He came in here and threw a cheap shot at the HWks and their fans during the Kings series...very mature(red font)
- captainserious

His picture blog after their loss to the Canucks in 2010 is still the funniest blog I ever saw on this site however.

Malkin supposedly loves Neal, so we might as well skip Neal and just trade for Malkin.

Sharp, Leddy, TT, and this year's 1. Done. Solves the 2nd center problem.
- Hemingways

I'd pass on Malkin. He runs hot and cold and always seems to be cold in the big games.

I get that you want your 2LC to be a defensive guy, but teaming Patrick Kane up with Jason Spezza is downright terrifying....
- Jordo

(frank)ing right it is .


I just think Kesler is the #1 target .


I'd be very happy with Spezza too. Anything to solidify the top6 and help the PP .

I'd rather have Kesler , defensive stud , can score , hits , we'll see......

1. Agreed.....and that's not a valid excuse.

2. Who's to say they don't resign him in 2 years, and you have multiple guys down below who are also SUPPOSED top 6 players. The objective is to win the Stanley Cup. Kesler helps tremendously.

3. Trading 1, 1 maybe/maybe not prospect is not going to ruin your franchise. This team has multiple younger guys now and could have more WHEN Hossa retires.

4. Lets not even whisper TT's name to those guys....TT hasn't proven a damn thing. Nothing. He will NOT be a 2C in the NHL, IMO. He is a RW based on his need to have the puck constantly and set up guys. You have 2, 2 HOF RWs now...

I'm sorry...trading TT is not going to send you to "cap hell" or "A 1st round exit". We are talking about 1 guy....not trading the entire farm system Kesler.

Kesler AND a large bodied W puts you WAY ahead of the rest of the league as the favorite. lets also remember all things Kesler does, that will help take extra ice and defensive matchups away from Toews.
- SteveRain

Who, in the Hawks prospect pool, is going to take Hossa's spot in the top 6 once he can't play those minutes? The only person close would be TT (Saad will take Sharp's minutes once he is gone). If we have Danault, McNeil, or Hartman take those minutes I feel, even if they hit their upside, we will have a weak top 6. We will have Toews, Kane, Saad, and who else in 5 years???? We are usually always against the cap and wont be able to sign the big name, top 6, guys (Kesler will be 35, Hossa 40, Sharp 37). With that top 3 and whoever else you throw into that top 6 we will be in trouble and an early exit.

As is Leddy here, lots of upside and high ceiling and I think you guys could use some young puck moving defencemen? We need to a center and a little more size that compliments skill, you can replace production lost(relatively) with Sharp and much more reasonable cap hit PLUS boost your D corps.

- Bjm84

Yes, but we're looking more towards defensive defensemen... We've got a lot of mobile guys in the back end with Karlsson, Methot, Ceci, and Wiercioch. They're trying to push Methot into a more defensive role, and hoping that Cowen will pan out to be the stay-at-home guy they've pictured him to be..


We sens fans have been drooling over a Hjalmarsson deal for some time, but we all know that won't happen. Love that guy. That's the guy we need.


All that being said. I really like Leddy, and he does have some good upside. I think that's a pretty fair deal.

Here's what I don't understand about some of you in the "don't trade TT for Kesler" camp:

Kesler makes you better RIGHT NOW. He puts you in contention for Cups at least over the next 2 years, maybe more if he signs another contract. Teravainen could be the next Gretzky or he could be the next Eric Daze. I would rather have the opportunity to win cups now rather than hope and pray a prospect "gets it" and becomes great.

What happens if Stan doesn't pull the trigger, TT stays, and Toews gets another concussion that puts him out longer term, ala Crosby? Wouldn't Kesler have looked nice as a backfill?

From purely a hockey sense for the 14/15 season moving TT for Kesler makes more than enough sense. TT unknown entity, Kesler the 2C the Hawks have lacked for years. But when you have such a large group of "core" guys like the Hawks have, you need some good young players that will be on ELCs to contribute to offset the top heavy deals of said core. That's not news to (most of) you guys but something to think about when trying to figure out why GMs are sometimes reluctant to move youth. Its not so much thinking TT is better than Kesler (or will be), but that cost prohibitive control of a guy like TT is what can give a team some cap flexibility. If you move Sharp and bring back Kesler with a deal including TT, you're basically back at the same point cap-wise with what would likely be a better roster but by what degree? If Bowman passes on that deal because he thinks there is another answer out there that won't push them back up to the cap then I understand why he would not use TT in a Kesler deal, but if he doesn't want to include TT strictly because of his potential and not wanting egg on his face in a few years that is much less excusable.

