I can neither confirm nor deny shady1962 is my alt.
- Elbows15

Ha ha. First VopatsRush and now shady1962. Lots of fun here.

So your saying Stanley should have traded Strome and paid the money saved from Strome to pay Suter? Another Bowman fail.
- Diamondhands

Suter's contract $3.25 mil (Red Wings)
Strome's contract $3.0 mil (Hawks)
Nope. I am fine with Stan letting Suter go. I am hoping he can find a taker for Strome.

Hawks are still not a serious contender even after acquiring an aging goalkeeper, The blueline Is still really bad and Fleury will be fighting the puck nightly.
- Shady1962

You can say this about more than half the teams in the league right now, just insert other goalie name.

Suter's contract $3.25 mil (Red Wings)
Strome's contract $3.0 mil (Hawks)
Nope. I am fine with Stan letting Suter go. I am hoping he can find a taker for Strome.
- -Doh-

Yup. Suter is a "nice" player. That's about it.

Yup. Suter is a "nice" player. That's about it.
- Chunk

Will you be attending his Hall of Fame induction ceremony in a Hawk sweater?

Suter's contract $3.25 mil (Red Wings)
Strome's contract $3.0 mil (Hawks)
Nope. I am fine with Stan letting Suter go. I am hoping he can find a taker for Strome.
- -Doh-

Surer’s stats are better though

In addition to moving some or all of Strome, Connolly, deHaan, Subban and Delia, Stan may need to find a 4th line center that can take faceoffs.

Last year's faceoff leaders on the Hawks (with over 100 faceoffs taken).
Kampf 52.8%
Soderberg 51.5%
Carpenter 48.4%
Strome 47.0%
Suter 42.6%
Kurashev 41.1%
Dach 40.3%

Toews (if healthy) is a career 56% faceoff man. Tyler Johnson is a career 49.5% faceoff man. After that UGH!! Dach is a 37% faceoff man (but should improve). His wrist injury last year could have been a major factor (or not). We are hoping Strome is gone. Khaira took 378 faceoffs last year and won 45.3%.

Soderberg is still unsigned. He might be a nice fit on the 4th line. He played for $1 mil last year. So easy on the cap.

4th line
Soderberg (7G in 45 games 14 minutes TOI, 51.5 FO%)
Khaira (3G in 40 games 12 minutes TOI, 45.3 FO%)
Carpenter (4G in 40 games 13 minutes TOI, 48.4 FO%)
It would be slow as hell but fairly tough to play against, They could all take faceoffs and play on the penalty kill too.
- -Doh-

Soderberg signed a 2-year contract back home in Sweden. He's supposedly expected to be finishing out his pro career there.

However, if the Hawks are in the market for a 4C (they'd have to get rid of a lot of current players to make space, though), then a few come to mind like E Staal, Zajac, or Bozak.

Surer’s stats are better though
- Diamondhands

My stats are almost as good as Strome's.

Will you be attending his Hall of Fame induction ceremony in a Hawk sweater?
- mohel

I'm giving his induction speech, so I'll have to wear something befitting this tepid comment.

I'm giving his induction speech, so I'll have to wear something befitting this tepid comment.
- Chunk

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
·
2h
Bowman on not re-signing Pius Suter or David Kampf: "Looking at where the numbers were, as far as what we were comfortable paying them and what was available on the market, there wasn't a match... We certainly made an attempt to keep them here, but some change is good."

2h
Bowman says "no change" on Toews' situation.

"With what he's gone through, we don't know where it's going to be. Where we are today, things are looking good."

1h
I followed up asking about Strome: "Yeah, he’s played probably his best hockey at center. It's not to say he won’t be playing center going forward, but [he's] also had some time on the wing... We've got a lot of centers. Some are going to be playing on the wing and that’s OK."

Connolly was dumped by Florida Borgstrom was the target in the trade. Stan ate the Connolly contract to get Borgstrom.
- rpeters01

True, but Stillman will be the only value the Hawks get from that deal.

Connolly was dumped by Florida Borgstrom was the target in the trade. Stan ate the Connolly contract to get Borgstrom.
- rpeters01

Is Connolly that bad he a big fellow with some decent numbers in recent history ,maybe he due for a bounce back year just asking

Elbows will be devastated:

Hearing D Ryan Murray to Colorado. Good place to chase a Cup

Self-reflection? Sounds woke to me and lends credence to the notion that he might rebrand the franchise.


- Diamondhands

No

Is Connolly that bad he a big fellow with some decent numbers in recent history ,maybe he due for a bounce back year just asking
- oldduffman

He is only 29. Over the last 5 years (not including last year) he averaged 71 games played, 16 goals, 15 assists playing about 13 minutes per night. I could see him hitting those numbers depending on the line he plays on. I don't see him playing a top 6 role. If healthy the top 6 is probably Toews, Kane, DeBrincat, Kubalik, Dach and Nylander (at least to start the season, then maybe Reichel). A 3rd line with Tyler Johnson centering and Hagel on one wing and Connolly on the other would be a damn good 3rd line. But then who do you play as the 4th line center. Carpenter? Khaira? Kurashev? Strome? Out of those 4 I would have to choose Carpenter. He is decent at the dot and can defend the front of our net.

That's not the point. If you are a player and have several options, you are less likely to sign with a team known to flip players quickly.

