Re: NHL (Blackhawks included) offseason thread

[jersey cubs fan]

Do we need to start the offseason thread so I can talk about this stuff and not annoy the people who just want to bask in the glow in the parade today? (Not that I'm not basking too).

 

 

Talking to other teams' fans on message boards, it feels like Niemi has got some serious "Cup-Winning Goalie" pixie dust and may be signed to a strong offer sheet. If that's the case, I really hope the Blackhawks take the 1st and 3rd picks, laugh all the way to the draft, and sign one of the many, many decent UFA goalies out there to a really cheap deal and save the cap space for forwards.

 

I'd love to let him walk in that situation, but I don't see it happening.

 

 

now quit crying about this crap in the good thread.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm not crying, I'm excited.

 

They are going to have to dismantle some of the peripheral parts of the team, which on an emotional level sucks because I'd love for all these guys to be Hawks for life.

 

But from a hockey standpoint, they won't miss a lot of these guys that much. You'll still have Toews taking 1/3rd of your faceoffs, you'll have Kane and Hossa wreaking havoc on every power play, you'll have Keith and Seabrook eating up 25-28 minutes a night and shutting down the other team's top lines. The rest is just gravy. Your best players are way more important than your depth in this league.

 

And in the meantime, we are going to load up. We're going to be dealing several good young hockey players and I'm expecting a huge haul in return. As long as this organization continues to prove it can draft and develop good young hockey players, we are set for a long time, because we're going to just keep reloading.

 

We'll spend the next two or three seasons in the "pack" of 6-8 teams that might win the Cup, maybe win another one or two, and then in a few years we'll have another perfect storm:

 

1) Some of the cap headaches will have cleared up

2) A few more young players will have emerged

3) the core will hit their primes (Toews is freaking 22. I just can't believe that)

4) The cap will have gone up along with league revenue.

 

When that happens, expect them to make a huge free-agent splash and load up for another season or two like this one, where we are just flat-out the best team in the league and favored to win the Cup.

 

Right now, I feel like it's about 50/50 that we win at least one more Cup in the next 5-6 years.

[UMFan83]

But.....but...I don't want it to be the postseason yet...

 

Is there really not a game tomorrow?

 

What am I going to do now?

[brinoch]

It's very sad that there isn't a game tonight. That's the only downer, if one can call it as such, of winning the Cup. I'll take the Cup, thank you. I have that game on my DVR and can watch it at will (plus the Game 5 highlights against Nashville).

 

I think if someone offers more than the 2nd round offer sheet (4 million), you have to let him go.

[bcl412]

I may regret saying this 49 years from now but I don't think they go another 49 years without winning the cup again.

[UMFan83]

I think if someone offers more than the 2nd round offer sheet (4 million), you have to let him go.

 

I'm assuming your talking about Niemi. I think it depends on what management is thinking with regards to the Huet situation. If they have a plan that will rid themselves of most or all of his cap hold by getting rid of him, you can afford to keep Niemi. If they cannot move Huet, then yes I think you can accept letting him go. I mean if you let Niemi go, then you are either sticking with Huet as your guy next year (or having him backup Crawford), or you are getting rid of Huet too, and leaving yourself in a situation where you have to acquire another goalie somehow.

 

I don't believe in that pixie dust cup winning crap. Any halfway smart person, which all GMs should be, can see how mediocre Niemi was in the Finals. They also have to know how good our defense was and how much that contributed to our success in goal prevention. Look at the end of the year when Campbell was out and Seabrook missed some time. We struggled to prevent goals. I'm not saying Niemi is garbage, I'm just saying that no team is going to consider Niemi enough of an upgrade at goalie to risk a 2nd round pick or more on acquiring him.

[hawkeyecub]

It's very sad that there isn't a game tonight. That's the only downer, if one can call it as such, of winning the Cup. I'll take the Cup, thank you. I have that game on my DVR and can watch it at will (plus the Game 5 highlights against Nashville).

 

About 5-10 minutes after the winner the other night I was kind of bummed that there were no more games. I enjoyed this entire NHL playoff season more than any professional postseason I can remember. I've got the 4 Stanley Cup wins, 3 Sharks wins, 2 from the Canucks and game 5 from Nashville on the DVR.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

There are like a dozen, decent, veteran goalies on the FA market this season. You could get one for less than a million, I bet, and let both Niemi and Huet go.

 

I keep reading contradictory things about the bonus cushion cap hits.

 

If this article is correct:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/blackhawks-exceed-salary-cap-by-millions/article1601162/

 

Then we are facing total capocalypse this offseason and it'll get pretty ugly if we can't move someone like Campbell.

[brinoch]

If it's true that $4M is on next year's cap, we'll have to move another player... simple as that. Byfuglien or Bolland would have to go. The simple fact is that we're going to have to move several young players who were key contributers. Either that or find a taker for Campbell -- and then we'll need to find a solid, puck-moving defenseman/PPQB to replace him.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If it's true that $4M is on next year's cap, we'll have to move another player... simple as that. Byfuglien or Bolland would have to go. The simple fact is that we're going to have to move several young players who were key contributers. Either that or find a taker for Campbell -- and then we'll need to find a solid, puck-moving defenseman/PPQB to replace him.

