2014-2015 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

[Banedon]

Edzo mentioned that Roszival may have been trying to pick up speed, and that he was just surprised at how fast Wilson got around him?

 

It was bad.

[Flames24Rulz]

I don't really think there's a wrong answer as to who starts in Game 2. If you ride the hot hand with Darling, that's fine with me because at worst, you already got a split in Nashville. I didn't really think Crawford was that bad last night; sure he gave up a goal that was a little bit soft, but I chalked up the first period as the Hawks just getting outworked on both ends of the ice. I was surprised that Q even pulled Crawford after the first period.

 

No matter what direction Q goes in with the goalie situation, I'm fine with that. But if Roszival is playing tomorrow...

[Banedon]

Crawford will start game 2. No lineup changes, so Roszival is still in, Vermette still out.

[Brian707]

Sadly there is no better option than to play Roszival 12 minutes a night.

[UMFan83]

Sadly there is no better option than to play Roszival 12 minutes a night.

 

 

Why? Is it too late to pull a fan out of the stands?

[Flames24Rulz]

Sadly there is no better option than to play Roszival 12 minutes a night.

 

Cumiskey's better than Roszival.

[cubbyvirus00]

People should be killing Bowman for losing a 1st rounder in the Vermette deal. What a waste. Especially in a year where we have to shed salary.

 

Has Stan Bowman done anything worth noting or is all just Dale Tallon?

[apete6]

Was at the game. Stub Hub didn't let us down. There were a decent amount of Hawks fans there for a Wednesday night. I imagine Friday is a lot more. Overall, a great experience and rubbing it in to Nashville fans was fun after they were relentless when they were up 3-0. Their franchises' two most famous games involve blowing playoff leads to us, LOL.

 

 

Did they really try to prevent you from getting in, where you had to call Stub Hub?

 

No. It was pretty normal. But I did see someone getting questioned about their tickets by one hard ass security guy. Not sure what happened there.

[UMFan83]

People should be killing Bowman for losing a 1st rounder in the Vermette deal. What a waste. Especially in a year where we have to shed salary.

 

Has Stan Bowman done anything worth noting or is all just Dale Tallon?

 

He managed to turn around a situation where he was forced to gut a Cup winning roster that had dire cap issues due to his predecisor, and in 4 years got them another Cup, within a bad bounce of likely a second Cup and (hopefully) an extended run this year.

 

He's made his mistakes for sure, Crawford's contract is going to kill them this offseason, trading Leddy looks idiotic when you see what he's done with more playing time in NY and what we are left with on the ice. Vermette was one of the top targets out there at the deadline and the Hawks were praised for the move. I'm not sure why he hasn't fit in, but it wasn't a terrible move when it was made. Another thing that I always hear is that Q has a lot of say on player transactions. Yes Bowman is ultimately accountable, but its unlikely that Bowman forced Vermette on him without his approval.

 

I could see people being lukewarm on him, but to suggest he's done nothing is silly.

[Brian707]

Lets wait until the end of the playoffs with Vermette. I think he will be a big part of a possible Cup run.

[cubbyvirus00]

People should be killing Bowman for losing a 1st rounder in the Vermette deal. What a waste. Especially in a year where we have to shed salary.

 

Has Stan Bowman done anything worth noting or is all just Dale Tallon?

 

He managed to turn around a situation where he was forced to gut a Cup winning roster that had dire cap issues due to his predecisor, and in 4 years got them another Cup, within a bad bounce of likely a second Cup and (hopefully) an extended run this year.

 

He's made his mistakes for sure, Crawford's contract is going to kill them this offseason, trading Leddy looks idiotic when you see what he's done with more playing time in NY and what we are left with on the ice. Vermette was one of the top targets out there at the deadline and the Hawks were praised for the move. I'm not sure why he hasn't fit in, but it wasn't a terrible move when it was made. Another thing that I always hear is that Q has a lot of say on player transactions. Yes Bowman is ultimately accountable, but its unlikely that Bowman forced Vermette on him without his approval.

 

I could see people being lukewarm on him, but to suggest he's done nothing is silly.

 

 

Well I didn't exactly say he's done *nothing* but I lean on the side of thinking that he basically inherited a pretty full cupboard of young talented players.

 

Pirri and Hayes particularly hurt. Leddy got a deal too rich for the Hawks to pay.

