Fehr looked pretty disillusioned at the end of media interview when the meetings concluded. Almost like a "this is hopeless" expression.

I'm very tired of hearing players call the negotiations experience "frustrating". Why? Because the other side isn't willing to give in and say OK like they have when your agent browbeats a General Manager into an inflated contract you really haven't earned.

Here's another stat - 40% of the players in the league are earning $700K or less. What are these guys getting out of this?
- RickJ

Here's another stat - 40% of the players in the league are earning $700K or less. What are these guys getting out of this?

Rick,

That is a key stat and is a big reason ultimately the players cave.......Considering if the metrics were players making $1 mill or less and I would think the % would be well over 50% maybe over 60%.

This isn't like voting rights for a corporation....Every player from Crosby to all that make the minimum have the same amount of votes.

In my view that should be the strongest factor motivating Fehr and the longer he dangles near the blueline the more likely the ranks are going to seperate.

What would disappoint me the most would be missing half the season only to settle on having basically the same framework in place for this to happen again 4-5 years from now.

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

Like I said and have written many times....

Not being an experienced head coach before getting the bench boss job in the AHL matters...
- Al

It would appear so.....the Hogs rallied for the win and i'll give Dent credit for pulling Hutton. THAT seemed to the thee turning point. Saad best player on the ice.

It would appear so.....the Hogs rallied for the win and i'll give Dent credit for pulling Hutton. THAT seemed to the thee turning point. Saad best player on the ice.
- philco28

By all accounts Dent is a good hockey man and time will tell if he is AHL/NHL head coaching material.

It would appear so.....the Hogs rallied for the win and i'll give Dent credit for pulling Hutton. THAT seemed to the thee turning point. Saad best player on the ice.
- philco28

I'm starting to hear a lot of good things about Saad and Morin. I would be nice for one of the two to make the big club when the season starts. Preferably Morin, I'd like to see Saad get more seasoning in the AHL. Also, I want to see some tangible return for the Byfuglien trade!

I'm starting to hear a lot of good things about Saad and Morin. I would be nice for one of the two to make the big club when the season starts. Preferably Morin, I'd like to see Saad get more seasoning in the AHL. Also, I want to see some tangible return for the Byfuglien trade!
- DarthKane

Morin leading team in goals

Here's another stat - 40% of the players in the league are earning $700K or less. What are these guys getting out of this?

Rick,

That is a key stat and is a big reason ultimately the players cave.......Considering if the metrics were players making $1 mill or less and I would think the % would be well over 50% maybe over 60%.

This isn't like voting rights for a corporation....Every player from Crosby to all that make the minimum have the same amount of votes.

In my view that should be the strongest factor motivating Fehr and the longer he dangles near the blueline the more likely the ranks are going to seperate.

What would disappoint me the most would be missing half the season only to settle on having basically the same framework in place for this to happen again 4-5 years from now.

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

Very good points. I thought (wrongly) that Fehr would work his MLB magic and carry the day for the NHLPA. It now looks like the players and Fehr are going to get steamrolled. The owners have had no interest in negotiating period. They are dictating and they will prevail.

When 2/3 of the teams are losing money....what is the incentive to play for them until that is remediated? The owners always had the resources to outlast the players. And from the comments I am seeing from the players they are beginning to crack and lash out as well as taking shots at each other. The venom directed at Bettman and the owners is overpowering. Can the relationship between these players and owners ever be reparied??

I'm starting to hear a lot of good things about Saad and Morin. I would be nice for one of the two to make the big club when the season starts. Preferably Morin, I'd like to see Saad get more seasoning in the AHL. Also, I want to see some tangible return for the Byfuglien trade!
- DarthKane

Saad looks very explosive. His speed is really noticeable. And the breakaway shortie he scored was a beeeee-uuuuu-tee. Morin is playing well too. Just wonder how durable he'll be in the long run. He's game and feisty, but he is injury prone.

I've always liked Beach, but the more i see him play, the more i'm inclined to declare him a Grade A BUST. He just doesn't hustle enough for my liking. At this point in his career, he can't afford to take a single shift off.

Saad looks very explosive. His speed is really noticeable. And the breakaway shortie he scored was a beeeee-uuuuu-tee. Morin is playing well too. Just wonder how durable he'll be in the long run. He's game and feisty, but he is injury prone.

I've always liked Beach, but the more i see him play, the more i'm inclined to declare him a Grade A BUST. He just doesn't hustle enough for my liking. At this point in his career, he can't afford to take a single shift off.
- philco28

At this point I don't have any prospects in Rockford that I am overly attached too (not including Shaw, Kruger and Leddy). I'd just like to see 1-2 of Saad, Morin, and Hayes make the team whenever play starts again. In the CHL I am really excited about Danault and McNeill but I don't want their development rushed.

Saad looks very explosive. His speed is really noticeable. And the breakaway shortie he scored was a beeeee-uuuuu-tee. Morin is playing well too. Just wonder how durable he'll be in the long run. He's game and feisty, but he is injury prone.

