Perhaps Q wants to have a trustworthy TVR ready before he gives Kimmo his Stanley

Not to mention what it shows the future college FAs

They can point at TVR and say "look, we signed him as a college FA, we had roster room, like we do now. We played him and he won a cup as a rookie"

Mike Reilly would bust through his zipper trying to sign fast enough
- FourFeathers773

Fixed that for ya.

Kane was playing on every other line regardless of which combination was there in the third. Q also saw an opportunity to get him away from that giant a few times and it seemed to pay off. (generate some chances) He saw 24 minutes of ice time for good reason.

I think they should start the same way they did the other night, weather any storm and then make adjustments as necessary. They have a few combinations that seem to be working in most cases. Plus, at a minimum, if they make that change I'd expect Kane to catch some doubleshifting in there and take some minutes from Hoss.

F ing grow up!!
- meyrman

Salty?

From Wilson's blog....

http://www.todaysslapshot...ead-to-more-offer-sheets/




The source is an agent. I'm sure he hopes it will happen.

Wilson adds.... Chicago looks like a team that is vulnerable on the surface but they aren’t. They have moveable assets, namely Patrick Sharp, that will create the much needed space for Brandon Saad. Brandon Saad will be a Chicago Blackhawk for a long time, end of story.

I think Wilson and JJ are probably the best bloggers on HB.
- tredbrta

he included ian cole as an interesting RFA. i think that automatically excludes you from the best blogger on HB conversation.

From Wilson's blog....

http://www.todaysslapshot...ead-to-more-offer-sheets/




The source is an agent. I'm sure he hopes it will happen.

Wilson adds.... Chicago looks like a team that is vulnerable on the surface but they aren’t. They have moveable assets, namely Patrick Sharp, that will create the much needed space for Brandon Saad. Brandon Saad will be a Chicago Blackhawk for a long time, end of story.

I think Wilson and JJ are probably the best bloggers on HB.
- tredbrta

All Hawks fans should be thankful to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brian Burke and Darryl Sutter for turning Anton Stralman into Brandon Saad.

I noted this at the end of the last blog:

The Hawks not only need to account for Toews/Kane/Saad/Kruger increases, but they also have to account for being about $3MM over next year's estimated cap of $71MM TODAY - because of the Kane LTIR allowing them to get Vermette, Desjardins, Timmonen, they are over THIS year's cap by almost $5MM.

So - they have to drop to allow for:

Kane and Toews - $8.5MM
Saad - $3MM (?)
Kruger - $1MM (?)
Cap excess - $3MM

That's $15MM net of replacement salaries.

Richards, Timmonen, Vermette gets you about $5MM, net.
Sharp nets you $5MM.
Oduya gets you $2.5MM net (I don't see how they can have him coming back).
Versteeg gets you $1.5MM net.

That's about $14MM in savings.

And if the players don't approve the escalator....
- StLBravesFan

FYI...

Elliotte FriedmanVerified account
‏@FriedgeHNIC

NHLPA met this week, and it sounds like the players, after crunching the numbers, will consider using their full 5% growth factor.

NO WAY

we are in the business of WINNING, no sympathy

Q will do what he needs to do to win the cup because you cant afford to blow any single game and shift the series

They will ask for an exception for him to get on the cup like they did Jamal Mayers
- FourFeathers773

Spot on...this team is trying to win a Cup. That's the only thing that matters. But hey let's not get ahead of ourselves we're only one game in and Tampa is an awfully good team.

I think the only defensive change will be hopefully TVR in for Runblad who's still a disaster waiting to happen in his own end.

he included ian cole as an interesting RFA. i think that automatically excludes you from the best blogger on HB conversation.
- flyershockey

Wilson actually played in the NHL.... but I'm not surprised at your - as always well informed and researched - opinion.

Considering the salaries of d men - any demand would not be surprising. The Flyers could certainly use some.

He damages the rest of the team by only playing 37 seconds.
Always give yourself the best chance to win.
KT is not it.
- Yikes726

I agree. Even if the Hawks are fortunate to go up 3-0 or 3-1, you can't mess around. If they do win, perhaps Toews would do that he did for Jammer and not put "Captain" on the Cup so they can fit another name in.

