I'm with you......I'd love to see them land 9 out of CO but I just dont' see how. They don't have the assets and with a flat cap fitting him in next year would be very tough.

They could make a run....IMO your best chance would be

38-19-81---Hartman gives them that shaw dynamic that was successful last yr
72-15-88
48-16-14---enough fire power to be a threat
11-67- ----this line will be a disaster. Even if you plug in 70

2-7
4-51--reunite these 2 from past glory
57/42/6/32----figure 42 goes down when 32 comes back. How much can they squeeze out of 32? He and 6 as a 3rd pair I wouldn't mind ,as I would deal 57 for a bottom VETERAN wing for playoff push

That lineup could do some damage if they stay out of the box. Just tired of Q spreading out his talent. Need to maximize your best assets and IMO that's the best chance to do it.
- SteveRain

I think that looks good...Maybe Schmaltz in place of Vinny, and I thought Hartman looked ok with 19 and 81 but Q never keeps him there long enough.

Like the D pairings and I'd go 57 6 for the 3rd pair. They've had pretty good stints together.

I agree accept for 57. I think the Hawks need him right now. While he isn't flashy, he isn't hurting this team defensively. He has been quietly blocking shots and breaking up plays since coming back from injury. Move him and the team is creating another hole on D. 42 isn't ready and 6 still hasn't gotten the North American game down yet. 57 is an upgrade over anything they have in Rockford too. There is a reason he plays every night. He is playing decent hockey.
- breadbag

57 drives me nuts. At this point I expect more and just dont' see it. I think he's a future 5/6 man on a true contender, top 4 on a medicore-crap team.

Would be curious to see what Bowman could fetch for him.

I'm with you......I'd love to see them land 9 out of CO but I just dont' see how. They don't have the assets and with a flat cap fitting him in next year would be very tough.

They could make a run....IMO your best chance would be

38-19-81---Hartman gives them that shaw dynamic that was successful last yr
72-15-88
48-16-14---enough fire power to be a threat
11-67- ----this line will be a disaster. Even if you plug in 70

2-7
4-51--reunite these 2 from past glory
57/42/6/32----figure 42 goes down when 32 comes back. How much can they squeeze out of 32? He and 6 as a 3rd pair I wouldn't mind ,as I would deal 57 for a bottom VETERAN wing for playoff push

That lineup could do some damage if they stay out of the box. Just tired of Q spreading out his talent. Need to maximize your best assets and IMO that's the best chance to do it.
- SteveRain

Amen on those D-pairs. Is it just me or does 4 look likes he's playing handcuffed out there. I lost count of how many times with little pressure coming he just flips the puck out of the zone to basically no one, or sends an inaccurate backhander into basically open ice.

Whoever that was, he sounds like a smart guy!
- DarthKane

I drive through Iowa a lot. Even up by Mason City, need to go stop by that memorial.

Sad refreshing that Holly's wife was pregnant and lost their child after the crash.
- SteveRain

Interesting notes:

Waylon Jennings was part of Buddy Holly's back up band after he broke up with the Crickets - he was supposed to be on that flight, but Richie Valens (who had a bad cold) convinced him to let Valens replace him.

Dion (one of the 4 headliners on the tour) was offered space on the flight, but didn't want to spend the $57 (I think).

Bobby Vee ("Take Good Care of my Baby", "Rubber Ball") joined the tour the next stop in Moorhead, Minnesota - where the flight was headed.

Whoever that was, he sounds like a smart guy!
- DarthKane

Do you think that Hanzal could get more than Anisimov on his next contract? What if the Blackhawks get Hanzal at the TD, and then this off-season trade Artie and sign Hanzal for AA money? same type of player, plays in front of the net, but much better at the dot.

Do you think that Hanzal could get more than Anisimov on his next contract? What if the Blackhawks get Hanzal at the TD, and then this off-season trade Artie and sign Hanzal for AA money? same type of player, plays in front of the net, but much better at the dot.
- powerenforcer

In theory that sounds ok but his issue has been injuries.

I think he's managed like one full season since he came into the league in '07 or '08.

Do you think that Hanzal could get more than Anisimov on his next contract? What if the Blackhawks get Hanzal at the TD, and then this off-season trade Artie and sign Hanzal for AA money? same type of player, plays in front of the net, but much better at the dot.
- powerenforcer

Better at he dot but plagued by injuries

I love Hartman's game and I wish we could have BOTH Shaw and Hartman on a 3rd line with Moose/Kero/Kruger and causing mayhem at both ends of the ice. Hopefully Debrincat can evolve into an NHL Top 6 Winger in the next 2-3 years.


Here's another one for the board to discuss...

Philip Danault: 52GP 10 G , 17 A avg 14:40 TOI @ $912,500 Cap Hit

Marcus Kruger: 41GP 2 G, 8 A avg 14:07 TOI @ $3,083,333 Cap Hit
- EnzoD

I hear what you are saying and i agree Danault is the better offensive player...

BUT

Danault is being given top 6 minutes and is playing between, um Pacioretty and Radulov

Danault was never going to be given that opportunity in Chicago. His stat line if we moved Kruger and kept Danault, would be no where near where it is in MTL.

