Per TSN. Byfuglien, 34, has not resumed skating since undergoing ankle surgery in late October. He reportedly began rehabbing the injury in consultation with the Jets in mid-December, but hasn’t progressed to the next step in the process.

A hard NO!
- -Doh-

He is probably close to 300 pounds by now.

Maybe he means Poehling?
- mohel

Poehling > Beaudin and I’m a big fan of Beaudin

Per TSN. Byfuglien, 34, has not resumed skating since undergoing ankle surgery in late October. He reportedly began rehabbing the injury in consultation with the Jets in mid-December, but hasn’t progressed to the next step in the process.

A hard NO!
- -Doh-

Depends on cost and how the “mutual parting ways” works. He is owed another season at $7.6 mil cap hit (only $6 mil base salary tho) from the deal he signed with Peg. Guy is a beast in the playoffs.

With the Blackhawks newfound cap space they have an opportunity to add some pretty good UFA's between now and the deadline..... Kovalchuk only has a 700k salary and is set to become a UFA, he would be an excellent add at that cap hit.... Also, it appears the Jets plan to terminate Byfuglien's contract, and IMO signing him for the remainder of the season would be a wise idea...... Regardless tho - there are plenty of quality pending UFA's (and RFA's) that the Hawks could easily afford for the rest of this season and really help the Hawks make a playoff push and could really improve this team and perhaps could make the Hawks a real threat down the stretch and even a force in the playoffs if they made the right adds and they panned out....

And if these adds don't work??? so what?? the Hawks end up with another nice draft pick..... Signing or trading for some of these guys is zero risk and nothing but reward... Just as long as the Hawks don't deal their First Round Pick I would be fine with bringing in Kovy or signing Buff for the rest of the season..

I'm sure some will disagree with these ideas, however - ask yourself - what do the Hawks have to lose?

So I hope Bowman is working the phones in an attempt to acquire some of these pending UFA's or even pondering signing Buff for the rest of the season..... Well, not only that but working on a long-term extension with Lehner...

IMO, Montreal will be in the selling mode and won't be moving any of their young prospects like Poehling or Suzuki. Similar as if the Hawks were sellers at the TDL, nobody here would want them to move the likes of Dach, Boqvist, or Beaudin.
- boilermaker100

I don't believe they are moving either player. I am just wondering which player he was talking about in his post.

Poehling > Beaudin and I’m a big fan of Beaudin
- Assman22

Maybe. Like both but think Beaudin has a bit more upside.

He has scored 25 goals in the NHL. I am not saying great hands.

If he can win faceoffs, stand in front of the net, knock in rebounds, distribute the puck a little, that would be an upgrade on the 2nd PP unit.
- -Doh-

Even with a 25 goal season, he still averages ~8 goals per season. I am banking on him being more the guy who scores 8 goals a season. Distribute the puck? He loses it whenever he tries to do anything with the puck. Sorry but he a terrible player at this point in his career and the only reason he is playing is because of his cap hit.

They need to buy him out after this season. Cause I highly doubt they are going to being able to move him and get a return that saves the same amount of cap space buy out accomplishes. Buying him out saves ~ 2M in cap space. Maybe if he didn't have another year after this one the Hawks could move him. I am highly skeptical anyone wants to be clogging up 3.25M of cap space on Smith.

Depends on cost and how the “mutual parting ways” works. He is owed another season at $7.6 mil cap hit (only $6 mil base salary tho) from the deal he signed with Peg. Guy is a beast in the playoffs.
- Assman22

The Jets are "terminating" his contract, which means Byfuglien would become a UFA - meaning the Hawks could sign him as a UFA for the remainder of the season.... Any contract he gets would be "pro-rated" meaning if the Hawks signed him for 7 million his cap hit would only be like 2 million for the remainder of this season... And maybe over the summer if things work out Bowman and Buff could get an extension done.

I think signing Buff would be a fantastic idea - it's nothing but reward.... I mean how could it hurt the Hawks?? get them into the playoffs? lol....

Not only that but I would love to see Buff back in the Indian head..... And honestly he's the type of defenseman (or forward at times) the Hawks could use...

