This is precisely what I've been saying. I keep reading folks saying well the cap is going up. Great. It's not going to go up enough to sign Kane/Toews/Saad in one season and fill in depth pieces. Simply impossible.
- CaptainBlackhawk

Next sumner Roszival and his 2 mil plus is UFA, Versteeg could be traded, if Bickell does not improve he could go, Oduya could be replaced by Dahlbeck/cheaper UFA. The Hawks can clear some cap space. That, and the possible cap increase should help offset the payraises. Not like the 2010 cap purge. Not ideal, but not disasterous either

problem is, i have heard this form two other much more credible sources. Hawks are his preferred destination.

So, Benning has to balance who's on Kesler's list AND who has the best offer.

You should know that I've had a tip on Kesler wanting Chicago for much longer than Garrioch's piece.

I try to write these in a way that expresses what I'm hearing and what I'm thinking/surmising—clearly, so there's no confusion.

I have heard, over and over, since February/March that keeler to Chi is a possibility. Seems there is a lot of smoke around that fire now.
- John Jaeckel

Wasn't comparing your story to his but was pointing out his views shouldn't be used to fortify your case....At least I wouldn't do so with something I would write.

I think for sure Kesler would want to come here....But I think there are other cities in the East he could be ok in also.

I don't see the edge for Vancouver to deal with the Hawks...That's my take.

New team President and new GM....Even Gillis who should have been gone a few years ago refused to trade Luongo to the West. ....That was reported by a few guys who usually are wired in right.

So unless it is Seabrook and TT or even Sharp and TT, it would likely be too much going the other way and I can't see it happening. Don't forget....Montreal, Washington and Pitt will likely be making moves and they are a safer bet for the Vancouver front office. And Florida could deal the #1 pick and that could be interesting for the Canucks.

The name I have heard to be on the move from more than one is Sharp....FWIW.

Agreed hawks need a second line center to play with Kane , pens have Malkin (the best second line center in the league). Anyone who says Kessler to Pitt needs to explain how pittsburgh is better with him given the cost ?
- Brianandr1

Kesler to Pittsburgh is just plain silly.

Kesler to Rangers makes a huge amount of sense.

Kesler to Anahiem makes the most sense and Anahiem has huge assets and picks to make a deal happen. Everyone should notice Anahiem's not saying anything about anyone. I believe they are confident that the can get either Spezza or Kesler.

The people over at 2nd City Hockey posted a Kesler article...and Greg wrote he would trade Seabrook for Kesler straight up in a heart beat...And I believe Lazerus said the same thing on that show with Kaplan....Trading Seabrook, Keith or Hammer to add a 2nd line C is nothing but hurting your chances at winning another Cup...I really don't know what either of them is thinking....Seabrook doesn't get enough credit or love here in Chitown imo
- captainserious

I like Greg, nice guy, and I like Kesler as a player, but that is near retarded. And anyone saying Seabrook is being shopped needs to check their sources.

Very, very unlikely he gets moved.

They have 14 on the roster I believe. Doesn't leave a lot of room to fill out the team.
- WhatTheNuck

Guys like despres, Harrington, poulliot and dumollin will be on the d next year if not moved ... All rookies making under 1 mil per

Yeah, I forgot Saad needs to be resigned, and I think Seabrook is up in 2 years.

At least one of our core guys is going to be gone unless the cap makes a huge jump.
- Hemingways

This is why the Nucks want Saad. I know it's not gonna get done but If they do acquire Kesler in another trade, how do they re-sign those 4 and stay on the same path?

Seabrook is an excellent player ,but Canucks are no where near winning a cup so they need to build with youth . I think Canucks need to get back at least a pick and a prospect more than anything else.
- VANTEL

I agree, if they're going to do a real rebuild they need multiple young players.

TT would be a steal for them in a package. Leddy a good piece too.

I would hate to see TT go, but if it drastically improves our odds of winning the Cup next year (and perhaps the year after that), bye.

Problem is, I have heard this from two other much more credible sources. Hawks are his preferred destination.

So, Benning has to balance who's on Kesler's list AND who has the best offer.

You should know that I've had a tip on Kesler wanting Chicago for much longer than Garrioch's piece.

I try to write these in a way that expresses what I'm hearing and what I'm thinking/surmising—clearly, so there's no confusion.

