https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/spittin-chiclets-episode-130-featuring-stan-bowman/id1112425552?i=1000425011015&mt=2

Bowman's interview on Spittin' Chiclets podcast. It's a long one, but here were some of the key things IMO, all based on my interpretation:

1. Learned in 2010 that you never want to try and trade someone when you have no leverage (might explain some possibly premature moves of late, like Panarin)
2. Speaking of Panarin - "we cannot afford another guy" making in neighborhood of $10M
3. Says that both Rocky and John are laissez-faire bosses and rarely get involved in the hockey operations
4. Claimed disagreements, but no fundamental relationship issues with Q - Q definitely not happy about the Hammer trade
5. Felt team needed a change in approach behind the bench as old approach wasn't working with roster team has now or with way league playing style has changed
6. Nashville series was tipping point into on-the-fly rebuild - he doesn't say it outright, but said they've been moving away from a "win this year" mode to acquiring youth with potential since then (sooooo about those PR talking points)
7. He reads his press, that much was clear (for some reason, I picture McD dropping copies of all articles and the top tweets on his desk every morning)
8. Just my opinion, but I expect after hearing this that we will see some beloved vets gone this year if he's able to find a partner and get them to waive. As someone else postulated on here, maybe getting rid of Q was supposed to be a catalyst for the latter?

Bonus: The hosts actually told him "we're selling the poop out of our 'Fire Stan' t-shirts' - that went over well.
- pdx2ord

Thanks for bringing that here.
1)Sharp comes to mind
2)They just leak out ya we want him, for publicity sake
3)I dont believe it for a minute especially irt mcd
4)I'll give him this
5)So why wait til now, why mcd needed to put sin out and didn't Rocky
make a statement on this, so it goes back to 3
6)yep one goal alright
7)LOL
8)Why is he still here outside of mcd and Rocky, again
number 3.

Bonus

How do you do a soft cap - it would effective increase the "cap", leading to either:

(1) The players getting more than 50% of HRR. I doubt the league would go for that.

(2) The escrow would have to be increased to account for the amount teams would go over the cap to accommodate the "softness". I doubt the players would go for that.

I doubt there will be any kind of "soft cap" in the new CBA - and I doubt there will be any "compliance buyouts" because the cap would not be scheduled to be dramatically reduced (as it was after 2013).

I see the major conflict as being over the escrow and somehow mitigating its effects on players cash compensation.
- StLBravesFan

Those are all good points, and I don't have the answers to them. It just stinks seeing good teams get cut off by a hard cap right when their fan base is at its most rabid.

Parity is a good thing, too an extent. I do think that if an owner wants to spend $120 Million to win a cup, he should be allowed to do that for a heavy luxury tax. Let teams like the Wings, Rangers, Hawks, Bruins, Leafs, Habs, etc. spend a boatload. Other teams will hate these teams, it will build more rivalry, make everyone care. There will be true 'underdogs' compared to today's forced balance.

Imagine the Hawks not having to blow it up after 2010. Or the Wings continuing to be a powerhouse lording over the rest of the league.

There's barely a few points separating the bottom-feeders from playoff contenders. The 'powerhouses' of the league today have 6-7 'great' players while the rest of their team are either ELC guys or plugs they've had to give near league minimum just to fill out their roster (Toronto, Tampa, San Jose).

Let the money fly, let people hate the big spenders. It's hard to hate a 'great' team when you know they're entering cap hell.

Preliminary WJC roster spots

Canada: Beaudin, Mitchell, Entwistle
Czech Republic: Galvas
Finland: Nordgren
- AEL_Fox

Weird to see 3 players on Team Canada's prelim. Even if 2 out of 3 make it will be strange to watch this year. It's beena while since the killer B's.

Those are all good points, and I don't have the answers to them. It just stinks seeing good teams get cut off by a hard cap right when their fan base is at its most rabid.

Parity is a good thing, too an extent. I do think that if an owner wants to spend $120 Million to win a cup, he should be allowed to do that for a heavy luxury tax. Let teams like the Wings, Rangers, Hawks, Bruins, Leafs, Habs, etc. spend a boatload. Other teams will hate these teams, it will build more rivalry, make everyone care. There will be true 'underdogs' compared to today's forced balance.

Imagine the Hawks not having to blow it up after 2010. Or the Wings continuing to be a powerhouse lording over the rest of the league.

