Agreed. However, Nashville's PP is atrocious for the number of chances they get. While Subban can run it, maybe adding Gus would create more of a benefit?
- MNHawk

They have Subban, Josi, Ryan Ellis, all are better than Gus. Also Subban was hurt for an extended period.

I think sometimes too, it comes down to how it is going lately. I mean, some folks would look at the Hawks and say they don't need Gus, they have Keith/Seabrook that can play on the PP. For some teams, injuries will happen and it can be about how the PP is going lately. Gus has more PP points (tied with Hedman) than any other dman in the NHL during the last 30 days. There can easily be a team that wants a guy for second unit, has a guy on the shelf, or just needs a boost because their supposed PP point man is not getting it done lately.
- breadbag

I know he has value, and I say let teams overpay for him. I just believe in the defense wins championships saying.

I know he has value, and I say let teams overpay for him.
- I Am The Breadman

Really I think for a team with needs all around as we do this is why people bring up trading Gus. No ones saying just give him away like they did before, but if a team calls and offers a 2nd or even a 3rd or a solid Defensive D-Man back ya gotta listen and take it.

Make this happen:

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Panarin-Hughes-Kane

I figured there hasn't been enough crazy line making in a while, this board has been a little too sane today.

Gus is about to turn 27, and has been in the Blackhawk system since 2016, if my memory is correct. How much more time will it take for him to become competent in the defensive zone?
- scottak

He is holding out on playing D until he gets 6X6 FNMC

Really I think for a team with needs all around as we do this is why people bring up trading Gus. No ones saying just give him away like they did before, but if a team calls and offers a 2nd or even a 3rd or a solid Defensive D-Man back ya gotta listen and take it.
- Savetheembers33

I wasn't one of them, page 1 I said I just wanted to bench him. Then it became trading him from there. I just know that he has value for his pp points.

I wasn't one of them, page 1 I said I just wanted to bench him. Then it became trading him from there.
- I Am The Breadman

Ohh I know man no worries. I'm just going off of those who don't get why it gets brought up when it does. It's like being an NBA team that has a really good bench piece that's having a good year, it does you no good to keep them when their value is likely as high as it ever will be and you could potentially get a team to grossly overpay for him and reap the benefits of it. If they keep him next year, I'd be fine with him playing a 5/6/7 role on this team as a PP specialist, but I'm not gonna turn a team down if they wanna pay a high price for him.

Side note: if they do keep him and he continues to have a good year with like 40-50 points PLEASE Stan do not sign him to extension. Make him show he can do it for more than one season

Ohh I know man no worries. I'm just going off of those who don't get why it gets brought up when it does. It's like being an NBA team that has a really good bench piece that's having a good year, it does you no good to keep them when their value is likely as high as it ever will be and you could potentially get a team to grossly overpay for him and reap the benefits of it. If they keep him next year, I'd be fine with him playing a 5/6/7 role on this team as a PP specialist, but I'm not gonna turn a team down if they wanna pay a high price for him.

Side note: if they do keep him and he continues to have a good year with like 40-50 points PLEASE Stan do not sign him to extension. Make him show he can do it for more than one season
- Savetheembers33

Gus is nothing more than a placeholder, why I believe Stan signed him to 2 years. By the end of next year or 2 years from now, one of Carlsson, Bovquist, Mitchell or Beaudin will take his minutes, in addition to a more experienced Joki.

2015-16 was his first season with Rockford.

Obviously the answer is........more time than that......
- TheTrob

Yes, and unfortunately Gus got brought up to the Hawks in time for his turnover that led to Brouwer's late goal and the Blues 7th game win. Ugh!

Maybe JC can use Gus like a modern day Camille "The Eel" Henry ... whose TOI was about 98% on the power play.

