Lord Stanley’s Cup Raising in 2019. I believe your last was 3-4 years prior?? Am I wrong? Blues leap frogged your asses from last to first to win the damn cup! Ha ha
- BluesDroogie

You got lucky with a hot goalie you are now suck with. And no, your team is totally irrelevant.

That's why i don't gamble, i didn't expect the Hurricane to be swept and now the Stars. I thought for sure Dallas would have been a tougher match up for Vegas.
- BetweenTheDots

It’s not over yet
The Stars came out atop this last game
Pavelski who else
But tall order to win series

Look at the goaltending in this plYiff round. Bob has been good just say better than we thought as had his team

A Hill a backup shines. Well no one can shine for Arizona and get much credit for being uh um sort of good. Thompson who him the Vegas goalie oh he isn’t that good, is he? Last round Francour hung tough and Ottinger - perhaps the top young goaltender in the league - had not been good enough last round and again this round

What do you expect that silly team retired the Plager brothers' number, retured MacInnis for some reason even though he had more and better seasons with the Flames, Brian Sutter for some reason (I guess needed a guy that didn't quite average a point per game for his career - dunno), Brett Hull (no argument there), Bernie Federko (poor man's version of Denis Savard, but with even less success), Pronger --probably for the sole reason of not to feel too sorry for the fact that they had to give up Scott Stevens in compensation for Shanahan - for whom they ended up trading for Pronger - again - never won anything with the Blues.


--- That team ever get the memo about retiring numbers? Like in that they oughta maybe be meaningful players? Guess not. Otoh StL does get credit not for having an 'also ran' banner raising night, so there is that.

What do you expect that silly team retired the Plager brothers' number, retured MacInnis for some reason even though he had more and better seasons with the Flames, Brian Sutter for some reason (I guess needed a guy that didn't quite average a point per game for his career - dunno), Brett Hull (no argument there), Bernie Federko (poor man's version of Denis Savard, but with even less success), Pronger --probably for the sole reason of not to feel too sorry for the fact that they had to give up Scott Stevens in compensation for Shanahan - for whom they ended up trading for Pronger - again - never won anything with the Blues.


--- That team ever get the memo about retiring numbers? Like in that they oughta maybe be meaningful players? Guess not. Otoh StL does get credit not for having an 'also ran' banner raising night, so there is that.
- SC116

I guess that is why they call it [blues] the Blues
Cough. A popular song from the ‘80’s.

A hockey team renown for glorious stars abandon ship

It’s not over yet
The Stars came out atop this last game
Pavelski who else
But tall order to win series

Look at the goaltending in this plYiff round. Bob has been good just say better than we thought as had his team

A Hill a backup shines. Well no one can shine for Arizona and get much credit for being uh um sort of good. Thompson who him the Vegas goalie oh he isn’t that good, is he? Last round Francour hung tough and Ottinger - perhaps the top young goaltender in the league - had not been good enough last round and again this round
- jhawk59

Yea but it's tough to recover when you are in a pretty even series and you give away game 2 down 1 game to none. Didn't realize Dallas fell asleep as much as they do in their own end.

Eichel looks really good. Nice trade be Vegas

Yea but it's tough to recover when you are in a pretty even series and you give away game 2 down 1 game to none. Didn't realize Dallas fell asleep as much as they do in their own end.

Eichel looks really good. Nice trade be Vegas
- BetweenTheDots

But but the cap hit. Vegas has no glorious cap space. They will be doomed. They give away Fleury and Pacioretty for nothing. Horrible asset management. Team management has no clue. They might have to sacrifice Reilly Smith next year. How is the team going to improve with no cap space?

But but the cap hit. Vegas has no glorious cap space. They will be doomed. They give away Fleury and Pacioretty for nothing. Horrible asset management. Team management has no clue. They might have to sacrifice Reilly Smith next year. How is the team going to improve with no cap space?
- LAHawk

Still no Cups

Still no Cups
- BetweenTheDots

Only 5th year in the league. The Hawks will be lucky to be a bubble team in 5 years.

Hawks haven't made the playoffs since Vegas has been in the league (bubble year does not count)

Only 5th year in the league. The Hawks will be lucky to be a bubble team in 5 years.

Hawks haven't made the playoffs since Vegas has been in the league (bubble year does not count)
- LAHawk

Another way to say it is they've won the same amount of cups in the last 5 years, zero. So you think thats the route the Blackhawks should have gone, just keep spending at the cap?

And if over the cap just keep leveraging futures for every bad contract we need to get rid of.

To me these teams if they win a cup is worth it, but i feel like these GM's just keep refinancing all the equity out of their home to buy something today they really can't afford and eventually the payment comes due.

