If Keith waives his no trade clause, I suggest that Rocky might be afraid to waive good by to fans who stay away in droves after the best and most experienced dman is gone.

I too would prefer to move Keith before his value declines. Whether it makes sense to Rocky and Stan is the $64 000 question (nowadays more like the $64 million question)
- jhawk59

You make some great points. Rocky should take these past years and remember the good the bad and the costly mistakes made by a front office infringing in areas they shouldn't and loyalty contracts to players who are close to retirement.

hammer I agree that is because he felt bad about signing the offer sheet. when Keith signed it that was the most ever guaranteed to a d player ever if memory serves. Craw was making him at #8 of all goalies at the time he signed it. I think that was fair if you look at his numbers.
- kmw4631

So are you saying there are reasons/circumstances for team friendly deals but there are no reasons/circumstances for player friendly deals.

We can all agree that the term on Seab's deal is too long. We might even agree the cap hit on a shorter term deal was too much. But Seabrook was an All Star 2014/15 and played well in the playoffs that ended in a cup.

Look at the deals of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. Granted they are/were better players than Seabs ever was. But what will those contracts look like in 2024/25 when Suter is 40, and in 2025/26 when Shea Weber is 40 ending their contracts. All I am saying is that Dman contracts like Seabs ending when they are 38 to 40 years old were not that unusual at that time he was signed

Thanks.

It is really weird to see Carolina on that list, I really wonder why that is.

In other news, Buffalo and Colorado have cooled ... injuries? Tankathon has us drafting Podkolzin 3rd over all, what helped him jump up 2 ranks? People realize the potential awesomeness?
- I Am The Breadman

So now it's:
Loseforhughes
Crappoforkappo
Dontwinforzin
And if you prefer Cozens:
Dropdozensforcozens

Btw, Strome has 19 points in 26 games with the Hawks. He had 16 points in 48 games for AZ.

If Perlini can step up his game to be solid bottom 6 player, this trade is a slam dunk for SB.

Btw, Strome has 19 points in 26 games with the Hawks. He had 16 points in 48 games for AZ.

If Perlini can step up his game to be solid bottom 6 player, this trade is a slam dunk for SB.
- tvetter

I think it is a slam dunk already, it may be a 3 pointer if Perlini gets back on the ice.

It gets real lonely around here at about 4PM CST.

So now it's:
Loseforhughes
Crappoforkappo
Dontwinforzin
And if you prefer Cozens:
Dropdozensforcozens
- tvetter

Playbadlyforboldy
Goturncoatforturcotte
I was partial towards:
Dontdojackforjack

Playbadlyforboldy
Goturncoatforturcotte
I was partial towards:
Dontdojackforjack
- I Am The Breadman

#No Bruise for Hughes!?

Sorry, I'll go home now

Winning cost money. It inflates the value of players. No one cares about Carolina. Or else there would be a thread for you and the other Cane fans. Now here is something to occupy your time

- Elbows15

You seriously have no idea what you are talking about.

I'm all for Hartman/Brouwer like trades where any 1st rounder comes back to the Hawks. Don't care if they're late rounders, too. Beaudin was late 20's and he could be a good one. Danault was a late rounder as well after McNeill was taken first.
- AEL_Fox

Mr Fox, Midterm Rankings are out: https://nhl.bamcontent.co...4598/binary-file/file.pdf

USHL Site: https://www.ushl.com/news_article/show/987200

I think it is a slam dunk already, it may be a 3 pointer if Perlini gets back on the ice.
- powerenforcer

The thing is, the trade won't really show it's upside in spades until the Hawks are back in the playoffs when big boy hockey starts to be played and schmatlz would have been a ghost. Strome has already shown a penchant to get his nose dirty in the high danger areas and make plays

Right now it's evaluated on regular season hockey but I'd rather have the 6'3 center with high end vision and finish over the 6'0 175lb left wing/center who doesn't like going below the half wall

The thing is, the trade won't really show it's upside in spades until the Hawks are back in the playoffs when big boy hockey starts to be played and schmatlz would have been a ghost. Strome has already shown a penchant to get his nose dirty in the high danger areas and make plays

Right now it's evaluated on regular season hockey but I'd rather have the 6'3 center with high end vision and finish over the 6'0 175lb left wing/center who doesn't like going below the half wall
- Stan_Bowman

Yep, make this trade 7 days a week even if it doesn't work out it was the right move at the right time. Gotta add Schmaltz wants paid this summer and the jury is still waaaaay out on him and what position he plays. .......... We know Strome is a natural C whether that be top or bottom 6.

Kane for Miller?
- HawkintheD

Bieksa

Btw, Strome has 19 points in 26 games with the Hawks. He had 16 points in 48 games for AZ.

If Perlini can step up his game to be solid bottom 6 player, this trade is a slam dunk for SB.
- tvetter

right now, the Hammer for Murphy trade is actually looking pretty good. If Murphy can maintain this level of play or improve, he's a good deal at $3.85m for three more seasons after this one. I'd love to have Hammer back but I think Stan did well with this one.

You seriously have no idea what you are talking about.
- tyweb69

Coming from you, that's a compliment.

right now, the Hammer for Murphy trade is actually looking pretty good. If Murphy can maintain this level of play or improve, he's a good deal at $3.85m for three more seasons after this one. I'd love to have Hammer back but I think Stan did well with this one.
- matt_ahrens

I think just about everyone would like to have Hammer back on this team right now, but yeah Murphy is showing that he's a legit D-Man and Stan did well in getting a young cost controlled D-man to help with the future. Unfortunately he didn't seem to mesh with Q and everyone wanted to s#!t on him and call it a horrible trade right off the bat.

So are you saying there are reasons/circumstances for team friendly deals but there are no reasons/circumstances for player friendly deals.

