Seabrook will "retire" on LTIR.
- 67hawks

He may get the Hossa itch

He may get the Hossa inch
- HamiltonHawk

Ummm you may want to rephrase that!!

You didn't say it directly but you sure questioned why they'd keep older defensemen instead of your beloved. About half of your posts you'd rag on Keith for the most bizarre reasons.
- paulr

TBF here, you are correct about older defensemen - but I know specifically it was Roszival I was ragging on at the time. Stan re-signed him for just under $3M ($2.9M IIRC) and that alone kept them from keeping Nick. Again, water under the bridge because that ship has sailed long ago.

Expectations at the time, given Keith's level of fitness is he'd still be skating quite well likely into his 40's. Seabs, even at that point in time, would not.

How is Carolina winning with their horrible special teams? Their PP is 8.8%, and their PK is 75.8% in the playoffs!
- tvetter

They're not giving anything up.

NYI has scored 3 goals in 3 games - 2 on the PP, 1 on 5x5.

And they're capitalizing on NYI mistakes - like last night - Canes' second goal - Faulk coming out of the box, apparently no communication that he was coming, because Leddy had no thought of getting back to cover Faulk; Canes' third goal - Lehner puts it high along the end board, Aho makes a terrific play to knock it down and get it to Williams.

TBF here, you are correct about older defensemen - but I know specifically it was Roszival I was ragging on at the time. Stan re-signed him for just under $3M ($2.9M IIRC) and that alone kept them from keeping Nick. Again, water under the bridge because that ship has sailed long ago.

Expectations at the time, given Keith's level of fitness is he'd still be skating quite well likely into his 40's. Seabs, even at that point in time, would not.
- savvyone-1

I'd always feared the Hawks would get old at the same time but it was an aging core I was concerned about. As for Leddy, it's a shame he didn't put the effort in to be a better two way defender because if he had then keeping him over Oduya would have been a no brainer. But Leddy couldn't be trusted defensively so he had to go. One thing I'll never understand with guys like that and Pirri was another, they have talent that can't be taught but weren't willing to work to make themselves better?

I'd always feared the Hawks would get old at the same time but it was an aging core I was concerned about. As for Leddy, it's a shame he didn't put the effort in to be a better two way defender because if he had then keeping him over Oduya would have been a no brainer. But Leddy couldn't be trusted defensively so he had to go. One thing I'll never understand with guys like that and Pirri was another, they have talent that can't be taught but weren't willing to work to make themselves better?
- paulr

I don't get it either when guys take that attitude. I'm not certain, tho, that was his attitude. Maybe just too young and dumb at the time to figure it out, trying to fit in amongst some real superstars? IDK.

If you've watched him at all in the playoffs, he is certainly not the same guy he was here. Far more physical, far more strength. So clearly, at some point someone got through (was it Trotz? clearly bought it to whatever Barry was selling) or just the lightbulb went off.

I don't expect a guy like him to be shutdown but as evidence by the one rush down the ice when he couldn't lift that damn backhander over Mc's pad, he's still got quite an ability to slice through a defense. And I would say he's more than adequate now defensively. Not great but decent.

Kitch to join Q down in Florida

Kitch to join Q down in Florida
- SoftServe

No word on Ichabod Crane (aka Jamie Kompon)???

He wasn't a smooth skater that's for sure but when some posters would go on and on about it post after post I certainly never saw the point in such a trivial criticism? Keith was one of the best defenseman the Hawks have ever had and a case could be made that he was the best ever to wear the indianhead
- paulr

And his #2 and Seabrook's #7 will be hanging from the UC ceiling in the future.

With more than 12 dmen making more than Seabs now his career earnings will be quickly surpassed.
- -Doh-

that is how crazy it is. he has never been in the top 10 probably in Norris voting and he will go down as one of the highest d in history. he was in the top 10 when he signed his 5 year deal 8 years ago and he was in the top 10 when he signed his new deal 3 years ago. He owes his agent quite a few nice dinners.

I know you didn’t formally apologize and one isn’t necessary. Sage is slightly guilty of perpetrating one of his own mantras. Don’t like the subject matter being discussed? Change it and see if your post generates anything.

It’s part of the vibe that made this place fun before and has again, so cheers!

Don’t know if you’re an Athletic subscriber but they give a cursory glance to who will likely be available at the 3 slot and as has been discussed here, there are many players that merit a look there. Just went up this morning.
- HawkintheD

I am a subscriber... I'll check that article out! Thanks.

@all

Think Marcus Kruger gets re-signed to a team-friendly (fully bury-able) 1-2 year deal?
- Slofire94

No. I believe he is done in CHI.

I'm a huge Kruger fan but he will be replaced this summer.

