Worry about two years from now in two years. There's two cups up for grabs before then.
- Ogilthorpe2

I'm with you here....field the best team 1-22 you can.

I'm with you here....field the best team 1-22 you can.
- SteveRain

by weakening your defense????????

Since the teams with CAP space are almost exclusively non-playoff teams, you are asking one of these teams to TRADE a 2015 first rounder, that now the lottery includes EACH and every team.
Already a superior top two and possibly a couple franchise defenders right after that, do you really think some team is gonna give up even the slightest chance of picki ng first?
(Oh that's right the Isles did for Dal Colle!)
- wiz1901

I don't see them moving Sharp. Not until June of 2015. I don't see how Washington partners up here. I agree that Green is not a Trotz type player, but lack of scoring has never hurt Washington. It's been their D and up and down goaltending.

by weakening your defense????????
- wiz1901

Is trading Leddy going to hurt this team?

by weakening your defense????????
- wiz1901

In all seriousness give me the trade that gets this team 1.5 under the cap? Assuming Teuvo starts in Rockford.

Versteeg? Dont' see how given his injury history and value being at rock bottom right now.

Who else, because it can't be Rozsival since that is weakening your D.

Except for the fact Chimera is horse poop, and Jason Demers is a whole lot better all around than Ric Green who still can't play his end.

Why would SJ make that trade? Doesn't it lessen their chances of beating West rivals?
- wiz1901

I guess I disagree about Chimera, has good size, speed good on the pk and usually good for 15-20 goals and 40+ points. He alone won't replace Sharp's production but the first and cap space even it out.

Green for demurs is a gamble for SJ no doubt and maybe the value is off a bit but the sharks need to do something and I know a lot of fans didn't like demur signing at 3.4.

Just curious as to why if you think they dump Leddy and keep Sharp and Oduya it morphs into 2011. I don't see that all. Top 4 and top 6 are solid and your F depth is still there.

yeah, the bottom pair on D are questionable I'll give you that...but this wont' be a fringe playoff team.
- SteveRain

The bottom pairing with Leddy ate a fair amount of ice time per game -- anywhere from lows of 12-14 min per to near 20 min. I don't care who else you pair with Rozsival with (Runblad, Cumiskey, Clendening, the maintenance man for the Zamboni), there is no way that 3rd pairing is going to see much more than 10 min or so per game. So you've got those minutes falling back on 2/7/4/27.

And nothing says what kind of shape Johnny O will be in after having a broken foot and in a cast for several weeks. May not be so eager to be blocking shots, at least early on. So you either need Crawford/Raanta to really step up and hold down the fort or you'll see those top 4 burned out before the all star break.

Up-front, who is to say that Bickell will rebound from all his injuries -- and/or that Sharp will return to his early season form from last year instead of his post Olympic/playoff form where he sucked? And what about all the scuttlebutt swirling around him -- maybe things aren't all peaches with his teammates this year???

OK so it won't be exactly like 2011 with guys like Pisani hanging around. But who's to say that they are making a run for the cup given these kind of question marks. I think guys here want to have high hopes that it will be another cup run before another purge if they keep 10 and 27. Would rather see 1 guy with a big salary get lauched to give some flexibility and keep the D intact.

Would Stanley keep Oduya on LTIR for 1st 20/25 games, move Leddy into top 4 and essentially give him a shot with a consistent partner to see if he can handle the load on this club?

Leddy for Victor Rask, Jay Harrison and a 2nd.

The hawks don't want Green (as JJ stated).

If fact I am prety certain Detroit doesn't want him and no contender wants him.

He is paid like a top defender and is a point shot, whose still is average defensively.
Teams get him and then their hoe grown defenders want to know why THEY AREN"T making his salary because THEY KNOW they are better defensively!

It is not an easy sell...it is not gonna be an equal return.

I am not sure iF Brooks Oprik can make him better, because what Green needs is a partner who can really cover up his issues.

No paypal payment, my gig at DraftSite.com pays me an ample amount of kudodollars...
- wiz1901

Go on.

The bottom pairing with Leddy ate a fair amount of ice time per game -- anywhere from lows of 12-14 min per to near 20 min. I don't care who else you pair with Rozsival with (Runblad, Cumiskey, Clendening, the maintenance man for the Zamboni), there is no way that 3rd pairing is going to see much more than 10 min or so per game. So you've got those minutes falling back on 2/7/4/27.

And nothing says what kind of shape Johnny O will be in after having a broken foot and in a cast for several weeks. May not be so eager to be blocking shots, at least early on. So you either need Crawford/Raanta to really step up and hold down the fort or you'll see those top 4 burned out before the all star break.

Up-front, who is to say that Bickell will rebound from all his injuries -- and/or that Sharp will return to his early season form from last year instead of his post Olympic/playoff form where he sucked? And what about all the scuttlebutt swirling around him -- maybe things aren't all peaches with his teammates this year???

OK so it won't be exactly like 2011 with guys like Pisani hanging around. But who's to say that they are making a run for the cup given these kind of question marks. I think guys here want to have high hopes that it will be another cup run before another purge if they keep 10 and 27. Would rather see 1 guy with a big salary get lauched to give some flexibility and keep the D intact.