 

I'm anxious to see how he proceeds with coach Q and a rebuild. Isn't Babcock going to be available?

[Guest]

People should be killing Bowman for losing a 1st rounder in the Vermette deal. What a waste. Especially in a year where we have to shed salary.

 

Has Stan Bowman done anything worth noting or is all just Dale Tallon?

 

bowman is probably one of the most underrated GMs because of stuff like this. he inherited a hall of fame core, but he's done a tremendous job keeping it all together through really tough cap situations, and at the same time developed some significant young talent.

 

also, i think using the term "rebuild" is a little strong when you consider that most of the guys who will be lost are guys that have also sucked this year. sharp, oduya, bickell, versteeg, richards have been been pretty bad this season. any of them can go. it's lost depth, for sure, but it's nothing compared to 2010.

[RynoRules]

Richards, Versteeg, Oduya, Sharp, Vermette, and Roszival (thank god) are very likely gone. I'd say Bickell - between his contract and the fact that he is valuable in the playoffs (he de-skated several guys the other night) - has a good shot at still being here.

 

Bowman is probably a top 10 GM based on the challenges of keeping the core together combined with his ability to bring in useful young pieces. He may be looking for a new coach after this season.

[Banedon]

Why are we talking offseason stuff during the playoffs? Boo.

[biittner77]

He may be looking for a new coach after this season.

 

That's just silly. Unless you're suggesting that Q will want to leave for a new challenge after winning another cup. You're talking about, by the time he retires, the second winningest coach in the history of the sport.

 

Pirri and Hayes particularly hurt.

Neither of those guys can skate, especially Hayes. Neither could never succeed in the system that Hawks run. Good for them if they have 20 goal seasons for someone else. There's more to playing hockey than scoring goals. Or are you talking about Kevin "Captain Stairwell" Hayes? That does hurt but that's not really Bowman's fault.

 

Leddy got a deal too rich for the Hawks to pay

Quoted for truth. I love Leddy and am happy for his success. It was either him or Sharp and it was easier to trade Leddy because of his contract status.

 

Corey Crawford is not overpaid. People tend to say that he's not elite. Fine but if you look at what elite goalies are making, he makes less than them. If you want to say he is a middle tier goalies that's fine too. He's paid at the top of that middle tier which corresponds with his level of play which has been for the most part very good.

 

That being said, They will probably listen to offers for Crawford because the Detroit model, which the Hawks seem to be following, pays the skaters not the goalie. They may be able to get by with Darling and Raanta but it could easily be a recipe for disaster as they break in 2 rookie defensemen.

[jersey cubs fan]

Crawford is overpaid because they should not be paying their goalie that money. Comparisons to other goalie contracts is not the issue, it is the amount allocated to the position and the length of that guarantee that matters.

[biittner77]

Crawford is overpaid in the same way and for the same reason as Jon Lester.

 

We've already had this conversation. Perhaps we can agree to disagree and wait until the season is over and see if anything has changed by then.

[Guest]

Crawford is overpaid in the same way and for the same reason as Jon Lester.

Well with the existence of a salary cap in the NHL I think any analogy to the MLB is useless.

[biittner77]

Crawford is overpaid in the same way and for the same reason as Jon Lester.

Well with the existence of a salary cap in the NHL I think any analogy to the MLB is useless.

 

Baseball doesn't have a hard cap but every team has a budget. If you want a "#1 starter", that costs the type of money that the Cubs are paying Lester. Teams that can afford to pay that kind of money exist so starting pitchers are going to command that salary. What teams would like to pay a player is different from what they have to pay a player.

 

Would another team pay Crawford $6 million per? It's impossible to say for sure but I'd guess the answer is very likely yes. Just as an example, Crawford makes Dallas a legitimate Cup contender.

 

The problem is allocation of resources. If the Hawks deem it necessary to keep Crawford, they have to pay him what others would pay him. Once they decide to do that, they can't pay Bryan Bickell $4 million per since that gives them little to no flexibility.

[kujay]

I'm sorry is this women's hockey? Checking is a penalty?

[Careless]

So Crawford's picking up where he left off

[Guest]

what a garbage call

[Careless]

Predators fans struggling to figure out how to get a chant going

[Guest]

going after kane, lol

[kujay]

Just need to weather their storm again.