Wilson actually played in the NHL.... but I'm not surprised at your - as always well informed and researched - opinion.

Considering the salaries of d men - any demand would not be surprising. The Flyers could certainly use some.
- tredbrta

he was acquired for bortuzzo and a 7th...essentially trash for trash. hes a dime a dozen player in the nhl. no one is throwing an offer sheet his way.

I personally felt like the Hawks had dialed up the tempo a notch by the second period of the Game Wednesday. They are quite capable of playing THEIR game at that speed, not just because Tampa dictates it.

A question no one has asked—chicken or the egg—was Tampa laying back merely by choice, or because the Hawks had clicked up their tempo? Or more likely a bit of both.

I just don't buy the idea that Tampa had everything in their control and then decided to "let" the Hawks back in.

We have seen these 10-15 minute blitzkriegs before—against Nashville and Anaheim and in years past. Teams come out flying in their building and absolutely overwhelm the Hawks for a while.

To think that adrenaline has nothing to do with that is foolish. To assume that you can ride adrenaline like that for 60 minutes is also foolish.

That said, the game the other night could have been 4-2 if not for Crawford. Toews line, and maybe that was in part because Kane replaced Hossa there, allowed a lot of opportunities for Tampa forwards, especially Stamkos.

Completely agree though, I don't see Tampa catching the Hawks off-guard like that in game 2. And Q just might have an answer somewhere around center ice in the person of #20 or #88 waiting for the stretch outlet.
- John Jaeckel

I agree completely with you, the Hawks enforced their will on Tampa and put them into a defensive mode...Tampa didn't just fall asleep...and I don't buy this viewpoint that Tampa dominated for 3/4 of the game before the Hawks woke back up. The Hawks owned the 2nd half of the 2nd period and the whole third. I get why the Hawks were slow to get started, and we all know that its not going to happen again.

he was acquired for bortuzzo and a 7th...essentially trash for trash. hes a dime a dozen player in the nhl. no one is throwing an offer sheet his way.
- flyershockey

Ahh, disagreeing for the sake of disagreement again. So predictable.

Countdown to Nurk's arrival.... Starts now.

There's no room for sentimentality in professional hockey, to beat a team like Tampa the Hawks need to field their best lineup and play hard for 60 minutes. I would never consider putting Timmonen back in again. He can skate out and hold the Cup AFTER the final whistle has blown.

Ahh, disagreeing for the sake of disagreement again. So predictable.

Countdown to Nurk's arrival.... Starts now.
- tredbrta

how is it disagreeing to disagree? that essentially means you are saying your opinion is fact and cant be challenged.

Wait a minute... stop... hold the conversation for a second...

JJ... Did you remove the Hawks ice girl on the home page that gets you to the blog?

Is Ek censoring? Wussup wit dat?

I hate talk of clinching. This is a great Tampa team with an incredible leader in Stamkos. They are battlers and deserve serious respect.
- tredbrta

Thank you!! The Hawks haven't won jack yet!! Tampa is very VERY good...and they will not roll over so Timonen can raise the Cup...Remembee last year vs the Kings? They won game 1 and then dropped 3 in a row...then lost in a game 7.....the year before? They dropped 3 straight after beating Detroit in gamw 1.....The Hawks have to come out focused and ready...also 2013 SCF,won game 1 lost games 2 and 3....I just want to see how the Hawks react tomorrow...And I hope they aren't complacent and thinking:We stole a game at Tampa we are fine

Wait a minute... stop... hold the conversation for a second...

JJ... Did you remove the Hawks ice girl on the home page that gets you to the blog?

Is Ek censoring? Wussup wit dat?
- golfbard

Ek is not involved in it. Site policy that generally we should use team logos as the images for the blogs. Sometimes they will let me use something else, sometimes they prefer the logo, and I am cool with that.

Not going to address the singling out of the goaltender position suffice to say that even if Crawford is elite, all the more reason to trade him now and SELL HIGH.
- Bjm84

You can only sell high is the market lest you sell high.

