Um, because they have cap space now to significantly improve this team?

It seems like some Hawks fans want us to be the next Edmonton Oilers....

When you have 13M in cap space and you're a "bubble team" why the heck would you NOT use that cap space to improve your team? improve your team and potentially become a contender?

13M is a massive advantage over other teams on the bubble - it's essentially an advantage over ANY TEAM that has a chance to secure a playoff spot.....
- Savard2Secord

So when it doesn't work you are stuck with no assets? They are 5 points back with less than 30 games. That is insurmountable. I won't even mention the number of teams they have to jump to even be in the conversation to become a "contender" for the final playoff spot.

Amen, brother.
- mohel

Yea, I doubt that..... Buff just wants out of Winnipeg - and who could blame him, lol.

The Bulls fell apart because they had no cohesion (that and Jordan lost all interest, after his second retirement)...... At the time it blew my mind - they were the best team in the world but the team we're at odds with the coach, owner and each other...... It was like they were competing with each other in the end.... Basketball is NOT like hockey.... I'm not going to take anything away from Phil Jackson but Hockey and Basketball are not the same sport....
- Savard2Secord

Jordan was a Wizard when he retired the 2nd time. The team wasn't at odds with Jackson. It was Jerry Krauss who made the decision to not let the team come back for a try at the 7th title.

Scotty Bowman is the has more wins and more cups than any coach, and even he coached 4 different NHL teams. Sometimes everyone involved needs a change.
- Ogilthorpe2

Billy Martin managed how many baseball teams. Heck the Cubs all time winningest manager by percentage just got dumped for being the first in 108 years to win a title. Honestly don't understand other than Theo not wanting to admit he f'd up unless Rickets wanted to save money?

The Jets allegedly are mutually releasing Buff from his contract - there is no "trade" - after Buff has his contract terminated he would become an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) which means ANY TEAM can sign him..

I'm just suggesting that perhaps Bowman should offer him a contract for the rest of the season and if he does well, then perhaps he can earn an extension....

No one is trading for Byfuglien....
- Savard2Secord

The Hawks aren't contending for anything. No reason to sign him and no reason for him to sign here.

Signing or trading for old guys is moronic for a team in the position the Hawks are in, imo.

So when it doesn't work you are stuck with no assets? They are 5 points back with less than 30 games. That is insurmountable. I won't even mention the number of teams they have to jump to even be in the conversation to become a "contender" for the final playoff spot.
- Elbows15

NO!

What I say is: that I have 13M in cap space and in a playoff position - I say to myself: "I have a lot of cap space" maybe we can be the the "2019 Blues" without giving up significant assets...... That's what I say, lol....

There are assets on the market that could help the Hawks that would cost them nothing..... It's a low risk high reward game!

So when it doesn't work you are stuck with no assets? They are 5 points back with less than 30 games. That is insurmountable. I won't even mention the number of teams they have to jump to even be in the conversation to become a "contender" for the final playoff spot.
- Elbows15

They didn't think anything was worth the risk of making the playoffs. There was nothing preventing the Hawks from making potential moves a month ago, if they had the desire. They didn't have that desire. God bless 'em.

NO!

What I say is: that I have 13M in cap space and in a playoff position - I say to myself: "I have a lot of cap space" maybe we can be the the "2019 Blues" without giving up significant assets...... That's what I say, lol....

There are assets on the market that could help the Hawks that would cost them nothing..... It's a low risk high reward game!
- Savard2Secord

I hope this is a high end trolling effort.

If not, then, no.

Jordan was a Wizard when he retired the 2nd time. The team wasn't at odds with Jackson. It was Jerry Krauss who made the decision to not let the team come back for a try at the 7th title.
- Elbows15

Actually, the Wizard retirement was his third - two with the Bulls, then 3 years off, then 2 with Baltimore.

Krauss wanted to be known as the guy who could win championships without Michael and Phil. He also wanted his fishing buddy (Tim Floyd) to coach HIS team.

But ignoring all of that - it was time for that team to bust it up too - Michael became less interested (probably because of the trauma surrounding the team) and was 35, Rodman was getting ready to completely leave the rails, Pippen was slowing down at 33 (he missed about half of the season with back issues, IIRC) and couldn't get Portland over the line....