Gus is nothing more than a placeholder, why I believe Stan signed him to 2 years. By the end of next year or 2 years from now, one of Carlsson, Bovquist, Mitchell or Beaudin will take his minutes, in addition to a more experienced Joki.
- LAHawk

I think that was definitely the plan, but with him playing (offensively) better and helping turn the PP around I'm sure they're having thoughts about if they think he fits into the next wave of Hawks some way.

Either did Kruger on the dominant Hawks teams.
- ChicagoHope

Kruger's compete level is 10000x more than Kampf

Kampf = the new Rasmussen. Does a whole lot of nothing to help a team win. He'd rather dive than fight thru checks. Saw it early this year when he had a chance to get the EN goal in Minny, and pulled up on a weak holding call vs MIN

MIN then goes and scores a shorty then wins it in OT

They can play him..this year and next. But not a guy that will help you win games in the playoffs, IMO.

They aren't under the thumb of the cap like they used to be. They have depth coming up from Jrs and college and not all of the d-men will be ready next year. And there are some F in juniors that will be filling that depth in Rockford you are talking about (Entwhistle, Kurashev, Hagel, Hakkarainen, Nordgren).

If you are going to move people, you need to have a replacement in mind.

- Seabrook isn't going anywhere, period.
- If there's another power forward in the system they think is ready, then look to move Saad (there isn't).
- If they think Joki is ready to take the mantle on top D pair, then move Keith (he isn't).
- If there's bottom 6 depth at C, then you move AA (there probably is).
- I don't think Ward will be traded. Delia now has someone who has been through the league to help him out. Ward probably won't be resigned.

Gus is the only one that is iffy. I see why some of ya'll want him to stay. But he has is starting in the offensive zone 60% of the time, but his Corsi is 50.8% and his Fenwick is just below 50%. And he's -7.1 is expected +/-. Might be time to sell high...especially if they think Joki or Boqvist is the next guy.
- CanOCorn

Their has been well documented articles about Rockford depth and if they had anyone he would be up here playing.


Gustafson defensively is awful, his power play skills can be replaced next year with boqvist, that's what is being talked about.

This team from top to bottom will have to make some trades that is then only way to acquire picks and prospects to build depth .

Saad and anismov will for sure be traded , the big question is what defenseman gets moved and does Keith and Seabrook both get moved.

Make this happen:

Saad-Toews-DeBrincat
Panarin-Hughes-Kane

I figured there hasn't been enough crazy line making in a while, this board has been a little too sane today.
- HawksHype

Git err done Stan!!

1st and Kapp and I would be OK with this, but I doubt Toronto would be.

I don't think Toronto is going to make any major trades this year...
- RedRevenge

From what I've read Toronto is half in half out. They tlk about trading for a defenseman and one minute they say kap will be traded the next they say henisnoff limit.

I think that might be what's been the sticking point

From what I've read Toronto is half in half out. They tlk about trading for a defenseman and one minute they say kap will be traded the next they say henisnoff limit.

I think that might be what's been the sticking point
- Taylorst1

I think the sticking point with Toronto is they have no cost certainty until they re-up Matthews and Marner. The Leaf fans are hoping they give hometown discounts, but I don't buy it.

Datsyuk is coming back to the NHL next year....sign Datsyuk 1 year, Panarin 7 years, draft Podkolzin 4th overall...


Cat-Toews-Kane
Panarin- Datsyuk-Podkolzin
Saad-Strome-Kahun

I think the sticking point with Toronto is they have no cost certainty until they re-up Matthews and Marner. The Leaf fans are hoping they give hometown discounts, but I don't buy it.
- LAHawk

Seems like Nylander is making a lot of money that they wish they could throw at Matthews and Marner.

Their has been well documented articles about Rockford depth and if they had anyone he would be up here playing.


Gustafson defensively is awful, his power play skills can be replaced next year with boqvist, that's what is being talked about.

This team from top to bottom will have to make some trades that is then only way to acquire picks and prospects to build depth .

Saad and anismov will for sure be traded , the big question is what defenseman gets moved and does Keith and Seabrook both get moved.
- Taylorst1

You are going to be so disappointed when Keith isn't traded.

