If Bowman can't move Sharp or Bickell, someone's cap hit(s) will have to go.
- EKolb13

BUT .... again the team making a deal will know the Hawks are over a barrel and won't offer equal value in return. That's why cap relief must be veiwed as equal value for Sharp and it's possible sweetening the deal for Bickell is entirely probable but that cap relief will also be a good deal.

Yes it is an accounting trick. Numbers may not be exact but they only have to pay him around 550,000 but they get a cap hit of around 5 mil to help them get to the floor. They are a team that wants to spend as little as possible but they must spend to the floor
- lunchbox2111

Yet, Bettman allows this "trick" but when teams who try to win and play tricks with the cap to save space, he punishes them. I still wan to know why the owners aren't complaining about this? F Arizona and everything about that F'n state.

RE: Sharp - clear to me FLA is not on his list, and when he sought conditions to agree to waive (like an extension?), he withdrew his offer to waive.

Hey JJ. Any word on when a new blog is gonna drop. I'm antsy and would really love to see your insight on the offseason.

Thanks in advance buddy.

If Bowman can't move Sharp or Bickell, someone's cap hit(s) will have to go.
- EKolb13

Crawford, Shaw. I believe the front office would move them before Seabrook. 7 gets moved and the defense takes two steps back, in my opinion.

Seabs shouldn't be traded unless it's absolutely necessary for cap purposes and virtually all other options have been completely exhausted. If it comes to that, which it shouldn't, a package headlined by Nurse coming back makes that pill a little easier to swallow. Plus if they throw in next year's first rounder we get Auston Matthews too since nobody wins the lottery but the Oilers.

Seabs shouldn't be traded unless it's absolutely necessary for cap purposes and virtually all other options have been completely exhausted. If it comes to that, which it shouldn't, a package headlined by Nurse coming back makes that pill a little easier to swallow. Plus if they throw in next year's first rounder we get Auston Matthews too since nobody wins the lottery but the Oilers.
- daaaahawks

Hey....Maybe they'll throw in that McDavid kid too.....LOL #tradeproposalsarefun #yippee

Seabs shouldn't be traded unless it's absolutely necessary for cap purposes and virtually all other options have been completely exhausted. If it comes to that, which it shouldn't, a package headlined by Nurse coming back makes that pill a little easier to swallow. Plus if they throw in next year's first rounder we get Auston Matthews too since nobody wins the lottery but the Oilers.
- daaaahawks

Seabrook along with their other additions make the Oilers a playoff contender. Even without Seabrook, no lottery for them next year and it looks like the Leafs are doing all they can to be a lottery team.

If the Hawks are serious about a run for the cup next season, they want Seabrook
- paulr

Thank you this is exactly what I'm saying, as important as the forwards are to this team, the top 4 defenseman are vital, all 4 are different in their skill set but they are so good at what their skill set is yes I know even Oduya. IMO No Seabrook no cup unless you can find equal value prospects and promise are a dime a dozen

If the Hawks are serious about a run for the cup next season, they want Seabrook
- paulr

Correct.

Seabrook along with their other additions make the Oilers a playoff contender. Even without Seabrook, no lottery for them next year and it looks like the Leafs are doing all they can to be a lottery team.
- paulr

Never underestimate the Oilers ability to underachieve

And I heard form a third independent source this morning (from FL, covers the Panthers) there was/is something to this.

With all due respect, Brian Hedger has no more credibility in shooting something down than I do in going out with a story. In fact, if he's getting his info from a team pr hack . . .
- John Jaeckel

Wait so you're saying there's still a chance?

Hey....Maybe they'll throw in that McDavid kid too.....LOL #tradeproposalsarefun #yippee
- nurk

That name sounds familiar... I GUESS we'd begrudgingly take him! [/redfont]

BUT .... again the team making a deal will know the Hawks are over a barrel and won't offer equal value in return. That's why cap relief must be veiwed as equal value for Sharp and it's possible sweetening the deal for Bickell is entirely probable but that cap relief will also be a good deal.
- paulr

True, but if and when it happens you know Stan won't have gotten enough in the deal and the tar and feather Stan crowd will take to the streets with torches and pitchforks.

Wait so you're saying there's still a chance?
- BravePackCats27

Never underestimate the Oilers ability to underachieve
- daaaahawks

Intentionally or otherwise ....

- daaaahawks

Damn, beat me to it.

Thank you this is exactly what I'm saying, as important as the forwards are to this team, the top 4 defenseman are vital, all 4 are different in their skill set but they are so good at what their skill set is yes I know even Oduya. IMO No Seabrook no cup unless you can find equal value prospects and promise are a dime a dozen
- BetweenTheDots

Oduya was an absolute stud in the playoffs and still played well despite having pretty much one arm for the last 4 games.

I think Pronger's actual salary now is something like $1M but Arizona gets the cap hit to move them up over the minimum.
- FourOrr

So they get to the floor without actually spending money on players that can help them.

No wonder that franchise sucks.

Damn, beat me to it.
- Quicky72

He beat me too, but what the heck.

True, but if and when it happens you know Stan won't have gotten enough in the deal and the tar and feather Stan crowd will take to the streets with torches and pitchforks.
- HawkintheD

I don't think that's Bowman's big concern at this point.

He beat me too, but what the heck.
- HawkintheD

You know why I like you HawkintheD? Cause you're a regular guy. Yep, that's why I want you to stay regular. One half teaspoon for fast effective relief!

Would think Stanley learned his lesson after the Leddy fiasco.

If he somehow pulls this off with the 'Hawks putting together a strong roster, he should get an ovation. But if we end up with the Rockford Shuffle and a '10-'11 like team, one would have to wonder how PO'd McD will be.
- blackhawk24

Fiasco?
Do you know Pokka is going to be a bust?

This is what makes me nervous. Kruger and Oduya could potentially split if this drags on. But there must be agreed on terms if they haven't gone to arbitration.
- Hank3Henshaw

Or maybe Kruger's agent told him what happened to Niemi when he went to arbitration. Which brings me to the Saad incident one the Hawks think they got 2 pieces that are going to help this team going forward and two when TT and others reach RFA does this kind of action make a player pause if they want to continue playing for the Hawks. I like it.

He's played a total of 2 NHL games, Nurse isn't a top pair dman in the NHL and he may or may never be. I think he has a great future but I also thought Cam Barker did before he actually stepped on NHL ice. Each step from Junior to the AHL to the NHL are huge and many can't miss prospects do in fact miss. Let's not write up Nurse's HOF ticket for a few more years.
- paulr[/quote]


HYPERBOLE and finality. 2 of Paulr's calling cards on this blog. Did I say he was a HOF or even an All-Star? No, I did not.

Darnell Nurse is 20years old and SHOULD be Edmonton's #1 Defenseman, maybe as soon as this year. As Sandus said, when you have a 30 year old defenseman that might not be within the Salary Cap structure, a return like Darnell Nurse is really just a fantasy. Edmonton probably wouldnt even trade Nurse for Seabrook straight up.