You to Justin happy New year's and to your family
- Scott1977

Thanks Scott. All the best to you and your fam as well.

Enough GP. Mods are on to us again.

Everyone has a voice here and if you have a problem with someone, best just to DM me instead of posting stuff like this.
- Justin Lowe

Thank you Justin. Appreciate you stepping in. That tone is not needed here.

Must agree. How does it benefit the Hawks moving forward for Ward to play instead of giving Delia experience (whether positive or negative, nonetheless "big game" experience.)_
- BMWChiFan

Yes, but at the same time Delia isn’t going to play every single game. His confidence is sky high right now. Outdoor games throw poopty conditions into the game and to me it could throw him. Let Ward take the net tomorrow and Delia can play the next 2-3 games.

How about some kudos to the Northwestern Wilcats! This team seems to get manhandled most games but still keeps on winning. Happy New Year to everyone!

Maybe learn how to spell his (frank)ing name before you decide where he should play. jesus your ideas are awful
- GPHawksfan

I’ll give you this one warning, you may not agree with what’s being posted by others, but that doesn’t give you the right to be insulting to anyone or their posts.

Read the CoC, next time there will be no warnings.

What's the source on this one Taylor?

I would be shocked if Nylander is traded during his contract with TOR. Dubas gave him his word he wouldn't move him as that was one of Nylander's concerns in signing this deal. He knows Toronto will be in cap hell and didn't want to sign just to be flipped.

Kadri would be a more likely candidate but they really like him in Toronto. He's on a cap friendly deal and just came into his own the last couple years.

That being said... contracts will have to be shipped out to make next year's roster work.
- Justin Lowe

Happy New Year Justin. I was reading this on nhl rumors , Toronto is looking for someone with term apparently and their hope is Nylander can play center that then would help Toronto. But they also mentioned their cap situation and players whom they might trade and Nylanders name was one of them.

It was just recently mentioned.

Happy New Year Justin and the rest of Hawk nation!

What's the source on this one Taylor?

I would be shocked if Nylander is traded during his contract with TOR. Dubas gave him his word he wouldn't move him as that was one of Nylander's concerns in signing this deal. He knows Toronto will be in cap hell and didn't want to sign just to be flipped.

Kadri would be a more likely candidate but they really like him in Toronto. He's on a cap friendly deal and just came into his own the last couple years.

That being said... contracts will have to be shipped out to make next year's roster work.
- Justin Lowe

I found the link to the source that I had read .


NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Buffalo Sabres https://mynhltraderumors....uffalo-sabres/2018/12/31/ via @MyNHLTradeRumors.com

Happy New Year Justin and the rest of Hawk nation!
- ikeane

Happy New Year to you and the rest of the hawks fans

Yes, but at the same time Delia isn’t going to play every single game. His confidence is sky high right now. Outdoor games throw poopty conditions into the game and to me it could throw him. Let Ward take the net tomorrow and Delia can play the next 2-3 games.
- Assman22

Agreed. Also, while Ward was pretty awful against Florida, he was very good his 2 previous games against Dallas and Nashville.

The closest to Hjalmarsson in the system is Carlsson. Defense first, some offense, decent size, skates well. He doesn't give up on plays and can play physical.
- AEL_Fox

What is the time limit that has to pass for before every Swede Dman the Hawks draft won't be labelled the next Hjalmarsson

The only option is trading a guy a year of 2 before you would like. Then you can get value, but in reality, it was never done because the team was a buyer playing for cups.

Had SB tried that, I would hate to have seen this board. After all, that is likely what the halmerson trade was. Done a year before you would have liked.

Anyways, this is where we are now. Look for sB to continue to follow the old hawk model, now Tampa model. Get guys who can skate and grind and roll 4 lines of them.

This team will be back in contention a lot sooner than most think.
- TrueGrit

100%, one thing that everyone always leaves out in these arguments is the fact that both leddy and Sharp's final years with the Hawks they won cups.

Could you make the argument that they would've still won? I don't think so. Because in both cases, they were up against the cap, and couldn't take on contracts at the big club, the trades would have to been for youngsters.

I'll take the 3 cups.

100%, one thing that everyone always leaves out in these arguments is the fact that both leddy and Sharp's final years with the Hawks they won cups.

Could you make the argument that they would've still won? I don't think so. Because in both cases, they were up against the cap, and couldn't take on contracts at the big club, the trades would have to been for youngsters.

I'll take the 3 cups.
- vabeachbear

You make some valid points. Stans biggest problem stems from giving out ridiculous raises to players whom never throughout their playing career lived up to anything more , example Bickell in his contract year has a nice playoff run knowing this teams problem has been the salary cap, he overpaid him and then to correct his mistake he traded away a 20 year old kid with high value and the future . Seabrook was 32 or 33 when Stan gave him that contract for 8 years instead of a 4 year contract or let him walk and my guess is nobody would have paid Seabrook a 8 year contract.

100%, one thing that everyone always leaves out in these arguments is the fact that both leddy and Sharp's final years with the Hawks they won cups.