He said it himself that they wanted him to be the next Kruger. That would have been heavy d-zone deployment, crappy offensive linemates, no power play time, and playing 3rd/4th line against other teams offensive assignments

At the end of the day his stat line would be very close to what Krugers is now

Danault was just never going to be put into a position to succeed in this organization. Montreal gave him a shot and NOW Danault is really growing into his former 1st round self.

Problem with winning cup and keeping the top 6/top 4D core is regardless of where you draft guys, 1st or 6th round, Chicago continually looks to plug and play the depth with RARE opportunity for the high end spots

2C for years was the issue and they made due with veterans and a fossil in Handzus. They addressed one need and created another hole in the Anisimov for Saad trade.

Problem is Chicago is always in win now mode and they need guys who are ready to step in at a high level immediately and flourish. unfortunately only Saad fit that mold.

TT was given a shot and wasnt ready for the big game and too physically small and underdeveloped on top of unwilling to engage. Was fine on third line for a cup team next to two very good veterans.

Pirri crapped the bed for his shot

Dano didnt show much and still hasnt shown much

Danault never showed the flash until he got to MTL and was always groomed for bottom 6 duty

Kevin hayes crapped the hallway and bolted for NYR

McNeil never panned out

Hartman and Schmaltz are getting their first taste and Hartman has done well, but Schmaltz is too raw.

Hopefully they got luck with someone like Shanulov

but thems the breaks

I hear what you are saying and i agree Danault is the better offensive player...

BUT

Danault is being given top 6 minutes and is playing between, um Pacioretty and Radulov

Danault was never going to be given that opportunity in Chicago. His stat line if we moved Kruger and kept Danault, would be no where near where it is in MTL.

He said it himself that they wanted him to be the next Kruger. That would have been heavy d-zone deployment, crappy offensive linemates, no power play time, and playing 3rd/4th line against other teams offensive assignments

At the end of the day his stat line would be very close to what Krugers is now

Danault was just never going to be put into a position to succeed in this organization. Montreal gave him a shot and NOW Danault is really growing into his former 1st round self.

Problem with winning cup and keeping the top 6/top 4D core is regardless of where you draft guys, 1st or 6th round, Chicago continually looks to plug and play the depth with RARE opportunity for the high end spots

2C for years was the issue and they made due with veterans and a fossil in Handzus. They addressed one need and created another hole in the Anisimov for Saad trade.

Problem is Chicago is always in win now mode and they need guys who are ready to step in at a high level immediately and flourish. unfortunately only Saad fit that mold.

TT was given a shot and wasnt ready for the big game and too physically small and underdeveloped on top of unwilling to engage. Was fine on third line for a cup team next to two very good veterans.

Pirri crapped the bed for his shot

Dano didnt show much and still hasnt shown much

Danault never showed the flash until he got to MTL and was always groomed for bottom 6 duty

Kevin hayes crapped the hallway and bolted for NYR

McNeil never panned out

Hartman and Schmaltz are getting their first taste and Hartman has done well, but Schmaltz is too raw.

Hopefully they got luck with someone like Shanulov

but thems the breaks
- hawkeytalkman

Stan gambled with the Danault trade and he lost, let's move on. There have been some other acquisition that have been solid, you win some you lose some.

For those complaining about the Danault deal, but calling for Stan to acquire a 1LW... are you prepared for to lose another young forward who could be a solid contributor for just a rental?

Stan gambled with the Danault trade and he lost, let's move on. There have been some other acquisition that have been solid, you win some you lose some.

For those complaining about the Danault deal, but calling for Stan to acquire a 1LW... are you prepared for to lose another young forward who could be a solid contributor for just a rental?
- DarthKane

I am not complaining about the Danault deal and have no issue with it.

At the time, Fleischmann and Weise looked like very good depth additions that should have worked out, but Quenneville had his little fit getting mysteriously temperamental with certain players while mind boggling favoring worse guys

Danaults first full time NHL action with MTL this year and his stat line production is as good on the NHL level as his last full season on the AHL, which is uncommon (usually a good dip or really struggles for new AHL-NHL transitions)

That has a lot to do with how they were developing him and utilizing him. MTL basically took the leash off of him.

Again, no issues with the trade because at the time, Danault was put in a position to be a grinder and he showed NOTHING except for bottom 6 hustle in his looks when he was called up.

Obviously if he ever showed ANYTHING in the AHL or when Chicago called him up like he is showing now, Stan would have never made that trade.

Stan gambled with the Danault trade and he lost, let's move on. There have been some other acquisition that have been solid, you win some you lose some.

For those complaining about the Danault deal, but calling for Stan to acquire a 1LW... are you prepared for to lose another young forward who could be a solid contributor for just a rental?
- DarthKane

If it's Duchene, it is more than a rental because they have him for 2 years.

I am not complaining about the Danault deal and have no issue with it.

