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Forums :: Blog World :: Justin Lowe: Maybe the Blackhawks Do Have a Plan
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BGKarras
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Itasca, IL
Joined: 06.19.2012

Jul 4 @ 10:34 AM ET
Thanks Justin.

Part of me wants to believe there is a bigger plan here, but with the Hawks lack of transparency it’s hard to see it.

I’m usually a glass half full kind of guy (when I’m not being sarcastic) but I have to admit that my positivity is starting to run out.

- DarthKane


Say it ain't so Darth....
67hawks
Joined: 08.30.2012

Jul 4 @ 10:36 AM ET
Except, according to Capfriendly, both Ward and Kunitz got NMCs.
- tvetter


Well that really sucks. This team just cannot do anything right. So now if these guys fail and /or the team fails, we are stuck with them.
The good thing with one year contracts on non-playoff teams is the cashout opportunity at the TDL. How many times did the Leafs trade and re-sign Polak?
StLBravesFan
Season Ticket Holder
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: IL
Joined: 07.03.2011

Jul 4 @ 10:37 AM ET
Thank you........ This is what Stan said in public? Hawks are gonna be relentless? That's beyond rich.

So it's official, they pivoted from last offseason's message of younger, faster, harder to play against?


Roster Resource NHL
‏ @NHLRosters
23h23 hours ago

Based on current roster projections, the five oldest teams are:

1. Detroit
2. Los Angeles
3. NY Islanders
4. Minnesota
5. Chicago


Maybe they do have a plan Justin, but maybe not too.

- Mr Ricochet


We had this on JL’s previous blog, I think - a somewhat misleading stat - or maybe just irrelevant.

On the current roster, there are only five players older than 30, and two are goalies: Kunitz, Keith, Crawford, Ward, and Seabrook. Two defensemen - perhaps an issue - only one forward.

Three are at (or will be) 30, which shouldn’t be a problem - Kane, Toews, Anisimov.

The problem is not over-age - it’s inexperience - of the rest of the players - all under 30 - only Saad has both experience and proven Cup-contributing skill (and he needs a comeback).

vabeachbear
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Ft Courage - out in the middle of Indian Country, NC
Joined: 10.17.2011

Jul 4 @ 10:40 AM ET
Well that really sucks. This team just cannot do anything right. So now if these guys fail and /or the team fails, we are stuck with them.
The good thing with one year contracts on non-playoff teams is the cashout opportunity at the TDL. How many times did the Leafs trade and re-sign Polak?

- 67hawks


They signed one year deals, both probably didn't want to have to move in 6 more months.

One year deals, not that big of a deal. They may reconsider at the TDL, but if they are both as washed up and suck as everyone thinks, who's trading for them anyway??
Marlowe
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Wild Wild West, IL
Joined: 06.29.2014

Jul 4 @ 10:42 AM ET
They signed one year deals, both probably didn't want to have to move in 6 more months.

One year deals, not that big of a deal. They may reconsider at the TDL, but if they are both as washed up and suck as everyone thinks, who's trading for them anyway??

- vabeachbear

I think the problem is that with a NMC they can’t be put on waivers or sent down (contract hidden) in the A without their consent. So really limits your flexibility if they don’t do what you think they will or you’re out of the playoffs and want to see what the kids do at the end if the season.
bulet13
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Faceoffs, Plus/Minus, and PIMs...the Holy Trinity, TX
Joined: 03.10.2013

Jul 4 @ 10:45 AM ET
Manning is a disaster in his own end. He is at best a 6 and did not have a career year... And this would be readily noticeable by anyone who watched the flyers okay
RickJ
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Burlington, ON
Joined: 01.12.2010

Jul 4 @ 10:47 AM ET
The goal is to make the playoff's..Once your in anything can(and does) happen(Caps-Vegas final?) But as stated..The improvement of the other western teams, And progression of their youngsters(Yes, Other teams have budding superstars as well, And coaches who will play them) Looks to me like the Hawks have an extremely, Tough uphill battle just to make the dance. Even with a bounce back year from the core!
- camfor


Only 8 make the dance. On this day in July does anybody really think the Hawks are even close to being one of the best 8 teams in the WCF? Especially with the uncertainty at the goaltending position.

They can take a page from the Winnipeg approach - keep your draft picks, accumulate more in trades, draft well, develop them under a very good teacher in the minors and promote accordingly. They have had 8-10 years of very poor yields from their farm team or have traded them off. or just let them go.

However, that requires patience in the front office. And patience is expensive.



Hawks_49
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Ottawa, ON
Joined: 04.28.2015

Jul 4 @ 10:58 AM ET
Well that really sucks. This team just cannot do anything right. So now if these guys fail and /or the team fails, we are stuck with them.
The good thing with one year contracts on non-playoff teams is the cashout opportunity at the TDL. How many times did the Leafs trade and re-sign Polak?