I have heard, over and over, since February/March that Kesler to Chi is a possibility. Seems there is a lot of smoke around that fire now.
- John Jaeckel

Everyone is laughing at Garrioch's comments out west.

I like Greg, nice guy, and I like Kesler as a player, but that is near retarded. And anyone saying Seabrook is being shopped needs to check their sources.

Very, very unlikely he gets moved.
- John Jaeckel

That's been thrown around often...I think cuz money matches somewhat and Seabrook is from Vancouver.

But I agree...Don't see it happening.

Kesler to Pittsburgh is just plain silly.

Kesler to Rangers makes a huge amount of sense.

Kesler to Anahiem makes the most sense and Anahiem has huge assets and picks to make a deal happen. Everyone should notice Anahiem's not saying anything about anyone. I believe they are confident that the can get either Spezza or Kesler.
- spatso

I'll say what I said before:

Either Patrick Sharp,
Nick Leddy,
and/or possibly even Teravainen

would be tough for any other team in the market for a center to top.

Next sumner Roszival and his 2 mil plus is UFA, Versteeg could be traded, if Bickell does not improve he could go, Oduya could be replaced by Dahlbeck/cheaper UFA. The Hawks can clear some cap space. That, and the possible cap increase should help offset the payraises. Not like the 2010 cap purge. Not ideal, but not disasterous either
- ikeane

Roszival, Oduya and Leddy will all be gone by the start of next season. You need to fill at least one of those roster spots with a proven veteran.

Versteeg could be traded, who knows. You still need to fill his position.

Who is going to want to take on Bickell's salary right now?

Everyone is laughing at Garrioch's comments out west.
- VanHockeyGuy

Read the post you responded to. I get the issues with Garrioch, believe me. I will not divulge my sources, but they are close to the situation.

I like Greg, nice guy, and I like Kesler as a player, but that is near retarded. And anyone saying Seabrook is being shopped needs to check their sources.

Very, very unlikely he gets moved.
- John Jaeckel

I like reading their stuff....And he seems like a nice guy...but I thought that comment was nuts....Claiming the Hawks D pipeline is full of players isn't a good enough reason to trade Seabrook...And he mentioned Johns...Right now, Johns is exactly what TT is....A prospect....could turn out to be a decent NHLer...could turn out to be the next Kyle Beach, Jack Skille, alexandre daigle etc....

Have you looked at the Hawks cap situation and the lack of a 2nd line center, and read that Kane supposedly wants a real #2 center, and he's about to be a free agent?

Lots of reasons.

Kane and Toews new contracts mean it's most likely going to take $6-8 mil freed up to fit those deals under the cap in a year. (at $9-10-11 mil per year for those two). Yes, the cap should go up, but no guarantee. The projection is it goes up to $70 mil this season. Nobody has a clue what it is the following year. CapGeek projects the cap at $71 mil this year and that only leaves the Hawks $4.6 mil to resign Ben Smith, Morin, Raanta, or replace those 3, plus any other small improvements. Raanta had a hit of $1.4 last year, Smith and Morin will likely get $800-900k, maybe slightly more for Smith. That's the entire cap room.

The only guys making big bucks right now are Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Seabrook, Keith, and Crawford. Hossa would be a time bomb to trade, because the Hawks can't stash him in IR if he's on another team so they get a huge cap hit. That leaves Sharp and Seabrook, since Keith isn't getting traded. Seabrook is a much more important player on this team, not to mention younger than Sharp. I love Sharp, but he's 32, has a big salary, and if it comes down to trading him or our only right handed, physical d-man, it's Sharp.

The other option is to gut the team and deal Leddy, Oduya, and anyone making over the minimum that isn't a core player. That still might not be enough. The problem with that is you end up like Pittsburgh, with no depth at all because it's all guys making the minimum, and only 1 defensive pairing.

However, bringing in Kessler or another expensive center could mean cap troubles in a year, because that player is taking most of Sharp's cap space they'll need for Kane and Toews' new deals.
- Hemingways

Newsflash

Sharp is old to everyone and the Canucks want to get younger so I think Sharp is out and will not get this deal done. I'm ok with this. Even though in the minority I want Leddy to stay. Needs some coaching and confidence....patience people

I see Kessler as a depth and youth move in Vancouver
So
Bickel
McNeil and maybe Morin going their way or one of the Rockford D man in a 3-4 player package.
Fits everyone needs and fits the Cap with Bicks and his 4 mil going their way

I agree, if they're going to do a real rebuild they need multiple young players.

