I say tank. Climb up the draft ladder as high as possible, and use the rest of this year to decide who stays and who is expendable.

There are no high impact pending UFAs worth moving anything valuable for, and anyone the Hawks might want to move will likely result in equal return in the way of bad contract coming back.

Vegas/Tampa final this year.
- Return of the Roar

JVR is pending. I'd only be down if he'd re-sign though.

JVR is pending. I'd only be down if he'd re-sign though.
- JRoenick97

Toronto is in the playoff hunt, they won't deal JvR.

Steve Yzerman learned from Bowman's mistakes. Stamkos and Hedman could have each gotten $10.5mil++ on the open market.
- EnzoD

Still no Stanley Cup. Stamkos has durability issues as well. actually think that's a bad contract for the Bolts.

If they had several SC under their belt their contracts would be higher

JVR is pending. I'd only be down if he'd re-sign though.
- JRoenick97

One more year of hockey before another strike, a new CBA, and a new expansion draft for Seattle.....

I spend nothing on anyone long term until I know what the new rules will be.

JVR doesnt make this team a contender.

Toronto is in the playoff hunt, they won't deal JvR.
- DarthKane

Oh wow, they are pretty much guaranteed that 3rd place spot too. Detroit is 4th but down by 15 points. Even last place in the metro and Central (us) are better than that.

One more year of hockey before another strike, a new CBA, and a new expansion draft for Seattle.....

I spend nothing on anyone long term until I know what the new rules will be.

JVR doesnt make this team a contender.
- Return of the Roar

No, but he makes them better.

Does the team really need a tough guy who can fight? We don't need another Mashinter playing 5 minutes per night.
- DarthKane

No, Don't mean so much as to fight as just to give some room for soft skill players to feel free to wheel and deal. Next season I am hopeful we have a meaner, tougher lineup without a goon type. Hence i was spitballing mentioning a cheap AHL call up if Martinsen qualifies. He has some ability and some NHL experience

What doess this board think about having a tough guy who can fight on a wing UNTIL Stan brings in more power forward or grit and sandpaper players. Maybe on the cheap. Does Martinsen qualify? Justin can you provide enlightenment about Martinsen. Btw is Raddysh a good prospect. That a radish in a salad spelled differently!
- jhawk59

Time to bring back Mashinter😁

Forsberg starts tomorrow.

Isn't this how contracts work?
- HawksHype

Yes, but he got about 1.5-2 Million too much and Stan obviously didn't take account the fact that players skills degrade over time...ie. overpay (Toews/Seabrook)! About 8-9 Million should have been right.

Forsberg starts tomorrow.
- JRoenick97

Good, he should be

What doess this board think about having a tough guy who can fight on a wing UNTIL Stan brings in more power forward or grit and sandpaper players. Maybe on the cheap. Does Martinsen qualify? Justin can you provide enlightenment about Martinsen. Btw is Raddysh a good prospect. That a radish in a salad spelled differently!
- jhawk59

Either Martinsen or Hayden would do nicely, too bad they're languishing down in Rockford.

Either Martinsen or Hayden would do nicely, too bad they're languishing down in Rockford.
- Murph76

3 goals, 5 assists in 9 games for Hayden. He's doing alright.

He needs to develop a bit more of an offensive skillset down there, but I'm not opposed to bringing him back up later on.

No, Don't mean so much as to fight as just to give some room for soft skill players to feel free to wheel and deal. Next season I am hopeful we have a meaner, tougher lineup without a goon type. Hence i was spitballing mentioning a cheap AHL call up if Martinsen qualifies. He has some ability and some NHL experience
- jhawk59

If Martinsen gets called up and inserted into the lineup that would be a mistake.

If Martinsen gets called up and inserted into the lineup that would be a mistake.
- BlazinMike

How so when his stats are on par with Buoma or Wingels and he is a bigger (and seemingly tougher) 4th line forward? Actually, he had more hits than either of the aforementioned last season.
Wingels:125
Buoma: 127
Martinsen: 173

Time to bring back Mashinter😁
- BetweenTheDots

Time to improve on the dot, the face off. Can Sikura win face offs.

I don't think Mashinter plays NHL again.

The Sikura brother may be a surprise next season. I hope Knott could improve too

Who?
- JRoenick97

I think he'll be competing with Tommy Wiggels for some pt. And if Brent Seabrooks improves, then I think things will be looking up.

Yes, but he got about 1.5-2 Million too much and Stan obviously didn't take account the fact that players skills degrade over time...ie. overpay (Toews/Seabrook)! About 8-9 Million should have been right.
- Murph76

So your saying after 3 cups Bowman should have paid Kane more than the Captain of your 3 cups and Toews would have been ok with that. Or Bowman should have offered them both $8 to $9 mil and risked letting them walk if they got a better offer.

3 goals, 5 assists in 9 games for Hayden. He's doing alright.

He needs to develop a bit more of an offensive skillset down there, but I'm not opposed to bringing him back up later on.
- BlazinMike

Hayden will be back up eventually, especially if he keeps playing like this. Right now playing top 6 minutes in all scenarios is the best thing for Hayden, he'll be a better forward when he returns to Chicago. I would expect to see Hayden play a significant role on the team next year, maybe on the 3rd line.

So your saying after 3 cups Bowman should have paid Kane more than the Captain of your 3 cups and Toews would have been ok with that. Or Bowman should have offered them both $8 to $9 mil and risked letting them walk if they got a better offer.
- -Doh-

They have the same agent, they should have both been offered 9 which would still have been a 2.5 million dollar raise and made them amongst the highest paid players in the league. They got their 10.5 mil and are now surrounded by a lot of rookies and scrubs because of it. Don't get me wrong, Kane is earning that contract.

It does not really matter what Bowman would like to do. Because of the cap and a pretty thin group of prospects there is not much he can do. Kane is a keeper. Toews, Seabs have NMC and contracts that are unmovable. Crow and Keith are good to near elite players at reasonable long term contracts. Murphy is a decent 3/4 Dman and has a decent contract. AA is a decent 2C/3C at a decent contract and could be moved. But the Hawks are thin at center and would need a pretty good younger cost controlled center coming back. That is probably not going to happen. Players like Sharp/Wingels could be moved, but you will not get much back. Maybe a late round pick. You probably want to hold on to DeB and Oesterle. The other young guys are probably worth more to the Hawks than to other teams. I agree you could see a young defender moved. Maybe Kempny or Gus but they will not bring a 2nd round pick.

People on this board hate Bowman and Q. But I think they both come back next year. For the first time in about 8 years they will have with nearly the same roster (plus Sikura) for 2 years in a row that they can work with and develop. I would be ok with that.
- -Doh-

We don't want this roster again next season that's the problem.

Does the team really need a tough guy who can fight? We don't need another Mashinter playing 5 minutes per night.
- DarthKane

I Agree as it results in Kane double shifting. While the expected output is great, it never materialize and he is worn down by the 3rd...

They have the same agent, they should have both been offered 9 which would still have been a 2.5 million dollar raise and made them amongst the highest paid players in the league. They got their 10.5 mil and are now surrounded by a lot of rookies and scrubs because of it. Don't get me wrong, Kane is earning that contract.
- Murph76

This team is a hell of a lot further than one 3.0M player from being great.

We don't want this roster again next season that's the problem.
- vandymeer23

Add a top 4 d-man and I'd be fine with it.

This team is a hell of a lot further than one 3.0M player from being great.
- riozzo

This year they are, what about the last 2 seasons when they were playing a hell of a lot better? I'm just saying 3 million is half of a difference maker type player's salary.