Re: NHL (Blackhawks included) offseason thread

[Magnetic Curses]

They think they are entitled to be atop the division forever and last year was just a blip. I can't believe watching the Hawks win the Cup wouldn't engender even a little humility.

 

Just trying to look at it from the Red Wings perspective, and as one of them mentioned, despite a horrific year for injuries that crippled them for a couple of months, the Wings managed to close a ton of the gap that seperated them and the Hawks when they got healthy in March/April and despite all that happened finished with the 5 seed and got to the 2nd round of the playoffs. And that was a down year for them. So imagine how much better they will be than a weakened Blackhawks team going against probably a much healthier Wings team.

 

I'm not saying I buy all that, it's just the Devil's Advocate viewpoint.

 

a wings team that will be a year older.

 

the Wings have been old since 97

 

where did i say they wouldn't be good? no one is arguing that.

 

your idiot brethren are saying the hawks won't compete for the central title. sounds like a lot of homer talk to me.

[UMFan83]

Reading those remind me why Detroit has one of the most obnoxious fan bases in all of sports. We are markedly worse? I'd make a friendly wager right now we finish ahead of SCUM in the division right now.

 

Man, I hate those [expletive].

 

A couple of national/Canadian writers have pretty much been saying the same things that these Wings bloggers did.

 

Ok, so whats your honest opinion then? I'm not a mod but personally I'll give you immunity from being called a troll. Are we in denial, or are the 'experts' overlooking what remains on the Hawks?

[Garwilly]

Cup odds:

 

Chicago +650

Detroit +1200

 

or

 

Chicago +600

Detroit +1000

 

West odds

 

Chicago +300

Detroit +500

 

Central odds:

Chicago -167

Detroit +225

St Louis +1200

Nashville +1200

Columbus +5000

[Magnetic Curses]

Reading those remind me why Detroit has one of the most obnoxious fan bases in all of sports. We are markedly worse? I'd make a friendly wager right now we finish ahead of SCUM in the division right now.

 

Man, I hate those [expletive].

 

A couple of national/Canadian writers have pretty much been saying the same things that these Wings bloggers did.

 

Ok, so whats your honest opinion then? I'm not a mod but personally I'll give you immunity from being called a troll. Are we in denial, or are the 'experts' overlooking what remains on the Hawks?

 

NUN isn't a troll, he's just a deluded wings fan

[Magnetic Curses]

hawks sign fernando pisani, one of my personal heroes.

[kujay]

hawks sign fernando pisani, one of my personal heroes.

 

This is a very solid signing for the money.

 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=330941

[NewUserName]

Reading those remind me why Detroit has one of the most obnoxious fan bases in all of sports. We are markedly worse? I'd make a friendly wager right now we finish ahead of SCUM in the division right now.

 

Man, I hate those [expletive].

 

A couple of national/Canadian writers have pretty much been saying the same things that these Wings bloggers did.

 

Ok, so whats your honest opinion then? I'm not a mod but personally I'll give you immunity from being called a troll. Are we in denial, or are the 'experts' overlooking what remains on the Hawks?

 

The Hawks are a hard team to measure. I think they could come in anywhere between 90-115 points. I think the Wings are probably a more safe pick to win the division because they have made a couple of small additions that will help and havent not lost anyone of note. I think the Wings will win the division because I am a homer and have a nickel riding on it.

[seanimal]

Reading those remind me why Detroit has one of the most obnoxious fan bases in all of sports. We are markedly worse? I'd make a friendly wager right now we finish ahead of SCUM in the division right now.

 

Man, I hate those [expletive].

 

A couple of national/Canadian writers have pretty much been saying the same things that these Wings bloggers did.

 

Ok, so whats your honest opinion then? I'm not a mod but personally I'll give you immunity from being called a troll. Are we in denial, or are the 'experts' overlooking what remains on the Hawks?

 

The Hawks are a hard team to measure. I think they could come in anywhere between 90-115 points. I think the Wings are probably a more safe pick to win the division because they have made a couple of small additions that will help and havent not lost anyone of note. I think the Wings will win the division because I am a homer and have a nickel riding on it.

