Ron Francis announced as GM of new Seattle franchise.

So, which of our eligible players is he likely to covet?
- pdx2ord

Based on our roster right now Shaw, de Haan, Murphy are the first guys that come to mind that I believe will be under contract and likely will be exposed for the draft

Smith of course.
- BlackhawkMike

Based on our roster right now Shaw, de Haan, Murphy are the first guys that come to mind that I believe will be under contract and likely will be exposed for the draft
- Savetheembers33

May be why Stan ends up hanging onto Murphy

Here is my hawk's lineup presuming nylander makes the team plus one glaring hole. Dach should go back to juniors unless he makes so hard for bowman and company that he should be playing in the nhl at the start of the season.

Caggulia toews kane
Dcat strome shaw
Saad ?? Nylander
Smith kampf carpenter
Kubalik extra forward

Keith gust
Matta Murphy
Koko/ dehann when healthy. Seabrook
Dahlstrom ship to the rock when dehann is healthy.

Lehner
Crawford

Perlini gets traded or signs for 1 million his choice.

Here is my hawk's lineup presuming nylander makes the team plus one glaring hole. Dach should go back to juniors unless he makes so hard for bowman and company that he should be playing in the nhl at the start of the season.

Caggulia toews kane
Dcat strome shaw
Saad ?? Nylander
Smith kampf carpenter
Kubalik extra forward

Keith gust
Matta Murphy
Koko/ dehann when healthy. Seabrook
Dahlstrom ship to the rock when dehann is healthy.

Lehner
Crawford

Perlini gets traded or signs for 1 million his choice.
- Scott1977

Kubalik will be in the top 6 and score at least 25 goals this season!

?? = D A C H

Im sorry but Shaw is NOT a 4th line player......
- nickmo2699

Smith isn’t a 3rd line player either

Here is my hawk's lineup presuming nylander makes the team plus one glaring hole. Dach should go back to juniors unless he makes so hard for bowman and company that he should be playing in the nhl at the start of the season.

Caggulia toews kane
Dcat strome shaw
Saad ?? Nylander
Smith kampf carpenter
Kubalik extra forward

Keith gust
Matta Murphy
Koko/ dehann when healthy. Seabrook
Dahlstrom ship to the rock when dehann is healthy.

Lehner
Crawford

Perlini gets traded or signs for 1 million his choice.
- Scott1977

My over under is $6m for three years for Perlini. Guys like him are signing $2.3-2.8/yr. He's also expansion bait.

My over under is $6m for three years for Perlini. Guys like him are signing $2.3-2.8/yr. He's also expansion bait.
- rpeters01

Not with the Blackhawks!

My over under is $6m for three years for Perlini. Guys like him are signing $2.3-2.8/yr. He's also expansion bait.
- rpeters01

Remember, this is Stan we're talking about here. $4 million AAV for 4 years will be the starting point.

Smith isn’t a 3rd line player either
- Ogilthorpe2

There's a lot of guys you can't really label as X line player. Is Cagguila a 1st line player or a Top 6 winger? No, but he played a lot on the top line with Toews and Kane last year and when they played together that line was very effective for the team. If a guy can find a spot on a line where they build chemistry it doesn't matter if he fits the label of an X line player or not. Smith had his best year playing a Top 6 role with Stone and Pageau. Not saying he's going to replicate that by any means, but what I'm saying is that if you find the right mix of guys together on a line regardless of salary, or where people think they can slot at in the lineup, or what we think their production can be and they play effective against the other team good things will happen for the player and the team

Remember, this is Stan we're talking about here. $4 million AAV for 4 years will be the starting point.
- DarthKane

I'm sure Perlini's agent can talk him down.

My over under is $6m for three years for Perlini. Guys like him are signing $2.3-2.8/yr. He's also expansion bait.
- rpeters01

if that's the case...perlini should have agreed to that gift by now...

if that's the case...perlini should have agreed to that gift by now...
- bogiedoc

I would not be surprised if Stan is trying for $3m for 2 yrs $1.5AAV.

I would not be surprised if Stan is trying for $3m for 2 yrs $1.5AAV.
- rpeters01

I think the difference may be salary amount but possibly even more so years. I think the Hawks wanna give him a one year deal to prove it, while after being traded he's looking to maintain some sort of security by signing a two year deal

Kubalik will be in the top 6 and score at least 25 goals this season!