I know this guy is a joke but come on :


hahahahahahahahaahahahahahaha:




Hockeyy Insiderr ‏@HockeyyInsiderr 52s

Hearing the #Canucks are waiting to see what kind of a deal they will get for Kesler before rolling the red carpet for Bolland.





Can you imagine Dave and the Sisters ??

A few things:

1) Bowman over-values his prospects and doesn't want to trade TT.

2) Why do you think a projected top 6 player, for the next 10-15 years, should be traded for a guy who will be a two year rental?

3) The Hawks model is to build through the draft and be patient with their prospects. This is to make the team good for the future. You seem to only care about today. Would getting 1-2 cups (if everything goes well and no major injuries occur) be satisfying enough for you in which we will become a 1st round exit team once Hossa gets too old and we have to go through cap hell again? I would much rather have a good possibility of being a team that will consistently have a chance at making the Stanley Cup Finals, or going deep in the playoffs, like they have done for the past 6 years.

4) Don't compare TT's situation to Toews and Kane, they both were entering the organization at different times with different plans. We all know the Hawks follow the Red Wing Model, so lets take a look at their players who entered the league after they were 19 (TT's current age):

Fedorov was 21
Lidstrom was 21
Zetterburg was 22
Datsuyk was 23
Nyquist was 24 before he had more than 25 games in a season

Were all those player not "that good" and didnt play in the NHL because of that?
- BearsnHawks

They need to win today

Not 3 years from now.

I'd pass on Malkin. He runs hot and cold and always seems to be cold in the big games.
- paulr

His playoff stats and Conn Smythe suggest otherwise.

That doesn't make any sense.
- Bjm84

Agreed, doesn't help much with cap relief ($900k)or 2nd line center.

The only thing I could think of is this...

Sharp has full NMC and would likely only consider playing with a contender. If PIT is on this list, maybe they get Neal back and he is a lot easier to move with a modified NMC that only kicks in for 2015-2017. He would be a lot easier to move and would probably bring back more value between his age, more potential buyers, and teams knowing the Hawks are hamstrung in negotiations.

Based on what’s out there today I’m feeling the likeliness of a deal happening for Kesler (anywhere) is dwindling. If he doesn’t get moved so be it. Move on.

Based on what’s out there today I’m feeling the likeliness of a deal happening for Kesler (anywhere) is dwindling. If he doesn’t get moved so be it. Move on.
- VanHockeyGuy

It's gonna happen at the draft, right around pick 10.

Not a bad deal, but would it really by worth it?

Edit: Can Neal play LW? He's listed as a RW and I doubt he plays ahead of Kane or Hossa.
- DarthKane

Hockey-reference says he's a left wing - shoots left.

Doesn't do anything tho.

I know TT has great credentials so far, and looks like a great prospect, but 2 things concern me.

1. His size 5'10-5'11 is a tough sell
2. Did he not drop significantly in the draft. I honestly don't know, why did that happen?

Van had a 1st in Jordan Schroeder (5'10) center that they are not going to qualify. Not the same skill level as TT but you need bigger player at center.

Unless it Saad for Keseler, which I know wont happen, I think the deal goes down with the Ducks and the Canucks trade the #6 and #10 to Florida for their #1 to take Reinhart.

Agreed, doesn't help much with cap relief ($900k)or 2nd line center.

The only thing I could think of is this...

Sharp has full NMC and would likely only consider playing with a contender. If PIT is on this list, maybe they get Neal back and he is a lot easier to move with a modified NMC that only kicks in for 2015-2017. He would be a lot easier to move and would probably bring back more value between his age, more potential buyers, and teams knowing the Hawks are hamstrung in negotiations.
- Sconnie

I thought it was a Limited TC ? Can we get verification ?

They need to win today

Not 3 years from now.
- fattybeef

So lets blow the team up so we wont do anything in 3 years (first round exit in playoffs)...... Thats how GM's lose their jobs and Bowman will never do that. Did the Redwings ever make a huge trade, during their Bowman days, especially giving away their best prospect? No.

If this blog gets sooo frustrated over losing in game 7 of the WCF in OT, I can just imagine how it would be if we don't make the playoffs, or continually get out in the first round....