Could you make the argument that they would've still won? I don't think so. Because in both cases, they were up against the cap, and couldn't take on contracts at the big club, the trades would have to been for youngsters.

I'll take the 3 cups.
- vabeachbear

Same on the Cups and agree with your post. Like you mention most of the people who tend to look at these trades as total brain farts by Bowman and franchise changing, tend to look at the trade in a vacuum, versus providing any context.

At the time, Leddy was a 3rd pairing dman on the Hawks with possible 2nd pairing potential. Pokka was labeled a decent prospect who was kind of slow but thought the game well...basically opposite Leddy. I’m not sure Leddy is still anything more than a 3rd pairing guy on a decent team.

While it would have been nice to not have to include Johns, Bowman traded a veteran player in Sharp who was mostly on his last legs but was a solid contributor for a 3rd Cup while in a Hawk uniform.

I still call BS on the rumored report of two 2nd’s and glorious Cap Space as this was the only place I ever saw it reported. Was it a rumor? Sure...maybe. Was it actually on the table? Likely only Stan and Nil would know that for sure.

It sucked Stan had to throw in Johns, still he is yet to realize his potential and the Hawks got 2 players one of whom could have been useful but couldn’t crack Q’s lineup.

You make some valid points. Stans biggest problem stems from giving out ridiculous raises to players whom never throughout their playing career lived up to anything more , example Bickell in his contract year has a nice playoff run knowing this teams problem has been the salary cap, he overpaid him and then to correct his mistake he traded away a 20 year old kid with high value and the future . Seabrook was 32 or 33 when Stan gave him that contract for 8 years instead of a 4 year contract or let him walk and my guess is nobody would have paid Seabrook a 8 year contract.
- Taylorst1

Disagree on the Bickell deal. I know a number of board Nostradami, may have been able to predict Bickell being unable to live up to his deal; but how much of that was attributable to Bicks MS, or his “lethargy”...not sure anyone will ever have an actual answer for that one.

Seabs earned his next deal, Bowman Just gave him too many years.

Or when the government shutdown is over.

- gramps

Heck are borders are porous, just hop a flight to Mexico and come on in.

Happy new year folks!

Justin like the article, and honestly i don't buy the message the front office is sending, if it was true Hjalmarsson would of never been traded.

The thing i despise the most is anyone who can't take accountability for making bad decisions. He's very lucky he found a trade partner for Manning who's an AHL player.

Disagree on the Bickell deal. I know a number of board Nostradami, may have been able to predict Bickell being unable to live up to his deal; but how much of that was attributable to Bicks MS, or his “lethargy”...not sure anyone will ever have an actual answer for that one.

Seabs earned his next deal, Bowman Just gave him too many years.
- HawkintheD

Bickell would've got more than 4 mil on the open market. Bicks was always good in the playoffs, and a beast in the Boston series. Everyone here would have been female doging like mad if they hadn't resigned him after that cup.

I believe it was reported here, that Stan could've signed Bickell earlier for less money.

Was that true, was it a rumor??? I sure don't know, and neither does anyone here.

They've made bad deals, for sure, every GM does. Who in their right mind could have predicted the trade with Edmonton to dump Manning. If I would have proposed that trade a week ago, you would have all run me off the board.

I'll repeat, I'll take the 3 cups. I have problem giving credit for them to Mike Smith, Dale Tallon, Stan and Scotty Bowman, McD, Q but mostly Rocky for stepping in and fixing what just might have been the most ridiculous situation in all of professional sports.

Disagree on the Bickell deal. I know a number of board Nostradami, may have been able to predict Bickell being unable to live up to his deal; but how much of that was attributable to Bicks MS, or his “lethargy”...not sure anyone will ever have an actual answer for that one.

Seabs earned his next deal, Bowman Just gave him too many years.
- HawkintheD

We both agree Seabrook earned a deal and a shorter term. That's just a microcosm of Stans contract blunders. Bickell though was never a 4 million dollar player when he received that contract people rolled their eyes and commented about it , the MS wasn't the problem it was the fact Bickell was overpaid by at minimum 1.5 to 2 million. In a cap strapped team that is trying to retool and had lots of promising young stars whom either where due raises or coming up 1.5 to 2 million is the difference between signing a player or losing him.

Bickell would've got more than 4 mil on the open market. Bicks was always good in the playoffs, and a beast in the Boston series. Everyone here would have been female doging like mad if they hadn't resigned him after that cup.

I believe it was reported here, that Stan could've signed Bickell earlier for less money.

Was that true, was it a rumor??? I sure don't know, and neither does anyone here.

They've made bad deals, for sure, every GM does. Who in their right mind could have predicted the trade with Edmonton to dump Manning. If I would have proposed that trade a week ago, you would have all run me off the board.

