How would everyone feel about a trade like this with the Islanders...

We trade Anisimov, Murphy, Louis, and maybe Forsberg

Islanders trade Eberle (1yr-$6mil left on his contract) and Casey Cizikas.

Leaving the lines to be something like this...

Saad-Toews-Eberle
Cat-Schmaltz-Kane
Ejsdell-Cizikas-Sikura
Kunitz-Kampf-Hinostroza

Keith-Joker?
Gus-Seabs
Manning-Rutta

Just spitballin here, but I know the Isles are in a world of hurt since losing Tavares, plus they still carry some bad contracts. (Clutterbuck, Ladd, Boychuk) Giving us Eberle would relieve some of their cap issues and give another option to throw inside Q's blender in the top-9. Cizikas was 53% on faceoffs last year and could provide a reliable 3C/Late Game Faceoff Specialist that would take some burden off Toews.

Feel free to disagree.
- chitownfan92

I think it weakens any already weak defense. would like the Beauvillier (think that is his name) with Pulock for AA and perhaps some of our #6/7 dmen. With the isles having Barzal and now Flippula, dont know if they need another center though.

This really is the hope. Move the Hossa $. Properly extend the current players that we know should be here; Schmaltz, DbC , make a couple of solid trades using some of the extra D men and AA.

I just hope the on ice product is more entertaining and competitive somehow this year.

I hate the power play. Hopefully whatever is going on with Crawford is over. No Crawford No succuesss.
- mrpaulish

Realisticly this is all I expect. Try to be competitive which is going to probably be unrealized objective to be .500 with CC eventually back. I will use "eventually" to describe CC tenure....might bring something of value at trade deadline if he has demonstrated top level of play. His goaltending was solid in Cup wins and makes a tandem for a playoff team much stronger. If expansion after next seasin, then we need only protect one goaltender. We would have gained a year development/experience for Delia and we would then need to decide upon Forsberg.

After next season I foresee real opportunity for kids to take jobs away. I want to see new faces on defense and bottom lines.

If you dream of a power forward, you need a new GM first. If you want to fix the pp, you need a strong coach who will ask GM privately and maybe, later, publicly for the correct players. Meanwhile, the new coach will impose his ways to operate pp and if you do not comply you grab bench even pressbox. Sooner or later both McDonough & Rocky have to place blame for abysmal looking pp. Moving Keith off pp is first step in fixing pp

Watching moves in Chicago I have accepted this is a rebuild- I'm ok with that.
Time to move on from the strategy that went with the quest for a 4th Cup.

Hawks get Younger
Extend the players of tomorrow

Hawks Crawl out of Cap Hell
Anisimov- Seabrook - Crawford & Hossa Contracts will be moved between now and Feb 28th- Toews & Keith maybe on the same list.

The Draft
Three more years of Higher Draft picks- all good.

Kunitz and Ward
Ward comes in so goalies have another year ro develop in Rockport
Kunitz has a winning pdeigree and sets an example in the room.

See what the team looks like on US Thanksgiving and go from there.

Happy July 1 and 4th to all.

*NEW* blog up: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=93749

What are you realistically hoping for?

5 of the slots are firmly entrenched. Vinny had 25 points in 50 games last year, and took a big step up from the year prior. Big growth from Schmaltz last season from the year prior as well.

These guys need to develop, and the only way they can do so is without being blocked. Would much rather have Vinny scoring 40-50 points over the course of a full season on the first line at his new contract rate next year than adding a top-six guy like JvR/Neal who are going at $6-$7 mil and are getting term.

Funny how we want the 'Hawks to contend as long as possible, but want ever-lasting success by just throwing money they don't have at players that don't make sense to afford.

Let the team try to contend with the core in place while having the next generation of talent infused in the process. That's how teams like Boston, LA, and Pitt have been able to stay competitive.

A down year last season doesn't mean it's the end of the world. The 'Hawks still have a pretty talented roster when comparing it to the rest of the league.
- TommyHawk

This is a solid post, Tommy. Reasonable and block stand out the most.

I'm ok with a Kunitz but he will take valuable ice time from a Martinson maybe Kampf or even L Johnson type. If a Kunitz type was signed as Justin mentions would have preferred he played center. ...... I'm also ok with bridge type players in certain circumstances like Ward but it seems Kunitz doesn't fit if he doesn't play C in this scenario. More of a depth fill around the fringes guy for a team ready to win a cup like TB used him for. Not a team rebuilding.

But yes if you are going to assimilate the core 2.0 develop them with core 1.0. Give Vinnie a look at 1RW. Not a perfect fit but did put up 2.17 PP/60. Vinnie brings a lot of speed but isn't a finisher and to my eye doesn't have the vision to be a playmaker but the kid's speed and energy makes things happen.

Watching moves in Chicago I have accepted this is a rebuild- I'm ok with that.
Time to move on from the strategy that went with the quest for a 4th Cup.

Hawks get Younger
Extend the players of tomorrow

Hawks Crawl out of Cap Hell
Anisimov- Seabrook - Crawford & Hossa Contracts will be moved between now and Feb 28th- Toews & Keith maybe on the same list.

The Draft
Three more years of Higher Draft picks- all good.