There's barely a few points separating the bottom-feeders from playoff contenders. The 'powerhouses' of the league today have 6-7 'great' players while the rest of their team are either ELC guys or plugs they've had to give near league minimum just to fill out their roster (Toronto, Tampa, San Jose).

Let the money fly, let people hate the big spenders. It's hard to hate a 'great' team when you know they're entering cap hell.
- ObeseOprah

what impacted the Red Wings demise more? age or Cap? i feel like Age was more of a contributor

I think "Eddie O " would be a viable option to become our GM. He knows Rocky and knows more about the flaws of the current Hawks, has ton of GM connections and knows the game.

Exactly. Why would you want Hitch, or any of the other coaching re-treads. A few of these d-men will be around for a bit. You had a defensive coach supposedly in Q and you got rid of him. How about instead of Granato you go out and hire a defensive coach who can actually teach, like Yawney did when #2 & #7 were youngsters.
- TheTrob

I have been thinking about this as well.

I like Colliton but the coaching staff as a whole seems off. Would like to see JC hire new assistants next year.

The coaching change sure did make a difference.

I like Colliton but the coaching staff as a whole seems off. Would like to see JC hire new assistants next year.
- Justin Lowe

I guess there was no time for JC to find some and his contacts for this kind of gig must be few. That is the downside to hiring rookie head coach. Was King his idea in Rockford? He inherited Brookbank there too. It is quite possible there are issues between him and Granato and/or Smith, I suppose they don't know each other very well. Pity. If JC is still there in the summer, then for sure building his own team will be a priority and he has to be given a chance to pick his own guys. However, if Stan is gone, I don't expect the new GM to show JC much loyalty.

I have been thinking about this as well.

I like Colliton but the coaching staff as a whole seems off. Would like to see JC hire new assistants next year.
- Justin Lowe

Justin, what are the odds Stan gets axed this summer from what you are hearing?

Kurashev and Barratt are amazing this year. I did not expect them to be so productive, at least not so soon. It's hard to say what is their ceiling in the NHL, but Hawks are missing impact forwards in the system and it is nice to see them doing well. Entwistle is also a nice piece to have.

BTW Hillman, I know Rockford has a lot of dmen to choose from, but wasn't he a frequent healthy scratch so far?

The coaching change sure did make a difference.
- PredManDan

no cups



lol

Bettman’s pronouncement on the ‘19-‘20 cap

"We think it'll be about $83 million give or take. It could be a million more, could be a million less. But if you're focused on the number and the number we told our clubs to focus on was the $83M range, which will be up $3.5M over where we are this season." - Bettman on '19-20

I guess there was no time for JC to find some and his contacts for this kind of gig must be few. That is the downside to hiring rookie head coach. Was King his idea in Rockford? He inherited Brookbank there too. It is quite possible there are issues between him and Granato and/or Smith, I suppose they don't know each other very well. Pity. If JC is still there in the summer, then for sure building his own team will be a priority and he has to be given a chance to pick his own guys. However, if Stan is gone, I don't expect the new GM to show JC much loyalty.
- stonefire

From what has been stated, Colliton actually asked for Smith to be an assistant. That's not to say that management wasn't going to make Smith an assistant no matter what even if Colliton desired a chance to pick his own this season.

Also, I believe Colliton and Smith have worked together before during prospect camps and maybe even the Traverse City Prospect Tournament. Could be wrong but they do have a familiarity with each other to some degree.

Kurashev and Barratt are amazing this year. I did not expect them to be so productive, at least not so soon. It's hard to say what is their ceiling in the NHL, but Hawks are missing impact forwards in the system and it is nice to see them doing well. Entwistle is also a nice piece to have.

BTW Hillman, I know Rockford has a lot of dmen to choose from, but wasn't he a frequent healthy scratch so far?
- stonefire

Possible comparables if they hit their potential:

Andrew Shaw for Barratt. All-terrain forward who can play any line effectively, bring secondary scoring, and a ton of sandpaper. Barratt may not be a regular top 6 forward but skilled enough to play there if needed while also not skipping a beat if he plays bottom 6.

Michael Backlund for Kurashev. Skilled defensive center who can bring the offense, win faceoffs, and tilt the ice with solid two-way play. One hockey outlet listed Kuznetsov as his comparable but I think that’s too high. I’d be ecstatic with a Backlund comparable.

