2013-14 Defending Champion Blackhawks Regular Season Thread

[sweetpeteman]

They have to make some changes to the PK, this is embarrassing.

[Butterscup1679666578]

David Haugh ‏@DavidHaugh 21s

 

Wow. Hawks make trade to re-acquire Kris Versteeg from Panthers. Give up Jimmy Hayes and Dylan Olsen.

[Butterscup1679666578]

ESPN Chicago ‏@ESPNChiHawks 7m

 

Blackhawks also acquire Phillippe Lefebrve.

[jersey cubs fan]

Okay. I remember bersteeg being a guy I didn't care about losing the first time.

 

After 20 different autocorrects I'm leaving the name.

[Guest]

that's [expletive] awesome. i love that guy.

[Butterscup1679666578]

David Haugh ‏@DavidHaugh 12m

 

Versteeg is 27, an offensive threat that likely makes Hawks' 3rd line more potent. And Florida will pay half his salary. Can't see downside.

[bukie]

Always nice to have a farm team in Florida.

[brinoch]

Olsen and Hayes weren't cracking the line-up basically ever and have been passed by other prospects. Good deal. Yay, Versteeg! Now if we could only get Ladd back...

[kujay]

Great move. I probably romanticize what Versteeg contributed to the cup team but as someone else said we didn't give up anything we were going to use.

 

Best part is Stan not sitting idle. He's always looking to improve the team.

[RynoRules]

Great move. I probably romanticize what Versteeg contributed to the cup team but as someone else said we didn't give up anything we were going to use.

 

Best part is Stan not sitting idle. He's always looking to improve the team.

 

This! I was totally bummed about losing Laddy and 'Steeg. At least we got one of them back. We have a bitchin' third line right now, and he more than makes up for losing Handzus.

 

Now we need a third pairing D-man (Brookbank is awful), maybe a checking/physical center, and we are good to go. Neither of those things should be terribly hard to acquire come January.

[kujay]

Rozsival should be back soon, right? I'm fine with him as the 6th D. I was disappointed to see Kostka moved to the long term IR don't know if that was the result of a setback in his recovery or just a roster management maneuver. Point is, I'm not sure the D needs to be addressed absent injuries.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Well, everyone on HFBoards, who usually hate trading anyone young, seems to be ecstatic, so that works for me.

[biittner77]

Hayes and Olsen are two players whose respective games were about size rather than speed so it makes sense that they went to an Eastern Conference team. They could both get a lot of time with the Panthers, certainly more than either would get with the Hawks. The Panthers also save about $2mil so really I see this as a win for both sides.

 

Everyone assumes that Versteeg will slide in on the 3rd line with Shaw and Bickell. I wouldn't be shocked to see him on the 4th line with Kruger and Bollig on the 4th as more of a traditional checking line with Smith going to the 3rd. By the playoffs we may see McNeil on the bottom 6 instead of Bollig.

 

I give Bollig a lot of credit for trying to improve his overall game. I've even seen him out there on the kill a couple times. BUt I'd still rather have a better player on that 4th line so that Toews and Kane don't wind up playing 20+ a night because Bollig can only be trusted for 7.

[jersey cubs fan]

Great move. I probably romanticize what Versteeg contributed to the cup team but as someone else said we didn't give up anything we were going to use.

 

Best part is Stan not sitting idle. He's always looking to improve the team.

 

This! I was totally bummed about losing Laddy and 'Steeg. At least we got one of them back.

 

I thought Ladd was a lot more useful and a much bigger loss than Versteeg. I vaguely remember being in Philly and seeing Versteeg's sloppiness with the puck hurt the Hawks on more than one occasion at that game.

 

I'm surprised at how excited some people are about this. Maybe if they failed to win another cup after those guys left you could see some "seller's remorse" and hopes for a return of the good old days. If Versteeg wasn't on that cup team, and was just another forward out there with the same resume, I'm guessing the reactions would be much more blah than the consensus.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

It's a little exciting that they added a pretty decent third-liner to the team at a great cap hit. That sort of depth never, ever hurts.

