Ok, why did cap money have to be moved? Anyone? Yep, because Stan put $11M into the goalie position. That cost him a 3rd line center. Hopefully he gets another top 9 center before the season.
- mohel

its called looking ahead and preparing when your #1 guy has concussion issues at age 36 and an expiring contract...in cap strapped world you can't have every position filled with just the right player and contract...

So you would of been OK signing Ward again for $3 mil.? Or you roll the dice with Delia who I contend is not ready for prime time if thee is an injury to Crow?
- LAHawk

Were those the only options? No other backup goalies available?

Are you ok with the center position today? Will you be pissed at Stan if Strome regresses or gets injured? Or Toews is concussed? And Kampf or Shaw is the 2C?

I guess center depth isn't important anymore.....

2010 2nd line center Colin Fraser????
2013 2nd line center Micheal Handzus
2015 2nd line center Brad Richards

needing a great 2nd line center might be a bit over rated
- gazza53

Sharp was the 2C in 2010

and the 2C narrative wasnt always as important when Kane was on the second line RW away from Toews because Kane is one of the best playmakers in the game he could produce and set up a line almost on his own as long as his linemates (or at least one of them) generated space for him

Now if the plan was always to keep Toews and Kane together on line 1 in 2013 and 2015, then yea, not having a legit 2C becomes a bigger problem

But 2013 and 2015 was when the top line was Toews Hossa Saad. Kane was free to operate on a line by himself away from top defensive matchups

Hilarious to see the Saint Bowman protectors over the years turning on him like the Knights Watch turning on Jon Snow over Artem (frank)ing Anisimov
- EnzoD

Probably the same people who criticized Stan for signing him in the first place.

and whats makes you so sure he is just some 4th line grunt...his numbers indicate more than that on a real bad team...
- bogiedoc

No they don't. He's a replacement level player at driving possession. LBR posted the numbers yesterday, if you're actually interested.

As I said, plenty of posters took this position prior to the trade. You forgot that above. Reminds me of my grandfather...

About the unicorn....what is spending $5M on a backup goalie in order to protect against an injury to Crow, and then having to dump the only center who could possibly step in as a top 6 center if Toews or Strome get hurt?

This board spent years barking at Stan for not being strong down the middle. Now he weakens the middle and the board loves it. Reminds me of....this board.
- mohel

It's nice to see something actually bother you. Be positive it's only hockey, blah blah blah

Were those the only options? No other backup goalies available?

Are you ok with the center position today? Will you be pissed at Stan if Strome regresses or gets injured? Or Toews is concussed? And Kampf or Shaw is the 2C?

I guess center depth isn't important anymore.....
- mohel

what 3 line center would you like to have that via UFA or RFA or by trade...name your guy and price

LTIR money does not accumulate.
- mohel

I wasn't talking about LTIR, just regular IR.

I'm not a capologist. Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought there is something called accumulated cap space that a team can "bank" throughout the season if players go on regular IR. I was looking at this last year on capfriendly when TDL trades were being made wondering how some teams exceeded the 79.5M cap near the end of the season.

Say a player makes 4M a year, which divided by 183 days, the length of the season from early October to early April, equals a bit under $22,000. Say he is injured and replaced on the roster by someone on a ECL making $850K or about $4700 per day.

The difference in salaries is $17,300 per day. If the $4M player is out 21 days the team accumulates $363,000 in daily cap space. Say the team has other injuries during the year and the accumulated daily cap space grows to $500,000.

So Smith at 3.25M = just under $18.000 per day. Say he is acquired at the end of February with 40 days left in the season. Team is taking on 40 x 18000 = $720,000, $500,000 of which is banked. If salary comes back in a trade Smith could be included in a trade.

Yes? No? Or did I waste too many key strokes?

Just as useful, LOL.

A legit 200 ft 3C for a 4th Line plug. AA does everything Smith does and more, at least among things that matter.
- Ogilthorpe2

I don't know why your so worked up about this deal .I like AA very much ,and was not thrilled about trading him . I do see the logic behind this deal and feel it benefits the team and the cap situation .Paying AA 4.5 mil OR so to be a 3rd line player is not cost efficient . It will leaves a small hole at center , HAWKS just selected a huge young center and even with his youth ,he or Shaw or Kamp can fill in for what AA brought to the party .. One thing I am sure of is you will not agree

To all the Crow lovers it's time to accept his days as Chicago's #1 net minder are over. Barring injury there is no possible scenario Lehner signed with the Blackhawks to be a backup.

