CC is done. Think we have to just face it. Them holding out is going to be very bad as Ward will be the #1. I don't expect anything this year from this team except last place unfortunately. Especially after watching this years playoffs.

I wonder if Duclair might have turned out any differently if not for the injury at the hands of scumbag Marchand.
- 333inthe3rd

Maybe if Marchand blew in his ear?

Could the Hawks trade Hossa and retain $1M? The other team could get a $4M+ cap hit without paying anything. That should cut down on any pick/prospect the Hawks have to give up to shed his contract.

Could the Hawks trade Hossa and retain $1M? The other team could get a $4M+ cap hit without paying anything. That should cut down on any pick/prospect the Hawks have to give up to shed his contract.
- tvetter

No. IIRC the % of cap hit retained and the % of salary retained need to be equal, if the % of cap hit left and salary left differ.

In that case being honest and open is the best way to go. In the long run the team will build more faith and loyalty among the fan base versus trying to pull one over on them (which most people are smart enough to see through).
- DarthKane

Privacy is a strange animal where sports players are involved. For me whatever it is that CC is battling I have no judgment. Concussed? Vertigo? - deal with it. Crosby was forthright. Personal demons? - deal with it. Whatever it is have to think that CC gets loads of support - think everyone would want him healthy whatever that entails. It may be that the healthiest approach is to leave hockey behind - again if that is the case CC gets loads of support.

Vinny also came to mind for me as a player who gives his all in comparison to Duclair who does not.
- Z3Hawk

Duclair won't even be in the NHL next season. Tortorella will get one look at his on ice play and he will be sent to Cleveland. After that he will be playing in Austria or Germany.

He is a perfect example of a guy with speed and skating ability (and some offensive skills) and beyond that no idea how to play the NHL game consistently well.

“5) Positive Vibes – this last one is up to you.“

Blackhawks management kidnap Seabrook and send him to Onnit, where he’s forced to take Toews place. He’s put on Toews diet regime and work out routine and reports to camp in the best shape ever! He’s faster than ever before, that brain stuff worked so well that he sees the ice as never before, no stupid give aways, fantastic passing and positioning.

While there Toews is kidnapped and held at Seabrook’s home and forced onto Seabrook’s diet, high protein lots of steak. Toews reports to camp as the Incredible Hulk, smashing guys, winning board battles, unsepeperable from the puck, unmovable from the front of the net.

I thought Anisimov was basically playing 3C all last year with Toews and Schmaltz the 1 and 2C's (in whatever order you like).
- Chunk

Problem is Q doesn’t keep Anisimov there - suddenly Schmaltz is a LW. Schmaltz should not have played any LW - back-pedaled development. The difficulty is Anisimov should be a 3C or 4C but the Hawks can’t afford to pay him what they do to play there.

Key point is Anisimov is oft-injured and the Hawks don’t really miss him when he is out. The Hawks play with more pace when Anisimov not available.

Duclair won't even be in the NHL next season. Tortorella will get one look at his on ice play and he will be sent to Cleveland. After that he will be playing in Austria or Germany.

He is a perfect example of a guy with speed and skating ability (and some offensive skills) and beyond that no idea how to play the NHL game consistently well.
- RickJ

Was Torts DuClair's coach when he had his 40-point break-out year in NY? Perhaps that's why Columbus gambled on him.

In that case being honest and open is the best way to go. In the long run the team will build more faith and loyalty among the fan base versus trying to pull one over on them (which most people are smart enough to see through).
- DarthKane

I’m not sure that the team is at liberty to disclose an employees confidential medical condition.

If my employer shared any of mine with the public, They would immediately hear from my lawyers.

Was Torts DuClair's coach when he had his 40-point break-out year in NY? Perhaps that's why Columbus gambled on him.
- Popsghostly

Vigneault

Vigneault
- RickJ

Ahhh... He'll definitely be in Cleveland then.

Was Torts DuClair's coach when he had his 40-point break-out year in NY? Perhaps that's why Columbus gambled on him.
- Popsghostly

Duclair's breakout season came in Arizona. He played 18 games in New York.

Privacy is a strange animal where sports players are involved. For me whatever it is that CC is battling I have no judgment. Concussed? Vertigo? - deal with it. Crosby was forthright. Personal demons? - deal with it. Whatever it is have to think that CC gets loads of support - think everyone would want him healthy whatever that entails. It may be that the healthiest approach is to leave hockey behind - again if that is the case CC gets loads of support.
- Z3Hawk

IMO, there is simply too much smoke regarding alcohol/substance issues for there not to be/have been a fire. Whether it's a drinking problem, or vertigo/concussion, both are extremely serious and at his age have the ability to end his career. I know Justin wants us to be positive, but with Crawford up in the air, and very little roster change from the last place team of 2017/18, expectations should be low.

Great blog JL.

This is certainly an awkward, if not painful, time to be a Blackhawks fan. The roster still has some great talent on it be they're nearing the end of the window (I don't believe it's closed yet). Since the playoff series against Nashville the have have been a disaster, with the exception of games 1 & 2 of the 2017/2018 season.