 

I'm consoled by my impression that the wings need to stay healthy in order to top the hawks for the division. I'm worried about a sense of complacency or a lack of chemistry if not depth. It's going to be an interesting year coming off of the euphoria of last season.

[gflore34]

Reading those remind me why Detroit has one of the most obnoxious fan bases in all of sports. We are markedly worse? I'd make a friendly wager right now we finish ahead of SCUM in the division right now.

 

Man, I hate those [expletive].

 

A couple of national/Canadian writers have pretty much been saying the same things that these Wings bloggers did.

 

Ok, so whats your honest opinion then? I'm not a mod but personally I'll give you immunity from being called a troll. Are we in denial, or are the 'experts' overlooking what remains on the Hawks?

 

The Hawks are a hard team to measure. I think they could come in anywhere between 90-115 points. I think the Wings are probably a more safe pick to win the division because they have made a couple of small additions that will help and havent not lost anyone of note. I think the Wings will win the division because I am a homer and have a nickel riding on it.

 

I'd say Ladd, Buff and Versteeg were the biggest losses, were they of note? Perhaps, but was it becuase they happened to play well when every one was watching? Versteeg and Buff weren't all that big a factor during the regular season, I believe they're replacable. The biggest loss was Ladd, it'll be felt but, last I checked. Beyond the core players Sharp, Bolland, Brouwer and Hendry didn't fall off the face of the earth, I don't get why the Hawks are going to dive so much in the WC.

[sherwood921]

Looks like Huet will be loaned to a Swiss team, but only for one year. This means that we'll need to loan him again next year, or potentially just buy out the contract since it will be the last year.

 

Link

[Butterscup1679666578]

Works for me.

[Banedon]

Not for sure yet...

 

The veteran goaltender is in discussions with Fribourg-Gotteron of the Swiss League but "nothing is 100 percent yet," according to Huet's agent Stephen Bartlett. "We've had discussions with (Gotteron) but nothing is finalized and there are a lot of hoops to go through and approvals that have to happen here so at this point it's preliminary to say anything is done."

[kujay]

Good riddance.

[Old Style]

So how much of his contract would we have to pay?

[Wilson A2000]

So how much of his contract would we have to pay?

 

From what I have heard, all of it. This was probably a move to keep Huet quiet and to free up some space for a young guy to get some time in the minors.

[Prizefight]

The Hawks would still be responsible for all of Huet's contract unless this Swiss team foolishly agrees to pay for some of it. It obviously would not count against the cap though

[jersey cubs fan]

The Hawks would still be responsible for all of Huet's contract unless this Swiss team foolishly agrees to pay for some of it. It obviously would not count against the cap though

 

I would guess there's some sort of nominal transfer fee being paid.

[kujay]

The Hawks would still be responsible for all of Huet's contract unless this Swiss team foolishly agrees to pay for some of it. It obviously would not count against the cap though

 

I would guess there's some sort of nominal transfer fee being paid.

 

Right. The amount of the Hawks would have to actually pay him has never been the issue. Clearing him off the salary cap numbers has always been the key.

[sherwood921]

Looks like Niemi's going to the Sharks and Wilson's plan of attack on getting Hammer or Niemi worked out in the end.

 

Link

[Butterscup1679666578]

1 year deal, yeesh. Obviously no one's confident in his ability to be a stable goalie.

[sherwood921]

1 year deal, yeesh. Obviously no one's confident in his ability to be a stable goalie.

 

He has no bargaining power right now. If he'd have initially told the Hawks he'd sign for $2mil for 1-year I'm sure they're have brought him back. Instead, Zito tried to get a big payday and lost. He'd better hope Niemi has a good year.

[17 Seconds]

so the sharks got rid of nabakov so they could pay 4 million for niemi and niittymaki this season?

[TruffleShuffle]

pretty good deal for huet, he gets paid $5m and gets to play close to home. though to be fair, he's an nhl goaltender who is probably best suited as a backup, or a starter on a non-championship caliber team. it's not really his fault that the hawks chose to badly overpay him.

[Soul]

Sharks lost Nabokov then, and gained Niemi?

 

At best that's a wash for them, IMO.

[Prizefight]

Niemi is going to be in for a whole new world next year with San Jose's awful D corp in front of him.