Who knows, they could never reach this potential but one can dream. Cross fingers.

I think looking at things objectively, you start with the premise that maaaybe 20% of your prospects get a shot, and of them maaaybe half stick.

Too soon to tell on the three you mention as they are still very young, very raw, and not really men vs men experience under their belt yet.

However, a prudent GM would not rush them. Let them develop. That takes time, and IMHO, these guys are two years-ish out from getting a look at them in the NHL.
- Return of the Roar

Yeah agree with that. Just trying to get the meaning of your statement. If you mean they have no prospects that are high end talent coming in to provide immediate help, that would seem to be fair.

Too soon to tell, sure, but the arrow appears to be pointed up with the guys I mention.

20% may be a league average but if you check out an Athletic article from a few months back (if I can find it, I'll post the link), they graded the Hawks at 14th overall and based it on the amount of prospects they had who they felt had chance at getting to the NHL.

The only higher end prospect they had was Boqvist, but they had a number of prospects discussed who they thought could make it to the Big Club.

no cups



lol
- mrpaulish

The person who was responsible for 3 of those cups was fired. Way to show class

The person who was responsible for 3 of those cups was fired. Way to show class
- PredManDan

Marian Hossa retired, he was not fired

The person who was responsible for 3 of those cups was fired. Way to show class
- PredManDan

Look who's talking the Hillrod from Trashville. Didn't Trashville Arena try to not allow any Hawks Fans to attend any games there? Yeah, buddy now that's Classy. Go back into your Trailor your sister is waiting for ya!

Marian Hossa retired, he was not fired
- EnzoD

I see what you did there.....

I think "Eddie O " would be a viable option to become our GM. He knows Rocky and knows more about the flaws of the current Hawks, has ton of GM connections and knows the game.
- spanky

Good idea, but not too sure if Eddie's doctor wold want him under that much stress.

Marian Hossa retired, he was not fired
- EnzoD

Imagine Hossa in Saad's fishbowl.....
He'd say, "What skin disease?"

As season goes and becomes more and more clearer that hawks will not make the playoffs its time to start thinking who goes who stays and build around. What possible trades and free agent signings make sense? Seabrook and AA are the likely players to be moved along with rutta kunitz ward and gus or forsling. AA at the tdl get the hawks a 3rd if a team is willing to the hole contract do it next Seabrook only two ways he gets traded first he would have approved the trade along with either attaching a prospect or retaining money say 2 million per year it sucks but hawks gain 4 million plus in cap space. Crawford i would hold onto unless a trade proposal makes sense. So next year roster

Saad toews kane
? strome dcat
Perilini ? Sikura
Martinsin kampf hayden

Joki keith
? Murphy
Manning ?
Crawford if not traded
Forseberg
So through trades drafting and free agent sigings a lot of holes to be filled
Some possible free agents to look at:

Stone probably goes to a contender
Simmonds the same
Panarin too much money
Josh gorges bottam paring
Steve mason if crow gets traded
Free agent class is not looking great at any position. Things not looking good so it might a lot of lean years coming. If Rocky does what he suppose to do and fire bowman before he can damage this team anymore and then either fite Mcego or make sures he is not involved in any hockey decisions and hires a hockey guy to run it and a gm who knows the league players and has no ties to the core then maybe the hawks have chance in couple years to contend for a playoff spot.

I think "Eddie O " would be a viable option to become our GM. He knows Rocky and knows more about the flaws of the current Hawks, has ton of GM connections and knows the game.
- spanky

And he LOVED the acquisitions of Brandon Manning as a #4 dman and Kunitz for leadership last summer !!!
Ahhhh NO thank you. He can stay in the booth with PF and do their schtick eating soft serve like all " happy humans".

Move Keith, Seabrook, Crawford. They aren't winning anything with these three on the team anyways. Get as much value back as you can, clear 18M in cap space, and use that money elsewhere.

Keep 19 20 & 88, and let them help with the rebuild. If Panarin is a possibility, absolutely go out and sign him.

And he LOVED the acquisitions of Brandon Manning as a #4 dman and Kunitz for leadership last summer !!!
Ahhhh NO thank you. He can stay in the booth with PF and do their schtick eating soft serve like all " happy humans".
- Hawkytalk

LMAO, well done!!