The point was this. This Hawks team came out and said last year was unacceptable and would not happen again. If they were serious then they needed to be aggressive in FA in trying to bring in some impact help. You cant have it both ways. Are teams over paying in contract and term? Yep. That is FA. The biggest need on this team by far was D. They had cap money. Maybe you overpay a bit to bring in a legit top 4 guy. The Ward and Manning signing were wtf moments. Just dumb money spent on Ward. Veteran yeah, but now so is Forsberg. Oh well..
- z1990z

Legit Top-4 D in this FA period? Name him- Mike Green? Calvin de Haan? Those are as close as you will get to Top-4. Ian Cole? John Moore? should I continue? de Haan is probably the best option, but has question marks all over him given his injury history. These names would move the needle ever so slightly, but not enough to warrant the money, no matter what PR babble the Hawks are spinning to keep the casual fans from jumping ship.

This was a VERY weak FA class...

Wait a sec...you were talking about wanting some guys last week that were relatively expensive as well. Haha.

I said I'm happy with the roster. We were just commenting on another persons wish of wanting to get Stone.
- Hank3Henshaw

Who? JVR is the only expensive player I wanted and that's just dollars, not assets, and even then I tempered it with "at the right price". Stone is going to cost a haul and his next contract will be expensive.

And just so we're clear, my UFA targets were: JVR (at the right price), Riley Nash (ended up not expensive), Derek Ryan + Beagle (ended with too much term), Perron + Moore (not that expensive but term is meh), and De Haan + Maroon (haven't signed yet).

But my trades target are all lower, more realistic than a team's best forward: Pageau or Zack Smith, potentially Faulk for the right deal.

If Bowman pulls off a trade that brings in a top 4 d... he will TOTALLY REDEEM HIMSELF.

...Well depending on the return.

Hearing Murphy's name a lot as well as Anisimov.
- Justin Lowe

If you move AA for a top four D guy, who fills in for AA?

All about return, yes. It is pointless to patch one hole by creating another, especially when they are so thin at center already.

Love the optimism.....

How is San Jose trending down?
Winnipeg has 27 million cap space now, and will have at least an additional 18 million next year. NOt sure I'd consider that cap hell. They may lose 1 guy, but this isn't the 2009-10 Hawks who had 1 chance to win and had to deal away MULTIPLE guys.

Bruins had a pretty darn good year

And the Leafs….I agree....pressure is ON to win NOW. See how they all survive arguably the 2nd toughest market (Montreal being 1) to win vs media pressure.
- SteveRain

Winnipeg is sitting pretty. I recall their announcers bemoaning the cap in the playoffs. Musta misheard. My bad.

Still lost. Loooooosssssers.

One thing they have to do is keep the fan base. Can't go back to 6k and 7K fans a night.

In my opinion they get more slack and room to work it if they come out and admit it.

i don't mind that he drafted guys with a higher ceiling but longer time to get here, or that he didn't over pay yesterday and take on more bad contracts.

I will mind if he comes out this summer and says "We like our team, and our goal is a SC.

We aren't that stupid.

Theo and Jed got lots of space by being honest about the entire process. Fans can take the losing if they know you working at the best way to get great again.
- vabeachbear

We never win anymore.

Winnipeg is sitting pretty. I recall their announcers bemoaning the cap in the playoffs. Musta misheard. My bad.

Still lost. Loooooosssssers.
- hocktock

Hossa's $5.5 + Anisimov's $4.5mil moved before next summer would give the Hawks some REAL UFA buying power. I've got to think that Anisimov + Forsling/Sikura could get a decent return of picks/prospects from a contender who would love to add 15 at 2c/3c
- EnzoD

Agree

Can somebody please explain why the Hawk have over $9M tied up in 3 goalies for next season? This situation does not pass the smell test. Until the Cro situation is demystified, all this banter about our free agent signings is irrelevant. No Cro = lottery pick. This team right now is a hot mess - counting on rebound years from core players, still the same garbage on the PP, depth/role players older but not much of an upgrade over what was iced last year (I consider Wingles/Kunitz to be a push).

If Bowman pulls off a trade that brings in a top 4 d... he will TOTALLY REDEEM HIMSELF.

...Well depending on the return.

Hearing Murphy's name a lot as well as Anisimov.
- Justin Lowe

Stanbo is beyond redemption for this fan base. They want a builder/genius like Jim Benning. Just why couldn't Stan see that 4 year terms for Jay Beagle and Dominic F'n Roussel was the way to set the Blackhawk ship back on course?

Please tell me what Top D is out there today that wasn't there yesterday. Nick Leddy maybe because Lou told him to shave his beard off and he didn't have any razor blades.

Regarding JJ's tweet about trades for a C and top 4 D... gotta be Faulk from Carolina. Who the C is I have no idea. So AA and my guess Forsling get moved today +/- picks or more prospects.

Stone is the sky? With a team like Ottawa in a total overhaul why not inquire?
- z1990z

Yes, Stone is the sky on the Ottawa team - he and Karlsson are their best players. Some people on here look at another team's roster and only mention the big name players vs other lower tier but useful guys.

Of course it's fine to inquire, but it's not realistic. Stone is a big, power forward who is right in his prime years and who put up over a PPG last season on a terrible team. They're going to want a haul of young players, prospects, and/or picks for him. They may not get everything but they certainly would want to start in the Schmaltz+ range, someone in the Colin White / Logan Brown age range to build around.

More realistic gets that could be good/okay from Ottawa: Pageau, Zack Smith, maybe Dzingel (not as good as Stone but also 26 and in need of a new deal in a year).