Kunitz and Ward
Ward comes in so goalies have another year ro develop in Rockport
Kunitz has a winning pdeigree and sets an example in the room.

See what the team looks like on US Thanksgiving and go from there.

Happy July 1 and 4th to all.
- Colbyboy

This may be the direction Bowman chooses but he has to try to keep the fan base as well as McDonough and Rocky happy with the current on ice product remaining competitive. I wish to know if Bowman even attempted contractual offer to DeHahn. Need at least one NHL dman addition. Until final moves I reserve judgment. I understand the three players just added. Those players serve a role a purpose although underwhelming moves we really just have to wait and see. I have no clue if and when Hossa or other salaries might be moved.

I've seen some comments about how Chicago is no longer a free-agent destination market under Stan Bowman, which sparked my curiosity. Remembering the Dale Tallon signed Marian Hossa about two weeks before his demotion, the Blackhawks free agency signings under Stan Bowman roughly amounts to the following:

July 2010
John Scott
August 2010
Marty Turco and Fernando Pisani
July 2011
Jamal Mayers, Sean O'Donnell, Andrew Brunette, Dan Carcillo, and Sami Lepisto
October 2011
Ray Emery
July 2012
Sheldon Brookbank
September 2012
Michal Rozsival
July 2013
Theo Peckham and Michael Kostka
July 2014
Brad Richards, Scott Darling, Peter Regin, and Kyle Cumiskey
October 2014
Dan Carcillo
May 2015
Artemi Panarin
July 2015
Viktor Tikhonov and Dennis Rasmussen
July 2016
Brian Campbell and Jordin Tootoo
July 2017
Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma, Jordan Oesterle, JF Berube, and Patrick Sharp
October 2017
Cody Franson

I pulled this data from Committed Indians. HB won't let me post the link, but the article is entitled "Stan Bowman History as Chicago Blackhawks GM." Note: I did not include ELC signings or guys that I haven't heard of.

It seems to me that Chicago should not have a reputation for ever being a highly sought-after free agent destination (certainly not under Stan Bowman). The biggest signing I see in that list is Brad Richards, and he was getting paid more to NOT play for the New York Rangers than to play for the Blackhawks that year.

I've seen some comments about how Chicago is no longer a free-agent destination market under Stan Bowman, which sparked my curiosity. Remembering the Dale Tallon signed Marian Hossa about two weeks before his demotion, the Blackhawks free agency signings under Stan Bowman roughly amounts to the following:

July 2010
John Scott
August 2010
Marty Turco and Fernando Pisani
July 2011
Jamal Mayers, Sean O'Donnell, Andrew Brunette, Dan Carcillo, and Sami Lepisto
October 2011
Ray Emery
July 2012
Sheldon Brookbank
September 2012
Michal Rozsival
July 2013
Theo Peckham and Michael Kostka
July 2014
Brad Richards, Scott Darling, Peter Regin, and Kyle Cumiskey
October 2014
Dan Carcillo
May 2015
Artemi Panarin
July 2015
Viktor Tikhonov and Dennis Rasmussen
July 2016
Brian Campbell and Jordin Tootoo
July 2017
Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma, Jordan Oesterle, JF Berube, and Patrick Sharp
October 2017
Cody Franson

I pulled this data from Committed Indians. HB won't let me post the link, but the article is entitled "Stan Bowman History as Chicago Blackhawks GM." Note: I did not include ELC signings or guys that I haven't heard of.

It seems to me that Chicago should not have a reputation for ever being a highly sought-after free agent destination (certainly not under Stan Bowman). The biggest signing I see in that list is Brad Richards, and he was getting paid more to NOT play for the New York Rangers than to play for the Blackhawks that year.
- tgentry1084

Piggy-backing off my previous post, please read the following comment that I found on that article (emphasis mine):

Stan Bowman seems a lot better at finding good prospects than making trades. Bowman needed to try to get a goalie, a center and and a good d-man. He missed some opportunities, like Antoine Vermette, a high energy center.

Emery is OK as backup but Crawford is too big of question as a starter...

With young players like Michael Froli[c]k, Marcus Kruger, Ben Smith, Adam (Andrew?) Shaw, Rostislav Olesz, and draft picks that could be moved, it is inexcusable not to do anything. Please no more old has been like Morrison, Brunette or O’Donnel[l].

Something needs to light a fire under the players. Perhaps it is time to change the head coach too! Our special teams power play, penalty kill are an embarrassment. Worse yet it the lack of defense and checking and hitting, lack of an offensive attack and thus lack of shots on goals. I rather see Icehogs play like Andrew Shaw at center than Morrison.

...

Please Stan – grow some balls, make some trades. How about a goalie from Minnesota or Boston? A good solid shutdown d-man? Or a gritty center?

Sound familiar? This comment was dated February 26, 2012. I'm not going to say that the Blackhawks are about to go to three straight Conference Finals, winning 2 Stanley Cups; however, I just thought it was something to think about.

For reference, as a percentage of the cap, Toews, Kane (Kane, Toews?), Keith, and Seabrook cost the following: 2013 (39.9%); 2014 (37.2%); 2015 (34.7%). In 2019, those same four players will cost 42.0%.