I'm on the Kesler train as much as the next guy, but if Sharp is being shopped, and the Pens are looking to possibly move Neal, any chance the 'Hawks could come calling?

Neal is a TERRIFIC fit with the 'Hawks in my opinion. Under contract for the next four years at a $5 mil AAV, which is affordable.

He's got size at 6'2" is a proven scorer who can play in front of the net as well, and he's in his prime (26 years old). I think he would make for an excellent compliment to the Toews/Hossa line.

Canucks could flip Sharp if he were included. Get a nice return from Chicago and then flip Sharp for some more pieces.
- hankthetank

Could be

>A few thoughts on Spezza
>If Scotty Bowman was able to get Brett Hull to play defense and actually kill some penalties later in his career, the Hawks can certainly get Spezza to become a more complete player
>While there is no doubt that there is an art and skill in playing defense by forwards, the #1 thing necessary to do it is -- the willingness to do so
>You can motivate any NHL forward to be a better defender, but you can't ramp up their skill level -- that is something teams expect players to do on their own
>Thinking the Hawks only get Kesler on their terms -- if not -- Al's call on Spezza for 1 year (and see what happens) makes a lot of sense overall

everyone is armchair GM'ing it the last 3 weeks...seems like talk might be heating up and we will know more in the next 72 hrs....but its interesting that:

At first - rumor was Kesler only wanted to play for the Hawks or Pitt...

then

Kesler wants to play for the Hawks or Anaheim...


Who is playing who?

>A few thoughts on Spezza
>If Scotty Bowman was able to get Brett Hull to play defense and actually kill some penalties later in his career, the Hawks can certainly get Spezza to become a more complete player
>While there is no doubt that there is an art and skill in playing defense by forwards, the #1 thing necessary to do it is -- the willingness to do so
>You can motivate any NHL forward to be a better defender, but you can't ramp up their skill level -- that is something teams expect players to do on their own
>Thinking the Hawks only get Kesler on their terms -- if not -- Al's call on Spezza for 1 year (and see what happens) makes a lot of sense overall
- SnapitUpstairs

Excellent post

I'm on the Kesler train as much as the next guy, but if Sharp is being shopped, and the Pens are looking to possibly move Neal, any chance the 'Hawks could come calling?

Neal is a TERRIFIC fit with the 'Hawks in my opinion. Under contract for the next four years at a $5 mil AAV, which is affordable.

He's got size at 6'2" is a proven scorer who can play in front of the net as well, and he's in his prime (26 years old). I think he would make for an excellent compliment to the Toews/Hossa line.
- TommyHawk

WHY in the hell do we need to trade Sharp for Neal? One winger for another? Flip out a guy who can skate for one who can't. trade a high character, class guy for one of the league's biggest tools?

ADDING a TOP SIX WINGER? WHAT? Hell, we're getting ready to TRADE away one to help with the cap and address L2-C. Holy cow.

Canucks could flip Sharp if he were included. Get a nice return from Chicago and then flip Sharp for some more pieces.
- hankthetank

I'm not convinced that Linden/Benning are going to do a full rebuild. They may try to sign a significant UFA and trade Kesler for someone who can play in the top 6 right away.

I'm fully against that, but I think it's quite possible. That being said, a Sharp-Kesler trade doesn't make much sense to me.

Kesler's had lots of personal success on the canucks. Unfortunately, just not the big prize.


- bloatedmosquito

Yeah, we had some of that type of runner-up success this year... really sucked. Need to get back to winning the big prize so we can keep this Original 6 Bandwagon thing going.

I'm on the Kesler train as much as the next guy, but if Sharp is being shopped, and the Pens are looking to possibly move Neal, any chance the 'Hawks could come calling?

Neal is a TERRIFIC fit with the 'Hawks in my opinion. Under contract for the next four years at a $5 mil AAV, which is affordable.

He's got size at 6'2" is a proven scorer who can play in front of the net as well, and he's in his prime (26 years old). I think he would make for an excellent compliment to the Toews/Hossa line.
- TommyHawk

Just swap Leddy for Nielsen. We have our 2C for 2 years at a reasonable cap hit and it allows TT time to ripen in Rockford. Sharp stays as well and we end up with a top 6 of Sharp/Toews/Hossa and Saad/Nielsen/Kane. What's not to like????

How much of a rebuild is it while hanging on to the Sedins?
- Hawks82

Nothing wrong with having those two on your team while you develop your youth.





They have never been the problem.

Just swap Leddy for Nielsen. We have our 2C for 2 years at a reasonable cap hit and it allows TT time to ripen in Rockford. Sharp stays as well and we end up with a top 6 of Sharp/Toews/Hossa and Saad/Nielsen/Kane. What's not to like????
- DarthKane

not a bad option....

WHY in the hell do we need to trade Sharp for Neal? One winger for another? Flip out a guy who can skate for one who can't. trade a high character, class guy for one of the league's biggest tools?

