He's also 175,
- CanOCorn

He's also horrible

Bit of an over payment and I would be concerns with Trouba's contract demands.
- DarthKane

Maybe. But with other GMs knowing our cap strap, might have to throw in a sweetener. But I digress.

i am with ya...stopped reading them a couple of years ago..their explitive laden posts were tiresome and not funny...even more so when when they would get on their explitive laced sactimonious rants...

the kid ross gets himself in trouble and then is not prosecuted because of laws or lack the of in another state...the hawk orgnaization is now branded as "hateful" toward women...
- bogiedoc

Agreed. Seems a bit silly. Guessing Ross, even though he escaped prosecution, is gone anyway now.

Not sure just what outcomes some people desire and whether those outcomes sync with our legal system...

I'll get over the loss of that site

I'm not the biggest fan of this "Trade Crawford" movement, but like JJ pointed out, there aren't a lot of options.

There needs to be some balance restored with this team and that has to start with flexibility with the cap.

Now, if #50 is to be moved this off-season, let's look at who realistically would be in the running with A) does this make sense for their team plans & B) fit his 6M within their cap situation and C) Potential Deal (just for fun).

* Buffalo - a) Crawford takes them to the next level along with the growth of their youngsters. b) Yes. c) Crawford + Kero for Lehner + Pysyk

* Toronto - a) Does Mathews (...and maybe a big FA signing this summer that rhymes with Schmamkos) speed up their rebuild? Crawford would def help with his experience. b) Yes c) Crawford + Bickell for Percy, Leivo + Cowan (CHI buys out contract)

* Carolina - a) I'm not sure what Francis is up to but has had serious conversation with Stan apparently last year b) yes and will have trouble hitting the floor c) Crawford + TT for Lack + Slavin


These are the Eastern conference teams that would make sense; I'm sure Stan would do everything possible to keep Crow out of the West (Win & Cal make sense though).
- TyCamScore

I'm just curious, so someone can point me out if I'm wrong ...

Cory Schneider was 27 years old and never played a full season (was a back-up for three years). Statistically speaking, his numbers are pretty comparable to Crawford, but he doesn't have the playoff experience nor the 2 Stanley's to his name that Crow does. He also has the same contract as Crawford ($6 mil a year).

So I'm here wondering, if he was able to fetch the #9 (?) overall pick when he was traded, why can't Crawford? Crawford is 31 but it's not like he's declining. He was kind of a late bloomer and only at 26 did he start full-time, so it's not like he has a lot of tread to those tires.

Crawford is clearly in the upper-echelon of goalies in the league. A team that is desperate for improved, and consistent play from their goalie would surely like to add a player like Crawford instead of paying similar terms and hoping to develop a player like him (see Bernier, Reimer, etc.)

Even though the 'Hawks are in a cap crunch and teams can see/attempt to exploit that, it shouldn't reduce Corey's value to the point of us trying to trade him for prospects that haven't panned out but are/were considered some of the better ones in that team's system.

Oduya like player?
- Dannyboy

Ehhhhh, possibly? Really dunno. I can't find any scouting on him beyond what I posted. I do find it somewhat impressive that he cracked a Czech World Cup roster that is all NHLers and a couple of pretty good ones.

He's also horrible
- PatShart

LOL, there's that

Any truth to the rumor teams may be allowed one compliance buyout related tonthe expansion draft? I saw it mentioned on this board several days ago.
- blackhawk24

It would make sense to me to do so as it would lessen the amount of undesirable contracts/players made available for the expansion--leaving slightly better choices for a new team...

I'm not the biggest fan of this "Trade Crawford" movement, but like JJ pointed out, there aren't a lot of options.

There needs to be some balance restored with this team and that has to start with flexibility with the cap.

Now, if #50 is to be moved this off-season, let's look at who realistically would be in the running with A) does this make sense for their team plans & B) fit his 6M within their cap situation and C) Potential Deal (just for fun).

* Buffalo - a) Crawford takes them to the next level along with the growth of their youngsters. b) Yes. c) Crawford + Kero for Lehner + Pysyk

* Toronto - a) Does Mathews (...and maybe a big FA signing this summer that rhymes with Schmamkos) speed up their rebuild? Crawford would def help with his experience. b) Yes c) Crawford + Bickell for Percy, Leivo + Cowan (CHI buys out contract)

* Carolina - a) I'm not sure what Francis is up to but has had serious conversation with Stan apparently last year b) yes and will have trouble hitting the floor c) Crawford + TT for Lack + Slavin


These are the Eastern conference teams that would make sense; I'm sure Stan would do everything possible to keep Crow out of the West (Win & Cal make sense though).
- TyCamScore

Before anyone thinks that trading Crawford to the Eastern Conference is the fix here to avoid seeing him... I'd point you to Exhibit A: Martin Jones traded to the Bruins. That came back to bite LA in the ass.

So just assume for one moment you traded him to say Carolina/Toronto/Buffalo, you don't think the Blues/Stars/Anaheim/Minnesota wouldn't try to acquire him? I think they'd try in a heartbeat. Then you'd be properly screwed.

also during my short narrative...... I forgot to say that losing blogs that talks Hawks also hurts.

