2014-2015 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

[UMFan83]

http://i.imgur.com/l54Rz0K.jpg

 

Does this look like a guy that you want to bet against the next 2 games?

[Flames24Rulz]

People who are demanding for the Hawks to trade Bickell, who is going to take him and his contract, especially with the cap not going up much at all? As a reminder, he carries a $4 mil cap hit in each of the next 2 seasons. A team might take him if we also basically give away someone of real value.

 

A team that is right near the floor who might be thinking they're getting a guy who was close to winning the Conn Smythe a couple of years ago. All it takes is one stupid team to make a deal.

[jersey cubs fan]

People who are demanding for the Hawks to trade Bickell, who is going to take him and his contract, especially with the cap not going up much at all? As a reminder, he carries a $4 mil cap hit in each of the next 2 seasons. A team might take him if we also basically give away someone of real value.

 

A team that is right near the floor who might be thinking they're getting a guy who was close to winning the Conn Smythe a couple of years ago. All it takes is one stupid team to make a deal.

To the extent that those teams exist, there is going to be plenty of competition for teams at the cap trying to sell to them.

[RynoRules]

Toews and Kane are getting deserved raises into uncharted territory ($10.5-million a season) and that’s going to create a brutal squeeze. They already have $65-million committed (to 15 players) on what’s expected to be a $71-million cap, and that’s with Johnny Oduya and Saad and Marcus Kruger and Brad Richards and Rozsival all needing new contracts or replacements.

[UMFan83]

Toews and Kane are getting deserved raises into uncharted territory ($10.5-million a season) and that’s going to create a brutal squeeze. They already have $65-million committed (to 15 players) on what’s expected to be a $71-million cap, and that’s with Johnny Oduya and Saad and Marcus Kruger and Brad Richards and Rozsival all needing new contracts or replacements.

 

The only must resign is Saad. They will probably be able to squeeze in Kruger with an affordable contract. Oduya is probably a near must sign, especially if we have to trade Seabrook. If we can cut ~6 mil by getting rid of sharp and 4m by getting rid of Bickell, we should be able to keep the rest. The hope is that Teuvo can replace Sharp, TVR can be a dependable blue liner, and we can make some smart bargin FA signings to fill the holes.

 

I think its doable to remake the roster and remain a fringe contender, but I could also see a slightly stripped down roster having a difficult time after playing 10 or 11 of 12 possible playoff series over the last 3 years and struggling to make the playoffs a la LA this year.

[RynoRules]

Toews and Kane are getting deserved raises into uncharted territory ($10.5-million a season) and that’s going to create a brutal squeeze. They already have $65-million committed (to 15 players) on what’s expected to be a $71-million cap, and that’s with Johnny Oduya and Saad and Marcus Kruger and Brad Richards and Rozsival all needing new contracts or replacements.

 

The only must resign is Saad. They will probably be able to squeeze in Kruger with an affordable contract. Oduya is probably a near must sign, especially if we have to trade Seabrook. If we can cut ~6 mil by getting rid of sharp and 4m by getting rid of Bickell, we should be able to keep the rest. The hope is that Teuvo can replace Sharp, TVR can be a dependable blue liner, and we can make some smart bargin FA signings to fill the holes.

 

I think its doable to remake the roster and remain a fringe contender, but I could also see a slightly stripped down roster having a difficult time after playing 10 or 11 of 12 possible playoff series over the last 3 years and struggling to make the playoffs a la LA this year.

 

My guess is we are looking at two years as a wild card contender. They won't be able to move everyone they need to in one offseason and replace the production and skill.

 

Assuming that Bickell, Sharp, Vermette and Richards are traded / departing and Saad, Krueger and Oduya (there aren't going to be too many better and affordable options out there, barring a trade) are returning, let's look at this line-by-line:

 

1st: Saad - Toews - Hossa

2nd: Kane - ? - ?

3rd: Shaw -? - Teuvo

4th: ? - Kruger - Versteeg (he's under contract - is he trade-able?)

 

1st: Keith - Seabrook

2nd: Hammer - Oduya

3rd: ? - ?

 

That's a lot of significant gaps, including two up-the-middle. You clear nearly $10 million by moving Bickell and Sharp, and you started with about $6 million in additional room. But you have to figure that $7 - $7.5 million of that will be eaten by the Saad and Oduya deals. Therefore you have $8.5 - $9 million free to sign 2 centers, a second line wing, and probably one defenseman for the 3rd pairing.

 

EDIT: Likely help from Rock-Vegas includes Johns, Hartman, Danault, McNeil, and Ross.

