Re: NHL (Blackhawks included) offseason thread

[Hairyducked Idiot]

No chance Bolland goes anywhere. The organization is heavy on wingers and light on centers.

 

Byfuglien had some of my favorite Blackhawks moments of all time this playoffs. His taunting of Vancouver fans was legendary. But if this is cold calculation time, he's not that good and very overvalued right now. Time to sell high.

[RynoRules]

This is an excellent analysis of the situation, which concludes that Buf is the odd-man-out based on the depth we have in the minors. It also says we should say adios to Sopel, Laddy and Eager.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/404455-2010-stanley-cup-finals-how-to-keep-the-blackhawks-together-next-year

 

I agree that Buf should be traded.

[NewUserName]

This is an excellent analysis of the situation, which concludes that Buf is the odd-man-out based on the depth we have in the minors. It also says we should say adios to Sopel, Laddy and Eager.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/404455-2010-stanley-cup-finals-how-to-keep-the-blackhawks-together-next-year

 

I agree that Buf should be traded.

 

excellent analysis or wishful homerism?

[Magnetic Curses]

This is an excellent analysis of the situation, which concludes that Buf is the odd-man-out based on the depth we have in the minors. It also says we should say adios to Sopel, Laddy and Eager.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/404455-2010-stanley-cup-finals-how-to-keep-the-blackhawks-together-next-year

 

I agree that Buf should be traded.

 

excellent analysis or wishful homerism?

 

you tell me. detroit fans have the market cornered on wishful homerism and should probably be able to recognize it when they see it.

 

time to go off and tell your brethren how much the hawks are going to suck next year so you can sleep tonight.

[NewUserName]

This is an excellent analysis of the situation, which concludes that Buf is the odd-man-out based on the depth we have in the minors. It also says we should say adios to Sopel, Laddy and Eager.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/404455-2010-stanley-cup-finals-how-to-keep-the-blackhawks-together-next-year

 

I agree that Buf should be traded.

 

excellent analysis or wishful homerism?

 

you tell me. detroit fans have the market cornered on wishful homerism and should probably be able to recognize it when they see it.

 

time to go off and tell your brethren how much the hawks are going to suck next year so you can sleep tonight.

 

of course when the Hawks were slumping post olympics I was one of the people saying it was going to be ok, and you were being a emotional jack butt. I feel I bring a much more level head than you do to most hockey discussion. Also, I predicted the Wings would lose to SJ in the second round so I dont think I have too much wishful homerism. I also was not one of those Wings fans who thought they were going to find a way to keep Hossa last year. Not sure where you get that I am some sort of stupid emotional homer like well you.

[SpongeWorthy]

How much realistic improvement can we expect from the young, core guys?

 

I'm guessing Kane and Toews and can still get better right and even Keith from what you guys say. That should help lessen the blow of losing some pieces.

[Magnetic Curses]

jack butt

[NewUserName]

jack butt

 

I know, probably will be banned

[brinoch]

I think Tab's a little light on the amount that Hjalmarsson and Niemi will get. I can buy the reasoning that Niemi won't get all that much (largely because Bowman comes from the Detroit school of not overpaying for goaltending), but Hammer has a lot of value. Huet is definitely going to the minors (Europe). Sopel is *probably* moveable, but you aren't going to get anything in return -- and he's only moveable because his contract is expiring after next season. Even then, I think you might very well have to package Sopel with a prospect or one of Versteeg or Buff. And there will be a market for Buff and Versteeg.

 

I could Toronto being a decent partner for the Hawks. Same with Florida. Boston absolutely needs scoring which should make Versteeg attractive to them. My Caps friends say a guy like Ladd would be great for them.

[brinoch]

jack butt

 

I know, probably will be banned

 

Not really. Besides, you are positively Spock-like compared to Sulley. :D

[Magnetic Curses]

How much realistic improvement can we expect from the young, core guys?

 

I'm guessing Kane and Toews and can still get better right and even Keith from what you guys say. That should help lessen the blow of losing some pieces.

 

i don't think losing buff or ladd is a big deal considering what they could bring us. i would like to keep kopecky, though. none of the players mentioned as gone would be that big of a blow to this team. i don't think we'll let go of sharp, and now i'm kind of even believing we can keep versteeg, but again, losing him wouldn't be a huge deal.

 

we just have to keep the core and shuffle good players in and out. that's what any team is faced with, although not many teams have cores as young and as good as ours.

[Magnetic Curses]

jack butt

 

I know, probably will be banned

 

but seriously, is it homerific to say the hawks won the stanley cup this year?

[NewUserName]

jack butt

 

I know, probably will be banned

 

but seriously, is it homerific to say the hawks won the stanley cup this year?

 

In a pure student of Stoicism way....No

[NewUserName]

I think Tab's a little light on the amount that Hjalmarsson and Niemi will get. I can buy the reasoning that Niemi won't get all that much (largely because Bowman comes from the Detroit school of not overpaying for goaltending), but Hammer has a lot of value. Huet is definitely going to the minors (Europe). Sopel is *probably* moveable, but you aren't going to get anything in return -- and he's only moveable because his contract is expiring after next season. Even then, I think you might very well have to package Sopel with a prospect or one of Versteeg or Buff. And there will be a market for Buff and Versteeg.