Buff had some sort of surgery in October. My question is why does he want to walk away from the money? I think he may be done playing. Maybe he feels he has enough money and just is tired of putting in the work to play a NHL season. Buff has always been a bit of different type of guy.

The Jets are "terminating" his contract, which means Byfuglien would become a UFA - meaning the Hawks could sign him as a UFA for the remainder of the season.... Any contract he gets would be "pro-rated" meaning if the Hawks signed him for 7 million his cap hit would only be like 2 million for the remainder of this season... And maybe over the summer if things work out Bowman and Buff could get an extension done.

I think signing Buff would be a fantastic idea - it's nothing but reward.... I mean how could it hurt the Hawks?? get them into the playoffs? lol....

Not only that but I would love to see Buff back in the Indian head..... And honestly he's the type of defenseman (or forward at times) the Hawks could use...
- Savard2Secord

If he hasn't been on skates all year, how long do you think it would take for Buff to get in shape? I think Stan knows not t trade just to make a trade.I do not want him to trade for any player that will cost a high draft pick

If he hasn't been on skates all year, how long do you think it would take for Buff to get in shape? I think Stan knows not t trade just to make a trade.I do not want him to trade for any player that will cost a high draft pick
- LAHawk

I think he has a better chance of helping the Bears at LT at this point than the Hawks. He has to be a 3 and a half balloon by now.

Poehling > Beaudin and I’m a big fan of Beaudin
- Assman22

Is it the 1 point in 26 games? Or the general lack of scoring at lower levels?

I don't know much about him; what makes him such a good prospect?

Depends on cost and how the “mutual parting ways” works. He is owed another season at $7.6 mil cap hit (only $6 mil base salary tho) from the deal he signed with Peg. Guy is a beast in the playoffs.
- Assman22

He's also huge, old and hasn't played in quite awhile. But I'll never forget him trolling the Canucks back in the day.

If he hasn't been on skates all year, how long do you think it would take for Buff to get in shape? I think Stan knows not t trade just to make a trade.I do not want him to trade for any player that will cost a high draft pick
- LAHawk

From what I have read Buff had ankle surgery, Winnipeg refused to pay for it and apparently that pissed him off so he refused to report to camp or play until the Jets paid for it because it was a hockey injury so the Jets suspended him for refusing to report but apparently he's been skating and now apparently both sides have come to a mutual agreement to terminate his contract...

And the Hawks wouldn't have to trade for Buff if his contract was terminated - when his contract is terminated it will make him a UFA - which means he can sign with any team, however the Hawks have something like 13 million in cap space right now (at least for the rest of this season) so they could EASILY afford to sign him for the remainder of the season, and there aren't many teams that have that type of cap space that are in a playoff race that have that cap space....

The Jets are "terminating" his contract, which means Byfuglien would become a UFA - meaning the Hawks could sign him as a UFA for the remainder of the season.... Any contract he gets would be "pro-rated" meaning if the Hawks signed him for 7 million his cap hit would only be like 2 million for the remainder of this season... And maybe over the summer if things work out Bowman and Buff could get an extension done.

I think signing Buff would be a fantastic idea - it's nothing but reward.... I mean how could it hurt the Hawks?? get them into the playoffs? lol....

Not only that but I would love to see Buff back in the Indian head..... And honestly he's the type of defenseman (or forward at times) the Hawks could use...
- Savard2Secord

Why would an old, big, injured player be a good fit for a generally young team not ready to contend? And why would said player want to sign with said team?

Buff had some sort of surgery in October. My question is why does he want to walk away from the money? I think he may be done playing. Maybe he feels he has enough money and just is tired of putting in the work to play a NHL season. Buff has always been a bit of different type of guy.
- Elbows15

Because Winnipeg refused to pay for his ankle surgery, that pissed him off and now he wants out of Winnipeg..... He knows he can get a job elsewhere with a franchise that has no issue paying for his hockey-related injuries...

That's why he wants out of his contract in Winnipeg...