Another way to say it is they've won the same amount of cups in the last 5 years, zero. So you think thats the route the Blackhawks should have gone, just keep spending at the cap?

And if over the cap and just keep leveraging futures for every bad contract we need to get rid of.

To me these teams if they win a cup is worth it, but i feel like these GM's just keep refinancing all the equity out of their home to buy something today they really can't afford and eventually the payment comes due.
- BetweenTheDots

i think it is called nothing is ever guaranteed in life, and if you have a shot at winning it all you do your best to give yourself the best chance to win it.

Look at Florida. If Buddy Robinson does not score against Pittsburgh, they don't even make the playoffs. Is anyone now taking about the fact that they have over $50 million tied up in only 7 players next year? Anyone talking about Bobrovsky's contract ? Seems they are talking about what a great GM Zito is trading for Tkaczuk, not about trying to get under the cap next year.

Still no Cups
- BetweenTheDots

Aside from ribbing friends from other teams, this is a really weak argument. Hockey is often cited as being more affected by luck than any other team sport depending on how luck is defined (this has actually been studied). All fans can realistically hope for is that their team can be built to be continually competitive, and that the GM can find a few stunner talents to help put them over the top.

Carolina just got swept by FLA, but the series was insanely close. All games decided by one goal and two of them went to overtime. How many close calls, hit posts, pucks jumped over sticks, and slight deflections could have drastically altered the outcomes.

I don't mind a GM spending some assets once every few years, but to continually do it I think is foolish. You simply put yourself too far in the hole and need to completely start over to get back to competitive.

Another way to say it is they've won the same amount of cups in the last 5 years, zero. So you think thats the route the Blackhawks should have gone, just keep spending at the cap?

And if over the cap just keep leveraging futures for every bad contract we need to get rid of.

To me these teams if they win a cup is worth it, but i feel like these GM's just keep refinancing all the equity out of their home to buy something today they really can't afford and eventually the payment comes due.
- BetweenTheDots

The truth to this debate is after Nashville, Bowman panicked and signaled the end when he dealt Panarin to Columbus to reacquire Saad and dump an aging Hammer to acquire whatever anyone wants to call Connor Murphy. Sure as hell is not a top tier D man.

What's rich about that, is that he was able to identify that Hammer was a worn down, aging D man, but not able to do the same with Seabrook....and yes many on this board, myself included, would have questioned dumping Seabrook...but I am just a fan. Not paid to manage assets of a NHL team. The other variable here is that the Hawks DAMN WELL KNEW the Hossa allergic "Issue" and still let a pure skill player walk.

Throw in Bowman's god awful ability to backfill his asset pool and this team was walking the plank for years.

i think it is called nothing is ever guaranteed in life, and if you have a shot at winning it all you do your best to give yourself the best chance to win it.

Look at Florida. If Buddy Robinson does not score against Pittsburgh, they don't even make the playoffs. Is anyone now taking about the fact that they have over $50 million tied up in only 7 players next year? Anyone talking about Bobrovsky's contract ? Seems they are talking about what a great GM Zito is trading for Tkaczuk, not about trying to get under the cap next year.
- LAHawk

If all my players were in their prime I'd go for it to, who was in their prime the last 5 years for the Blackhawks

Bowman did try to go for it when Toews and Kane were 31-32, that ended pretty bad.

Let's see how the Kings experiment goes?

i think it is called nothing is ever guaranteed in life, and if you have a shot at winning it all you do your best to give yourself the best chance to win it.

Look at Florida. If Buddy Robinson does not score against Pittsburgh, they don't even make the playoffs. Is anyone now taking about the fact that they have over $50 million tied up in only 7 players next year? Anyone talking about Bobrovsky's contract ? Seems they are talking about what a great GM Zito is trading for Tkaczuk, not about trying to get under the cap next year.
- LAHawk

So what would you have done differently to keep that window opened? Would Seabrook have passed a physical IF he were dealt (assuming he waived)? The window was open from 2008-09 until that Nashville series. Pretty damn long and yes we can question how Boston, Washington, and Pittsburgh kept it open longer but that falls 100% on Bowman's inability to have a backfill of assets ready to step in to eliminate signing guys to TERM, NMC, and AAV based off of past performance.

I can't wait for baby huey to get hired again and f up another organization when he tries to reacquire all his hard on players he covets so badly.

Today they just need to stay the course. Put Reichel with Bedard, and get another veteran top 6 player to skate with these 2 for the next 2-3 years and dont' split them up.