As far as next year goes....who the hell knows. I think it's obvious the cap concern is real, Panarin said it, Shaw said it, it's not going away with rest for the core or some magically inflated cap number of 81 million I saw somewhere on a "hawkscap" site....

Honestly for his age, production and cap hit...it should be Hossa but it can't be for the recapture Hell the Hawks would be in. So there's that.

Bowman won cups in Detroit with Osgood, Vernon, and Hasek. Something to keep in mind. The nHL is also starting to make goalies into what the NFL has done with Rbs....Look at Pittsburgh with this young kid. Look at the Islanders, the Sharks, the Blues, the Stars.....the only 3 teams with legit 1s are Washington, Nashville, and tampa. The rest use either a back up retread or a platoon system.

CC has developed into a helluva goalie. You could see a flash in 2007-08 vs Anaheim when he was brought up for a cup of coffee when Lalime was out. He took the job in 2010-11 and hasn't looked back. Will his value EVER be higher? I don't think so.

I won't argue that Seabrook had a rough year. How much of that was injury, playing extra minutes during Keith's injury/suspension who knows.....but you don't have an in house replacement for Seabrook. You need your D to get better, not worse and taking on a cost controlled unproven asset doesn[t help.....you are still 1 d man short if you still trade Seabrook.

Here's all I know.....19,88,81,2,4,72,15 will NOT be traded. I HIGHLY doubt 7 will be as well.....everyone else I think is fair game, and it's up to Bowman to figure it out. He has no picks until round 3......

I'm very curious to see how he navigates these waters baring a cap miracle but with no Canadian playoff gates, and the Canadian dollar sucking can't assume the players will vote for the escalator just can't bet cap is going up enough to save them. Bowman said so as much when for the 1st time truly admitted having to wait for the final number....fact is I don't think any GM or team is confident a decent rise will be there and that's only going to make it a buyer's market for teams up against it even more....and for a team like the Hawks trying to trade a 224 lb pile of crap in Bickell, it makes it almost impossible.

IF the Hawks did Crawford, I'd bet you'd see a 1 year deal for Shaw, and then by mid July a huge announcement of Panarin signing a 5-6 year deal. A perfect splash in mid season for this team in the papers......a McDonough special like the Soriano deal in 2007.

LOL, there's that
- John Jaeckel

There is still some potential there. A bit more seasoning and a coach who can live with an error or two or who will give him a good amount of playing time might do him some good.

Maybe. But with other GMs knowing our cap strap, might have to throw in a sweetener. But I digress.
- 93Joe

You can take might out of that statement. You think Bowman wanted to send Johns on his way?

Call me when the Hawks have a great defense to put a less talented goalie behind.

Not going to happen. That will cost more than launching CC saves you.

By the time you trade Crawford to get cap space, Darling will need a raise, and you will need a serviceable backup. At best, after those two things get resolved, you have maybe another $1MM in cap space.

Ceiling has been hit due to the cap, and expansion to me is the bigger issue on rosters all over the league.

You can take might out of that statement. You think Bowman wanted to send Johns on his way?
- dstainer

No sir I do not. Didn't like the trade one bit FWIW.

Seabrook was the Hawks' worst defenseman this year by nearly every possession metric:

Share of shot attempts 5v5? Check.
Share of shot attempts 5v5 close? Only Svedberg was worse.
Share of attempts relative to teammates 5v5? Check.
Share of attempts relative to teammates 5v5 close? Check.
Share of unblocked shot attempts? Again, only Svedberg was worse.
Share of unblocked shot attempts relative to teammates? Check.

His share of unblocked shot attempts 5v5 when the score was close were more middling, though only the Hawks' cast of rotating 6th defensemen were worse. (Except for Gustafsson, who dominated possession metrics this year, but that's a different discussion).

Now, that doesn't tell the whole story. His on-ice goal numbers were middling (5v5) to above average (5v5 close). Can't discount that, and there doesn't seem to have been a significant luck effect.

There's also the fact that Seabrook spent a good portion of the season paired with TVR, which was an unmitigated disaster, carrying something like 43.7% of the play 5v5 close. He was significantly better when paired with everybody else. He assuredly would from better linemate selection by the coaching staff, but I'm not holding my breath for any changes in 2016-17.

By the way, I know there's this theory out there that poor Brent Seabrook's numbers suffered because he had to babysit TVR, but it's not true. Not counting the grand total of 6 minutes and 12 seconds TVR played with Erik Gustaffson and David Rundblad, every single other Hawks defenseman -- and that includes Trevor Daley and Rob Scuderi -- was better when playing with TVR than Seabrook was. As a matter of fact, all of them but Daley had positive possession numbers (5v5, close, adjusted for zone starts). This is not a case of TVR dragging Seabrook down.

To put it bluntly, Seabrook did not have a good season. Keith, Hjamarsson, and TVR all had better seasons. Arguably, Roszival, Gustafsson and Rundblad (!) did too. This year, Seabrook was either a below-average second-pairing defenseman or an above-average third pairing defenseman. The Hawks weren't missing a fourth defenseman -- they were missing a third defenseman.