?? = D A C H
- SoftServe

Agree-Kubalik in top 9 for sure, hopefully top 6

I think the difference may be salary amount but possibly even more so years. I think the Hawks wanna give him a one year deal to prove it, while after being traded he's looking to maintain some sort of security by signing a two year deal
- Savetheembers33

Actually i bet they are about $1 mil apart, i really hope Hawks stand their ground.

Caught a little bit of the open today, yea i know it's golf but man does Woods look old today.

I think the difference may be salary amount but possibly even more so years. I think the Hawks wanna give him a one year deal to prove it, while after being traded he's looking to maintain some sort of security by signing a two year deal
- Savetheembers33

I think Stan would like 2 "cheap" years like he did with Forsling and Gus. I think they both had two year deals?

Still a long way from driverless cars and trucks taking over. Just wait until someone starts hacking into them.
- Ogilthorpe2

Autonomous vehicles are easy to do for the first 99% of their task. It's the last 1% that's almost impossible.

I'm 57, in the auto industry with the world's biggest OEM for 30 years, and I don't think we'll have a true autonomous vehicle on public roads in my lifetime.

The will first autonomous vehicles will be used in point to point service, running the same road over and over. Don't hold your breath waiting to be able to take a nap while the car takes you where you're going.

There's a lot of guys you can't really label as X line player. Is Cagguila a 1st line player or a Top 6 winger? No, but he played a lot on the top line with Toews and Kane last year and when they played together that line was very effective for the team. If a guy can find a spot on a line where they build chemistry it doesn't matter if he fits the label of an X line player or not. Smith had his best year playing a Top 6 role with Stone and Pageau. Not saying he's going to replicate that by any means, but what I'm saying is that if you find the right mix of guys together on a line regardless of salary, or where people think they can slot at in the lineup, or what we think their production can be and they play effective against the other team good things will happen for the player and the team
- Savetheembers33

I agree with you in principle, but I’m skeptical that at this point in his career, Smith is capable of more than 4th line minutes at best.

Actually i bet they are about $1 mil apart, i really hope Hawks stand their ground.

Caught a little bit of the open today, yea i know it's golf but man does Woods look old today.
- BetweenTheDots

I think Stan would like 2 "cheap" years like he did with Forsling and Gus. I think they both had two year deals?
- rpeters01

Hmm fair point. Wonder if Perlini and his agent are pushing for a one year 2M deal from the Hawks and the Hawks want something more like a two year 2.5M deal. Idk. Somethings is going to have to give at some point. If I'm the Hawks I definitely stand firm. You're short on cap space and plenty of bodies available to fill out the roster. Perlini needs the Hawks right now more than the Hawks need him

I agree with you in principle, but I’m skeptical that at this point in his career, Smith is capable of more than 4th line minutes at best.
- Ogilthorpe2

I'm with you on that. We'll have to see this year. I'm sure it wasn't easy playing for Ottawa the past two years with how that dumpster fire has gone. Perhaps being moved to an organization like the Hawks will light a fire under him and he can be a great addition to the bottom six of this team and add the sandpaper this team has missed over the past few years.

If not, I don't see getting rid of his contract being an issue one way or another

May be why Stan ends up hanging onto Murphy
- pdx2ord

He hangs onto Murphy because he is going to be an important part of the blueline, he isn't old and he is signed to a nice contract.

He hangs onto Murphy because he is going to be an important part of the blueline, he isn't old and he is signed to a nice contract.
- breadbag

This. I think that it's possible maybe even more so likely that he would get exposed with the guys we'd have to protect, but for now he's on this roster because he's probably the second best defender on this team with de Haan and Matta's health concerns. If both are healthy, then he's in that three or four range

I agree with you in principle, but I’m skeptical that at this point in his career, Smith is capable of more than 4th line minutes at best.
- Ogilthorpe2

With all the option JC has on the team he will be ridding the hot hand for stretches at a time with the lines. I agree for the most part Smith is a 4th or 3rd liner. His worth is his versatility and leadership.
A trade does not allows bring you back a better of what you gave up. Sometime it gives you something you don't have/need.
I love all the line combinations being thrown out. Most of them might be right for a game or two.

Hmm fair point. Wonder if Perlini and his agent are pushing for a one year 2M deal from the Hawks and the Hawks want something more like a two year 2.5M deal. Idk. Somethings is going to have to give at some point. If I'm the Hawks I definitely stand firm. You're short on cap space and plenty of bodies available to fill out the roster. Perlini needs the Hawks right now more than the Hawks need him
- Savetheembers33

Yeah he’s stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place!