Edited May 27, 2015 by RynoRules

[Guest]

Plus the Russian

[Guest]

the good news is that most of the guys they're going to drop basically suck at this point, and getting fresh legs will be nice. i really think all these conference finals appearances have taken their toll recently.

[MWV]

I hate to be that guy, but can we put off discussing the offseason implications for the Hawks for at least a few more days?

[Butterscup1679666578]

Toews and Kane are getting deserved raises into uncharted territory ($10.5-million a season) and that’s going to create a brutal squeeze. They already have $65-million committed (to 15 players) on what’s expected to be a $71-million cap, and that’s with Johnny Oduya and Saad and Marcus Kruger and Brad Richards and Rozsival all needing new contracts or replacements.

 

The only must resign is Saad. They will probably be able to squeeze in Kruger with an affordable contract. Oduya is probably a near must sign, especially if we have to trade Seabrook. If we can cut ~6 mil by getting rid of sharp and 4m by getting rid of Bickell, we should be able to keep the rest. The hope is that Teuvo can replace Sharp, TVR can be a dependable blue liner, and we can make some smart bargin FA signings to fill the holes.

 

I think its doable to remake the roster and remain a fringe contender, but I could also see a slightly stripped down roster having a difficult time after playing 10 or 11 of 12 possible playoff series over the last 3 years and struggling to make the playoffs a la LA this year.

1st: Saad - Toews - Hossa

2nd: Kane - ? - ?

3rd: Shaw -? - Teuvo

4th: ? - Kruger - Versteeg (he's under contract - is he trade-able?)

 

1st: Keith - Seabrook

2nd: Hammer - Oduya

3rd: ? - ?

.

 

that's a lot of spots to fill, but ill still put the bolded core up against anyone else in the league. that 3rd line D is something that needs to be a huge focus. I think Teuvo ends up on the 2nd line next year. i don't know, i guess i'm just not that worried. i think bowman will make it work better than we expected.

[Soul]

Great, just give up before it's over wussies

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Therefore you have $8.5 - $9 million free to sign 2 centers, a second line wing, and probably one defenseman for the 3rd pairing.

 

That seems pretty darn do-able to me.

[Brian707]

Therefore you have $8.5 - $9 million free to sign 2 centers, a second line wing, and probably one defenseman for the 3rd pairing.

 

That seems pretty darn do-able to me.

 

 

Yup, this won't be as bad as 2010. They might not be serious Cup contenders in 2016 or 2017 but they will soon after. They win tonight, and while it will be a road game 7 the pressure will be on the Ducks. It does piss me off that Q pissed away game 3, Bickell pissed away game 5 but the Hawks are far from dead. Gloom and doom all over the place, here, the radio, the tv.

[Brian707]

 

Does this look like a guy that you want to bet against the next 2 games?

 

 

Does this look like a guy you want to bet on in a game 7 if it gets that far?

 

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/boudreau.gif

[UMFan83]

http://i.imgur.com/MDSwNvK.jpg

 

Taken from last year but still works for tonight

[jersey cubs fan]

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[UMFan83]

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Man if you are going to sit one from that pairing, it's gotta be Timonen right? Cumiskey has been quasi acceptable, Timonen a trainwreck.

 

And I like TVR a lot, but its a lot to expect a guy to step in to Game 6 of the WCF and play with the team for the first time since November and not [expletive] up. All it takes is one gaffe or one miscommunication with Timonen to have a detrimental impact on the game.

[Banedon]

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Man if you are going to sit one from that pairing, it's gotta be Timonen right? Cumiskey has been quasi acceptable, Timonen a trainwreck.

 

And I like TVR a lot, but its a lot to expect a guy to step in to Game 6 of the WCF and play with the team for the first time since November and not [expletive] up. All it takes is one gaffe or one miscommunication with Timonen to have a detrimental impact on the game.

 

The ones that go in early are likely to play. So it'll be Rundblad and Cumiskey.

[sneakypower]

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/boudreau.gif

Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's?

[UMFan83]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Man if you are going to sit one from that pairing, it's gotta be Timonen right? Cumiskey has been quasi acceptable, Timonen a trainwreck.

 

And I like TVR a lot, but its a lot to expect a guy to step in to Game 6 of the WCF and play with the team for the first time since November and not [expletive] up. All it takes is one gaffe or one miscommunication with Timonen to have a detrimental impact on the game.

 

The ones that go in early are likely to play. So it'll be Rundblad and Cumiskey.

