I still think Chicago and the Isles make a trade.

Isles need a top LW to play with Tavares and Okposo, and help on defence. Top 4 preferably!!!

Chicago needs a 2C and to move a contract for cap reasons.

Isles have Neilsen, #5 in the draft, and other prospects that can be moved.

Chicago has Sharp, Leddy, TT, and Oduya that could be moved.

There has to be a deal there somewhere????
- jimmc7722

I can Sharp moved there if he waived his NMC for picks unless they can get Strome

I still think Chicago and the Isles make a trade.

Isles need a top LW to play with Tavares and Okposo, and help on defence. Top 4 preferably!!!

Chicago needs a 2C and to move a contract for cap reasons.

Isles have Neilsen, #5 in the draft, and other prospects that can be moved.

Chicago has Sharp, Leddy, TT, and Oduya that could be moved.

There has to be a deal there somewhere????
- jimmc7722

Nielsen is a great fit for us. The X factor here is the Kane/Kesler BFF driving the trade angle for the Hawks and Nucks. No doubt Kane keeps telling Stan to get Kesler for him. We shall see what happens. Interesting that Vancouver came back to discuss Kesler with the Hawks. Vancouver needs to re-build.

For those that mention trading Bicks. Cannot do that right now. He is the only legit power W on the team. Unless McNeil shows up at camp and goes beast mode we don't have another player like him at the moment.

Thanks Jim Benning.

12th in the West. Mediocre. Sorry.

Granted they ARE handling it better than Gillis did with Lu, but you assume a position of power in this your team doesn't really have. The market for Kesler is not going to get better any time soon. And what if he gets hurt?

But some Vancouver fans make this same argument every year.
- John Jaeckel

I meant we are worse than mediocre, duh! That's why dis needs to be a great deal for Van.

I meant we are worse than mediocre, duh! That's why dis needs to be a great deal for Van.
- VanHockeyGuy

But a great deal is not going to happen. Kessler wants to be traded and to only a couple of teams. Nucks need to get the best offer they can NOW! No point in keeping him for a rebuild. Wait any longer and the Nucks get even less or nothing. Nucks are in a corner on this one and everyone knows it.

But a great deal is not going to happen. Kessler wants to be traded and to only a couple of teams. Nucks need to get the best offer they can NOW! No point in keeping him for a rebuild. Wait any longer and the Nucks get even less or nothing. Nucks are in a corner on this one and everyone knows it.

- PaulNewman

Imagine if Gillis was still the GM?? Chaos...then nothing. Would trade Kesler in 2016.

I can Sharp moved there if he waived his NMC for picks unless they can get Strome
- ikeane

Neilson can be moved because Strome or Nelson will take is spot.

The only way Strome gets moved is if Saad comes the other way.

1 for 1!!!

For most scorers I think you can make the argument peak years are 25 and under. It's a lot like football but doesn't get the attention. I think the game physically wears on guys, that's the only explanation I can think of. There are always exceptions but I've noticed an awful lot of scorers who play at a very high level until 25 ish and start to decline.
- Hemingways

Not even close. Sorry. Not to pick on you, but hockey is and has been FULL of guys who are very productive in their late 30s and even early 40s. To wit, recently:

Hossa
Selanne
Jagr
Larionov
Fedorov
Datsyuk
Francis
Messier


Long, long list

Neilson can be moved because Strome or Nelson will take is spot.

The only way Strome gets moved is if Saad comes the other way.

1 for 1!!!
- jimmc7722

Ummmmmm

[quote=John Jaeckel]Not even close. Sorry. Not to pick on you, but hockey is and has been FULL of guys who are very productive in their late 30s and even early 40s. To wit, recently:

Hossa
Selanne
Jagr
Larionov
Fedorov
Datsyuk
Francis
Messier


Memories of the Russian 5 and the juggernaut Wings teams..

Larionov, Federov, Kozlov.. crap who were the other two?? Konstantinov and Fetisov. Remember the days when Smith was the GM and he went Russian player crazy? Mironov, Kar-flop-sev and then the horribly failed draft taking those two Russian W.. Vorobiev and don't remember the other.. ughhhhh dark days.

