This is a totally valid perspective and empirically that of Q; however, I disagree very strongly. Brandon Pirri is a very good hockey player. I understand that the AHL and NHL are incomparable in terms of average skill; nonetheless, top line duties in the AHL with league scoring title, "+" play and all-star game mvp performances incline me towards the belief that 37s incredibly short leash with the hawks has him anxious and oppressed. He needs to be brought up and told by management "look, you're in for the next ten games, take a deep breath, relax and show us what you can do." The hiccups he has at zone entry and d zone positioning are due to the speed change and his almost masochistic over analysis, which is plain to see. In short, the guy is probably beside himself with the situation and needs to be given some playing time without Q-style consequences, just to get his confidence established. Otherwise I'm afraid we're going to burn ourselves out on a player who I would not be surprised to see put up a couple 60+ point seasons in his career.



If we can't provide that sort of opportunity then we need to trade him at the deadline or this summer, we'll only depreciate him more if we keep him hogside like this.
- WJDiedrich

BASED ON WHAT!!!!!????

I know it's nice idea that 37 is a very good hockey player but the reality is....he is not.
An AHL scoring title and an AHL all star game MVP means nothing when it comes to predicting he will be a 60+ point player in the NHL. Do yourself a favor wikipedia both those awards and view the history of players who have won these "prestigious trophies".....HINT: it doesn't look good for #37.

As far as this idea that keeps popping up that Q doesn't like young players.....just look up and down the roster...look at the cup year in 2010 and you will find plenty of young players Q has stuck with...this is actually empirically of Q.....I know facts that oppose your opinion are hard to digest.

He also did get 10+ games this year....and it didn't end well and as said before by several posters....stanley cup winning teams don't give out chances.

BASED ON WHAT!!!!!????

I know it's nice idea that 37 is a very good hockey player but the reality is....he is not.
An AHL scoring title and an AHL all star game MVP means nothing when it comes to predicting he will be a 60+ point player in the NHL. Do yourself a favor wikipedia both those awards and view the history of players who have won these "prestigious trophies".....HINT: it doesn't look good for #37.

As far as this idea that keeps popping up that Q doesn't like young players.....just look up and down the roster...look at the cup year in 2010 and you will find plenty of young players Q has stuck with...this is actually empirically of Q.....I know facts that oppose your opinion are hard to digest.

He also did get 10+ games this year....and it didn't end well and as said before by several posters....stanley cup winning teams don't give out chances.
- UnnamedSource

Oh dear God…….The Pirri fight is back. We're not tired of this? I was tired of it in November. How does this thing keep going?

Whatever. I think he gets moved at the deadline. Or he comes back next year as a placeholder 2c while TT wets his feet in Rockford. ( I don't see TT going straight to the pros. Not at that age. Not at that body size…..).

Really disappointed how the US spit it. Poile deserves most of the blame. All his emphasis on speed just kept the US on the outside part of the ice where they got smashed along the boards. Meanwhile 3 forwards that could win a board battle- Saad, okposo, and Ryan are stateside playing Gin……or poker or whatever. Anyway, bad roster construction and Bylsma got out coached too.

Really can't wait for the Hawks to get back on the ice. Especially with playoff invoices due at the end of the month….. Seems to get earlier every year.

Oh dear God…….The Pirri fight is back. We're not tired of this? I was tired of it in November. How does this thing keep going?

Whatever. I think he gets moved at the deadline. Or he comes back next year as a placeholder 2c while TT wets his feet in Rockford. ( I don't see TT going straight to the pros. Not at that age. Not at that body size…..).

Really disappointed how the US spit it. Poile deserves most of the blame. All his emphasis on speed just kept the US on the outside part of the ice where they got smashed along the boards. Meanwhile 3 forwards that could win a board battle- Saad, okposo, and Ryan are stateside playing Gin……or poker or whatever. Anyway, bad roster construction and Bylsma got out coached too.

Really can't wait for the Hawks to get back on the ice. Especially with playoff invoices due at the end of the month….. Seems to get earlier every year.
- yahoodi

I don't know why this argument keeps coming up as well......I don't know why people are so adamant that a player who spent three years in the AHL is some savior at the 2C...he stinks....get over it people.

I don't know why this argument keeps coming up as well......I don't know why people are so adamant that a player who spent three years in the AHL is some savior at the 2C...he stinks....get over it people.

- UnnamedSource

Ahhh….. that's why it keeps coming up. You keep antagonizing people. No wonder.


Anyway, Brandon Pirri scored again for the Icehogs.

Kane was easily the best forward for the US in these last two games. Parise has no offensive skill anymore, Backes and Brown are worthless, Kessel disappears against real defenses, and the rest are marginal players. Team wasn't good enough to get a medal, I thought they'd lose to Russia too, but they got lucky. At best their the fifth best 5v5 team in the tournament
- rollpards19

Your Hawks bias is hardly showing at all.

Ahhh….. that's why it keeps coming up. You keep antagonizing people. No wonder.