- 67hawks


One time.
Marlowe
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Wild Wild West, IL
Joined: 06.29.2014

Jul 4 @ 11:02 AM ET
One time.
- Hawks_49

Rather have Wingels
weakglovehand
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: under-q's-stash, IL
Joined: 02.27.2007

Jul 4 @ 11:09 AM ET
Only 8 make the dance. On this day in July does anybody really think the Hawks are even close to being one of the best 8 teams in the WCF? Especially with the uncertainty at the goaltending position.

They can take a page from the Winnipeg approach - keep your draft picks, accumulate more in trades, draft well, develop them under a very good teacher in the minors and promote accordingly. They have had 8-10 years of very poor yields from their farm team or have traded them off. or just let them go.

However, that requires patience in the front office. And patience is expensive.

- RickJ

The Hawks are notorious for quick fixes that only make sense to themselves, use the Phillip Danault trade for Weiss and Fleishman as an example of what you just said. Dannault would slot in well as 2C right now had they just waited a year more for him to develop. Carter Hutton? Imagine how good the goaltending tandem of Crow and Hutton would have been? He showed everybody from the ECHL through Rockford that he could accept a challenge (he beat out Salak), then he beat out Allen in STL after winning 30 games in NASH many by 1 goal with Rinne hurt. It remains to be seen if he's a real starter, but another Hawk kid that got thrown away. They all don't make it like these two did (See Mc Neil and Glendenning) but giving up on Dannault cost the Hawks a second rounder from this year's draft. Salt in the wound
333inthe3rd
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Chicago, IL
Joined: 02.04.2015

Jul 4 @ 11:14 AM ET
Kunitz and Ward are placeholders while the kids develop more. That's how I read the signings, anyway. Making a free agent splash would be misguided in this situation. This team is a long way away from being only a key FA away from winning it all. I think all we can do is hope the kids develop and are able to help the remaining core win another before their window closes for good.
phantasmo
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: IL
Joined: 01.13.2016

Jul 4 @ 11:25 AM ET
I think the Hawks have no problem bottoming out for 2 years. They'll deal Keith at the TDL and hope that they can do a buyout of Seabrook when the new CBA comes up. Then Kane and Toews would be their only "big money" players locked in on payroll. Kane will still be producing in the top 10/20 ppg in the league. I'm still not convinced that Toews will be here but stranger things have happened.

Total rebuild and it started last year when missing the playoffs was inevitable.
DarthKane
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: 5.13.4.9
Joined: 02.23.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:25 AM ET
Kunitz and Ward are placeholders while the kids develop more. That's how I read the signings, anyway. Making a free agent splash would be misguided in this situation. This team is a long way away from being only a key FA away from winning it all. I think all we can do is hope the kids develop and are able to help the remaining core win another before their window closes for good.
- 333inthe3rd



For sure...but there are better placeholders or guys they could have signed that wouldn't have interfered with their long term plans. Riley Nash would have been a solid addition, there were lots of better options in net (i.e. Lehner), on defense they already had enough guys like Manning.
z1990z
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: NW USA
Joined: 02.09.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:26 AM ET
Kunitz and Ward are placeholders while the kids develop more. That's how I read the signings, anyway. Making a free agent splash would be misguided in this situation. This team is a long way away from being only a key FA away from winning it all. I think all we can do is hope the kids develop and are able to help the remaining core win another before their window closes for good.
- 333inthe3rd



Mrazek would have been a better option. Cheaper, younger and prolly more skill at this point. Of all 3 FA signings, the only one with any value is Kunitz. Lets pray Stan has some type of trade in the works to help this team. If not, next year could be worse. Like laugh out loud bad.
67hawks
Joined: 08.30.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:27 AM ET
Why would Bowman not consider Lehner over Ward. I see he signed at half price with the Isles. He is still young (26), has good size, had decent stats for a lousy team, and did not require a movement protection clause.
We would then have an extra $1.5M to spend on another player.
DarthKane
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: 5.13.4.9
Joined: 02.23.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:27 AM ET
I think the Hawks have no problem bottoming out for 2 years. They'll deal Keith at the TDL and hope that they can do a buyout of Seabrook when the new CBA comes up. Then Kane and Toews would be their only "big money" players locked in on payroll. Kane will still be producing in the top 10/20 ppg in the league. I'm still not convinced that Toews will be here but stranger things have happened.

Total rebuild and it started last year when missing the playoffs was inevitable.

