Agree with this, too, Stan-ley.

Both Crawford and Lehner are highly valuable players at their position. My preference is to not lose one or the other (or both) for nothing by riding them out to season's end when they then become UFAs who can do whatever they want as far as which team to sign with.

Leverage one in a trade to gain picks and/or prospects.
- AEL_Fox

The only chance the Hawks have of making the playoffs is to keep both for the balance of the season. Try playing Lehner every night and don't be surprised to see a dropoff in performance using him 3 games in 4 nights or the like. And God forbid a reappearance of that stiff Colin Delia, an AHL goaler if there ever was one.

If the playoffs don't matter, trade both of them if there is real value in the returns. And then go to the free agent market in the summer.

Well TC, your write up has me convinced. Neither goalie will be traded by the TDL and one or the other will be signed after the season. And maybe that's already been determined.

The goalie trades you summarized makes it pretty evident that no playoff bound team is going to trade for a potential #1 goalie. They're playoff bound so they already have that. They're going to tweak their roster. Not upset the apple cart.

As far as what I think will happen trade-wise, IceHog depth acquired, maybe some team will bite on Gus but, I doubt it.

I think during the stretch to the TDL Bowman goes the route of the Sunday test and tune at the drag strip. He's gonna race what he brung.

I get the feeling SB is going to re-sign Lehner at 8mx8 (max) or even higher.
There is no way SB is going to risk his job putting out a goaltending duo of CC and Lankinen/Delia. It will be 2017-2018 all over again.
- squishy24

8 X 8 for Lehner should result in Stan being terminated immediately.

The only chance the Hawks have of making the playoffs is to keep both for the balance of the season. Try playing Lehner every night and don't be surprised to see a dropoff in performance using him 3 games in 4 nights or the like. And God forbid a reappearance of that stiff Colin Delia, an AHL goaler if there ever was one.

If the playoffs don't matter, trade both of them if there is real value in the returns. And then go to the free agent market in the summer.
- RickJ

I understand that perspective and think it is the smart way to go. My take on trading one of Crawford or Lehner this season is only if the team is out of the playoff chase by the TDL. The chances of that don't seem high as the team is in the thick of things which is a good thing overall.

8 X 8 for Lehner should result in Stan being terminated immediately.
- Ogilthorpe2

Agree. i'm getting to be an old geezer. But, I vividly recall when a pro contract that was as much as three years, in any sport, was a big deal. To sign anyone longer than that is fool hardy for management. Way too much can change from season to season in an athlete's career. There's just no way to know how anyone at that level will produce 5 or 6 years down the road. Especially on the high side of 30.

Except none of the goalies traded in Tyler's blog is at the level Lehner/Crow is. I think the bigger point of the blog is that teams buying are not looking for a #1, they are looking for depth.

Last deadline trade for a top UFA goaltender was Ryan Miller who got Buffalo, a first a third, Halak as prime pieces.

Goaltenders meshing with a team is not plug and play either. The defense and the goalies have to get used to each other, how does the goalie like to handle the puck, where is his defensive help coming from etc. Crow playing 11 years with the Hawks, if he was traded to another team that defends differently, with only 20-25 games left in the season,does he have the time to adapt as to the teams style of play? Or the team to how Crow plays?,

8 X 8 for Lehner should result in Stan being terminated immediately.
- Ogilthorpe2

I agree.

but what would SB do? you think he'd go for CC with Lankinen/Delia tandem next season? would you?

Agree. i'm getting to be an old geezer. But, I vividly recall when a pro contract that was as much as three years, in any sport, was a big deal. To sign anyone longer than that is fool hardy for management. Way too much can change from season to season in an athlete's career. There's just no way to know how anyone at that level will produce 5 or 6 years down the road. Especially on the high side of 30.
- BobP.

See Bobrovsky, Sergei.

Campbell brought back two 3rd round picks. Well, and Clifford, too. Crawford and Lehner should bring back more than a backup goalie. Hawks even have a Clifford in Smith to add. Maybe Carpenter but he is useful
- Elbows15

I sincerely hope you are right.

See Bobrovsky, Sergei.
- Ogilthorpe2

and Price, Carey,,Luongo, Roberto, Schneider, Corey etc. etc.

I agree.

but what would SB do? you think he'd go for CC with Lankinen/Delia tandem next season? would you?
- squishy24

This team is a ways away from being a serious contender, and I don’t see either as a long term solution. Lehner is going to want too much money for too many years, and Crawford likely isn’t going to be around much longer. That said, I would prefer Crawford on a 1-2 year deal over Lehner for anything more than 3 years.

Nothing. Sounds like they are preparing him to be out for the entire season.

He's at home enjoying his newborn son as well. So I'm sure he's thinking a lot his health and future.
- Tyler Cameron

He might be out for the year. Or...they told him to feel better, and once the Trade Deadline is over, come back and play. They might be using his LTIR to improve. Similar to when Kane got hurt that one year and we got Vermette and won the cup.

Chunk, you had an all time great response in the last thread re drinking all day. Well done. I laughed out loud reading that. Tip of the cap to you sir/ma'am

See Bobrovsky, Sergei.
- Ogilthorpe2

He has a .898 sv% and 3.28 GA currently

7 Yrs at 10m/yr cap hit at the age of 30

they're all nuts !

Maybe he rebounds and plays well thru most of it, then again, perhaps not

Nobody here knows what the internal push is on Bowman....Is he being pushed to get back to the playoffs as a fringe team by ownership? Otherwise, he should be selling what he can as soon as he can where it makes sense.