I've always liked Beach, but the more i see him play, the more i'm inclined to declare him a Grade A BUST. He just doesn't hustle enough for my liking. At this point in his career, he can't afford to take a single shift off.
- philco28

I with you on Beach... somehow I always find myself rooting for him - and then I watch a couple of Rockford games and I can't justify it. He very well may get a chance to be a fourth liner when his contract falls more in line with what he could provide but, yah; I'm shaking my head as I type this.

Saad on the other hand, I was really hard on him early but now and for the last couple of weeks he is the best forward on the team. He is certainly earning the look he's projected to get if/when we have NHL hockey.

To get back to one of the original topics of this blog, the 2011 draft, 1 thing that is impressive about that year is that we had 11 picks in the 7 rounds. With draft picks it's all about odds. The more prospects you have in your pool the great chance 1 or 2 will actually work out. If you look at some of the picks we're talking about, they weren't even original Chicago draft picks (Danault, Clendening, Saad and Mattsson) so kudos to Stan for making those deals.

Very good points. I thought (wrongly) that Fehr would work his MLB magic and carry the day for the NHLPA. It now looks like the players and Fehr are going to get steamrolled. The owners have had no interest in negotiating period. They are dictating and they will prevail.

When 2/3 of the teams are losing money....what is the incentive to play for them until that is remediated? The owners always had the resources to outlast the players. And from the comments I am seeing from the players they are beginning to crack and lash out as well as taking shots at each other. The venom directed at Bettman and the owners is overpowering. Can the relationship between these players and owners ever be reparied??
- bogiedoc

My guess is the next step will be either the players make major concessions soon or things will drift and within a week or so all games for Dec. will be cxld.

Either right before or just after that Bettman will pull out the "let's take a break for a few weeks" card...

Then the players that can go overseas will, and the real mudslinging will be here before Santa.

I never bought the baseball comparison because the dynamics of this sport are far different. But I have to admit Fehr has underwhelmed me as I expected more.

To get back to one of the original topics of this blog, the 2011 draft, 1 thing that is impressive about that year is that we had 11 picks in the 7 rounds. With draft picks it's all about odds. The more prospects you have in your pool the great chance 1 or 2 will actually work out. If you look at some of the picks we're talking about, they weren't even original Chicago draft picks (Danault, Clendening, Saad and Mattsson) so kudos to Stan for making those deals.
- DarthKane

My count starts in 2010 and it better be more than one or two working out considering who was given up in some of those deals.

Saad looks very explosive. His speed is really noticeable. And the breakaway shortie he scored was a beeeee-uuuuu-tee. Morin is playing well too. Just wonder how durable he'll be in the long run. He's game and feisty, but he is injury prone.

I've always liked Beach, but the more i see him play, the more i'm inclined to declare him a Grade A BUST. He just doesn't hustle enough for my liking. At this point in his career, he can't afford to take a single shift off.
- philco28

Sounds like more of the same...When the puck is not within 20 feet of Beach he is MIA.

Doesn't bode well for him because with his hockey IQ a NHL coach won't trust him on the 3rd or 4th line. His top six future is a longshot as well because he doen't play well without the puck.

My count starts in 2010 and it better be more than one or two working out considering who was given up in some of those deals.
- Al

I'm sure it will be more than 1-2 that work out, I was just giving an example.

2010 was a good draft year too with 10 selections, but I don't think it will produce the quality that 2011 does. From 2011 I would expect Shaw, McNeill, Danault and Saad to be consistent NHLers. Clendening, Shalunov and Mattsson may have a shot too. From 2010 Flick could end up being a 4th liner and Carruth has been impressive in the WHL but our best shot may be Kevin Hayes, but I haven't been following his progress closely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt2Lg25SQFk

How close were we to 3 first round exits in a row? If Erat doesn't throw that puck into the slot (like a fool) it's pretty possible we never win a cup AND the echos of a 'one and done' playoff series team have another year to build on.... And that was one of the best clubs of the modern era. Not easy to win that cup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt2Lg25SQFk

How close were we to 3 first round exits in a row? If Erat doesn't throw that puck into the slot (like a fool) it's pretty possible we never win a cup AND the echos of a 'one and done' playoff series team have another year to build on.... And that was one of the best clubs of the modern era. Not easy to win that cup.
- nathanjf

I'm sure every Stanley Cup champion has a moment like this where their playoff run could have gone in another direction.

On the tying goal, is it just me or does it look like Ward put the puck into the net and not Kane. Maybe its just the angle of the video.

Edit: Watching that really makes me miss watching the Blackhawks play.

Super random:

By this time in the season (were it being played) we would have had typical disagreements in philosophy, observation, etc. And sadly, one of the arguements that would have been brought up would be that 'so and so' is a Blackhawks employee. It always seemed a hollow arguement to me BUT(!!) with the lockout the arguement could actually gain some traction. For instance, if someone were accused of towing the company line we could simply look back to these threads, during the lockout to determine (or help determine) whether or not the accused is on the payroll. If someone spent the entire lockout away from the boards it is possible then that person was laid off from the organization as would have been practice. Or better yet, that if a person was actually posting during the lockout that it is then pretty franking unlikely that they work for PR and are simply a (hockey starved) Blackhawks fan. So, this coming season, when I stick up for Patty Kane or Frolik and someone jumps on me - I'm ready to state my defense!