As a fan, I did feel cheated that we couldn't get a happy ending (so to speak) after all of the championships.

The Hawks aren't contending for anything. No reason to sign him and no reason for him to sign here.

Signing or trading for old guys is moronic for a team in the position the Hawks are in, imo.
- mohel

LOL, the Hawks aren't contending?...... That is the whole point of bringing in Kovi & Buff or perhaps Thornton.....

Yea, I doubt that..... Buff just wants out of Winnipeg - and who could blame him, lol.
- Savard2Secord

Have you ever been to Winnipeg?? Its a great city. Its cold but has great people, and really nice place to raise a family.

Um, because they have cap space now to significantly improve this team?

It seems like some Hawks fans want us to be the next Edmonton Oilers....

When you have 13M in cap space and you're a "bubble team" why the heck would you NOT use that cap space to improve your team? improve your team and potentially become a contender?

13M is a massive advantage over other teams on the bubble - it's essentially an advantage over ANY TEAM that has a chance to secure a playoff spot.....
- Savard2Secord

Except you don't really have 13M in cap space. You have 13M is space for players available who are UFA at the end of the year. They guys you keep talking about are 900 years old and on their last legs (if they have any legs at all). Kovy get a bump playing top line and top PP minutes on an average team (who also isn't going anywhere. Joe Thornton is under 0.5 PPG and slow as all hell, and Byfuglien HAS NOT EVEN STARTED SKATING YET:

From Feb 5th 2020:
So if Byfuglien still intends to play in the NHL, when will that happen? He’ll have to pass through waivers first, and then he’d have to sign with a team by Feb. 24, a.k.a. trade deadline day, to be eligible for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Byfuglien has not started skating yet and is more likely to resume his career next season. But what if the promise of joining a new team for a playoff race motivates Byfuglien to accelerate the rehab process if possible? We know so little about the situation that we can’t say for certain if the injury itself has kept the timeline slow – or if Byfuglien has merely been moving at his own pace.

Not only do are you looking to add these pieces, but what are you giving up to get them? Likely draft picks/prospects. The very thing this team needs more of. not to mention who are they replacing? Throwing out Byfuglien, because that is simply not going to happen, if Kovy is replacing Highmore or Smith, all you are doing is getting worse defensively. Who is Thornton going to replace? He is a slower version of David Kampf at this point in his career (with a few more assists).

This team IN NO WAY should be adding old vets to the roster.

I hope this is a high end trolling effort.

If not, then, no.
- mohel

Flat Earthers...now there is a high end trolling effort if I ever saw one.

I hope this is a high end trolling effort.

If not, then, no.
- mohel

Are you serious?

The Hawks have 13 million in cap space before the trade deadline...... Why not use that space and acquire players that could help the team make the playoffs..... Of course after the playoffs are over, the Hawks have a 10% cap overage they can use this summer before the pylons start skating again but once the season starts guess who goes back to the cap?

So why the F would the Blackhawks NOT use this cap space to acquire a significant player while they have the cap space????? especially when it's pro-rated???..... I cant tell you who Bowman is looking at but for all I Know it's Taylor Hall...... All I can say is that Bowman would be an idiot to not use that cap space.

Except you don't really have 13M in cap space. You have 13M is space for players available who are UFA at the end of the year. They guys you keep talking about are 900 years old and on their last legs (if they have any legs at all). Kovy get a bump playing top line and top PP minutes on an average team (who also isn't going anywhere. Joe Thornton is under 0.5 PPG and slow as all hell, and Byfuglien HAS NOT EVEN STARTED SKATING YET:

From Feb 5th 2020:
So if Byfuglien still intends to play in the NHL, when will that happen? He’ll have to pass through waivers first, and then he’d have to sign with a team by Feb. 24, a.k.a. trade deadline day, to be eligible for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Byfuglien has not started skating yet and is more likely to resume his career next season. But what if the promise of joining a new team for a playoff race motivates Byfuglien to accelerate the rehab process if possible? We know so little about the situation that we can’t say for certain if the injury itself has kept the timeline slow – or if Byfuglien has merely been moving at his own pace.