I'll repeat, I'll take the 3 cups. I have problem giving credit for them to Mike Smith, Dale Tallon, Stan and Scotty Bowman, McD, Q but mostly Rocky for stepping in and fixing what just might have been the most ridiculous situation in all of professional sports.
- vabeachbear

I agree, however things worked out, I'm grateful for the 3 cups, we could've only had 1 after 2010. There are always bad contracts and bad trades during championship runs, ask LA, Pitt. Being a Chicago fan I've seen all these franchises find a way to screw it up. The Bears are in that position now they might be able to win a SB or 2 maybe 3, it all depends on injury, next succession of contracts and Trubisky. It would be nice if they could've won 4, 5, or 6 SCups but with the salary cap not increasing, it was unrealistic.

Everyone, have a safe New Years.
- powerenforcer

It's been great so far!

Bickell would've got more than 4 mil on the open market. Bicks was always good in the playoffs, and a beast in the Boston series. Everyone here would have been female doging like mad if they hadn't resigned him after that cup.

I believe it was reported here, that Stan could've signed Bickell earlier for less money.

Was that true, was it a rumor??? I sure don't know, and neither does anyone here.

They've made bad deals, for sure, every GM does. Who in their right mind could have predicted the trade with Edmonton to dump Manning. If I would have proposed that trade a week ago, you would have all run me off the board.

I'll repeat, I'll take the 3 cups. I have problem giving credit for them to Mike Smith, Dale Tallon, Stan and Scotty Bowman, McD, Q but mostly Rocky for stepping in and fixing what just might have been the most ridiculous situation in all of professional sports.
- vabeachbear

I'm not disagreeing with you completely, however choices have to be made when your winning and always up against the cap. Sometimes walking away from certain players to accrue more cap space for other players is a sometimes a better overall solution the long term picture.

I remember people commented at the amount Stan gave Bickell and those were not positive comments.

Sometimes you let a player hit free agency if he gets that deal great but if he doesn't and you have cap space you sign for your terms then while managing your teams future.

Overpaying a guy who may show up come playoff time is not smart cap management . You need players who consistently perform .


Take Kunitz as a example he has a 1million cap hit ok the dollar is low but that money could be better used to either bring up a more productive youth player or combined with another bad free agent signing we could have targeted a more offensive or shutdown type player or a solid defenseman.

Between rutta, Kunitz, manning ,Davidson that's over 5 million wasted , and we still have over 3.5 million cap space. Stan should have target a defenseman .

The other side of the argument is we walked away from Shaw who IMO was more of a asset and contributor then Bickell was as a player. So then you have to start to question Stans ability to manage and judge .


That's my whole point .

I'm not disagreeing with you completely, however choices have to be made when your winning and always up against the cap. Sometimes walking away from certain players to accrue more cap space for other players is a sometimes a better overall solution the long term picture.

I remember people commented at the amount Stan gave Bickell and those were not positive comments.

Sometimes you let a player hit free agency if he gets that deal great but if he doesn't and you have cap space you sign for your terms then while managing your teams future.

Overpaying a guy who may show up come playoff time is not smart cap management . You need players who consistently perform .


Take Kunitz as a example he has a 1million cap hit ok the dollar is low but that money could be better used to either bring up a more productive youth player or combined with another bad free agent signing we could have targeted a more offensive or shutdown type player or a solid defenseman.

Between rutta, Kunitz, manning ,Davidson that's over 5 million wasted , and we still have over 3.5 million cap space. Stan should have target a defenseman .
- Taylorst1

I do not know why some enthusiastic fans justify every deal Stan made. Bickell - "playoff beast legend". Toews/Kane getting more than Crossby/Ovechkin/Malkin - "Babcock said something about Toews over Crossby some years ago plus Edmonton for sure gives them 14 mln". No Edmonton would not have given them that money, and if Seabrook is to walk he is not getting 7 mln anywhere else. Look at Carlson or Hedman, they get almost same money as Seabrook, anybody thinks Seabrook is player of similar caliber?
My point is that on this and other Hawks boards there is homegrown bias to overvalue players and justify ridiculous deals handed out by this GM. Latest hurray for gettign rod of Manning - well, who signed him, Kunitz and Ward while getting rid of Vinnie/Hartman/etc during the last year i.e. making team faster, younger, hungrier?
While I applaud recent efforts and victories I feel it delays long overdue sweep of the house/front office.

Bickell would've got more than 4 mil on the open market. Bicks was always good in the playoffs, and a beast in the Boston series. Everyone here would have been female doging like mad if they hadn't resigned him after that cup.

I believe it was reported here, that Stan could've signed Bickell earlier for less money.

Was that true, was it a rumor??? I sure don't know, and neither does anyone here.

They've made bad deals, for sure, every GM does. Who in their right mind could have predicted the trade with Edmonton to dump Manning. If I would have proposed that trade a week ago, you would have all run me off the board.

I'll repeat, I'll take the 3 cups. I have problem giving credit for them to Mike Smith, Dale Tallon, Stan and Scotty Bowman, McD, Q but mostly Rocky for stepping in and fixing what just might have been the most ridiculous situation in all of professional sports.
- vabeachbear

Agreed, the Blackhawks did the truest version of a 180 degree turnaround in all sports history.