Would Stanley keep Oduya on LTIR for 1st 20/25 games, move Leddy into top 4 and essentially give him a shot with a consistent partner to see if he can handle the load on this club?
- savvyone-1

Re: Sharp....yeah, I don't care what people say I know 99.9% what I heard is accurate and during my self induced hiatus ,I ran into a VERY good friend who works at United and has met a few of the player's wives/g-friends and #10 is the POS that he is rumored to be. There was never a shoulder or physical ailment to him. His issue was his own doing and all mental. No question about that. I'm sure the discussion surrounding him and his teammates has already happened to NOT back Stanley into a corner. Otherwise, I can't see how he wasn't moved around the draft and prior to UFA when multiple teams had holes. There was a lot of smoke then, and his idiot agent even had to come out defuse those bombs, but Bowman would never say Sharp was off the table.

I just don't see how they get the return they should for him NOW. What can Washington offer? Sharp is a perennial 30-40 yr scorer, 2 time cup winner, and still has 3 years left on a very cap friendly team deal. So the price should be high and who is going to pay that in August?

I've come to realization that Leddy will NEVER get that chance here in Chicago as long as Q is here or Bowman trumps Q. I just don't see it. Like you I think Leddy could be a steal for a team and I hope he reaches his potential.

As far as this season goes, I do agree that the gap has been shrunk a LOT more then people care to admit. IF allen in STL is anything close to the hype he has around him, they will be just as good if not better. Same in Minn with Vanek, and Dallas will be a scoring machine. Not saying the Hawks can't get by those 3 teams, but you'll have a very hard time convincing me that it's a forgone conclusion they are a lock for the WCF. Even so......if it's LA or ANH that awaits, that is going to take a special series form the hawks to win 4 games. The Hawks are still weak down the middle. Sorry, but Marcus KRuger is a human piñata and offers very little in the scoring side of things. He must have the lowest baseline in the NHL based on the hits he takes.

What I will not do is assume 23, 29, 11, 16 are going to be key contributors to this team. Same goes for 86. Too many question marks. 29...it's more mental and laziness then physical. Out of any of them, I'd bet on Versteeg.

What it all comes down to for me.....is that the Hawks have a decent amount of D men prospects that need to be showcased to see if they can be the cap savings players they will need to balance out the upcoming years o more cap heavy top end roster. SO for that reason, I still see the most ideal guy to is Leddy as Rozsival and Versteeg have little value, and Oduya is more important TODAY then Leddy is.

If the hawks can get a couple of relatively high draft picks for Leddy, say a 1st rounder in 2015, that would give them 2 firsts, and 2 seconds(I'm already adding the Hayes pick) OR say 2nd rounder in 2015 and a 2nd rounder in 2016, I would think Stan would pull the trigger.
- Omahawk

I'm just really confused as to why leddy would fetch a 1st RD draft pick? He does not seem to be even close to being 1/2 Dman at best a 3 and worst a 4 IMO. I understand that the kid has talent, but every year people say that this is the year he just have an absolute break out year, but until that happens I just don't see a 1st RD pick coming back.

Leddy for Victor Rask, Jay Harrison and a 2nd.
- BINGO!

I would be totally on board with this except it still doesn't free enough cap space. Otherwise, I take this deal. Can you pay half of Harrison's salary?

Okay, thanks for the hockey lesson. I'll send the paypal payment soon.

If Sharp hasn't played center in the NHL, I'd rather keep Green. He should only go out for a legitimate top-6 center.
- Blackstrom2

He played 2C for the 2010 Stanley Cup Champs.

He played 2C for the 2010 Stanley Cup Champs.
- Ogilthorpe2

But not since, even when there was a dramatic need.

I would be totally on board with this except it still doesn't free enough cap space. Otherwise, I take this deal. Can you pay half of Harrison's salary?
- Sandus

Can we? Yes. Do we want to? Not really In this case they may make an exception, though.

I'm just really confused as to why leddy would fetch a 1st RD draft pick? He does not seem to be even close to being 1/2 Dman at best a 3 and worst a 4 IMO. I understand that the kid has talent, but every year people say that this is the year he just have an absolute break out year, but until that happens I just don't see a 1st RD pick coming back.
- RobitailleFAN20

Funny thing is, most D-men his age have yet to taste the NHL level. So the fact that he's been talked about as some kind of NHL calibre defenseman for years already, says something. Being a 23 year old 5/6 on one of the most stacked blue lines in the league ain't too shabby.

He's got some work to do to become a reliable top 4 guy, but he's not done developing yet, not by a long shot.

But not since, even when there was a dramatic need.
- StLBravesFan

Take that up with Q, 'cause it sure as hell makes no sense to me.

Funny thing is, most D-men his age have yet to taste the NHL level. So the fact that he's been talked about as some kind of NHL calibre defenseman for years already, says something. Being a 23 year old 5/6 on one of the most stacked blue lines in the league ain't too shabby.