 

Oh my bad. Timonen needs to sit for sure but Rundblad is a trainwreck as well. I guess they all have major faults to some degree so its pick your poison

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yup, this won't be as bad as 2010. They might not be serious Cup contenders in 2016 or 2017 but they will soon after. They win tonight, and while it will be a road game 7 the pressure will be on the Ducks. It does piss me off that Q pissed away game 3, Bickell pissed away game 5 but the Hawks are far from dead. Gloom and doom all over the place, here, the radio, the tv.

 

Eh, I don't expect them to win the series. I don't know if that counts as gloom and doom or not. It's just the simple probability of needing to go 2-0. But I'm not particularly sad about it. They're an awesome team, they won *at least* 10 playoff games, and there are fans of 26 teams with nothing going on right now. If they lose, I'll go watch my Cup DVD. Or my other Cup DVD. We have two to choose from.

 

I expect them to be Cup contenders right back again the next two years. They might go out in the first round or they might win it all. I'm not particularly convinced the 2011 or '12 teams were any worse than the 2010 team. The 2012-13 team was pretty darn special, but that was the confluence of Saad on the way up and Hossa and Sharp still nearly at the top of their games.

[UMFan83]

I'm not particularly convinced the 2011 or '12 teams were any worse than the 2010 team. The 2012-13 team was pretty darn special, but that was the confluence of Saad on the way up and Hossa and Sharp still nearly at the top of their games.

 

Wait what? I don't feel like doing a piece by piece breakdown so I could be wrong but I remember watching Ladd and Byfuglien then watching Stalberg and John Scott try to replace them. Guys like Pirri, Skille, Frolik, Campoli and Morin would have had no place on a blackhawks line in 2010. The 2011 team was better...after losing Campbell and Brower they started to get the pieces of the next Cup team on board like Leddy, Oduya, Saad, Shaw, etc

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I'm not particularly convinced the 2011 or '12 teams were any worse than the 2010 team. The 2012-13 team was pretty darn special, but that was the confluence of Saad on the way up and Hossa and Sharp still nearly at the top of their games.

 

Wait what? I don't feel like doing a piece by piece breakdown so I could be wrong but I remember watching Ladd and Byfuglien then watching Stalberg and John Scott try to replace them. Guys like Pirri, Skille, Frolik, Campoli and Morin would have had no place on a blackhawks line in 2010. The 2011 team was better...after losing Campbell and Brower they started to get the pieces of the next Cup team on board like Leddy, Oduya, Saad, Shaw, etc

 

The only real loss was Ladd. Byfuglien was a giant potato who got some pucks bounced off him in a playoff run.

 

The 09-10 team featured regular playing time to such luminaries as Ben Eager, Brent Sopel, Tomas Kopecky, Jordan Hendry, Adam Burish. I'm debating whether I want to include Brouwer on that list.

[kujay]

Sounds from the beat writers like lines were the same in practice and Bickell will be in tonight. With a cooler head, I understand we probably don't have a better option. But he needs to step it up.

[Brian707]

Yup, this won't be as bad as 2010. They might not be serious Cup contenders in 2016 or 2017 but they will soon after. They win tonight, and while it will be a road game 7 the pressure will be on the Ducks. It does piss me off that Q pissed away game 3, Bickell pissed away game 5 but the Hawks are far from dead. Gloom and doom all over the place, here, the radio, the tv.

 

Eh, I don't expect them to win the series. I don't know if that counts as gloom and doom or not. It's just the simple probability of needing to go 2-0. But I'm not particularly sad about it. They're an awesome team, they won *at least* 10 playoff games, and there are fans of 26 teams with nothing going on right now. If they lose, I'll go watch my Cup DVD. Or my other Cup DVD. We have two to choose from.

 

I expect them to be Cup contenders right back again the next two years. They might go out in the first round or they might win it all. I'm not particularly convinced the 2011 or '12 teams were any worse than the 2010 team. The 2012-13 team was pretty darn special, but that was the confluence of Saad on the way up and Hossa and Sharp still nearly at the top of their games.

 

 

The 2010 team>2013 team

 

2011 had half of their team gutted and thanks to the Wild snuck into the final playoff spot. Granted they came back from a 3-0 deficit and forced OT in game 7, but that team had several flaws.

 

2012 I believe the team had the best record in the NHL at the all star break but then had a horrific 9 game losing streak and had a concussed Toews miss the last 20 something games and then ran into a hot Mike Smith in the playoffs.(Crawford haters, yes he did give up two terrible goals in OT in games 3 and 4, but if Mike Smith didn't sport a .950% save percentage those games don't get to OT)

 

As for this year and this series yes it always is tough to comeback from 3-2 deficit, 79% of the time the team leading wins the series. But I still like the Hawks chances.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Brian707