TT would be a steal for them in a package. Leddy a good piece too.

I would hate to see TT go, but if it drastically improves our odds of winning the Cup next year (and perhaps the year after that), bye.
- Hemingways

StL and Ana have the biggest need for Kesler ,Chicago it is a luxury trade, Pitt I don't know why trade.

on JJs list I would move Bickell to the shopping list. $4 mil of wasted cap space based on one strong offseason.

This is why the Nucks want Saad. I know it's not gonna get done but If they do acquire Kesler in another trade, how do they re-sign those 4 and stay on the same path?
- WhatTheNuck

Heard the same. If Saad was part of a package it would be hard not to think of Chicago as the frontrunner for Kesler. Remember folks win/win

I agree, if they're going to do a real rebuild they need multiple young players.

TT would be a steal for them in a package. Leddy a good piece too.

I would hate to see TT go, but if it drastically improves our odds of winning the Cup next year (and perhaps the year after that), bye.
- Hemingways

I can see TT, Leddy and the Hawks 1st for Kesler and a prospect or a later pick. And i don't see any other teams out there offering better. You're talking 2 likely top 6/top 4 players. I mean Leddy is a top 4 guy on a lot of teams right now, even with his mental/maturity deficiencies. And maybe very good top 6/top 4 players.

Newsflash

Sharp is old to everyone and the Canucks want to get younger so I think Sharp is out and will not get this deal done. I'm ok with this. Even though in the minority I want Leddy to stay. Needs some coaching and confidence....patience people

I see Kessler as a depth and youth move in Vancouver
So
Bickel
McNeil and maybe Morin going their way or one of the Rockford D man in a 3-4 player package.
Fits everyone needs and fits the Cap with Bicks and his 4 mil going their way

- PEIHawkFan

Leddy will not be on this team after next season and possibly this season.

The Hawks simply will not pay him what he's asking for especially seeing they have defenseman in their system who they believe will be as good/better than Leddy at significantly less money.

The Hawks WILL figure out a way to get Dalbeck, Johns, Clendening etc. into the lineup here... soon.

StL and Ana have the biggest need for Kesler ,Chicago it is a luxury trade, Pitt I don't know why trade.
- VANTEL

DIS-A-GREE

Did you watch the WCF. The Hawks were dominated down the middle. They want to win Cups. An upgrade at C is a near-must to get past LA.

Roszival, Oduya and Leddy will all be gone by the start of next season. You need to fill at least one of those roster spots with a proven veteran.

Versteeg could be traded, who knows. You still need to fill his position.

Who is going to want to take on Bickell's salary right now?
- CaptainBlackhawk

someone trying to get to cap floor?

Buffalo, Calgary, Florida

or Montreal who could use a bigger body on the wing...

Heard the same. If Saad was part of a package it would be hard not to think of Chicago as the frontrunner for Kesler. Remember folks win/win
- VanHockeyGuy

Hawks dont need to add Saad to get this.done.


Its always been TT, Leddy and a pick

Or

Shaw , Leddy and a pick.



The team trading the star never gets full value but they can make their team bettwr than they were.

Heard the same. If Saad was part of a package it would be hard not to think of Chicago as the frontrunner for Kesler. Remember folks win/win
- VanHockeyGuy

99% certain, Brandon Saad will not be dealt for Ryan Kesler.

So you can speculate, but the reason the teams are talking today is probably because VAN has backed off on Saad.

John Jaeckel: Is Kesler Trade Imminent?
- John Jaeckel

You mention the fact that the Canucks are in rebuild/re-tool mode yet argue the fact that we would take back Sharp and Oduya, with us parting with Tanev to boot?

That would be an absolutely, utterly horrid trade for us, Christ, id take Sutter plus from Pitts if that was the case!

I can see TT, Leddy and the Hawks 1st for Kesler and a prospect or a later pick. And i don't see any other teams out there offering better. You're talking 2 likely top 6/top 4 players. I mean Leddy is a top 4 guy on a lot of teams right now, even with his mental/maturity deficiencies. And maybe very good top 6/top 4 players.
- John Jaeckel

I would rather trade Bickel than Leddy but I realize I stand alone on this
Young Defencemen are sacred for me