 

I could Toronto being a decent partner for the Hawks. Same with Florida. Boston absolutely needs scoring which should make Versteeg attractive to them. My Caps friends say a guy like Ladd would be great for them.

 

I agree about Hjalmarsson. He also stated the FA market is saturated with dmen and I dont think that is true. I would actually say that it is a weak defense group available in FA. I think Hjalmarsson will get 2.9 million. I agree with you about Sopel. I think very similar players to Sopel can easily be had for as low as a million. He doesnt have an awful contract but I think teams would be leery to take it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

This is an excellent analysis of the situation, which concludes that Buf is the odd-man-out based on the depth we have in the minors. It also says we should say adios to Sopel, Laddy and Eager.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/404455-2010-stanley-cup-finals-how-to-keep-the-blackhawks-together-next-year

 

I agree that Buf should be traded.

 

excellent analysis or wishful homerism?

 

It doesn't seem to account for the reported $4.5 million cap hit next season from Toews and Kane's bonuses. If that report is true, you can add everything they lost up there (and he didn't include Madden, a UFA) plus one from each group of Sharp/Versteeg and Niemi/Hjarlmarsson.

[Magnetic Curses]

jack butt

 

I know, probably will be banned

 

but seriously, is it homerific to say the hawks won the stanley cup this year?

 

In a pure student of Stoicism way....No

 

okay, let me rephrase that to make it a question of morality: is it right to say the hawks won the stanley cup this year?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm kind of psyched about this, actually. They shed some peripheral players, stock up on picks and prospects and still have a competitive team next season. Then they emerge into the 2011 offseason with the Toews/Kane bonus hit off the books and the cap likely up a few more million. Seabrook will need his raise then, but that's it.

[Magnetic Curses]

I'm kind of psyched about this, actually. They shed some peripheral players, stock up on picks and prospects and still have a competitive team next season. Then they emerge into the 2011 offseason with the Toews/Kane bonus hit off the books and the cap likely up a few more million. Seabrook will need his raise then, but that's it.

 

yeah, it's very buddhist

[kujay]

I'm kind of psyched about this, actually. They shed some peripheral players, stock up on picks and prospects and still have a competitive team next season. Then they emerge into the 2011 offseason with the Toews/Kane bonus hit off the books and the cap likely up a few more million. Seabrook will need his raise then, but that's it.

 

I agree 100%. I've been saying all year that we can't expect to keep everyone. Detroit never has. The key is to shed expendable guys in exchange for draft picks and use those picks (and sign role playing FAs) wisely. This is a great opportunity to stock up on draft picks from a team like Florida. I'm glad to hear Tallon is getting a ring. He deserves the ring as much as he deserved to get fired, if that makes sense. And ironically, it would be nice of him to help us out a little with the cap situation that he created.

 

I don't know so much about Toronto, since they are very light on draft picks. I have no doubt there will be a market for guys like Sopel and Ladd. And of course somebody will overpay for Buff. I totally agree that, much as I love him, we can let him move on. He's a very uneven player, and I'm not excited to see what his energy level will be on a nightly basis now that he has his cup.

 

The wild card is any potential RFA offers that Hammer and/or Niemi might get.

 

Regardless, I'm going to find it tough to get terribly worked up about any of this. The nucleus that is locked up already is better than anyone else's. That makes the Hawks a top-5 contender for the next few years. I'll take that any day of the week. And I trust the Bowmans. I think they've earned it, both this year and over the last several decades.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The NHL cap rules are always complicated.

 

Long story short: You have to stay under the cap until June 30. On July 1, you can exceed the cap by 10%.

 

The Blackhawks are exactly at the cap right now. In order to get compensation for your RFAs, you have to give them a qualifying offer, and those count against the cap too. So I don't think the Blackhawks can even qualify their NHL RFAs (Niemi, Ladd, Hjarlmarsson) unless they clear some cap space in the next two weeks.

[TruffleShuffle]

whoever said send huet to the minors was really thinking. there's no reason to be saddled with a $5m contract from a backup goalie. send him to the minors and you've got that money to play with.

[Banedon]

whoever said send huet to the minors was really thinking. there's no reason to be saddled with a $5m contract from a backup goalie. send him to the minors and you've got that money to play with.

 

I figured this was a pretty obvious step if you can't trade the guy. I've heard it mentioned a lot actually. And not just here.

[kujay]

whoever said send huet to the minors was really thinking. there's no reason to be saddled with a $5m contract from a backup goalie. send him to the minors and you've got that money to play with.

 

I figured this was a pretty obvious step if you can't trade the guy. I've heard it mentioned a lot actually. And not just here.

 

Oh yeah. I've been listening to NHL Home Ice pretty much nonstop the last two weeks, and they have referred to sending Huet down as their only option. They'll just have to hope that Crawford is a suitable backup or try to get another experienced guy to be the backup on the cheap.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Huet can't be sent down until the season starts. You can't be more than 10% over the cap on July 1 and you have to be under the cap by the time the season starts, so Huet's cap hit will basically use up the 10% offseason buffer.

 

All the dismantling/cap dumping moves will have to be made in the next few weeks. The offseason moves *fast* when you when the Stanley Cup!

[17 Seconds]

i think hjalmarsson needs to be a priority. i don't think we can afford to lose him