There is zero point for him to go after a rental player and give up a prospect or pick. If there is a guy signed for a few years that makes sense....that's a different story.

As far as 40 or 50 goes.....if Bowman is still talking to 40s camp and evaluating if they are willing to sign without hitting UFA to gauge other offers AND the price and term makes sense...I think you do that. IF Lehner wants to hit 7/1 or has asinine demands, you have to sell on him regardless IF they go 5-0 on this trip. There will be a team willing to pay a higher draft pick to sure up their back end...Carolina or Edmonton and the Hawks can take a back a turd deal and fit it in to make it work cap wise.

Im in the camp you listen on whoever comes knocking for whatever player. Saad, Keith could draw a crowd and it was reported by Powers Keith wouldn't waive last year, so who knows this year.

Accumulate picks, younger prospects, and start figuring out your "next core" that you can build around when the window opens again in the next few years.

The worst thing they can do is be a fringe playoff team, up against the cap, with an aging roster, and zero reinforcements on the horizon. That's the bulls, who I was shocked to know still are functioning as a franchise.

This team is a ways away from being a serious contender, and I don’t see either as a long term solution. Lehner is going to want too much money for too many years, and Crawford likely isn’t going to be around much longer. That said, I would prefer Crawford on a 1-2 year deal over Lehner for anything more than 3 years.
- Ogilthorpe2

what you say makes sense and I understand it enough that 8 out of 10 times I would agree. But I keep thinking about it in SBs shoes, he knows that this team is only talking about playoffs is because of the goalies. there is probably a mandate from above where he might lose his job if a play-offs appearance (this season or next season) doesn't happen. We all know where the team is without a good goalie tandem. CC, coincidence or not, have great years when there is another goalie that can take over the #1 duty. I doubt SB would risk losing Lehner, and he might give him a ridiculous contract to prevent him from walking away.

He might be out for the year. Or...they told him to feel better, and once the Trade Deadline is over, come back and play. They might be using his LTIR to improve. Similar to when Kane got hurt that one year and we got Vermette and won the cup.
- onehundredlevel

I don't see them using that cap space to acquire a large rental player. If anything they make take on bad deals for draft picks.

I hope the Shaw experiment FINALLY ends the Hawks love with "getting the band back together". Maybe this board or Tyler can hold an In Memorium blog post where we all get our love for the championship years and we can finally stop rehashing last decade....bad trades, titles, older players, etc.

what you say makes sense and I understand it enough that 8 out of 10 times I would agree. But I keep thinking about it in SBs shoes, he knows that this team is only talking about playoffs is because of the goalies. there is probably a mandate from above where he might lose his job if a play-offs appearance (this season or next season) doesn't happen. We all know where the team is without a good goalie tandem. CC, coincidence or not, have great years when there is another goalie that can take over the #1 duty. I doubt SB would risk losing Lehner, and he might give him a ridiculous contract to prevent him from walking away.
- squishy24

Baring a miracle you will not have 40 and 50 both here next year. It won't happen. There will be a younger kid, no clue which one, backing up 40 or 50.

The other variable to this is, is that 50 has shown to be healthy this year but remember he's not playing #1 minutes as JC has rotated both on a good clip So can 50 withstand 50-60 games? No idea....but we also saw what happens when he can't and with this erratic D in front of an average at best or below average goalie......this board will need a licensed therapist on call.

Extension may be done and simply not announced?
- rpeters01

Why would they not announce it? This is McMedddler we are talking about here.

Baring a miracle you will not have 40 and 50 both here next year. It won't happen. There will be a younger kid, no clue which one, backing up 40 or 50.

The other variable to this is, is that 50 has shown to be healthy this year but remember he's not playing #1 minutes as JC has rotated both on a good clip So can 50 withstand 50-60 games? No idea....but we also saw what happens when he can't and with this erratic D in front of an average at best or below average goalie......this board will need a licensed therapist on call.
- SteveRain

Will need?

Why would they not announce it? This is McMedddler we are talking about here.
- Elbows15

Impeachment news would have bumped this news story.

and

I sincerely hope you are right.
- -Doh-

And I sincerely hope they trade both Smith and Lehner.

Extension may be done and simply not announced?
- rpeters01

It will be announced when Mitchell signs.

Impeachment news would have bumped this news story.
- powerenforcer

Yeah, no. The whole world knew the Senate was never going to take the House impeachment seriously.

Partisans doing partisan things is hardly a story.

Baring a miracle you will not have 40 and 50 both here next year. It won't happen. There will be a younger kid, no clue which one, backing up 40 or 50.

The other variable to this is, is that 50 has shown to be healthy this year but remember he's not playing #1 minutes as JC has rotated both on a good clip So can 50 withstand 50-60 games? No idea....but we also saw what happens when he can't and with this erratic D in front of an average at best or below average goalie......this board will need a licensed therapist on call.
- SteveRain

Lehner with Lankinen/Delia is more ideal than CC with Lankinen/Delia. remember, Lehner is only turning 29 this July, an 8 yr contract will see him finish it at 37. The same age people are ok with for CC to be a #1.

just want to point out that I'm not for re-signing Lehner at a max contract. Just throwing out a possible SB perspective, with the pressure of annual playoffs appearance and the consequence of failing to do so. I mean, we all don't care if SB gets fired, that's why were ok with "rebuilding" and tanking, but for SB? the motives of his actions are different from ours.