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There are a lot of mock lineups being generated by Hawk fans today—and few if any include the name Michal Rozsival.
But one thing's for sure, Joel Quenneville likes Rozsival. And after breaking his ankle in the second round of the playoffs, Rozsival probably can't get any slower than he already was last year.
I've heard from a couple of sources today on a wide range of topics, one was Rozsival.
Like Johnny Oduya, and possibly Christian Ehrhoff, Rozsival is rumored to be willing to rejoin the Hawks on a very cap friendly deal for next season. Is this something the Hawks intend to do? I haven't heard that. What I have heard is that Stan Bowman has Rozsival in his back pocket as a possibility.
Joel Quenneville likes veterans. And there is no doubt that there was a huge drop off from Rozsival as the 5th defenseman this Spring to David Rundblad, Kimmo Timonen or Kyle Cumiskey. if Rozsival is willing to come cheap, as rumored, then there could be a "love" match here.
Couple this tidbit with last night's trade of everyone's assumed right-handed, 5-6 defenseman for 2015-16, Stephen Johns, and you start to see a picture emerging.
In spite of the big salary cap issues, the Hawks are not pressing the reset button on their defense. At least not just yet. Ville Pokka is still no more ready than he was 48 hours ago, in spite of the Johns trade.
The Hawks also acquired a left-handed, puck rushing defenseman last night in Trevor Daley. Daley is paid like a #4 defenseman, and you can maybe slot him there. But there's still the question out there of Johnny Oduya.
Another source swore to me this morning that Bowman has a solid agreement with Oduya—he's given the vet his word— and that means Oduya will return as soon as the requisite cap room is cleared. The same source told me a couple of days ago that the deal Oduya has agreed to is very cap friendly to Chicago.
Is it true?
No one knows for sure. But Oduya is still out there, allegedly turning down big money from other teams. So there are some dots to connect.
Which leads to another question. Where would the money come from to pay for all these veterans on defense? And why stock up all three pairs with experience?
Could this mean Corey Crawford will be dealt? One source theorized (again) that was possible.
The speculation surrounding Brent Seabrook won't die either. But honestly, all I've heard is that's all it is: speculation. Neither Rozsival nor Daley nor Ehrhoff remotely replace Seabrook. And a Hawk source informed me yesterday:
"No chance Seabrook is moved. NONE."
Still, I was also told all Spring that Brandon Saad wasn't going anywhere either. And then that happened. It wasn't planned. But it was a contingency that Bowman had to fall back on when the dollars weren't working. Same could—potentially—apply to Seabrook.
But that would assume the Hawks have been at work on a new deal with Seabrook and not getting anywhere—and there has been zero evidence, much less rumor, of that.
Another thing speculated, and it certainly would make sense, is that with the acquisition of Ryan Garbutt, Andrew Shaw could now be the deal sweetener that gets another team to take on either Bryan Bickell and/or Kris Versteeg. Privately, one source told me Shaw has played through some fairly horrific injuries already in his career and there may be some concern about signing him to a longer term deal in the future. And Shaw is marketable at the moment.
And Marcus Kruger? Again, no hard news or even rumors there. But my gut tells me he will be back.
UPDATE 5:48 EASTERN
Just heard a few more things (CHICAGO SOURCE):
1) There WAS an offer from Dallas at the draft (as reported) that was turned down by the Hawks (which was followed by a Dallas exec. telling a beat writer something to the effect of: "we have no interest in Patrick Sharp as a player") 2) Shaw on the market 3) They likely have to take some (but lesser) money back in Versteeg/Bickell deals. Which I'm hearing could be soon 4) They ARE debating whether to move Crawford or Seabrook (maybe neither, not both)
Back with more as I hear it,
JJ