Not only do are you looking to add these pieces, but what are you giving up to get them? Likely draft picks/prospects. The very thing this team needs more of. not to mention who are they replacing? Throwing out Byfuglien, because that is simply not going to happen, if Kovy is replacing Highmore or Smith, all you are doing is getting worse defensively. Who is Thornton going to replace? He is a slower version of David Kampf at this point in his career (with a few more assists).

This team IN NO WAY should be adding old vets to the roster.
- Chunk

Except you do have 13 million - it's just pro-rated... lol

Flat Earthers...now there is a high end trolling effort if I ever saw one.
- Ogilthorpe2

The Earth is a semi-sphere and we figured that out 5,500 years ago.

Are you serious?

The Hawks have 13 million in cap space before the trade deadline...... Why not use that space and acquire players that could help the team make the playoffs..... Of course after the playoffs are over, the Hawks have a 10% cap overage they can use this summer before the pylons start skating again but once the season starts guess who goes back to the cap?

So why the F would the Blackhawks NOT use this cap space to acquire a significant player while they have the cap space????? especially when it's pro-rated???..... I cant tell you who Bowman is looking at but for all I Know it's Taylor Hall...... All I can say is that Bowman would be an idiot to not use that cap space.
- Savard2Secord

That's what I thought. Nice work.

Really?
- mohel

Might as well get Brower while we are at it.

The Earth is a semi-sphere and we figured that out 5,500 years ago.
- Savard2Secord

Right.

How about Chem Trails?

if the Earth was flat then hockey wouldn't work.... lol

If they are out of the playoffs (like 0 for this trip), then they should take high salary expiring contracts and high picks/high prospects from teams that need help to stay in playoff race or better their position. Start taking advantage of other teams while the fax machine is still working. No more of these 11th hour trades.

Should be gone yesterday- Gus, Special K, Smith

Should go ASAP to maintain value- Lehner, Maatta, Caggs and maybe Strome and Carpenter. Gotta keep one goalie.

Should go if an overpay. Saad, Murphy

Not going anywhere for reasons. Toews, Kane, Dinky, Kubalik, Dach, Boqvist.

Little to no value types. Highmore, Kampf, Seeler

Unsure- Keith
- Elbows15

Lehner should stay. $7 million x 7 years.

Well as a vintage card collector (Blackhawks generally, but own all Topps/OPC sets from the mid-60's to the stupid mid-90's) and someone that owns numerous Blackhawks books, based on history and opinion, I can just give you my opinion over these decades, however one thing I can confidently tell you is that Q was the best coach in Chicago Blackhawks history....... The weirdest???? mmmm Mike Keenan

- Savard2Secord

Many fond memories of standing outside Gate 3 1/2 after games with my late father in sometimes inclement weather waiting for players to walk out to their bus in hopes of getting an autograph. Sometimes my dad would drive us up from NW Indiana leaving mid second period to be there before the game ended to get a good spot. Even sometimes I could walk right in unnoticed and catch the end of the game for free.

Wonder if some of you on this board were out there too with a 10 year old me trying to get signatures...? Met Lemieux, Jagr. Brett Hull (never stopped), Bourque, Messier, and even Gretzky (who would always stand inside the bus on the steps while being handed stuff and signing all he could).

Long and short of it is we have it good as Hawks fans though it's sometimes fun to complain (and always read along with everyone arguing), the fact is life is short and we should be grateful for 2010, 2013, 2015 and whatever the future may bring.

Truth is we have it a TON better than alot of teams.

I'll keep on reading...

Lehner should stay. $7 million x 7 years.
- DarthKane

Yes, exactly this

Except you do have 13 million - it's just pro-rated... lol
- Savard2Secord

Okay so they have $13M in cap space, are you getting these dinosaurs for free? Because Stan would have to be insane to give up any assets. On top of that, he would have to get the okay from ownership on his gamble. Stan to Rocky, “give me $13M and maybe we make the playoffs, and I’ll make you $4M”, that will go over well. Please let me know what you don’t understand.