Hilarious to see the Saint Bowman protectors over the years turning on him like the Knights Watch turning on Jon Snow over Artem (frank)ing Anisimov


EDIT: 7/16/19 will be long known as the Great Mutiny of Stan Bowman by his loyal Hockeybuzz defenders!!!



- EnzoD

You wanted lemmings?

Hilarious to see the "championships are won down the middle, with size" crowd suddenly vacate that space.

No they don't. He's a replacement level player at driving possession. LBR posted the numbers yesterday, if you're actually interested.
- mohel

and arte drove possession...listen they are totally different players ans arte was MIA as a 3C center last year...

arte will not be missed...

Trade I am wondering if people would make:

C Eakin (LV) $3,850,000

for

D Murphy (CHI) $3,850,000

Discuss, this will get us that center Ogil and then you may be happy?

what 3 line center would you like to have that via UFA or RFA or by trade...name your guy and price
- bogiedoc

AA.

Were those the only options? No other backup goalies available?

Are you ok with the center position today? Will you be pissed at Stan if Strome regresses or gets injured? Or Toews is concussed? And Kampf or Shaw is the 2C?

I guess center depth isn't important anymore.....
- mohel

After the experience of the last 2 years, without cross examining Stan, I would guess he considered shoring up the goaltending situation (after the # 1 goaltender has missed significant time during that period) more important than what might happen regarding injuries to players at other positions. Or maybe he has more (in your opinion misplaced) faith in potential replacements on the roster. Or maybe Stan is not done, and more moves to be made.

Trade I am wondering if people would make:

C Eakin (LV) $3,850,000

for

D Murphy (CHI) $3,850,000

Discuss, this will get us that center Ogil and then you may be happy?
- BlackhawkMike

Vegas needs to shed salary, not add players making more than they are trading away.

Probably the same people who criticized Stan for signing him in the first place.
- rpeters01

Who were those people?

Vegas needs to shed salary, not add players making more than they are trading away.
- LAHawk

Eakin and Murphy make exactly the same though. Maybe we can throw some others in deal??? Lets get this to work so Ogil is happy.

Who were those people?
- mohel

I don't have the ability to go four years back, that's why I said probably...

its called looking ahead and preparing when your #1 guy has concussion issues at age 36 and an expiring contract...in cap strapped world you can't have every position filled with just the right player and contract...
- bogiedoc

Hmmm, Binnington, MAF, Holtby, Murray have been really important to their teams, can you imagine if Bowman didn't get a capable backup this season? But instead he had a future starter fall in his lap. No brainer to me

You wanted lemmings?

Hilarious to see the "championships are won down the middle, with size" crowd suddenly vacate that space.
- mohel

you misunderstand me. Myself and others were blasted for years when criticizing the blatant and egregious mistakes and missteps by Stan Bowman from 2015-2018. It is quite ironic that those same people are now the ones crying about trading Anisimov. Opinions and dissent are what makes a blog interesting. Feel free to voice your opinion, I disagree with you on this one, but I will not question your fandom for doing so...as has been done to me countless times.

Hilarious to see the Saint Bowman protectors over the years turning on him like the Knights Watch turning on Jon Snow over Artem (frank)ing Anisimov


EDIT: 7/16/19 will be long known as the Great Mutiny of Stan Bowman by his loyal Hockeybuzz defenders!!!



- EnzoD

Some over the “loss” of the Russian - more (like me, I think) wondering about the plan.

Gave up a useful 3C (and if necessary a temporary 2C) for an expensive 4th liner who “solved” a minor problem, if it existed.

I think they were ok with Shaw, Kampf, Caggiula, Carpenter on the bottom, with Kubalik, Sikura possibly joining in with Saad and Anisimov on line 3 (or Shaw on line 3 and the other two dropping down).

Smith provides good size, grit, “tough to play against” skill on the bottom now - but no 3C in sight (yeah, Dach...uhh, no). All to save only enough cap space to put a 14+7+2=23 out there to begin the season.

Stan must now do something else.

Eakin and Murphy make exactly the same though. Maybe we can throw some others in deal??? Lets get this to work so Ogil is happy.
- BlackhawkMike

Then everyone would complain that Stan didn't get Gusev.

Who were those people?
- mohel

You and I have more clicks together than Tanner's whole board. LOL!

Hilarious to see the Saint Bowman protectors over the years turning on him like the Knights Watch turning on Jon Snow over Artem (frank)ing Anisimov


EDIT: 7/16/19 will be long known as the Great Mutiny of Stan Bowman by his loyal Hockeybuzz defenders!!!



- EnzoD

Actually, loyally waiting for all of the shoes to drop.