Only see one top 4 dman there? Unless you see something else. To me this was a bad move and the consequences of this signing will appear sooner than later
- BetweenTheDots

They have cap space to bring in another guy. For the short term they are fine. They are doing what the Penguins did...load up with so much talent at forward where if you're serviceable at defense you got a chance.

Big deal for John Moore. He is going to the #Bruins on a 5-year deal at $2.75 million AAV. #TSN


Lol

I can't imagine them not winning a Cup pretty soon.
- kwolf68

On paper, they look to be the favorite this yr. ...... Always liked Tavares and IIRC he's never been to rd 2 of the playoffs in his 8 or so yrs totally missing the playoffs a few yrs.

Got paid, is in a hockey crazed market and a chance to go very deep in the playoffs with a very young group.

Big deal for John Moore. He is going to the #Bruins on a 5-year deal at $2.75 million AAV. #TSN


Lol
- mrpaulish

This is a bargain for Boston. Moore is 27 and is pretty solid. The price was probably bid down because of term. A sensible negotiation. Would rather have him than Manning thats for sure.

Per Scott Powers 2 minutes ago:
Bowman says they could potentially make more moves.

No matter how you slice it:
A) These three moves did not improve our team in the present.
B) These three moves definitely did not improve our team for the future.
C) Does anybody really have faith in Bowman to make trades to improve us?
D) Bowman has turned what was once a powerhouse, mini-dynasty, into a very subpar team in record time.
E) I am beyond frustrated.
- onehundredlevel

The 3 things i disagree with is the team has improved because the kids got much valued experience

The league turned the dynasty into a sub par team due to the hard cap

If any of those signings can be flipped for draft picks it's a win for the franchise

Per Scott Powers 2 minutes ago:
Bowman says they could potentially make more moves.
- Marlowe

Ya think Bowman? He must think fans are really fools to "build" a team with that many third pairing D men for us to NOT think a potential move is in the cards.

They have cap space to bring in another guy. For the short term they are fine. They are doing what the Penguins did...load up with so much talent at forward where if you're serviceable at defense you got a chance.
- kwolf68

Yeah and they have some good D-men. Reilly, Gardiner, Zaitsev are all good players. Carrick is serviceable. Leafs are going to be a Cup contender for many years.

And Lazerus adds:
Stan Bowman said it could take a while for the dust to settle and trades to start happening: "We have had some discussions on various players and nothing is close to happening."

And Powers:
Bowman thought trades are more likely in the coming days.

Bowman should be fired right now got older not younger. Still waiting for d help center help and top 6 forward wirtz should be on the phone and pink slip in hand. Very disappointing besides AA what assets do we have to trade hawks just replenish the d depth now their going trade it away. Can please finally get rid of this ass clown so bozak at 5 mill per year for 3 hawks could not match that when hawks need desperately center help. Wow
- Scott1977

I just have a simple question;

What team EVER got younger after UFA signings?

This FA D class and prices paid gives us a glimpse as to why the Hawks drafted the Swede Dman over winger Wahlstrom.
- Mr Ricochet

exactly!

AA's contract looks cheap to me compared to Bozak.
- RickJ

Yeah, and Bozek will be playing strong minutes with a poor bottom of the line-up...

Except they did overpay. A bottom pairing guy at 2.25? Ward at 3 Million WITH a NTC (Mrzak got half that with NO NTC)? When was the last time he was good? Once again Bowman paying for "what they did" and not what they can actually do. Bowman has been an unmitigated disaster for 3-4 years now and the results are bearing that out.
- kwolf68

Mrzak is pretty much garbage I wouldn't compare to him.

The overpay are the guys getting money and term. 1 year at 3 million is not a big deal, when you consider the risk of losing your #1 to injury again and having the crap goaltending they had in the second half. They didn't get locked into any term and they got a guy who can carry the load. What you've done, actually does matter.

As for Manning, he is a steady all round guy that can give you 18 minutes a night. That is worth ~2 million on the FA market. Sorry, but it is. If you want a guy making 1.5 million or less you get what you pay for and you have a 3rd pair you can't afford to put on the ice because they will get beat.

On paper, they look to be the favorite this yr. ...... Always liked Tavares and IIRC he's never been to rd 2 of the playoffs in his 8 or so yrs totally missing the playoffs a few yrs.

Got paid, is in a hockey crazed market and a chance to go very deep in the playoffs with a very young group.
- Mr Ricochet

Its win now or else with the Leafs. And sign Mathews to huge money asap before somebody offer sheets him and forces the Leafs to match.

Mrazek for 1.5 is a nice pickup by Carolina.
- kwolf68

Mrazek is simply an athlete who is not improving as a nhl 'tender.

Mrzak is pretty much garbage I wouldn't compare to him.

The overpay are the guys getting money and term. 1 year at 3 million is not a big deal, when you consider the risk of losing your #1 to injury again and having the crap goaltending they had in the second half. They didn't get locked into any term and they got a guy who can carry the load. What you've done, actually does matter.