 

Factoring in that $4 million, I think we need to do the following:

 

Waive Huet to the minors (it's assumed Rocky will do that, but nobody knows for sure)

Trade Versteeg and Byfuglien

Trade Sopel or hope he retires

Pray nobody offers Hjarlmarsson more than about $3 million on an offer sheet, and let him go if they do

Get a super, duper cheap third/fourth center to replace Madden

Choose between Niemi and Ladd. I'd rather have Ladd, but I suspect they'll choose Niemi.

 

 

Fans of other teams will crow at all they've lost until next April when the Blackhawks are still fighting hard with Detroit for the division and a very high seed, then going deep into the playoffs, because really the stars are more important than the depth.

[Magnetic Curses]

If it's true that $4M is on next year's cap, we'll have to move another player... simple as that. Byfuglien or Bolland would have to go. The simple fact is that we're going to have to move several young players who were key contributers. Either that or find a taker for Campbell -- and then we'll need to find a solid, puck-moving defenseman/PPQB to replace him.

 

I can live without Buff, but Bolland would be hard to part with. That guy seems to be a bit of a rising star.

[UMFan83]

Agreed on Bolland. As long as he can stay healthy. Back injuries are interesting long term.

 

Does this plan work at all?

1. Huet to minors

2. Bye bye Versteeg, Byfuglien, Ladd, Madden, Sopel

3. Resign RFAs Hjalmarsson, Niemi, Fraser, Skille, either Hendry or Bickell or both if they can afford it

4. Resign UFA Burish (maybe)

 

 

Line 1:

Beach

Toews

Kane

 

Line 2:

Brouwer

Sharp

Hossa

 

Line 3:

Kopecky

Bolland

Skille

 

Line 4:

Burish (? I know he's a UFA, is there value for him around the league or can we sign him cheap?)

Fraser

Eager

 

D1:

Keith

Seabrook

 

D2:

Campbell

Hjalmarsson

 

D3:

Hendry/Bickell

Lalonde

 

G:

Niemi

Crawford

 

I don't necessarily think that's a huge dropoff. I guess it all depends on how well Skille, Lalonde and Beach adapt to the NHL. But from what I read, they are all fairly highly regarded. And our depth with the 2 scratched players to take us to 22 will be minimum salary players. So we probably wouldn't be contending for a 1 seed necessarily with less depth to overcome injuries. But if we can be fortunate and stay healthy going into the playoffs, I think we can challenge for the Cup again.

 

That said, like I've said before, I always worry about when a really really young core reaches the highest level so early. I don't know if they will be able to keep their focus up like they did this year, because they will need to with less depth and overall talent on the team.

[17 Seconds]

i really hope byfuglien is one of the guys to go. not because i want him to go, but because i think his value is at an all time high right now, and we know what regular season byfuglien is like.

 

he now has a stanley cup ring, and there is no olympic team to try to make next season. where will his motivation come from? SELL HIGH

[17 Seconds]

If it's true that $4M is on next year's cap, we'll have to move another player... simple as that. Byfuglien or Bolland would have to go. The simple fact is that we're going to have to move several young players who were key contributers. Either that or find a taker for Campbell -- and then we'll need to find a solid, puck-moving defenseman/PPQB to replace him.

 

I can live without Buff, but Bolland would be hard to part with. That guy seems to be a bit of a rising star.

 

yes, bolland needs to stay. he wasn't fully back from the injury until around the beginning of the vancouver series. i liked him before this season, and after this postseason i like him even more. pleeeeeeeease keep bolland.

[brinoch]

Personally, I would absolutely move Byfuglien and Versteeg. I don't think their value will ever be higher. If you can get great value for Bolland, I would do so. If anyone signs Niemi to an offer sheet, let him go. Keep Hjalmarsson at all costs. If you can keep Ladd on the cheap, do so.

[17 Seconds]

yeah, we can't afford to lose any of the big 4 on d. hjalmarsson has to stay.

[Magnetic Curses]

i just really think it's a mistake to trade bolland, unless they want to trade us the farm.

[Flames24Rulz]

i really hope byfuglien is one of the guys to go. not because i want him to go, but because i think his value is at an all time high right now, and we know what regular season byfuglien is like.

 

he now has a stanley cup ring, and there is no olympic team to try to make next season. where will his motivation come from? SELL HIGH

 

The regular season is irrelevant now. I'll take the guy that's going to show up when the games matter over the long 82 game stretch. He's actually, you know, good in the playoffs and has some pretty valuable assets. Of course I'm one of the bigger Buff fans on here, but I think it's an absolute mistake to trade him if you're going to use the regular season reasoning.

 

I don't want Bolland going anywhere either. Definition of a great two-way player.

 

Get rid of Versteeg, Sopel, Madden, Huet, and Burish. Keep Nik, Niemi, and Ladd. We'll see where we go from there.

[17 Seconds]

i really hope byfuglien is one of the guys to go. not because i want him to go, but because i think his value is at an all time high right now, and we know what regular season byfuglien is like.