So no, he was not good this year.

But here's the rub. Brent Seabrook has the highest cap hit of any Hawks defenseman. Higher than Keith. Higher than Hjalmarsson. Way higher than TVR and the third-pairing peanut gallery. And that cap hit is about to increase by a million dollars. His contract is easily the worst value on the team. Worse even than Bickell, whose hit will be off the books after this year or next, depending on whether the Hawks buy him out. If there's a team out there who is willing to pay for him and there is a way to acquire a second-pair defenseman, the Hawks should trade him and not look back.
- darklighter

You are in the minority on this blog wanting to get rid of Seabrook

Except that if Hossa feels like it, he can actually just retire. It is his choice, so you can't say it wouldn't happen. Not saying it will happen, but it certainly can happen.
- breadbag

The major point with Hossa is that if he's still part of your organization you have an opportunity to control the message and control the process. Granted it's limited on how much control you have, but you have some vs. where on another team you have none.

So figure something like what Datsyuk said, he'd work with the Red Wings to find someway to help them deal with the cap hit of him leaving. Probably because of loyalty, etc. If you want something similar like that from Hossa you don't trade him, especially if he doesn't want to go.

No sir I do not. Didn't like the trade one bit FWIW.
- 93Joe

Neither did the Hawks. You don't announce a trade in an offseason at ~8PM on a Friday unless you don't want people to talk about it.

If you want to start talking odd ball ideas, I'll float one. Trade for Cowen and Horton from the Leafs. Cowen carries a cap credit and Horton won't ever play again, i.e. LTIR. I'm sure you can get a little creative using those two items.

Neither did the Hawks. You don't announce a trade in an offseason at ~8PM on a Friday unless you don't want people to talk about it.
- dstainer

What trade was that?

What trade was that?
- Hank3Henshaw

Sharp/Johns to Dallas

Sharp/Johns to Dallas
- dstainer

Oh yea. I said it yesterday, watching the Stars makes you wish Johns was still in the Hawks system. I think he'll be a good blue liner.

The major point with Hossa is that if he's still part of your organization you have an opportunity to control the message and control the process. Granted it's limited on how much control you have, but you have some vs. where on another team you have none.

So figure something like what Datsyuk said, he'd work with the Red Wings to find someway to help them deal with the cap hit of him leaving. Probably because of loyalty, etc. If you want something similar like that from Hossa you don't trade him, especially if he doesn't want to go.
- dstainer

Cap recapture aside, Hossa is stuck on 499. He will score #500 in a Hawk sweater. Guaranteed. I also believe he will retire a Chicago Blackhawk and possibly take some role with the team after his playing days end. He is a Hawk For Life.

I'm just curious, so someone can point me out if I'm wrong ...

Cory Schneider was 27 years old and never played a full season (was a back-up for three years). Statistically speaking, his numbers are pretty comparable to Crawford, but he doesn't have the playoff experience nor the 2 Stanley's to his name that Crow does. He also has the same contract as Crawford ($6 mil a year).

So I'm here wondering, if he was able to fetch the #9 (?) overall pick when he was traded, why can't Crawford? Crawford is 31 but it's not like he's declining. He was kind of a late bloomer and only at 26 did he start full-time, so it's not like he has a lot of tread to those tires.

Crawford is clearly in the upper-echelon of goalies in the league. A team that is desperate for improved, and consistent play from their goalie would surely like to add a player like Crawford instead of paying similar terms and hoping to develop a player like him (see Bernier, Reimer, etc.)

Even though the 'Hawks are in a cap crunch and teams can see/attempt to exploit that, it shouldn't reduce Corey's value to the point of us trying to trade him for prospects that haven't panned out but are/were considered some of the better ones in that team's system.
- TommyHawk

Crawford also has a limited ntc; scheider didn’t. tough to get good value when the market is artificially limited.

Also, I’d be fine with the leafs adding fleury over Crawford. Same age, but less term and $ with fleury.

The Leafs can also wait it out a year with bernier. See if there’s more desperate sellers next year closer to the expansion draft.

Greiss, Murray, Elliot…and even Jones at $3M. Plenty of goalies in the hunt for the cup that come cheap with the right mix in front of them. Trading Crow makes the most sense and perhaps to a team like CGY that doesn't have a goalie under contract is a logical landing spot.

I was with you until last season—when statistically, the defense was no longer elite, and Crawford started to really carry this team. That was especially true this season.
- John Jaeckel

Speaking of your goalie coach hypothesis, add Mitch Korn to the list of coaches that turn good goalies into elite ones....Nashville through 2013 and now Washington.

Greiss, Murray, Elliot…and even Jones at $3M. Plenty of goalies in the hunt for the cup that come cheap with the right mix in front of them. Trading Crow makes the most sense and perhaps to a team like CGY that doesn't have a goalie under contract is a logical landing spot.
- acmidd28

Crow has really stepped up this past season and showed that he can be considered an elite goalie. He proved he has the talent to carry a team--especially this year with a very average Hawk defense.

That being said, I would be open to move him. If the Hawks can build up the blue line again, they can have Darling take the wheel as the number one and start grooming someone else.