What shouldn't be lost in all this is that Stan has replenished the prospect pipeline that was diminished from so may Cup runs (i.e. paying for rentals) and salary cap dumps. Certainly they all won't develop into NHLers but there are some strong candidates:

- Boqvist
- Jokiharju
- Mitchell
- Beaudin
- Edjsell (I still think there's a good future for this kid)
- Soderlund
- Sikura

There is an even bigger group of prospects that are less likely to make the NHL but if 1-2 do they could be solid contributors:

- Altybarmakyan
- Kahun
- Hillman
- Raddysh
- Gilbert
- Carlsson
- Kayumov
- Wise
- Highmore
- Mordgren

I don't expect all or even most of these guys to make the NHL, but the prospect pool is deeper than it's been in a long time. Sadly we just need to be patient while some of this talent develops and that could mean one more painful season.

For me the issue with the Hawks is the lack of transparency. Are they rebuilding or going for another run? Both are totally acceptable, what I don't like is the middle ground where the team hesitates to choose one path. I witness the Canucks slow decline after 2011, they lived in that middle ground for years and their team sucks and many of their fans have checked out. They started to win fans back with they finally acknowledged they were in rebuild mode, but a lot of damage was done by that point.

I'm not expecting any major deals to save the season. I don't think the Hawks want to give up the assets required to land a big name (i.e. Boqvist, Jokiharju, Sikura). But Stan could surprise us, he certainly did last year with the Saad and Murphy trades.
- DarthKane

Generally agree, but I think I'd put Wise in that first group. He seems to be a 3C floor with a 2C ceiling. I thought I read that before some injury issues, there was talk of him possibly going top 10 in the draft.

No. IIRC the % of cap hit retained and the % of salary retained need to be equal, if the % of cap hit left and salary left differ.
- Slofire94

How about Hossa + Cash Considerations? The Cash Considerations is the amount he is owed?

IMO, there is simply too much smoke regarding alcohol/substance issues for there not to be/have been a fire. Whether it's a drinking problem, or vertigo/concussion, both are extremely serious and at his age have the ability to end his career. I know Justin wants us to be positive, but with Crawford up in the air, and very little roster change from the last place team of 2017/18, expectations should be low.
- EnzoD

I really don't care what the issue is, since it's none of my business, but I think the reason they went after Ward was they don't think CC will be ready day 1.

I really don't care what the issue is, since it's none of my business, but I think the reason they went after Ward was they don't think CC will be ready day 1.
- tvetter

“5) Positive Vibes – this last one is up to you.“

Blackhawks management kidnap Seabrook and send him to Onnit, where he’s forced to take Toews place. He’s put on Toews diet regime and work out routine and reports to camp in the best shape ever! He’s faster than ever before, that brain stuff worked so well that he sees the ice as never before, no stupid give aways, fantastic passing and positioning.

While there Toews is kidnapped and held at Seabrook’s home and forced onto Seabrook’s diet, high protein lots of steak. Toews reports to camp as the Incredible Hulk, smashing guys, winning board battles, unsepeperable from the puck, unmovable from the front of the net.
- walleyeb1

This is crazy enough to just might work!

How about Hossa + Cash Considerations? The Cash Considerations is the amount he is owed?
- HawksHype

I was thinking that too but are you allowed to trade cash anymore? I don't think it's been done in a long, long time.

I was thinking that too but are you allowed to trade cash anymore? I don't think it's been done in a long, long time.
- tyweb69

The best they could do is take a few players off a team that have 1 wway deals that are probably not going to make the team. IE 2 guys making $750 each and hawks bury both. the other team saves $500K in actual cash. plus you could throw in future consideration. and take another contract down the road.

I really don't care what the issue is, since it's none of my business, but I think the reason they went after Ward was they don't think CC will be ready day 1.
- tvetter

Disagree. IF it's a severe vertigo/concussion issue, its possible that Crawford hasn't even worked out since 2017, much less been on the ice. If its alcohol/substance related, I'd imagine that physical activity/training is a part of the recovery process and he would be in the gym and on the ice training. At 33 years old, is it realistic to expect him to come back next fall and perform like he did in 2017? When's the last time he was in the gym? When's the last time he was on the ice stopping NHL shooters? Lot's of questions with some potentially less than ideal answers.....

The best they could do is take a few players off a team that have 1 wway deals that are probably not going to make the team. IE 2 guys making $750 each and hawks bury both. the other team saves $500K in actual cash. plus you could throw in future consideration. and take another contract down the road.
- kmw4631

Interesting... so trading cash without ever having money switch hands.

Positive vibes!!!!

Hocks come out of the gate and win game 1 say,
10 to 2. Then we can all get on the bandwagon again.

Go Hocks!!!

Disagree. IF it's a severe vertigo/concussion issue, its possible that Crawford hasn't even worked out since 2017, much less been on the ice. If its alcohol/substance related, I'd imagine that physical activity/training is a part of the recovery process and he would be in the gym and on the ice training. At 33 years old, is it realistic to expect him to come back next fall and perform like he did in 2017? When's the last time he was in the gym? When's the last time he was on the ice stopping NHL shooters? Lot's of questions with some potentially less than ideal answers.....
- EnzoD

Or worse yet, it could be a combination of both. That thoughts been on my mind for awhile.