Regarding JJ's tweet about trades for a C and top 4 D... gotta be Faulk from Carolina. Who the C is I have no idea. So AA and my guess Forsling get moved today +/- picks or more prospects.
- z1990z

Wish they could get Duchene. But probably wouldn’t love that they’d have to give to get him.

Yes, Stone is the sky on the Ottawa team - he and Karlsson are their best players. Some people on here look at another team's roster and only mention the big name players vs other lower tier but useful guys.

Of course it's fine to inquire, but it's not realistic. Stone is a big, power forward who is right in his prime year and who put up over a PPG last season on a terrible team. They're going to want a haul of young players, prospects, and picks for him. They may not get everything but they certainly would want to start in the Schmaltz+ range, someone in the Colin White / Logan Brown age range to build around.

More realistic gets that could be good from Ottawa: Pageau, Zack Smith, maybe Dzingel (not as good as Stone but also 26 and in need of a new deal in a year).
- L_B_R

Dzingel is also local kid and someone who’s name I’ve seen around as someone of interest to the Hawks.

Stanbo is beyond redemption for this fan base. They want a builder/genius like Jim Benning. Just why couldn't Stan see that 4 year terms for Jay Beagle and Dominic F'n Roussel was the way to set the Blackhawk ship back on course?

Please tell me what Top D is out there today that wasn't there yesterday. Nick Leddy maybe because Lou told him to shave his beard off and he didn't have any razor blades.
- RickJ

I don't mind Bowman that much. People forget it's a combined effort of everyone in the front office when it comes to wheelin' and dealin'.

The only thing that bothers me regarding Hawk trades/signings is loosely handing out those NMC. Those are the worst. Haha. But I guess that's how you get guys in.

Dzingel is also local kid and someone who’s name I’ve seen around as someone of interest to the Hawks.
- Marlowe

Yep. Would love to get Danzig in a Hawks sweater...

If you move AA for a top four D guy, who fills in for AA?

All about return, yes. It is pointless to patch one hole by creating another, especially when they are so thin at center already.
- Return of the Roar

Agreed. Been saying that all along as well.

If AA goes... Stan better have a plan to back fill or Chicago is no better off. Anisimov is still a valuable player to this team.

Stanbo is beyond redemption for this fan base. They want a builder/genius like Jim Benning. Just why couldn't Stan see that 4 year terms for Jay Beagle and Dominic F'n Roussel was the way to set the Blackhawk ship back on course?

Please tell me what Top D is out there today that wasn't there yesterday. Nick Leddy maybe because Lou told him to shave his beard off and he didn't have any razor blades.
- RickJ

Voynov....

Voynov....
- Return of the Roar

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised.

I don't mind Bowman that much. People forget it's a combined effort of everyone in the front office when it comes to wheelin' and dealin'.

The only thing that bothers me regarding Hawk trades/signings is loosely handing out those NMC. Those are the worst. Haha. But I guess that's how you get guys in.
- Hank3Henshaw

Stan would be far better off to come out and state the team's plan going forward is to draft, develop and promote from within to the maximum extent possible. And to be completely honest like Ron Hextall was this morning when he said the Flyers had interest in a number of the FA's but he wasn't prepared to offer the term these players (Dmen specifically) ultimately got elsewhere.

One thing they have to do is keep the fan base. Can't go back to 6k and 7K fans a night.

In my opinion they get more slack and room to work it if they come out and admit it.

i don't mind that he drafted guys with a higher ceiling but longer time to get here, or that he didn't over pay yesterday and take on more bad contracts.

I will mind if he comes out this summer and says "We like our team, and our goal is a SC.

We aren't that stupid.

Theo and Jed got lots of space by being honest about the entire process. Fans can take the losing if they know you working at the best way to get great again.
- vabeachbear

That was different though they had gut every minor league level as well and start completely over, when Theo made that announcement i thought to myself, FINALLY

Stan would be far better off to come out and state the team's plan going forward is to draft, develop and promote from within to the maximum extent possible. And to be completely honest like Ron Hextall was this morning when he said the Flyers had interest in a number of the FA's but he wasn't prepared to offer the term these players (Dmen specifically) ultimately got elsewhere.
- RickJ

Honesty is the best policy. Given the announcements after the season about big changes coming, its basically impossible to backtrack. The FO will turtle now.

Voynov....
- Return of the Roar

No. Just no.

Who? JVR is the only expensive player I wanted and that's just dollars, not assets, and even then I tempered it with "at the right price". Stone is going to cost a haul and his next contract will be expensive.

And just so we're clear, my UFA targets were: JVR (at the right price), Riley Nash (ended up not expensive), Derek Ryan + Beagle (ended with too much term), Perron + Moore (not that expensive but term is meh), and De Haan + Maroon (haven't signed yet).

But my trades target are all lower, more realistic than a team's best forward: Pageau or Zack Smith, potentially Faulk for the right deal.
- L_B_R

I was just curious, if you don't mind, what do the numbers say about de Haan

Stan would be far better off to come out and state the team's plan going forward is to draft, develop and promote from within to the maximum extent possible. And to be completely honest like Ron Hextall was this morning when he said the Flyers had interest in a number of the FA's but he wasn't prepared to offer the term these players (Dmen specifically) ultimately got elsewhere.
- RickJ

I suspect that this is exactly what the Hawks' braintrust is thinking, but refuses to admit publicly. I do not know why they will not say so unless they are afraid of the public backlash (which I doubt would happen).

Stan would be far better off to come out and state the team's plan going forward is to draft, develop and promote from within to the maximum extent possible. And to be completely honest like Ron Hextall was this morning when he said the Flyers had interest in a number of the FA's but he wasn't prepared to offer the term these players (Dmen specifically) ultimately got elsewhere.
- RickJ

Very true.

Hextall is cool. Thought his comments regarding JT taking his time to announce the decision were on point.