- phantasmo



Unless they can get a king's ransom for Keith there's no point in dealing him. Even if Keith's declining his cap hit is still very reasonable.
RickJ
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Burlington, ON
Joined: 01.12.2010

Jul 4 @ 11:28 AM ET
The Hawks are notorious for quick fixes that only make sense to themselves, use the Phillip Danault trade for Weiss and Fleishman as an example of what you just said. Dannault would slot in well as 2C right now had they just waited a year more for him to develop. Carter Hutton? Imagine how good the goaltending tandem of Crow and Hutton would have been? He showed everybody from the ECHL through Rockford that he could accept a challenge (he beat out Salak), then he beat out Allen in STL after winning 30 games in NASH many by 1 goal with Rinne hurt. It remains to be seen if he's a real starter, but another Hawk kid that got thrown away. They all don't make it like these two did (See Mc Neil and Glendenning) but giving up on Dannault cost the Hawks a second rounder from this year's draft. Salt in the wound
- weakglovehand

Yup, the Danault trade was a spectacularly bad mistake for its yield and short term thinking. But crying over spilled milk doesn't fix anything.

I sure would like to be a listening device in that room when Hockey Ops are discussing what to do going forward. At least they haven't over committed on term and overpaid on a bunch of mediocre free agents, that's an initial positive.
Hawks_49
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Ottawa, ON
Joined: 04.28.2015

Jul 4 @ 11:33 AM ET
Mrazek would have been a better option. Cheaper, younger and prolly more skill at this point. Of all 3 FA signings, the only one with any value is Kunitz. Lets pray Stan has some type of trade in the works to help this team. If not, next year could be worse. Like laugh out loud bad.
- z1990z


Absolutely not. Mrazek has been absolutely brutal for two years. GAA over 3 and save pct of .901 and .902. Quality start % at 42 in 2016-17 and 33% in 2017-18. GSAA of -30 over the past two years. No thank you.
Marlowe
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Wild Wild West, IL
Joined: 06.29.2014

Jul 4 @ 11:33 AM ET
Kunitz and Ward are placeholders while the kids develop more. That's how I read the signings, anyway. Making a free agent splash would be misguided in this situation. This team is a long way away from being only a key FA away from winning it all. I think all we can do is hope the kids develop and are able to help the remaining core win another before their window closes for good.
- 333inthe3rd

Trading for Faulk, provided you don’t have to give up too much (ie not Saad) would at least go a ways to making this team easier to watch next season. I have season tickets and I go to the majority of the games even tho I’m a fair ways away and given the secondary market for tickets is worse than nonexistent (I couldn’t give away seats last year) my butt will be in the seat a lot next year. Personally I’d like it to be as pain free as possible. There were some truly horrid and unwatchable games last year (NYI or DET anyone?).
Hawkster
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Quebec , QC
Joined: 06.13.2008

Jul 4 @ 11:34 AM ET
Unless they can get a king's ransom for Keith there's no point in dealing him. Even if Keith's declining his cap hit is still very reasonable.
- DarthKane


True but they should consider all trades regarding the aging core if indeed they are rebuilding. Nothing wrong with a rebuild, happens to all great teams. Issue is to not stay in that dreaded murky area where you don't make the playoffs but don't get top pick either.
HawkintheD
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Sick Bay, MI
Joined: 02.22.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:36 AM ET

Say it ain't so Darth....

- BGKarras


In the end they (we) all fall. First Simplejack, then Darth, next it’ll be Hocktock and the Zombie Apocalypse will be upon us when the juice/Kool Aid falls just below the halfway point of OldDuffman’s tumbler.
HawkintheD
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: Sick Bay, MI
Joined: 02.22.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:39 AM ET
True but they should consider all trades regarding the aging core if indeed they are rebuilding. Nothing wrong with a rebuild, happens to all great teams. Issue is to not stay in that dreaded murky area where you don't make the playoffs but don't get top pick either.
- Hawkster


This I agree with. If this team is on the outside looking in again come TDL time, you have to at the very least explore what the return would be and go into the offseason copping to a rebuild.
67hawks
Joined: 08.30.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:41 AM ET
I see Cap Friendly has us with the least amount of cap space remaining. We are really adhering to the "Detroit Model"
-up against the Cap
-crappy older team
-dead cap space tied up in LTIR
z1990z
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: NW USA
Joined: 02.09.2012

Jul 4 @ 11:43 AM ET
Absolutely not. Mrazek has been absolutely brutal for two years. GAA over 3 and save pct of .901 and .902. Quality start % at 42 in 2016-17 and 33% in 2017-18. GSAA of -30 over the past two years. No thank you.
- Hawks_49



Well Ward aint much better. All things considered I would have just gone with Forsberg as the back up and spent what I could to improve the D core.
phantasmo
Chicago Blackhawks
Location: IL
Joined: 01.13.2016

Jul 4 @ 11:47 AM ET
Unless they can get a king's ransom for Keith there's no point in dealing him. Even if Keith's declining his cap hit is still very reasonable.
- DarthKane


Absolutely. As a guy who named his firstborn "Duncan" I'm not looking to throw #2 out with a bag of pucks. For one of next year's contenders, Keith could be the biggest difference-making D that could possibly be moved at the TDL. I'd rather Keith get one more taste of the playoffs then burn his last couple of years playing with Effing Oesterle and other reheated dog doo.
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