Seems like Nylander is making a lot of money that they wish they could throw at Matthews and Marner.
- HawksHype

Nylander ,Tavares, Matthews, and Marleau, and Marner will m
ake up $45 million in cap space next year, they have to go for broke this year, because a sell off has to come at the end of the year. Oh, they still have Kessel retained at $1.2 million, which is Gus money

Datsyuk is coming back to the NHL next year....sign Datsyuk 1 year, Panarin 7 years, draft Podkolzin 4th overall...


Cat-Toews-Kane
Panarin- Datsyuk-Podkolzin
Saad-Strome-Kahun


- EnzoD

oOo create the "Russian Dynasty" line ehh? Past, Present, and Future together with Toews setting up Cat and Kane. Saad, Strome, and Kahun as a 3rd line too. Rock out with Perlini, Kampf, and Cags on the 4th line.

Championship here we come!!

oOo create the "Russian Dynasty" line ehh? Past, Present, and Future together with Toews setting up Cat and Kane. Saad, Strome, and Kahun as a 3rd line too. Rock out with Perlini, Kampf, and Cags on the 4th line.

Championship here we come!!
- Savetheembers33

Then fix the d(isaster) and goaltending situation.

IMO there’s definitely a difference between playoff contender and Cup contender

While we might be 1-2 players plus added growth and development from current players away from being a playoff team we are MUCH further from contending for the Cup
- SimpleJack

I hear you. But not many teams go from bottom of the standings to Cup winner in a single year. Including the 2010 Hawks. (see 2008 and 2009 Hawks)

If the Hawks PP clicked in the first 35 games like it is now we may be in contention for the last playoff spot this year with this subpar roster. If the Hawks add a stud Dman and an early first round pick RW for 2020 they are immediately improved, and some can say a playoff contender. In 2021 some of the young Dmen and forwards might be ready. If Delia is the real deal we could be a Cup contender. Just ifs. But not unprecedented.

I think the sticking point with Toronto is they have no cost certainty until they re-up Matthews and Marner. The Leaf fans are hoping they give hometown discounts, but I don't buy it.
- LAHawk

This is their issue right now. It's hard to commit dollars to next years cap (trading for guys with term) without having any idea what it will take to sign those guys. From what it seems, most people thing that Matthews will end up signing somewhere in between where McDavid and Eichel have signed so between 10-12M but also Toronto is hopefully that he'll take less than Tavares 11M per. MAYBE 10.5? Problem is that Marner has played as good if not better than Matthews this year and will likely want the same.

If they wanna keep Kap and Johnsson and improve their Defense (that is set to lose two of their Top 6) they're gonna have to trade Nylander to do so. Him playing so poorly is making things that much more difficult because teams are already worried about trading a Top 4 D-man as it is. Either that or they're gonna have to trade Kadri who's on a steal of a deal as a 3C

They do have SOME help coming in that Horton's LTIR contract will be up after next year and they'll lose Marleau as well which is about 11.5M. Only problem is that the year after that Freddie Andersen's contract is up and the year after that Morgan Rielly's deal is up too.

Welcome to cap hell Toronto!

I read right here that the Hawks just need to sign a couple big name UFA's, and they'll be right back in the mix. Clear a little space, put Crow on LTIR; that'll solve it all.

Just wondering.....gimme a recent example or two of bottom of the league teams that signed a couple UFA's and become Cup contenders. There's gotta be a ton of them.....

I read right here that the Hawks just need to sign a couple big name UFA's, and they'll be right back in the mix. Clear a little space, put Crow on LTIR; that'll solve it all.

Just wondering.....gimme a recent example or two of bottom of the league teams that signed a couple UFA's and become Cup contenders. There's gotta be a ton of them.....
- mohel

Don't know if Buffalo is a legitimate contender but they turned things around with signing Hutton (FA), acquiring Skinner and getting Dahlin as the first pick, while trading O'Reilly for basically depth players.