 

he now has a stanley cup ring, and there is no olympic team to try to make next season. where will his motivation come from? SELL HIGH

 

The regular season is irrelevant now. I'll take the guy that's going to show up when the games matter over the long 82 game stretch. He's actually, you know, good in the playoffs and has some pretty valuable assets. Of course I'm one of the bigger Buff fans on here, but I think it's an absolute mistake to trade him if you're going to use the regular season reasoning.

 

I don't want Bolland going anywhere either. Definition of a great two-way player.

 

Get rid of Versteeg, Sopel, Madden, Huet, and Burish. Keep Nik, Niemi, and Ladd. We'll see where we go from there.

 

i don't think byfuglien was as good in the postseason as people made him out to be, to be honest. he scored a bunch of "playoff goals" and got in the canucks heads, but there's a reason he was -4 in the postseason and -7 in the regular season.

 

and why is the regular season irrelevant? we're still going to be a good team next season, but we're not going to be as good as this year and coast to a top 2 seed. we could be easily end up fighting for home ice in the first round, so yeah. regular season is far from "irrelevant".

 

would i like to keep him? sure, just like i'd like to keep guys like ladd and versteeg. we're going to lose valuable players, and i think he's the guy who has the biggest discrepency between percieved value and actual value on the team. the guy simply does not give it his all for the majority of the games he plays.

 

and with the kane/toews bonus wrinkle, getting rid of versteeg/sopel/madden/burish won't be enough, even if they waive huet to the minors. there's going to be another guy they're going to have to lose.

Edited June 12, 2010 by 17 Seconds

[Soul]

Give me Kane, Toews, Hossa, Sharpie, Keith, Seabs.

 

I can more than live with trading periphery players.

 

Scary that I don't even think we've seen K&T's best hockey yet.

 

If the rest of the league is hoping for a major Hawks dropoff -- get ready for disappointment.

[17 Seconds]

Toews

Kane

Hossa

Sharp

Seabrook

Keith

Hjalmarsson

Campbell

Bolland

 

Just keep all those guys, and do what you have to with the rest. The next guy on that list would be Ladd, but I've kind of accepted that he's probably going to have to go.

[Flames24Rulz]

i really hope byfuglien is one of the guys to go. not because i want him to go, but because i think his value is at an all time high right now, and we know what regular season byfuglien is like.

 

he now has a stanley cup ring, and there is no olympic team to try to make next season. where will his motivation come from? SELL HIGH

 

The regular season is irrelevant now. I'll take the guy that's going to show up when the games matter over the long 82 game stretch. He's actually, you know, good in the playoffs and has some pretty valuable assets. Of course I'm one of the bigger Buff fans on here, but I think it's an absolute mistake to trade him if you're going to use the regular season reasoning.

 

I don't want Bolland going anywhere either. Definition of a great two-way player.

 

Get rid of Versteeg, Sopel, Madden, Huet, and Burish. Keep Nik, Niemi, and Ladd. We'll see where we go from there.

 

i don't think byfuglien was as good in the postseason as people made him out to be, to be honest. he scored a bunch of "playoff goals" and got in the canucks heads, but there's a reason he was -4 in the postseason and -7 in the regular season.

 

and why is the regular season irrelevant? we're still going to be a good team next season, but we're not going to be as good as this year and coast to a top 2 seed. we could be easily end up fighting for home ice in the first round, so yeah. regular season is far from "irrelevant".

 

would i like to keep him? sure, just like i'd like to keep guys like ladd and versteeg. we're going to lose valuable players, and i think he's the guy who has the biggest discrepency between percieved value and actual value on the team. the guy simply does not give it his all for the majority of the games he plays.

 

and with the kane/toews bonus wrinkle, getting rid of versteeg/sopel/madden/burish won't be enough, even if they waive huet to the minors. there's going to be another guy they're going to have to lose.

 

I think this team could easily Penguins it and be very good in the playoffs even if say the Wings were to win the division next year. We have the right makeup to be extremely good in the playoffs. Just look at the last two years.

 

Now I don't mean to say that the regular season is entirely useless for us but as long as we were to guarantee ourselves a top 4 seed in the conference, I'd feel pretty good about our chances.

 

I know all about Buff's +/- numbers. They weren't very good in the playoffs, but Kane and Toews both ended up with minuses too. Not to mention he spent the Nashville series on the blue line, where it was clear as day he wasn't very comfortable and not very good at being a defenseman.

[Magnetic Curses]

in retrospect, was it a good thing or a bad thing that we didn't trade for kovalchuk?

[Flames24Rulz]

Toews

Kane

Hossa

Sharp

Seabrook

Keith

Hjalmarsson

Campbell

Bolland

 

Just keep all those guys, and do what you have to with the rest. The next guy on that list would be Ladd, but I've kind of accepted that he's probably going to have to go.

 

I don't really think we disagree that much. I'd have Buff over Ladd but besides that, I'd be cool with that list.

[Magnetic Curses]

i like burish because he's from madison and he's hilarious. if he will play for beer, keep him.