We can all agree that the term on Seab's deal is too long. We might even agree the cap hit on a shorter term deal was too much. But Seabrook was an All Star 2014/15 and played well in the playoffs that ended in a cup.

Look at the deals of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. Granted they are/were better players than Seabs ever was. But what will those contracts look like in 2024/25 when Suter is 40, and in 2025/26 when Shea Weber is 40 ending their contracts. All I am saying is that Dman contracts like Seabs ending when they are 38 to 40 years old were not that unusual at that time he was signed
- -Doh-

The elephant in the room is the salary cap being unrealistic . Over the past 8 years the salary cap has risen on avg of 2.8 million while players salaries have doubled .

The NHL if they want a salary cap that's fine but they need a huge increase in that cap to offset the higher salary increases.

Their is also a lot of watered down overpaid players in the nhl, that's another issue , paying these low end guys these salaries that don't match their talent or level of play. Rutta, manning , spooner etc.

Seriously ? I'm a team going all in for the Cup and Cam Ward is the answer ???
- StutzBlackhawk

If I had a less than average backup Goalie right now (hello Washington, Toronto, Tampa, Montreal, etc.) I would definitely consider trading for him yeah. With a better defense, an NHL defense, in front of him he could play well enough to give your starter some rest down the stretch. Say what you want, all we do is sit around and b!t$# all day about how bad our defense is and make excuses for why Delia gives up a few goals but Cam Ward is trash. I'm not saying that he's great or anything like that but if I was trying to win a Cup and I could bring in a former Cup winner as a backup for next to nothing it's worth a shot

The elephant in the room is the salary cap being unrealistic . Over the past 8 years the salary cap has risen on avg of 2.8 million while players salaries have doubled .

The NHL if they want a salary cap that's fine but they need a huge increase in that cap to offset the higher salary increases.

Their is also a lot of watered down overpaid players in the nhl, that's another issue , paying these low end guys these salaries that don't match their talent or level of play. Rutta, manning , spooner etc.
- Taylorst1

This is something I can agree with you on. The Salary Cap is killing the league because the owners would rather keep their money than spend it. I get it. It's not as popular as just about any of the other sports out there, but its not like there isn't money there. The excuse you hear a lot is that its due to the Canadian dollar being down but I don't see that stop teams from signing guys to millions of dollars at a time.

There's no way players will give away guaranteed contracts so either they need to give a significant bump in the Salary Cap OR they need to remove the hard restrictions they have on contracts counting against the Cap and killing teams.

If I had a less than average backup Goalie right now (hello Washington, Toronto, Tampa, Montreal, etc.) I would definitely consider trading for him yeah. With a better defense, an NHL defense, in front of him he could play well enough to give your starter some rest down the stretch. Say what you want, all we do is sit around and b!t$# all day about how bad our defense is and make excuses for why Delia gives up a few goals but Cam Ward is trash. I'm not saying that he's great or anything like that but if I was trying to win a Cup and I could bring in a former Cup winner as a backup for next to nothing it's worth a shot
- Savetheembers33

Cam Ward is trash, tho. He has had the worst or near the worst numbers for the last ten years. He played in front a good defense in Carolina and was a huge reason why they failed to make the playoffs for 8 years.

Cam Ward is trash, tho. He has had the worst or near the worst numbers for the last ten years. He played in front a good defense in Carolina and was a huge reason why they failed to make the playoffs for 8 years.
- Elbows15

I'm not gonna disagree with the fact that he played bad as the starter for them, but as if I were a team that needs a cheap backup on my team with experience I would consider it. Especially if the Hawks eat half the salary and only ask for a late round pick

right now, the Hammer for Murphy trade is actually looking pretty good. If Murphy can maintain this level of play or improve, he's a good deal at $3.85m for three more seasons after this one. I'd love to have Hammer back but I think Stan did well with this one.
- matt_ahrens

i don't think so, he is having as bad a year as seab...huge drop off in his play the last two years...

traded hammer was the right deal from both a business and hockey point of views

This is something I can agree with you on. The Salary Cap is killing the league because the owners would rather keep their money than spend it. I get it. It's not as popular as just about any of the other sports out there, but its not like there isn't money there. The excuse you hear a lot is that its due to the Canadian dollar being down but I don't see that stop teams from signing guys to millions of dollars at a time.

There's no way players will give away guaranteed contracts so either they need to give a significant bump in the Salary Cap OR they need to remove the hard restrictions they have on contracts counting against the Cap and killing teams.
- Savetheembers33

Absolutely correct. Their needs to be a major change in the cap going forward . Smaller market teams and Canadian teams all need to step up and share the burden equally and most of all make a honest effort to put a team together that fans will want to see and spend their money on. Arizona was originally the Winnipeg jets, the reason they left Winnipeg was due to the ability to produce a profit.

Apparently it's more about mismanagement because Winnipeg now has a team again.



I'd like to see the cap start around 100 million being the floor and the ceiling 120. Also no penalties for LTIR and shifting players to the AHL or players retiring early eliminate guaranteed contracts.

This is something I can agree with you on. The Salary Cap is killing the league because the owners would rather keep their money than spend it. I get it. It's not as popular as just about any of the other sports out there, but its not like there isn't money there. The excuse you hear a lot is that its due to the Canadian dollar being down but I don't see that stop teams from signing guys to millions of dollars at a time.

There's no way players will give away guaranteed contracts so either they need to give a significant bump in the Salary Cap OR they need to remove the hard restrictions they have on contracts counting against the Cap and killing teams.
- Savetheembers33

yet GM will hand a 28 year old duchene who hit 30 goals once and not near 60 pt in 3-4 years 8 mil per for 8 years....