In the meantime if a kid on D is ready......ship out a clown like Murphy and sell high before he becomes our version of Nathan Horton.

oR top six RW, or top six RhLW....
- wiz1901

Same. Don’t see Nazar as top 6 center and most scouts don’t either or he wouldn’t have fallen as far as he did in his draft year. Still top 6 winger tho and his intangibles will get him there sooner than later imo

The truth to this debate is after Nashville, Bowman panicked and signaled the end when he dealt Panarin to Columbus to reacquire Saad and dump an aging Hammer to acquire whatever anyone wants to call Connor Murphy. Sure as hell is not a top tier D man.

What's rich about that, is that he was able to identify that Hammer was a worn down, aging D man, but not able to do the same with Seabrook....and yes many on this board, myself included, would have questioned dumping Seabrook...but I am just a fan. Not paid to manage assets of a NHL team. The other variable here is that the Hawks DAMN WELL KNEW the Hossa allergic "Issue" and still let a pure skill player walk.

Throw in Bowman's god awful ability to backfill his asset pool and this team was walking the plank for years.
- SteveRain

I think you've hit every nail on the head.

We all don't know what we'll have in 3 to 4 years but this route was over due.

Nazar is supposed to be a top 6 Center.
- rpeters01

Top 6 centers don’t fall to #13 in a weak draft class. Almost everyone knows he’ll shift to wing eventually but 3C could be a possibility.

Another way to say it is they've won the same amount of cups in the last 5 years, zero. So you think thats the route the Blackhawks should have gone, just keep spending at the cap?

And if over the cap just keep leveraging futures for every bad contract we need to get rid of.

To me these teams if they win a cup is worth it, but i feel like these GM's just keep refinancing all the equity out of their home to buy something today they really can't afford and eventually the payment comes due.
- BetweenTheDots

I'm the first guy to say that any season in which you don't win the cup is a failure because that is the sole point in playing. However, I think it is disingenuous to equate the two teams simply because neither has won a cup in the last 5 years. I would be much happier watching the Knights the last five years than I have been watching the Hawks. They continually are in position to win.

To the second bolded, I agree. I don't mind a GM spending assets occasionally, but to do it every year just puts you where the Hawks are now. They hemorrhaged so many picks and good players that they ultimately made themselves irrelevant.

They kind of played better after those trades happened
- vabeachbear

Agree, no doubt IMO. But playing with a group of hungry AHLers for 10-20-25 games is different than doing so for a full season. Longer you go the more that group is exposed.

Let's just develop Bedard, Reichel, Kaiser and Vlasic properly with a few legit NHL forwards this yr and hope for lottery luck.

Agree, no doubt IMO. But playing with a group of hungry AHLers for 10-20-25 games is different than doing so for a full season. Longer you go the more that group is exposed.

Let's just develop Bedard, Reichel, Kaiser and Vlasic properly with a few legit NHL forwards this yr and hope for lottery luck.
- Mr Ricochet

Let's be honest, they pretty much played a group of hungry AHLers the entire year, not just after the TDL.

If all my players were in their prime I'd go for it to, who was in their prime the last 5 years for the Blackhawks

Bowman did try to go for it when Toews and Kane were 31-32, that ended pretty bad.

Let's see how the Kings experiment goes?
- BetweenTheDots

But you aren't talking about the Hawks when you snipe about the other "stupid" GM's in the league who have to manage the cap each year, or who trade for a Kevin Fiala to significantly improve their team, because they could supposedly fill with one of their prospects.

You call Vancouver aimless, although 3 time cup winner Rutherford has only been there 18 months (not much longer than Davidson) because they have percieved cap problems. Do you also know they are the 5th youngest team in the league? I bet they trade Garland or Myers without having to give up a first round pick. There are a few playoff and bubble teams that have cap space (Nashville, Detroit, Buffalo that would probably take a Garland for free (future considerations).

I think you've hit every nail on the head.

We all don't know what we'll have in 3 to 4 years but this route was over due.
- BetweenTheDots

I am board for however long it takes. To me this is year 2....I was thinking 5 years.

I know this will be hotly debated for years on this board, but I love what Davidson has done/is doing and I am a HUGE fan of Richardson. Throw in the life we saw in Reichel's game, and the amount of guys on this team who easily could have quit and didn't....and the fact that they got the overall 1st....and how does year 1 not go as anything but a HUGE success?

Year 2....Develop bedard and Reichel. If Reichel can't take another leap playing with Bedard and a bonafide NHL veteran to me he becomes their Ruutu....possibly a guy they can sell high to acquire another young kid they believe they can mold correctly (ladd)

I will say this fan base is dellusional on twitter. NO...Vancouver isn't trading you 2, top 6 players, 11 OA, for Tampa's 1st next year. Put the crack pipe down.