 

But yeah, Ladd >>>>> Versteeg and I wouldn't be nearly as excited if this wasn't a member of the first Cup team returning.

 

(tee hee hee it is so awesome having to differentiate which championship you are referring to)

[UMFan83]

It's a little exciting that they added a pretty decent third-liner to the team at a great cap hit. That sort of depth never, ever hurts.

 

But yeah, Ladd >>>>> Versteeg and I wouldn't be nearly as excited if this wasn't a member of the first Cup team returning.

 

(tee hee hee it is so awesome having to differentiate which championship you are referring to)

 

Does the fact that Florida is paying part of his salary effect the cap hit that the Hawks will have? I would have assumed that you assume the contract and the hit regardless of who is actually paying, but I could be wrong.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's a little exciting that they added a pretty decent third-liner to the team at a great cap hit. That sort of depth never, ever hurts.

 

But yeah, Ladd >>>>> Versteeg and I wouldn't be nearly as excited if this wasn't a member of the first Cup team returning.

 

(tee hee hee it is so awesome having to differentiate which championship you are referring to)

 

Does the fact that Florida is paying part of his salary effect the cap hit that the Hawks will have? I would have assumed that you assume the contract and the hit regardless of who is actually paying, but I could be wrong.

Reports said Chicago is only paying half and taking half the hit.

 

That might be the best part of the deal from Chicago's standpoint. Paying his full amount and taking that hit would be very bad.

[kujay]

It's a little exciting that they added a pretty decent third-liner to the team at a great cap hit. That sort of depth never, ever hurts.

 

But yeah, Ladd >>>>> Versteeg and I wouldn't be nearly as excited if this wasn't a member of the first Cup team returning.

 

(tee hee hee it is so awesome having to differentiate which championship you are referring to)

 

Does the fact that Florida is paying part of his salary effect the cap hit that the Hawks will have? I would have assumed that you assume the contract and the hit regardless of who is actually paying, but I could be wrong.

Reports said Chicago is only paying half and taking half the hit.

 

That might be the best part of the deal from Chicago's standpoint. Paying his full amount and taking that hit would be very bad.

 

Agreed. Florida is in salary dump mode but they weren't going to get anyone to take that whole contract. Which has two more years after this one.

 

Versteeg can be maddening but he's got some definite scoring ability and size. Like I said I love the move. As for Ladd, yes, everyone would prefer we still had him or could get him back instead all other things being equal. But that's a pipe dream.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I just noticed Colorado finally started losing and we're in our rightful place atop the division.

[biittner77]

They have to make some changes to the PK, this is embarrassing.

 

I suspect we'll see Versteeg out there soon.

[UMFan83]

I just noticed Colorado finally started losing and we're in our rightful place atop the division.

 

And 1 point behind Anaheim for most points in the league. And we have 2 games in hand.

[seanimal]

Well, everyone on HFBoards, who usually hate trading anyone young, seems to be ecstatic, so that works for me.

 

WTF IS THIS

[Guest]

ladd is a legitmately great player so i don't really see why he's even being brought up. versteeg has been pretty bad recently, so of course the main reason people are excited (besides the fact that he should improve the 3rd line and PK) is because he was on the first cup team and is a likable guy. what's wrong with that?

[biittner77]

ladd is a legitmately great player so i don't really see why he's even being brought up. versteeg has been pretty bad recently, so of course the main reason people are excited (besides the fact that he should improve the 3rd line and PK) is because he was on the first cup team and is a likable guy. what's wrong with that?

 

Nothing wrong really, except that Versteeg might not be appreciably better than the guy he's replacing (Morin). I think as fans we remember the good from a popular former player and ignore or forget the bad.

[Guest]

ladd is a legitmately great player so i don't really see why he's even being brought up. versteeg has been pretty bad recently, so of course the main reason people are excited (besides the fact that he should improve the 3rd line and PK) is because he was on the first cup team and is a likable guy. what's wrong with that?

 

versteeg has been injured recently. when he hasn't been hurt he's been good. he's a 50-point player who is wayyyyy more skilled than hayes, i'm cool with adding that. not to mention that he's a pretty nice complimentary player that can be shifted to play on any line with production.