In response to dan9189's post on the Kesler deal being an overpay, etc. and how those deals never work out.

This is conventional wisdom that isn't. I heard the SAME argument against dealing for jeff Carter (same kind of return by the way) three years ago. Probably from you. How'd that work out? 2 Stanley Cups later, same guy who DESTROYED all these great guys we can't afford to trade on the Hawks a few weeks ago.

B.S.

Stop making excuses for a front office that is way too conservative at times. Dean Lombardi, to this point, has shown he has bigger stones than Stan Bowman.

Bowman inherited a much bester hand from Tallon. MUCH better. Lombardi has done more with his, precisely because he is not afraid to go big and trust his judgement. Or he doesn't have a meddlesome team president tying his hands.

Results speak volumes.

Guess the real question is this... Does Stan Bowman have the final say on player transactions or does it go through McD and his dad and Wirtz... The reluctance to trade a core piece may have the brakes applied long before Stan gets his hands on it. But I will say this.. Bowman does not come off as a confident person. I could see him walking away from potential deals in fear of not having a good outcome. As a GM in a pro sports setting, risk is part of the job. The team needs a legit #2 C to help out 19.

Saad is a few short steps away from becoming a legit stud on the W. Roll the dice Stan... if it takes Sharp to land that C... so be it.

I would not even come near Spezza, to soft in my opinion, 17 from Vancouver is enticing but not for Sharpie. I would like to see the Hawks try and move a prospect from Rockford or elsewhere with draft picks and if a player off the roster is needed Oduya or Nordstrom, Versteeg, I would understand but we all know you have to give to get so be smart Bowman.

In response to dan9189's post on the Kesler deal being an overpay, etc. and how those deals never work out.

This is conventional wisdom that isn't. I heard the SAME argument against dealing for jeff Carter (same kind of return by the way) three years ago. Probably from you. How'd that work out? 2 Stanley Cups later, same guy who DESTROYED all these great guys we can't afford to trade on the Hawks a few weeks ago.

B.S.

Stop making excuses for a front office that is way too conservative at times. Dean Lombardi, to this point, has shown he has bigger stones than Stan Bowman.

Bowman inherited a much bester hand from Tallon. MUCH better. Lombardi has done more with his, precisely because he is not afraid to go big and trust his judgement. Or he doesn't have a meddlesome team president tying his hands.

Results speak volumes.
- John Jaeckel

Problem is, it seems to me, they saw what happened in 2013, when they when they mixed and matched alte cockers like Handzus and Roszival with young players like Saad, Shaw, Kruger, Frolik to fill in holes - and it worked.

In 2014, the mixes didn't work so well - Handzus and Roszival slowed down; Pirri, Morin, Nordstrom couldn't replace Bolland, Frolik, Stalberg - but (as many here look at it) they were only a lucky bounce away from the Cup - leaving with the feeling that only tweaks were necessary for next year - and that Shaw (having three good games at 2C against LA) is the answer at 2C.

Victims of their own success, as it were (even tho a lot of that success was tenuous in 2014).

If this attitude is anywhere in the FO - if they don't recognize the the window is now open, but won't be for very long - if they don't try to start solving next year's cap problems this year - if they don't try to solve problems directly, instead of wishing and hoping that cheap and old and cheap and unproven is the way to go - then we're just as likely to have more transition years than truly competitive ones.

In response to dan9189's post on the Kesler deal being an overpay, etc. and how those deals never work out.

This is conventional wisdom that isn't. I heard the SAME argument against dealing for jeff Carter (same kind of return by the way) three years ago. Probably from you. How'd that work out? 2 Stanley Cups later, same guy who DESTROYED all these great guys we can't afford to trade on the Hawks a few weeks ago.

B.S.

Stop making excuses for a front office that is way too conservative at times. Dean Lombardi, to this point, has shown he has bigger stones than Stan Bowman.

Bowman inherited a much bester hand from Tallon. MUCH better. Lombardi has done more with his, precisely because he is not afraid to go big and trust his judgement. Or he doesn't have a meddlesome team president tying his hands.