With more than 12 dmen making more than Seabs now his career earnings will be quickly surpassed.
- -Doh-

I;m not so sure. Teams are not giving guys 7 mil per year from 35-40 very often anymore. they are paying them younger and want to be done by early 30's.

I;m not so sure. Teams are not giving guys 7 mil per year from 35-40 very often anymore. they are paying them younger and want to be done by early 30's.
- kmw4631

Respectfully not sure about that. Doughty at 11M signed thru age 37. Hedman signed to almost 8M thru age 35. McDonagh at 6.75M thru age 37. Granted not as bad as Seabs 6.875 thru age 40.

Ummm you may want to rephrase that!!
- paulr

lol yeah I better fix that.

They're not giving anything up.

NYI has scored 3 goals in 3 games - 2 on the PP, 1 on 5x5.

And they're capitalizing on NYI mistakes - like last night - Canes' second goal - Faulk coming out of the box, apparently no communication that he was coming, because Leddy had no thought of getting back to cover Faulk; Canes' third goal - Lehner puts it high along the end board, Aho makes a terrific play to knock it down and get it to Williams.
- StLBravesFan

Thanks for the response. I haven't seen much of the Canes' in the playoffs because of my work schedule. It's a lot easier for me to see the west coast games. I can see them doing it against NYI, since they aren't great offensively, but when I saw that stat, I couldn't believe that they got past Washington.

I don't get it either when guys take that attitude. I'm not certain, tho, that was his attitude. Maybe just too young and dumb at the time to figure it out, trying to fit in amongst some real superstars? IDK.

If you've watched him at all in the playoffs, he is certainly not the same guy he was here. Far more physical, far more strength. So clearly, at some point someone got through (was it Trotz? clearly bought it to whatever Barry was selling) or just the lightbulb went off.

I don't expect a guy like him to be shutdown but as evidence by the one rush down the ice when he couldn't lift that damn backhander over Mc's pad, he's still got quite an ability to slice through a defense. And I would say he's more than adequate now defensively. Not great but decent.
- savvyone-1

Leddy hadn't "figured it out" until this year, last year he was horrible. Could be nothing more than Trotz system that seems to have helped the entire system to succeed? Interesting that he is playing less minutes in this series than he did in the Pittsburgh series, you would think he would play more when the Isles were behind, or is Toews now rated ahead of him as far as an offensive defenseman?

Leddy hadn't "figured it out" until this year, last year he was horrible. Could be nothing more than Trotz system that seems to have helped the entire system to succeed? Interesting that he is playing less minutes in this series than he did in the Pittsburgh series, you would think he would play more when the Isles were behind, or is Toews now rated ahead of him as far as an offensive defenseman?
- LAHawk

Bigger issue is that Boychuk is out injured so he is having to skate with Thomas Hickey (has really not been a regular since he went out earlier in the year which is when they brought up Toews).

Trotz (rightfully so) has not been inclined to split up the pairs very much - but last night it was pretty clear he did. Nick had 2nd most TOI and was even at 0.

How is Carolina winning with their horrible special teams? Their PP is 8.8%, and their PK is 75.8% in the playoffs!
- tvetter

the miracle of having justin williams on their team

No. I believe he is done in CHI.

I'm a huge Kruger fan but he will be replaced this summer.
- Tyler Cameron

Have you heard anything specific about Kruger being replaced?

wakey wakey, Backes.

How did four officials miss the puck hitting the netting?
Remember when it was said by many Breadman was not a playoff guy.

How did four officials miss the puck hitting the netting?
Remember when it was said by many Breadman was not a playoff guy.
- HamiltonHawk

He wasn’t then.

Now he is.

Kitch to join Q down in Florida
- SoftServe

I ran into a drunk guy on the train a few weeks ago coming back from the BOS/TOR game who claimed he knew Mike Kitchen. He said Kitch was "for sure" heading to FLA to join Joel.

I didn't want to relay that information on ... well ... mostly because he was drunk.

Guess I should have trusted that "source".

Did anybody see that faulk closed his hand on the puck before he scored shoulda been a penalty imo.
- Scott1977

Just another dumb 1950's type of rule by the NHL that's rarely enforced anyway. Keep the game fast and moving. No reason to whistle the play dead because of it.

Just like the stick above the shoulder rule which was instituted when nobody wore helmets and the intent was to protect the heads. Now, some of the most talented goals scored are the tips up high....or the header that Andrew Shaw scored on in a past playoff game. That was an incredible goal the exemplified talent and determination.

Today's players are bigger, faster, and stronger and I'd like to see more creativity in goal scoring, and less whistles for severely outdated rules that slow the game down. It's not easy scoring goals on these huge goaltenders with their monster size equipment of today.

With ticket prices out of control, I don't want a whistle because some defenceman closed his hand on the puck, or knocked a puck out of midair that's head high. I think the game is GREAT but can be improved even further with some changes to old-system rules. JMO.