So.
Badly.
Need.
Hockey.

I'm sure every Stanley Cup champion has a moment like this where their playoff run could have gone in another direction.

On the tying goal, is it just me or does it look like Ward put the puck into the net and not Kane. Maybe its just the angle of the video.

Edit: Watching that really makes me miss watching the Blackhawks play.
- DarthKane

I watch that highlight a couple of times a year. Not necessarily that particular one, but the hair on the back of my neck always stands up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt2Lg25SQFk

How close were we to 3 first round exits in a row? If Erat doesn't throw that puck into the slot (like a fool) it's pretty possible we never win a cup AND the echos of a 'one and done' playoff series team have another year to build on.... And that was one of the best clubs of the modern era. Not easy to win that cup.
- nathanjf

I do think that was a gutsy enough team to win game six back in Nashville and then win in 7 at the UC.

But today, besides the usual things I'm thankful for (family, friends, and the ability to be with them on this day), I am thankful for my hockey friends in cyberspace.

Thank you all for giving me a lot of good hockey talk the past couple of years - with or without actual hockey.

I'm sure every Stanley Cup champion has a moment like this where their playoff run could have gone in another direction.

On the tying goal, is it just me or does it look like Ward put the puck into the net and not Kane. Maybe its just the angle of the video.

Edit: Watching that really makes me miss watching the Blackhawks play.
- DarthKane

And didn't philly need to win the very last game of the season, in a shootout, to even make the playoffs? And wasn't Ward the player the puck bounced off of right to Hossa to win that game?

At this point I don't have any prospects in Rockford that I am overly attached too (not including Shaw, Kruger and Leddy). I'd just like to see 1-2 of Saad, Morin, and Hayes make the team whenever play starts again. In the CHL I am really excited about Danault and McNeill but I don't want their development rushed.
- DarthKane

In Rockford...I LOVE FLICK...always have had a sentimental attachment to him since i watched him in person in junior many times...but Dent has buried him on the bench and he gets about a shift a period. Very disappointed in Dent. His teams take too many bull s h i t LAZY penalties and they're ultra soft defensively. This is a bad Rockford team..based on what i've seen in a few games on the 'net...not a great barometer..just my opinion.

NONE of the d-men down there stand out. In fact, Leddy and co...are pretty much FORGETTABLE night in night out. Lalonde has shown flashes of promise then Dent buries him too. I've had hope for Clendening too...but as a group..they're a non-descript bunch of pylons.

McNeill looks like he gets it in a way that Beach never will, in that he knows the hour glass on progress is always ticking. Mark could be any kind. As for Phillip....heard a lot a great things about his motor and tenaciousness but haven't been able to see him play at all.

Sounds like more of the same...When the puck is not within 20 feet of Beach he is MIA.

Doesn't bode well for him because with his hockey IQ a NHL coach won't trust him on the 3rd or 4th line. His top six future is a longshot as well because he doen't play well without the puck.
- Al

Agreed Al...Beach has matured a bit...in short spurts his play suggests he knows that time is running out...but he looks destined to be another cautionary tale. A kid who got a marquee draft spot on the resume, but simply could not deliver what was expected.

I with you on Beach... somehow I always find myself rooting for him - and then I watch a couple of Rockford games and I can't justify it. He very well may get a chance to be a fourth liner when his contract falls more in line with what he could provide but, yah; I'm shaking my head as I type this.

Saad on the other hand, I was really hard on him early but now and for the last couple of weeks he is the best forward on the team. He is certainly earning the look he's projected to get if/when we have NHL hockey.
- nathanjf

I'm shaking my head too Nathan...as for Saad...i hope he makes a believer of JJ ! He's certainly on that trajectory.

Agreed Al...Beach has matured a bit...in short spurts his play suggests he knows that time is running out...but he looks destined to be another cautionary tale. A kid who got a marquee draft spot on the resume, but simply could not deliver what was expected.
- philco28

I believe these characteristics make him a candidate for the acquisition by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Have never seen Beach play. Sounds like a player carrying a bunch of expectations around his neck because where he was chosen in the draft but without the ability to deliver.

I believe these characteristics make him a candidate for the acquisition by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Have never seen Beach play. Sounds like a player carrying a bunch of expectations around his neck because where he was chosen in the draft but without the ability to deliver.
- RickJ

You could be correct if Burke lasts long enough...

As far as expectation...The word by those who supposedly knew was that Beach had the 2nd best hands in the draft.

Word I got shortly before the Draft was Tallon loved him and if Beach dropped the Hawks wouldn't pass on him...Actually I wrote about selecting Beach and was high on him to start....

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=15824
You might get a kick to look back at what was going on from June of 2008....


He has the hands and the size but you also need to be wired correctly above the shoulders ...

On Twitter@AlCimaglia