Results speak volumes.
- John Jaeckel

Spot on JJ.
I wanted Carter as well and they couldn't pull the trigger...Bowman was handed a Cup team by Dale and has nibbled around the edges since filling in nicely at times with pieces and parts (Oduya) and faltering badly at others...(Montador). Meanwhile he got a second Cup with Dale's core. Bowman for whatever reason can't/won't make the big moves. It's time to grow a pair and step to the plate. Take the training wheels off Scotty and McD. Otherwise we can read more about the Kings budding dynasty next year.

I guess the real question is where do you want your weakness? Number 2 center or a left wing?
- Canardhawk

Kane plays 2nd line and is the best playmaker in the game...period. Would the Hawks be better off with a top 2nd line center...Yes
But the reason they didn't get to the Cup had more to do with playing almost a line short and not being able to forecheck and roll 4 lines as in the past.

Kane plays 2nd line and is the best playmaker in the game...period. Would the Hawks be better off with a top 2nd line center...Yes
But the reason they didn't get to the Cup had more to do with playing almost a line short and not being able to forecheck and roll 4 lines as in the past.
- Al

But part of that problem was the second line - which, after December, was constantly jumbled up and never was solidified - Handzus, Smith, Pirri and Shaw at center, Saad and Smith and Sharp at left wing - Kane was the only constant.

Get a 2C, keep Saad at wing, and lines 3 and 4 become viable.

Sharp to Vancouver even up with kesler saying he will hold out if not traded to the hawks
Vancouver can then trade sharp if they want for young talent

Vancouver has little leverage if kesler holds the line on his trade demands


Goodby Sharpie thanks for your time here good luck in the future

But a great deal is not going to happen. Kessler wants to be traded and to only a couple of teams. Nucks need to get the best offer they can NOW! No point in keeping him for a rebuild. Wait any longer and the Nucks get even less or nothing. Nucks are in a corner on this one and everyone knows it.

- PaulNewman

Kane plays 2nd line and is the best playmaker in the game...period. Would the Hawks be better off with a top 2nd line center...Yes
But the reason they didn't get to the Cup had more to do with playing almost a line short and not being able to forecheck and roll 4 lines as in the past.
- Al

Exactly. And that is why I would rather be the team getting a few assets that can play for sharp and tt and leddy instead of giving up a few assets for one player

In response to dan9189's post on the Kesler deal being an overpay, etc. and how those deals never work out.

This is conventional wisdom that isn't. I heard the SAME argument against dealing for jeff Carter (same kind of return by the way) three years ago. Probably from you. How'd that work out? 2 Stanley Cups later, same guy who DESTROYED all these great guys we can't afford to trade on the Hawks a few weeks ago.

B.S.

Stop making excuses for a front office that is way too conservative at times. Dean Lombardi, to this point, has shown he has bigger stones than Stan Bowman.

Bowman inherited a much bester hand from Tallon. MUCH better. Lombardi has done more with his, precisely because he is not afraid to go big and trust his judgement. Or he doesn't have a meddlesome team president tying his hands.

Results speak volumes.
- John Jaeckel

JJ-
Kinda agree in some areas and disagree completely in others....Talent wise yes, Bowman inherited a great team from Tallon AND MIKE SMITH but he had to rebuild over half the roster after they won.....the 2nd Cup is largely in part built by Bowman. This idea Bowman has no stones in misdirected.....he has 4 of the top 30 forwards in league.....3 of top dmen in league so in his defense.....why does he need to make a big move every year. Someone posted a great quote yesterday or the day before.....Bowman has what other teams want so he's always holds the cards and doesn't have to be aggressive.....this statement is dead on.....and the results are what they are....while GM..2 SC's and 3 appearances in the WCF's show he hasn't had to have the "stones" every one thinks he needs.....Both organizations are top notch.....both have had success.....both have made the moves they needed to make in order to be successful....One makes minor tweaks because they can..the other has to make a big move because they have to....

As far as acquiring Gaborik or any other big name forward....who would you like the Hawks to give up? Hossa? Sharp? Bickel?....because that's what would have to go the other way in a hard cap year......

And again McDonough does not mettle in anything hockey when it comes to player moves......if he did Scotty Bowman would not be a part of this organization.