At the time, Fleischmann and Weise looked like very good depth additions that should have worked out, but Quenneville had his little fit getting mysteriously temperamental with certain players while mind boggling favoring worse guys

Danaults first full time NHL action with MTL this year and his stat line production is as good on the NHL level as his last full season on the AHL, which is uncommon (usually a good dip or really struggles for new AHL-NHL transitions)

That has a lot to do with how they were developing him and utilizing him. MTL basically took the leash off of him.

Again, no issues with the trade because at the time, Danault was put in a position to be a grinder and he showed NOTHING except for bottom 6 hustle in his looks when he was called up.

Obviously if he ever showed ANYTHING in the AHL or when Chicago called him up like he is showing now, Stan would have never made that trade.
- hawkeytalkman

Initially the Habs had to push him much higher in the lineup due to all of the injuries they had. Galchenyuk, Deharnais, Gallagher and Shaw all missed significant time.

Kudos to Danault, he has played absolutely great this year (and worthless Dale Weise has not).

Do you think that Hanzal could get more than Anisimov on his next contract? What if the Blackhawks get Hanzal at the TD, and then this off-season trade Artie and sign Hanzal for AA money? same type of player, plays in front of the net, but much better at the dot.
- powerenforcer

Who would you trade AA to that's going to pay him $6 mill per without Kane and AP on his flanks. Plus he has a NMC so AA would have to okay a deal.

Who would you trade AA to that's going to pay him $6 mill per without Kane and AP on his flanks. Plus he has a NMC so AA would have to okay a deal.
- Al

AA's cap hit is not $6 per, its $4.55

Red Wings waive Alexey Marchenko

The Predators waive Mike Ribeiro

AA's cap hit is not $6 per, its $4.55
- hawkeytalkman

Correct-his salary is $6 mill but same point...And he has to okay a deal.
I mentioned his name in the summer...I like AA a lot, have since he was a Ranger but I would have traded him before his NMC kicked in.

If it's Duchene, it is more than a rental because they have him for 2 years.
- furso27

Correct, but by God, we need to really see how great Schmaltz is at a position he's never really played before in the playoffs. So . . . screw Duchene. Why would anyone want him?

Yeah, Boyle...someone mentioned him before.
- HawkintheD

I'm on board with Boyle, especially if you dealt Kruger. But Boyle is, let's face it, a bottom 6 guy. He's slower than most 55 year old beer league players.

I hear you guys repeatedly beating this drum—so are you saying the bottom 6 is the greater area of need than the top 6, especially Toews' line? Cuz that's a head scratcher.

Had to turn it off after the 2nd period ended because I couldn't handle watching another 3rd period melt down......Glad they held on for once.

Ugh....all the woulda, coulda, shoulda has to stop. They didn't stay out of the box, so they didn't roll the Coyotes. They again played down to a lesser team and proved again they are a good team, but NOT a great team. A great team waxes the Coyotes. The Hawks are NOT that.

that 1st line or Toews line is just garbage. Here Johnny here's 2 bottom 6 wingers, gods speed..........

I'm starting to think all this Hawks will be sorry when they trade Crawford because Darling can't handle a #1 job is equivalent to when the immortal Victor Stalberg got scratched in the playoffs and supposedly ruined the chemistry in the locker room....somehow, they still went on to the cup.......
- SteveRain

Sacrilege. How dare you suggest that?

I'm on board with Boyle, especially if you dealt Kruger. But Boyle is, let's face it, a bottom 6 guy. He's slower than most 55 year old beer league players.

I hear you guys repeatedly beating this drum—so are you saying the bottom 6 is the greater area of need than the top 6, especially Toews' line? Cuz that's a head scratcher.
- John Jaeckel

Never said that. Acquiring a buy like Boyle would be totally independent of any other move. The team needs a few upgrades, Boyle addresses one of them but doesn't impede Stan from making any other moves if he wants to.

Pass. Especially if the deal includes Schmaltz or Forsling. I'm not against dealing either one if the deal makes the team better but Hanzal would be a rental and getting a raise on the $3.1M he's already making.
- HawkintheD

He would be a rental. That said, I would trade 10 Nick Schmaltzes for another Cup.

Cuz in a few years, when the present core is gone or faded, 10 Nick Schmaltzes aren't winning you a Cup.

Does Hanzal put you over the top? By himself, probably not.

But . . . but . . . BECAUSE the hawks have guys playing ion the top 6 who are slotted over their heads and BETTER as bottom 6 guys, if you add a hanzal or a Tatar or a JVR or a Duchene in, you upgrade that line, and whatever line Panik/Hartman/Schmaltz go back to . . . AND you push Tootoo back into the press box.

Quite transformative.

Correct, but by God, we need to really see how great Schmaltz is at a position he's never really played before in the playoffs. So . . . screw Duchene. Why would anyone want him?
- John Jaeckel

Give me a heads-up when the Kris Versteeg rumors begin.
List of feasible left wing candidates is very weak...Versteeg may get another tour of duty.

Never said that. Acquiring a buy like Boyle would be totally independent of any other move. The team needs a few upgrades, Boyle addresses one of them but doesn't impede Stan from making any other moves if he wants to.
- DarthKane

Boyle as an additive move would help for sure, no argument. But how do they afford him and make any other necessary moves?