As for Manning, he is a steady all round guy that can give you 18 minutes a night. That is worth ~2 million on the FA market. Sorry, but it is. If you want a guy making 1.5 million or less you get what you pay for and you have a 3rd pair you can't afford to put on the ice because they will get beat.
- breadbag

Just think they now have way too many D with NHl experience under contract (10 by Lazerus’s count). Think there must be something coming in the way of a trade.

Its win now or else with the Leafs. And sign Mathews to huge money asap before somebody offer sheets him and forces the Leafs to match.
- RickJ

Some one should offer sheet him or Nylander

Yeah and they have some good D-men. Reilly, Gardiner, Zaitsev are all good players. Carrick is serviceable. Leafs are going to be a Cup contender for many years.
- Hawks_49

The Penguins team has very underrated defenseman, one in particular, Dumoulin, shut down type of guy that Q wants. Of all the trades Bowman made the one that upsets me the most is Hjalmarsson

Just think they now have way too many D with NHl experience under contract (10 by Lazerus’s count). Think there must be something coming in the way of a trade.
- Marlowe

I think you are right. I think the Murphy trade rumors might be true and I think they are going to find a way to lose Oesterle, even if it is waivers (just my guess).

Mrzak is pretty much garbage I wouldn't compare to him.

The overpay are the guys getting money and term. 1 year at 3 million is not a big deal, when you consider the risk of losing your #1 to injury again and having the crap goaltending they had in the second half. They didn't get locked into any term and they got a guy who can carry the load. What you've done, actually does matter.

As for Manning, he is a steady all round guy that can give you 18 minutes a night. That is worth ~2 million on the FA market. Sorry, but it is. If you want a guy making 1.5 million or less you get what you pay for and you have a 3rd pair you can't afford to put on the ice because they will get beat.
- breadbag

Ahh yes, lets get a backup goalie, because Bowman blew it by obtaining his backup LAST YEAR. If Bowman knew what he was doing we wouldn't have to spend the 3 million on Ward. What happened to Forsberg? He stinks now? Did Bowman send the same scouts to check in on Forsberg that he sent to look at Kimo Timmonen before he sent two #2 picks to Philly? Now we hear rumblings Bowman is shopping Murphy, the prize of the Hammer deal. Of course Bowman sent Dauphin back to Arizona with Panik....for a guy he has since cut , the other part of the Hammer deal. This is not the work of a capable, shrewd General manager.

OK, they Manning, another third pairing guy. Super, we need more of those.

Dude couldn't even move Hossa's salary, but every other stinking team with such contracts seemingly have no trouble moving their dead contracts. Lets compare how Detroit got rid of Dats salary with what Bowman finally agrees to in moving Hoss's salary (assuming he is even capable of moving it). This is an episode of GM run amock, with zero clue. This team has become a bottom feeder and Bowman absolutely owns some of that, contrary to what his family members in here think.

They still need a top 4 D and a C who can win more Face offs than he loses.
- Marlowe

No argument here and am conceding Stan might not be done. But as a fan, and to be redundant for the 96th time, my hope is a do no harm position. ........ IMO they are in a rebuild but won't say so. Know better when we see if AA is moved anytime this yr and what the return is. Picks/prospects/ELC players or anyone over 26-27-28 yrs old?

Hawks just might improve this yr. Hard to believe all of Seabs/Keith/Saad/Toews will be worse, the goaltending will be worse the defense will be worse. Not unreasonable to think Murphy will be better, one of Forsling/Oesterle/Gus/Gilbert could step up same for Hayden/Vinnie, Schmaltz/Dcat will be better, Sikura is an NHLer.

Lot of ifs I agree but most are reasonable candidates to fit and most importantly the hopes aren't pinned on just 1-2 guys to do so.

Does any team even come close to the Leafs centre poistion .

So...the Blackhawks on day one of free agency:

The Good
- didn’t overpay and lock themselves into poor long term contracts
- there’s still 2+ months to make deals to improve the team
- Manning improves the team’s depth on Defense
- Boqvist signed

The Bad
- While Ward’s contract is fair it doesn’t provide much value to the Hawks
- Kunitz doesn’t make the team better
- team’s major needs not filled

Does any team even come close to the Leafs centre poistion .
- HamiltonHawk

LOL no. With how much better some of these teams are than the Hawks, the Hawks just need to blow this up. The Hawks are NOWHERE close to about 12 or 13 teams in the NHL.

So...the Blackhawks on day one of free agency:

The Good
- didn’t overpay and lock themselves into poor long term contracts
- there’s still 2+ months to make deals to improve the team
- Manning improves the team’s depth on Defense
- Boqvist signed

The Bad
- While Ward’s contract is fair it doesn’t provide much value to the Hawks
- Kunitz doesn’t make the team better
- team’s major needs not filled
- DarthKane

A pot full of least worst alternatives