Is anybody else concerned about Kesler's ability to remain healthy ? He seems to be hurt a lot much like bolland. I'd love to see the hawks add a center like grabovski who has skill to play with Kane and won't cost assets.
- Omahawk

I wouldn't worry too much about that. He was overused and played too many minutes cause the Canucks had no one else. With Chicago's roster, they will be able to play him a little less minutes.

Sharp to Vancouver even up with kesler saying he will hold out if not traded to the hawks
Vancouver can then trade sharp if they want for young talent

Vancouver has little leverage if kesler holds the line on his trade demands


Goodby Sharpie thanks for your time here good luck in the future
- molly2522

Forget it . You trade your own players , we have enough to do this offseason without taking on another player that needs to be traded.

Spot on JJ.
I wanted Carter as well and they couldn't pull the trigger...Bowman was handed a Cup team by Dale and has nibbled around the edges since filling in nicely at times with pieces and parts (Oduya) and faltering badly at others...(Montador). Meanwhile he got a second Cup with Dale's core. Bowman for whatever reason can't/won't make the big moves. It's time to grow a pair and step to the plate. Take the training wheels off Scotty and McD. Otherwise we can read more about the Kings budding dynasty next year.
- DK002

Are we really going to restart the ridiculous Tallon vs Bowman argument again??? Happens every off season I guess......The first cup was built by Tallon and MIKE SMITH.....and there are plenty of draft choices and player signings(Huet) that show he wasn't the greatest thing since sliced bread....Mike Smith's picks such as Keith, Seabrook, Buff, and Burish had just as much impact as Tallon picking Kane & Toews.....plus Tallon gave out money like candy and couldn't understand how to use a calculator.....what has he done in Florida???? Zilch....one play off appearance.....

Bowman had to purge a roster of great and solid NHL players.....and in three years was able to win the cup....again

Remember Tallon wanted Havlat over Hossa....and only 4 players from the Tallon picked core (Hammer,Toews, Kane, & Sharp) played on both teams...

Lets get with facts before we start spewing what has not actually happened......

JJ-
Kinda agree in some areas and disagree completely in others....Talent wise yes, Bowman inherited a great team from Tallon AND MIKE SMITH but he had to rebuild over half the roster after they won.....the 2nd Cup is largely in part built by Bowman. This idea Bowman has no stones in misdirected.....he has 4 of the top 30 forwards in league.....3 of top dmen in league so in his defense.....why does he need to make a big move every year. Someone posted a great quote yesterday or the day before.....Bowman has what other teams want so he's always holds the cards and doesn't have to be aggressive.....this statement is dead on.....and the results are what they are....while GM..2 SC's and 3 appearances in the WCF's show he hasn't had to have the "stones" every one thinks he needs.....Both organizations are top notch.....both have had success.....both have made the moves they needed to make in order to be successful....One makes minor tweaks because they can..the other has to make a big move because they have to....

As far as acquiring Gaborik or any other big name forward....who would you like the Hawks to give up? Hossa? Sharp? Bickel?....because that's what would have to go the other way in a hard cap year......

And again McDonough does not mettle in anything hockey when it comes to player moves......if he did Scotty Bowman would not be a part of this organization.
- UnnamedSource

And now he needs to be aggressive - now he needs to make bigger moves than he has before.

He should get a quality 2C - not necessarily Kesler or Stastny, but someone who has proven able to hold down a top-2 center position.

He should he beginning to move away from the cap so that next summer doesn't become a repeat of 7/1/2010.

I don't think he'll do either, so we have to hope that Saad-Shaw-Kane works all year as line 2, or that TT can come in and - be what? 2C on Kane's line?

He'll try to go old and cheap and/or young unproven and cheap to shore up lines 3 and 4 - which has worked one year out of the last three.

And successful or not, he'll go into 2015's summer scrambling to create cap space for new paper for four major players.

I don't know - maybe it all does work out with a deep run next spring - it certainly could.

Forget it . You trade your own players , we have enough to do this offseason without taking on another player that needs to be traded.
- VANTEL

Not sure you have options if kesler says he will hold out