He's got some work to do to become a reliable top 4 guy, but he's not done developing yet, not by a long shot.
- Ogilthorpe2

Fair enough... I am curious to know what he will/would fetch as return

Re: Sharp....yeah, I don't care what people say I know 99.9% what I heard is accurate and during my self induced hiatus ,I ran into a VERY good friend who works at United and has met a few of the player's wives/g-friends and #10 is the POS that he is rumored to be. There was never a shoulder or physical ailment to him. His issue was his own doing and all mental. No question about that. I'm sure the discussion surrounding him and his teammates has already happened to NOT back Stanley into a corner. Otherwise, I can't see how he wasn't moved around the draft and prior to UFA when multiple teams had holes. There was a lot of smoke then, and his idiot agent even had to come out defuse those bombs, but Bowman would never say Sharp was off the table.

I just don't see how they get the return they should for him NOW. What can Washington offer? Sharp is a perennial 30-40 yr scorer, 2 time cup winner, and still has 3 years left on a very cap friendly team deal. So the price should be high and who is going to pay that in August?

I've come to realization that Leddy will NEVER get that chance here in Chicago as long as Q is here or Bowman trumps Q. I just don't see it. Like you I think Leddy could be a steal for a team and I hope he reaches his potential.

As far as this season goes, I do agree that the gap has been shrunk a LOT more then people care to admit. IF allen in STL is anything close to the hype he has around him, they will be just as good if not better. Same in Minn with Vanek, and Dallas will be a scoring machine. Not saying the Hawks can't get by those 3 teams, but you'll have a very hard time convincing me that it's a forgone conclusion they are a lock for the WCF. Even so......if it's LA or ANH that awaits, that is going to take a special series form the hawks to win 4 games. The Hawks are still weak down the middle. Sorry, but Marcus KRuger is a human piñata and offers very little in the scoring side of things. He must have the lowest baseline in the NHL based on the hits he takes.

What I will not do is assume 23, 29, 11, 16 are going to be key contributors to this team. Same goes for 86. Too many question marks. 29...it's more mental and laziness then physical. Out of any of them, I'd bet on Versteeg.

What it all comes down to for me.....is that the Hawks have a decent amount of D men prospects that need to be showcased to see if they can be the cap savings players they will need to balance out the upcoming years o more cap heavy top end roster. SO for that reason, I still see the most ideal guy to is Leddy as Rozsival and Versteeg have little value, and Oduya is more important TODAY then Leddy is.
- SteveRain

Not sure we can say Q never gave Leddy a chance - 16:22 ATOI last year, 2:00 ATOI on the PP.

by weakening your defense????????
- wiz1901

I'm afraid that if trading #8 when they have #'s 2, 4, 7 & 27 in the top two pairings, then the 'Hawks will not be in the WCF let alone the SCF come 10 months from now.

Not sure we can say Q never gave Leddy a chance - 16:22 ATOI last year, 2:00 ATOI on the PP.
- StLBravesFan

With a revolving door as his partner ALL year, no less.

Never said Q didn't give him a chance. Would love to see what any other 23 yr old defensemen would look like with a different partner almost every night. Doesn't matter that it was the same 2 or 3 or 4 guys. Not playing 20 or 30 or 40 or more games with the same guy, every shift, DOES MATTER.

No matter what anyone here says. Does Keith win the Norris this past season if he plays with one of Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Oduya and Leddy -- and almost never the same guy twice in a row? Me thinks not.

It matters.

Donovan & 4th for Leddy

Bringing back Troy Brouwer + for Sharp? Doubt the Caps will let Joel Ward go, and he would present an issue next offseason anyway as a UFA. Not sure anyone else on that roster makes sense as a return for Sharp - either too much cap hit or nowhere near the replacement of his production.
- bluenatic411

Kuznetsov for Sharp?!

I hate to see anything done to hurt the defense.

I don't think Craw is a strong enough goalie to play behind a weaker D

Don't count on any player development coming from Rockford. Beach, Skille, Pirri, Hayes, Morin, Nordstrom and soon to be: Teravainen, Danault, Hartman, McNiel, Dahlbeck and Johns are an Indictment on the development system.

Keep the team as close to what it was last year.

Hope Craw comes back stronger.

Trade off Versteeg and Rosie with a combination of picks/prospects

Fire the Hogs coaching and player development staff.
- Fistafury17

That is absurd cherry-picking to make a flawed (at best) point.

First, the jury is still out on Nordstrom. He showed growth throughout the regular season in Rockford and is heading into only his 2nd full year of North American hockey.

Second, we have yet to see Morin get a legit chance with the Hawks yet. That is coming this year, and the returns from late last regular season were promising.

Third, you choose to only list "busts," yet conveniently leave out Crawford, Bickell, Shaw, Saad, Leddy, Hjalmarsson, Bolland, Kruger, Smith, etc. - all legitimate NHL players, most playing key roles on Cup winning teams, all spent time in Rockford.

Fourth, you are writing off an entire crop of top prospects based off your flawed premise.

Fifth...just stop.

Would anyone consider Leddy for Yakapov ?


Just trying to think outside the box. Oil are forward heavy they desperly need D . Yakapov is still on an ELC right ?