Who, in the Hawks prospect pool, is going to take Hossa's spot in the top 6 once he can't play those minutes? The only person close would be TT (Saad will take Sharp's minutes once he is gone). If we have Danault, McNeil, or Hartman take those minutes I feel, even if they hit their upside, we will have a weak top 6. We will have Toews, Kane, Saad, and who else in 5 years???? We are usually always against the cap and wont be able to sign the big name, top 6, guys (Kesler will be 35, Hossa 40, Sharp 37). With that top 3 and whoever else you throw into that top 6 we will be in trouble and an early exit.
- BearsnHawks

I just don't get how you can defend TT for a lock for a top 6 spot but down play the other Hawk prospects.

Who's to say if some of these D prospects Dahlback, Johns, Cledenning hit that a veteran D man can't be moved for a F prospect?

Again trading TT will not cripple the Hawks. It won't happen. They can restock or fill in his space over time.

Think about this...you get Kesler, resign him for another 3-4 years and for 5-6 years he can feed Kane who make whatever wing you put on the other side very good. Kane will ONLY get better. You can move Saad up to play with Toews IF Hossa starts a quicker then anticipated downward spiral.

You also will have cap flexibility down the road and could sign a top 6 player for x if you had to.

If there is one position I am VERY concerned about...it's goalie. After Crawford, there isn't ANYTHING there...and that's a prospect I would hope Bowman is looking to get back IF he trades a Sharp and/or Oduya/Leddy.

@CraigCustance: Nothing new on Kane/Toews front other than the two sides will be meeting in person in Philly. Stan Bowman wants deal done by July 1.

So lets blow the team up so we wont do anything in 3 years (first round exit in playoffs)...... Thats how GM's lose their jobs and Bowman will never do that. Did the Redwings ever make a huge trade, during their Bowman days, especially giving away their best prospect? No.

If this blog gets sooo frustrated over losing in game 7 of the WCF in OT, I can just imagine how it would be if we don't make the playoffs, or continually get out in the first round....
- BearsnHawks

Please take a step back and explain how you are blowing up the team?

Trading Leddy? Trading Sharp? Trading Teuvo? Getting back Kesler. Getting back a PROVEN NHL player or prospect/pick from Sharp trade to replace a TT.

I just dont' get your overreaction to trading Teuvo.

Point is....they lost to the Kings because of a major flaw at center. Bowman Sr himself admitted that last week to ESPN.com. They won't make that same mistake again.

The deal doesn't make sense though. The Hawks don't need wingers, especially wingers carrying 5 million cap hits with the raises due in the coming years. The Hawks only save $900,000 with this type of trade. I think if this were to happen then more pieces would be moving.
- Bjm84

couldn't agree more plus Neal is signed at $5 mil per thru 17-18...the whole idea of cutting Sharp loose is to save cap room for T & K next year. this makes zero sense

Agreed, doesn't help much with cap relief ($900k)or 2nd line center.

The only thing I could think of is this...

Sharp has full NMC and would likely only consider playing with a contender. If PIT is on this list, maybe they get Neal back and he is a lot easier to move with a modified NMC that only kicks in for 2015-2017. He would be a lot easier to move and would probably bring back more value between his age, more potential buyers, and teams knowing the Hawks are hamstrung in negotiations.
- Sconnie

Perhaps this is a three-way deal with us sending Neal + to VAN for Kessler.

His playoff stats and Conn Smythe suggest otherwise.
- golfingsince

Good! Maybe the leafs can get him.

I know this guy is a joke but come on :


hahahahahahahahaahahahahahaha:




Hockeyy Insiderr ‏@HockeyyInsiderr 52s

Hearing the #Canucks are waiting to see what kind of a deal they will get for Kesler before rolling the red carpet for Bolland.





Can you imagine Dave and the Sisters ??
- mrpaulish

Might as well grab Versteeg in the Kesler swap then trade the 6th, Tanev and Horvat for Buff and Ladd.

Sedin Sedin Kassain
Burrows Ladd Buff
Higgins Bolland Verstegg

Here's what I don't understand about some of you in the "don't trade TT for Kesler" camp:

Kesler makes you better RIGHT NOW. He puts you in contention for Cups at least over the next 2 years, maybe more if he signs another contract. Teravainen could be the next Gretzky or he could be the next Eric Daze. I would rather have the opportunity to win cups now rather than hope and pray a prospect "gets it" and becomes great.

What happens if Stan doesn't pull the trigger, TT stays, and Toews gets another concussion that puts him out longer term, ala Crosby? Wouldn't Kesler have looked nice as a backfill?
- DMCsPulledHammy

I think if TT was going to be in the deal, this deal would've been done already. I don't see the Hawks dealing him unless it's a for a younger top 6 center.