this aggressiveness. If a top-3 pick for one of the big names is possible, moving 36 and 8 is worth it, IMO, especially if Leddy is asking for north of $3-3.5M
Having survived and flourished after the 2010 purge I'm not worried about this summer. Changes will happen and we'll lose players we like. But life will go on and our team will continue to be successful and have a shot at the Cup. Stan and Co have done a good job of keeping the pipeline full of prospects.
In my heart I'd like to see Bolland stick around. But if there's no way he's staying after then end of this contract now is the time to trade him. You'll get more for Bolland after he just scored the Cup winning goal than any other time in the coming year. - DarthKane
As soon as I stopped celebrating his goal, I told my wife that he just scored the goal that brings back a better return and offers Stan a selling point. Looking at his reaction, I wondered if he thought, "that was my last goal as a Hawk". Wonder if he was told he is gone this summer since that was a very tame celebration by the guy scoring the cup winning goal.
As soon as I stopped celebrating his goal, I told my wife that he just scored the goal that brings back a better return and offers Stan a selling point. Looking at his reaction, I wondered if he thought, "that was my last goal as a Hawk". Wonder if he was told he is gone this summer since that was a very tame celebration by the guy scoring the cup winning goal. - ikeane
Told my wife basically the same though mine was more along the lines of that being a helluva final act for Bolly in a Hawks sweater.
Location: Ft Courage - out in the middle of Indian Country, NC Joined: 10.17.2011
Jun 26 @ 9:01 AM ET
Just heard from a very good source: fasten your seatbelts. The Hawks are trying to move up high in the draft. That could definitely factor in to the Leddy and/or Bolland situations. - John Jaeckel
Fastened!
Keep the info coming. Still think Drouin will be the best NHL player of the top 4. Kind of like when another Jonathan wasn't the top 2 picks in his draft year.
Though if the deal is with the panthers, one of their young centers to play on the second line and Seth Jones would be an unexpected haul.
Anyway, here it is. 