Sometimes we forget that players are human beings with families and most do not want to get uprooted.
- CSKA1981

Sure and Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy are real. The "poor players" get to play a sport for work and make millions. If they don't want to deal with getting traded then find a real job boo hoo.

Theo, just saw that Hawk 3rd rd pick, 7 footer Dman Taige Harding, is staying in the AJHL next yr. He was drafted by Fargo of the USHL but instead is staying in Jr A up in Canada. https://www.mix1037fm.com/2021/07/26/94898/

I understand a Canadian kid wanting to stay in Canada but this kid is 19, a January born 02 so he'll be 20 midseason. Being drafted by the Hawks you'd assume it's time to develop to the fullest, maybe a stop in the USHL before going to Providence. https://www.eliteprospect...ayer/201918/taige-harding

Thought you'd wanna file this in your prospects folder. No deal breaker here but I'm positive the Hawks would like to see a near 20 yr old step up in class instead of staying in the hood.

He is only 29. Over the last 5 years (not including last year) he averaged 71 games played, 16 goals, 15 assists playing about 13 minutes per night. I could see him hitting those numbers depending on the line he plays on. I don't see him playing a top 6 role. If healthy the top 6 is probably Toews, Kane, DeBrincat, Kubalik, Dach and Nylander (at least to start the season, then maybe Reichel). A 3rd line with Tyler Johnson centering and Hagel on one wing and Connolly on the other would be a damn good 3rd line. But then who do you play as the 4th line center. Carpenter? Khaira? Kurashev? Strome? Out of those 4 I would have to choose Carpenter. He is decent at the dot and can defend the front of our net.
- -Doh-

Ok thanks .That could be a sneaky good line .I don't see Nylander hanging around ,hope I am wrong but this team is in a win now mode and Nylander is a real project that I don't believe they have time for . Khaira with Hardman and Entwhistle could be a banging good 4th line maybe .

True, but Stillman will be the only value the Hawks get from that deal.
- DarthKane

Sarcastic or not Stan's biggest strategy seems to be trying to find a player under a rock. See Duclair, Panik, Strome, Perlini, Quenneville, Nylander, Borgstrom...

Ok thanks .That could be a sneaky good line .I don't see Nylander hanging around ,hope I am wrong but this team is in a win now mode and Nylander is a real project that I don't believe they have time for . Khaira with Hardman and Entwhistle could be a banging good 4th line maybe .
- oldduffman

I agree on Nylander. But if he falters after 10 games, they could bring up Reichel and give him a shot. (or maybe Gaudette or Borgstom force there way into consideration).

It would be hard to contend with 2 rookies (Hardman and Entwhistle) on the 4th line. They would have a lot of defensive responsibility for young players.

Theo, just saw that Hawk 3rd rd pick, 7 footer Dman Taige Harding, is staying in the AJHL next yr. He was drafted by Fargo of the USHL but instead is staying in Jr A up in Canada. https://www.mix1037fm.com/2021/07/26/94898/

I understand a Canadian kid wanting to stay in Canada but this kid is 19, a January born 02 so he'll be 20 midseason. Being drafted by the Hawks you'd assume it's time to develop to the fullest, maybe a stop in the USHL before going to Providence. https://www.eliteprospect...ayer/201918/taige-harding

Thought you'd wanna file this in your prospects folder. No deal breaker here but I'm positive the Hawks would like to see a near 20 yr old step up in class instead of staying in the hood.
- Mr Ricochet

A lot of guys stay in Minor junior A to give them them the opportunity to play in college. Is there anything about him looking at getting into college?

Sarcastic or not Stan's biggest strategy seems to be trying to find a player under a rock. See Duclair, Panik, Strome, Perlini, Quenneville, Nylander, Borgstrom...
- rpeters01

As long as he leaves no stone unturned

Theo, just saw that Hawk 3rd rd pick, 7 footer Dman Taige Harding, is staying in the AJHL next yr. He was drafted by Fargo of the USHL but instead is staying in Jr A up in Canada. https://www.mix1037fm.com/2021/07/26/94898/

I understand a Canadian kid wanting to stay in Canada but this kid is 19, a January born 02 so he'll be 20 midseason. Being drafted by the Hawks you'd assume it's time to develop to the fullest, maybe a stop in the USHL before going to Providence. https://www.eliteprospect...ayer/201918/taige-harding

Thought you'd wanna file this in your prospects folder. No deal breaker here but I'm positive the Hawks would like to see a near 20 yr old step up in class instead of staying in the hood.
- Mr Ricochet

Thanks for sharing this update, Rico. I keep a pretty extensive speadsheet with a dozen tabs or so of information on Hawks prospects, IceHogs, draft hopefuls (in the weeks and months leading up to the draft), etc. so this update on Harding is helpful.

The Hawks seemed to have drafted several overagers a few weekends ago (Harding, Safonov, Kelley, Luypen). I agree, someone who is 19-20 years old should be playing in a more appropriate league like the NCAA for a greater challenge.

Then again, if the Hawks player personnel staff think the AJHL or other junior league is better, who am I to argue. One would think, though, that growth potential would be greater elsewhere.

Yup. Suter is a "nice" player. That's about it.
- Chunk

If Connolly isn't worth $3.5 no takers, no way Suter is worth $3.25.