Anyway, Brandon Pirri scored again for the Icehogs.
- yahoodi

I swear I don't......but he does stink.

Oh dear God…….The Pirri fight is back. We're not tired of this? I was tired of it in November. How does this thing keep going?

Whatever. I think he gets moved at the deadline. Or he comes back next year as a placeholder 2c while TT wets his feet in Rockford. ( I don't see TT going straight to the pros. Not at that age. Not at that body size…..).

Really disappointed how the US spit it. Poile deserves most of the blame. All his emphasis on speed just kept the US on the outside part of the ice where they got smashed along the boards. Meanwhile 3 forwards that could win a board battle- Saad, okposo, and Ryan are stateside playing Gin……or poker or whatever. Anyway, bad roster construction and Bylsma got out coached too.

Really can't wait for the Hawks to get back on the ice. Especially with playoff invoices due at the end of the month….. Seems to get earlier every year.
- yahoodi

Constructing a winner in the NHL or at the international level is always about strength and skill down the middle, excellent and consistent goaltending and at least 4 mobile defenceman. Team USA had most of the pieces except at the pivot position.

But who else did Poile have to choose from for center ice? Backes isn't going to get it done at the top level, just like he won't ever get it done for the Blues. Kesler is 2 years past his best hockey. Pavelski, nice little player but never could and never will handle Toews, Crosby or Getzlaf head to head.

And Mr. Byfuglien might have been of some use as a forward throwing that big body into a few opposition defenceman.

Look back at the early seasons of Patrick Sharp's career. He happened to make it, just not with the Flyers who have no patience with developing players - to their detriment. He could have been out of hockey by the age of 24 of 25.

28 NHL games at 22 is much really. The real assessment has to be made by a hard ass hockey man - has Pirri got the ability to play in the NHL for 6-8 seasons or not or is he a fringe player ala an Andrew Ebbett? If he isn't going to make it long term in the NHL, move him. If he just needs more time, put up with the slow maturation.
- RickJ

Problem is this...

In hindsight Pirri came to the AHL a year too soon. Now his waiver status is up....Meaning if he doesn't make the cut out of camp they will lose him for nothing, ....Just like Stanton, which was a significant mistake in itself.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia

Constructing a winner in the NHL or at the international level is always about strength and skill down the middle, excellent and consistent goaltending and at least 4 mobile defenceman. Team USA had most of the pieces except at the pivot position.

But who else did Poile have to choose from for center ice? Backes isn't going to get it done at the top level, just like he won't ever get it done for the Blues. Kesler is 2 years past his best hockey. Pavelski, nice little player but never could and never will handle Toews, Crosby or Getzlaf head to head.

And Mr. Byfuglien might have been of some use as a forward throwing that big body into a few opposition defenceman.
- RickJ

I mentioned this today and going to write more for tomorrow.

Hole at center and no power play point man to start.

Players they could have taken would need to replace others like Brown and Backes who disappeared when the competition got tougher.

Issue is there are too many players slotted too high...and they are at least 2/3 players short.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia

Problem is this...

In hindsight Pirri came to the AHL a year too soon. Now his waiver status is up....Meaning if he doesn't make the cut out of camp they will lose him for nothing, ....Just like Stanton, which was a significant mistake in itself.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

All valid points Al.

And my understanding is they took a calculated gamble on not losing Stanton via waivers when they decided to keep Kostka and that backfired.

I would think not until Monday.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

I would think Monday, too, but how can the Hawks put a guy on waivers if nobody can claim him until Monday?

I mentioned this today and going to write more for tomorrow.

Hole at center and no power play point man to start.

Players they could have taken would need to replace others like Brown and Backes who disappeared when the competition got tougher.

Issue is there are too many players slotted too high...and they are at least 2/3 players short.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

I mentioned this yesterday about Leddy, but it would fit Buff even more. Olympic games have a roster of 20 skaters, which allows for an extra d-man and extra forward to dress for each game. You could have had the best of Buff - power play QB and beast net presence - at the times you wanted it without messing with your regular rotation of forward lines o defensive pairings.

I mentioned this today and going to write more for tomorrow.

Hole at center and no power play point man to start.

Players they could have taken would need to replace others like Brown and Backes who disappeared when the competition got tougher.

Issue is there are too many players slotted too high...and they are at least 2/3 players short.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

Just thinking that the Kings are stuck with Dustin Brown at $5.8M for the next 6 years and the Wild have Suter and Parise for another 11 or 12. And we are worried about Bickell's deal?

I mentioned this today and going to write more for tomorrow.

Hole at center and no power play point man to start.

Players they could have taken would need to replace others like Brown and Backes who disappeared when the competition got tougher.