HopefulLy, IF, and it's a huge IF, a D prospect is ready they call him up and sit a veteran and if it makes sense deal him off...

otherwise take on some crap deals for futures, sign a few guys you can showcase having them play HUGE minutes (laffrety), sell high and continue to stockpile as many young assets as possible to give you ammunition to fill out your future roster, sell high if they aren't hitting the organizational ceiling, OR used to acquire a PROVEN asset when it's time to enter the championship conversation.

I'm the first guy to say that any season in which you don't win the cup is a failure because that is the sole point in playing. However, I think it is disingenuous to equate the two teams simply because neither has won a cup in the last 5 years. I would be much happier watching the Knights the last five years than I have been watching the Hawks. They continually are in position to win.

To the second bolded, I agree. I don't mind a GM spending assets occasionally, but to do it every year just puts you where the Hawks are now. They hemorrhaged so many picks and good players that they ultimately made themselves irrelevant.
- Chunk

Agree the goal is to win but it depends on at what stage in that journey you are on....IF Vegas doesn't win the cup, Hawks had a better season than they did from an organizational goal standpoint. Hawks solidified their coach, got a top prospect finally to look iike one (Reichel), sold off assets to acquire future picks, and landed 1st overall which should be the next generational talent in the league.

I am waiting to see what NHL team submits a request that the cap should carryover to the playoffs and you know what....they are right. Hawks pulled this off 1st with Vermette, and it gets more blatant every year. A guy still isn't "ready" final week of the regular season, but 4 days later is skating around in game 1 like it's opening night.....that's a tough pill to swallow and unless the league wants teams pushing this with more "injuries" to higher AAV guys to free up cap space in the spring.....they better address it quickly.

Florida is a wagon right now. They play a great team game......I can't wait for them to beat the living hell out of Eichel every shift. I also hope Buffalo wins a cup before Vegas.....tough to pull for guys who quit on teams and ask out. Exact problem I have with Seth Jones and then for more torture we get his egomaniac sieve brother to twist that knife deeper.

But you aren't talking about the Hawks when you snipe about the other "stupid" GM's in the league who have to manage the cap each year, or who trade for a Kevin Fiala to significantly improve their team, because they could supposedly fill with one of their prospects.

You call Vancouver aimless, although 3 time cup winner Rutherford has only been there 18 months (not much longer than Davidson) because they have percieved cap problems. Do you also know they are the 5th youngest team in the league? I bet they trade Garland or Myers without having to give up a first round pick. There are a few playoff and bubble teams that have cap space (Nashville, Detroit, Buffalo that would probably take a Garland for free (future considerations).
- LAHawk

I agree....A lot of chatter of how Vancouver is going to have sell off 11 OA to "dump" 1 of these guys.....I don't buy it either.

I am board for however long it takes. To me this is year 2....I was thinking 5 years.

I know this will be hotly debated for years on this board, but I love what Davidson has done/is doing and I am a HUGE fan of Richardson. Throw in the life we saw in Reichel's game, and the amount of guys on this team who easily could have quit and didn't....and the fact that they got the overall 1st....and how does year 1 not go as anything but a HUGE success?

Year 2....Develop bedard and Reichel. If Reichel can't take another leap playing with Bedard and a bonafide NHL veteran to me he becomes their Ruutu....possibly a guy they can sell high to acquire another young kid they believe they can mold correctly (ladd)

I will say this fan base is dellusional on twitter. NO...Vancouver isn't trading you 2, top 6 players, 11 OA, for Tampa's 1st next year. Put the crack pipe down.

HopefulLy, IF, and it's a huge IF, a D prospect is ready they call him up and sit a veteran and if it makes sense deal him off...

otherwise take on some crap deals for futures, sign a few guys you can showcase having them play HUGE minutes (laffrety), sell high and continue to stockpile as many young assets as possible to give you ammunition to fill out your future roster, sell high if they aren't hitting the organizational ceiling, OR used to acquire a PROVEN asset when it's time to enter the championship conversation.
- SteveRain

I think this is the way to go, in BBQ parlance … low and slow. Draft, develop, ensure players are kept at the lower stages, junior, college, AHL until ready to move to the next level. Some can make one big jump to the NHL, most cannot. Don’t pull another Dach. Don’t give up on players too soon, but don’t be afraid to bite the bullet and move them if they’re not progressing. Always keep an eye open on potential trades, other team’s cap issues and unsigned draftees. Once a nucleus is in place begin looking at free agents. Then try to get everyone to sign hometown deals so there is cap space for depth. Unfortunately hometown deals will probably need to be encouraged with no trades clauses.