ADDING a TOP SIX WINGER? WHAT? Hell, we're getting ready to TRADE away one to help with the cap and address L2-C. Holy cow.
- kwolf68

I'm not convinced that Linden/Benning are going to do a full rebuild. They may try to sign a significant UFA and trade Kesler for someone who can play in the top 6 right away.

I'm fully against that, but I think it's quite possible. That being said, a Sharp-Kesler trade doesn't make much sense to me.
- Nucker101

Of course not, VAN still has that pair of concrete shoes named Daniel and Henrik

- mrpaulish

This place is fun!

This place is fun!
- bloatedmosquito

I don't know if I can make it to the draft. This is killing me.. come on Stan!!!

I'm not convinced that Linden/Benning are going to do a full rebuild. They may try to sign a significant UFA and trade Kesler for someone who can play in the top 6 right away.

I'm fully against that, but I think it's quite possible. That being said, a Sharp-Kesler trade doesn't make much sense to me.
- Nucker101

Full rebuild???? You never go full rebuild!!!!

WHY in the hell do we need to trade Sharp for Neal? One winger for another? Flip out a guy who can skate for one who can't. trade a high character, class guy for one of the league's biggest tools?

ADDING a TOP SIX WINGER IS A STUPID thought. Hell, we're getting ready to TRADE away one to help with the cap and address L2-C. Holy cow.
- kwolf68

Who peed in your cheerios this morning?


I was simply entertaining a thought. And it's not as asinine as you may think. Sharp is under contract for three more years with a $1 mil more AAV. It saves the 'Hawks a little bit of cap space. Sharp is also six years older than Neal is, and as for your comments about "high character, class guy" then why are there rumors surfacing of locker-room troubles? Of course, a rumor is just that but Patrick Sharp is being shopped anyways, and I don't know about you, but Neal is someone that could easily benefit the 'Hawks as having a legitimate top-line forward for at least the next 4-5 years.

IF Sharp is moved and we bring in a C like Spezza, who are our top wingers? Hossa is 35 and injuries have taken a toll on him, Saad is obviously improving but he's likely better suited for the second line, and then what? There needs to be other consideration(s) aside for just the center position.

I'm not insinuating that this is the move that puts us over the top, but I think that it still improves our team.

Of course not, VAN still has that pair of concrete shoes named Daniel and Henrik
- FourFeathers773

Hey genius, they still need to ice a team. The Sedins are good players and good examples for younger guys. Rebuild doesn't mean trading away every single player on the team from the prior season. The Hawks rebuild took over a decade. A decade of missing the playoffs and look at their success now. The Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time in a while last year. The Sedins are signed for 4 more years.

WHY in the hell do we need to trade Sharp for Neal? One winger for another? Flip out a guy who can skate for one who can't. trade a high character, class guy for one of the league's biggest tools?

ADDING a TOP SIX WINGER? WHAT? Hell, we're getting ready to TRADE away one to help with the cap and address L2-C. Holy cow.
- kwolf68

Yep other than Sadd and Terv,which hawk fans have made very clear are unavailable.They dont have the cap or pieces to make a deal for kessler or spezza.Hense the sharp rumors

Or nothing happens here and Stan goes to the presser and says, "We like our team. Questions??"

Of course not, VAN still has that pair of concrete shoes named Daniel and Henrik
- FourFeathers773

Daniel's regressed(he was the scorer of the t 2 and seems to have lost some of that ability). Henrik is still one of the best playmakers in the world. And they both are damn good puck possession players.

A full rebuild doesn't mean tanking, just means when trading a Kesler you only look at young assets in return instead of guys who only have 2 or 3 good years left.

Full rebuild???? You never go full rebuild!!!!
- DarthKane

Yeah, these guys just don't get it. Van still has some good pieces, just need to bring in some youth for a re-tool.

Hey genius, they still need to ice a team. The Sedins are good players and good examples for younger guys. Rebuild doesn't mean trading away every single player on the team from the prior season. The Hawks rebuild took over a decade. A decade of missing the playoffs. The Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time in a while last year. The Sedins are signed for 4 more years.
- hankthetank

damn, homie finally recognizes the IQ up in here

CHI also stripped down every major asset in the life cycle of that rebuild. And most of the time, the rebuild was unintentional. Bill Wirtz traded guys because he didnt want to pay them, not because he was trying to rebuild. He only wanted players that wanted to come play for Chicago, and wanted to do it for cheap. So naturally, that was pretty much no one. Wirtz had some BIG assets for year to completely rebuild a powerhouse team if he wanted, but instead, any time he got anything of good return and they panned out to be good as well, they were as good as gone come the time they needed their pay raise

Full rebuild???? You never go full rebuild!!!!
- DarthKane

For McDavid baby!

Yeah, these guys just don't get it. Van still has some good pieces, just need to bring in some youth for a re-tool.
- golfingsince