Clearly Robin Lenher is available and Buffalo (staff has a connection), Edmonton and maybe San Jose are interested.
San Jose might be kicking the tires on NYR's Talbot even more.

Here's the think teams like Ottawa are fielding offers, but their GM has already commented as many experts, that a goalie can be traded with the return being substantial. I herad Pierre McGuire make the same comment this morning, that the return is what the market will bear. He said you can't count on the past as any indication of value, citing the way after the huge run for the Habs that 25 yr old Jaroslav Halak made when he usurped the net from Carey Price and how the trade return from the Blues was two prospects the not so good Ian Schultz and the promising Lars Eller.

You just don't know what the teams LOOKING for Goalies really think about the goalies available.

And let's look at it the other way: if you are one of the aforementioned teams, are they REALLY gonna be willing to give up REAL assets for promise?
I honestly know I can't tell you what Lehner is worth, what Cam Talbot is worth or how important teams think it is to acquire them.
Same with Corey Crawford.
If you are far from the chance of doing more than competing, why would you pay big for an established netminder with that larger Cap hit (not so large for many clubs) unless you think he puts you over a hump...and even then that team is not gonna go nuts to sell the house, imo.

Ek is not involved in it. Site policy that generally we should use team logos as the images for the blogs. Sometimes they will let me use something else, sometimes they prefer the logo, and I am cool with that.
- John Jaeckel

All good.. yea just noticed it switched from earlier today...

I agree completely with you, the Hawks enforced their will on Tampa and put them into a defensive mode...Tampa didn't just fall asleep...and I don't buy this viewpoint that Tampa dominated for 3/4 of the game before the Hawks woke back up. The Hawks owned the 2nd half of the 2nd period and the whole third. I get why the Hawks were slow to get started, and we all know that its not going to happen again.
- MexicoHawk

Possession was definitely tilting in the 2nd but it was hard to feel the shift because of the lack of quality shots. As soon as they started getting shots with traffic and/or shots like Vermette's goal it felt like the balloon popped. Hope we see the same drive for shots we saw in the 3rd tomorrow along with faceoff wins. Weird how faceoffs swung. Seemed like they were getting a feel in the first - adjusted - and then just took most of the crucial ones.

Ahh, disagreeing for the sake of disagreement again. So predictable.

Countdown to Nurk's arrival.... Starts now.
- tredbrta

how is it disagreeing to disagree? that essentially means you are saying your opinion is fact and cant be challenged.
- flyershockey

You two - knock it off.

Isn't KT already cup eligible?

No need to play him.
- tredbrta

Jonathan Toews was supposed to have "Captain Serious" on the Cup but gave up the space so Mayer's name would appear.
You think he wouldn't do the same for KT?
From Fansided
in a recent interview Jamal Mayers told a story about Toews. Mayers had been a part time player with the Blackhawks in 2011-12 and 2012-13. In the 2012-13 season, Mayers did not meet the NHL requirements for his name to be engraved on the Cup. Mayers has been in the league for 16 seasons. The Blackhawks would petition the league to have Mayers name on the cup. Mayers told a story that exemplifies what type of leader Toews is. Toews went to General Manager Stan Bowman and stated, “They don’t have to put Captain on the Cup if it means helps getting Jammer’s name on it. If that helps make room, I’ll do it.” Bowman would tell him it wouldn’t come to that.

Toews is so selfless in that he would have his title, an honor bestowed upon by the Chicago Blackhawks, left off the Stanley Cup for a fellow teammate’s name to be placed on the Cup.

I'll probably get chastised for this, but am I the only one who wants to see Kimmo play? Yes, he is a gigantic defensive liability, but I do not think there is anyone out there who wants to see him end his career in a suit and tie in the locker room.
- BURDA13

You mean like Denis Savard did when the habs won the Cup???????

Versteeg was very good last game with the intangibles. Happy to see him flying out there. I personally don't like versteeg, I think he's a bit of a punk, tries stirring poop up but nothing to back his poop. Doesn't (frank)ing matter what I think though, as long as he straps those skates up and flies around like he did last game he's getting a pass in my book.