Issue is there are too many players slotted too high...and they are at least 2/3 players short.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

>Other key issues: the selection committee was ridiculously way too large, members of the committee pimping their own players (Lombardi>Brown, Poile almost getting Seth Jones on the team, etc. etc.)
>The day Team USA was announced, many of us said they would not medal
>BTW, the Blackhawks "get away" with winning Cups without a true 2C and revolving 3C because they have probably the best defensive 1C and 4C centers in the NHL and the best defensive winger in Hossa -- with Saad quickly becoming another top 200 foot winger
>Home ice is important for the Hawks so that Q can use 1C and 4C whenever he feels the need

Just thinking that the Kings are stuck with Dustin Brown at $5.8M for the next 6 years and the Wild have Suter and Parise for another 11 or 12. And we are worried about Bickell's deal?
- RickJ

Amen, brother. With the cap going up Bickell's deal will look fine or even good if he can put his game back together.

Just thinking that the Kings are stuck with Dustin Brown at $5.8M for the next 6 years and the Wild have Suter and Parise for another 11 or 12. And we are worried about Bickell's deal?
- RickJ

Not really. If they want to move him it wouldn't be that hard. Problem is, they wont want to move him until he is completely past his prime ,when nobody wants him. The Kings could trade Brown next week if they wanted no problem.

Not really. If they want to move him it wouldn't be that hard. Problem is, they wont want to move him until he is completely past his prime ,when nobody wants him. The Kings could trade Brown next week if they wanted no problem.
- Jeropotato

If I was Dean Lombardi I'd jump on that opportunity on Monday morning.

If I was Dean Lombardi I'd jump on that opportunity on Monday morning.
- RickJ

Tell him to drop Mac T a line....I think there's a deal to be had.

I mentioned this yesterday about Leddy, but it would fit Buff even more. Olympic games have a roster of 20 skaters, which allows for an extra d-man and extra forward to dress for each game. You could have had the best of Buff - power play QB and beast net presence - at the times you wanted it without messing with your regular rotation of forward lines o defensive pairings.
- mohel

What I'm tired of hearing is the leadership stuff...They need a player like Brown because he is a leader....blah blah blah...

These are supposedly the best of the best and if they can't get up for 10 days worth of games then they shouldn't be there. Plus if they needed leadership at every turn they wouldn't have achieved what they have.

I didn't see any leadership today at all on the part of the US.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia

What I'm tired of hearing is the leadership stuff...They need a player like Brown because he is a leader....blah blah blah...

These are supposedly the best of the best and if they can't get up for 10 days worth of games then they shouldn't be there. Plus if they needed leadership at every turn they wouldn't have achieved what they have.

I didn't see any leadership today at all on the part of the US.

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia
- Al

Ahh, that's not it. The Americans view themselves as being Gold Medal contenders.Nothing less.Nor should they. They simply didn't view a bronze as a worthy prize.
Trust me. Watch the Canadians in almost every bronze medal game they are in...they mail it in.

ny media catching wind of possible deal in place regarding Callahan being traded once nhl back in business:

Boomer Esiason (@7BOOMERESIASON)
Its coming and it will be huge. Surprising, shocking, inevitable, and all about business. $$$ #NHL #tradedeadline


not that boomer is exactly a hockey insider, but ny media has a reputation of breaking stories out of the most unexpected places, especially WFAN radio. not only is the msg and rangers brass located obviously in NYC, but so are league offices

wouldn't surprise me if this was 100% true

With Kotska being waived any one know what the real salary availability is ? 1m ?
- mrpaulish

Counting the LTIR space, they had 1.1M available before the last trade, IIRC. Kostka makes 625K. Assuming Regin was sent down, that should leave room for an annual hit of 1.725M.

Edit: or up to 3.5M if Stan can again get someone to keep half the hit.

All valid points Al.

And my understanding is they took a calculated gamble on not losing Stanton via waivers when they decided to keep Kostka and that backfired.
- RickJ

Yep they wanted Kostka more..obviously wrong. But the 1st mistake was made because they didn't think Stanton was ready and signed Kostka.

One mistake does lead to another...

Today's article..
Olympics end with a thud for Kane and Team USA, lose to Finns 5-0. Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

On Twitter @AlCimaglia

Counting the LTIR space, they had 1.1M available before the last trade, IIRC. Kostka makes 625K. Assuming Regin was sent down, that should leave room for an annual hit of 1.725M.

Edit: or up to 3.5M if Stan can again get someone to keep half the hit.
- NewToHockey

The 1.1 isn't prorated...It is a total of a $1.1. mill salary for the entire season.

Finishing fourth in the Olympics shouldn't be compared to kissing your sister, it's more like not getting a handshake:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD

Ahh, that's not it. The Americans view themselves as being Gold Medal contenders.Nothing less.Nor should they. They simply didn't view a bronze as a worthy prize.
Trust me. Watch the Canadians in almost every bronze medal game they are in...they mail it in.
- Jeropotato

Yes...But if so shouldn't go at all..Because they weren't good enough to be considered anything close to a lock.

Finishing fourth in the Olympics shouldn't be compared to kissing your sister, it's more like not getting a handshake:http://bit.ly/1gYNPfD