He's been skating for a while, he just refuses to report to Winnipeg - which is why of course he was suspended by the team.... It's not that he cant play - it's because he refuses to play because he clearly feels slighted by the Winnipeg Jets for not paying or financially covering his hockey related ankle surgery..

Depends on cost and how the “mutual parting ways” works. He is owed another season at $7.6 mil cap hit (only $6 mil base salary tho) from the deal he signed with Peg. Guy is a beast in the playoffs.
- Assman22

Reports say he just wants out of the contract. Mutual dissolution of the contract. Peg will owe him nothing. No cap hit to the new team that signs him. I doubt anyone signs him until he can prove he is physically and mentally ready to play hockey. Probably not this season.

Reports say he just wants out of the contract. Mutual dissolution of the contract. Peg will owe him nothing. No cap hit to the new team that signs him. I doubt anyone signs him until he can prove he is physically and mentally ready to play hockey. Probably not this season.
- -Doh-

Plus I am sure if he did sign, he would want a multiple year contract, not just one until the end of the year.

Why would an old, big, injured player be a good fit for a generally young team not ready to contend? And why would said player want to sign with said team?
- mohel

Well that was pretty subjective.... lol..

Buff isn't "injured"...... The Jets planned on Buff being their #1 defenseman this season - he just refused the report to camp because the Jets refused to pay for his ankle surgery....

Imagine if you broke your arm at work and your employer refused to cover your medical costs??? I'm sure that would piss you off.... Well that's what basically happened to Buff....

And besides, how could Byfuglien hurt this team if Bowman signed him for the remainder of the season?? lol

He was pretty good last season.... Now he's old and washed up?

Plus I am sure if he did sign, he would want a multiple year contract, not just one until the end of the year.
- LAHawk

I highly doubt he will demand a multi-year contract because he knows that no team right now could afford it, nor would any GM give him one..... Sure if he had an excellent rest of the season he would probably get one in the summer but not now..

I mean the Hawks are one of the few teams that could actually give him a decent contract for the rest of the season..... Bowman could sign him for 7 million but that would be a "pro-rated" contract meaning that his cap hit wouldn't be 7 million, it would be more like 2.5-3....

Poehling > Beaudin and I’m a big fan of Beaudin
- Assman22

No!!!

Well that was pretty subjective.... lol..

Buff isn't "injured"...... The Jets planned on Buff being their #1 defenseman this season - he just refused the report to camp because the Jets refused to pay for his ankle surgery....

Imagine if you broke your arm at work and your employer refused to cover your medical costs??? I'm sure that would piss you off.... Well that's what basically happened to Buff....

And besides, how could Byfuglien hurt this team if Bowman signed him for the remainder of the season?? lol

He was pretty good last season.... Now he's old and washed up?
- Savard2Secord

Totally objective!

I just don't see how either side is a match for the other at this time. If he is healthy, he'll go to a team that is contending, imo.

Last night’s game helped me understand why I dislike the Bears. They could have traded down and had Mahomes.....this was as dumb a trade as anything anyone things StanBo messed up.
- Spec41971

So could of the Niners, they could of had Mahomes, Watson or Trubisky, with that O line Trubisky would of been way better than Jimmy G. Every time Jimmy G had pressure he literally threw the ball with his eyes closed, WTF

If we add Kovalchuk and Buff we might as well just tank. No way does our team make the playoffs if we butcher our roster by bringing in that dead weight.

Because Winnipeg refused to pay for his ankle surgery, that pissed him off and now he wants out of Winnipeg..... He knows he can get a job elsewhere with a franchise that has no issue paying for his hockey-related injuries...

That's why he wants out of his contract in Winnipeg...

He's been skating for a while, he just refuses to report to Winnipeg - which is why of course he was suspended by the team.... It's not that he cant play - it's because he refuses to play because he clearly feels slighted by the Winnipeg Jets for not paying or financially covering his hockey related ankle surgery..
- Savard2Secord

This article says a whole bunch of different things including that he hasn't begun skating which is being reported by Friedman. The question as to whether is is hockey related in pretty much in doubt according to the article, too.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/...-likely-miss-rest-season/