I just read that myself. I'd love to see Ray back, 2 years at $2 million per season would be good. That would give us some cushion if Stan is unable to re-sign Crawford after next season. I live the Crawford/Emery duo, regardless of who's playing I feel we have a chance to win with either of them in net.
- DarthKane

I kike your thinking, but that likely prices Roszival out of a Hawks sweater.

Right on 6628!

This has been my biggest "complaint" against this staff -- I've said the young guys here aren't in a real learning environment. Of the 3, Q is in the best position to provide the mentoring (certainly Kompon and Kitchen really are NOT), but he has never been 1 to do this. And since I don't get a chance to see how other HC's run their teams, I really have NO idea if they simply rely on someone else to take on this task or do it themselves.

I was the guy that mentioned Housley several times -- said if Leddy does go somewhere, I would like to see him go to Nashville only because Housley is there now and Leddy had credited Housley with helping him when he was still in MN developing as a player. Probably not likely to happen but I do think it is important to have someone like this to bring you along -- it's the finer points of the game at NHL speed where Leddy needs help -- you can only imagine this guy in high school skating the way he does. My gosh, it's no surprise he was MN high school hockey player of the year.

Hope Leddy is retained and gets the additional mentoring he needs to take the talent that's there and turn it into a real PLUS for the Hawks.
- savvyone-1

But the young talent has certainly been given the chance to succeed or fail, and, under Q and the staff, enough have succeeded to get a second Cup: Kruger, Saad, Bickell, Leddy (a lot of good minutes during this regular season), Shaw, Crawford, even Frolik and Stalberg - all unproven young talents who were given major minutes by Q and the staff over the past three years, and have succeeded enough to get a second Cup.

Someone is developing them, or they are the best group of individual learners the game has ever seen.

The NHL is not the place for a player to learn! An NHL coach's job is to win and to win he needs developed players. It's not up to an NHL coach to do anything more than to tweak a players skill set and of course to teach him how to play a specific system.
- paulr

Given the new financial realities in the NHL - new CBA, new lower caps, elimination of "gimmick" contracts for older players, reliance on young, unproven, inexpensive talent for a big piece of the roster - the NHL just may be the default place to learn.

Like baseball with rushing kids to the majors, and basketball with more one year and done college players, hockey players are spending less time developing in the minors, which means they must spend more time developing in the major league.

Denny Potvan said on XM that if he were Vinny he would go to Chicago and play 2nd/3rd line center .

I know it doesnt mean much but thats what he said.

jj,


Free Agent preview tomorrow ??
Again , Id love to see Matt Hendricks in the Indianhead.

Denny Potvan said on XM that if he were Vinny he would go to Chicago and play 2nd/3rd line center .

I know it doesnt mean much but thats what he said.

jj,


Free Agent preview tomorrow ??
Again , Id love to see Matt Hendricks in the Indianhead.
- mrpaulish

Would love to see Hendricks!!!!!! And Vinny!!!!!

On another side note from Game 6 ....


My basement has tile , Im thinking of painting The Indian Head on the exact tile I was standing on when Bolland scored.

I cant walk past that area in my basement with out screaming


"HHHHHAAAAAWWWKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

Lets just put this to bed now. NO they will not trade him. That is because of all the reasons you stated.
- TrueGrit

Yeah probably true............. but like I said it is a pipe dream. But if any team has the pieces to make it happen, we do. I guess the question should be, do the Canadiens have enough in their vault to compete with Boston, NY, and now Detroit in the East to win their conference with him alone ? I still don't see them anywhere near these teams for the next few years. In my mind........ our only untouchable is 19. What will StanBo do to improve this team next year ? The 5 draft picks we got to replace 2 top 12 forwards is years away from seeing anything. I want to see what he does for next year concerning the PP and the #2 center. I think you and I could have traded Bolland and Frolik for 5 draft choices !!

Of the other ten players I listed, which could the Hawks trade to get a player who plays better within their system?
- NewToHockey

The "play better within their system" is a loaded question. Its hard to say anybody because the team as constructed just won a cup, so we know most of them fit the Hawks system very well. But in terms of general hockey value, I think the only people they wouldn't get fair value for no matter what is Toews, all world number one center, dominant puck possesser and Selke finalist (probably the most valuable kind of hockey player, backed up by the fact he was statistically the MVP according to GVT) and Keith because teams who lose number 1 d-men suffer the greatest and most noticeable drop in winning. I think they could trade Kane and get similar value back, along with Sharp and Seabrook. Not advocating the trades, just saying if I were the GM calls about 19 and 2 would be the only calls I wouldn't take

I am neither antipasto nor the antichrist; maybe I'm Antii Niemi?
- Q...argh

On another side note from Game 6 ....


My basement has tile , Im thinking of painting The Indian Head on the exact tile I was standing on when Bolland scored.

I cant walk past that area in my basement with out screaming


"HHHHHAAAAAWWWKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSSS"
- mrpaulish

Then no one could walk on it, right?

But the young talent has certainly been given the chance to succeed or fail, and, under Q and the staff, enough have succeeded to get a second Cup: Kruger, Saad, Bickell, Leddy (a lot of good minutes during this regular season), Shaw, Crawford, even Frolik and Stalberg - all unproven young talents who were given major minutes by Q and the staff over the past three years, and have succeeded enough to get a second Cup.

Someone is developing them, or they are the best group of individual learners the game has ever seen.
- StLBravesFan

There can be an argument to be made that their development comes from the leadership on the team. Saad learns from Toews and Hossa, Leddy from Rosy. Bickell has followed a pretty natural PF development. I think its probably a combination, but I see the arguments for both sides

Yeah probably true............. but like I said it is a pipe dream. But if any team has the pieces to make it happen, we do. I guess the question should be, do the Canadiens have enough in their vault to compete with Boston, NY, and now Detroit in the East to win their conference with him alone ? I still don't see them anywhere near these teams for the next few years. In my mind........ our only untouchable is 19. What will StanBo do to improve this team next year ? The 5 draft picks we got to replace 2 top 12 forwards is years away from seeing anything. I want to see what he does for next year concerning the PP and the #2 center. I think you and I could have traded Bolland and Frolik for 5 draft choices !!
- Hawkytalk

AND the $5MM in additional cap space, which returned Bickell, probably Leddy, maybe Emery, Kruger, maybe Roszival....

Sharp being interviewed on the Score right now.

Yeah probably true............. but like I said it is a pipe dream. But if any team has the pieces to make it happen, we do. I guess the question should be, do the Canadiens have enough in their vault to compete with Boston, NY, and now Detroit in the East to win their conference with him alone ? I still don't see them anywhere near these teams for the next few years. In my mind........ our only untouchable is 19. What will StanBo do to improve this team next year ? The 5 draft picks we got to replace 2 top 12 forwards is years away from seeing anything. I want to see what he does for next year concerning the PP and the #2 center. I think you and I could have traded Bolland and Frolik for 5 draft choices !!
- Hawkytalk

The piece would be Toews, or Kane, or Keith...Imagine you are a Habs fan wanting to get Toews, the best player on the Hawks. What is that price?

None...not for sale. PK best player...not for sale. You wait generations for a guy like this to come along. You don't trade him for 2 or 3 average guys and a few picks that may or may not pan out.

Would love to see Hendricks!!!!!! And Vinny!!!!!
- nickmo2699

Word is that Vinny is looking for 5 years/$25 million.

If that's the case, you can cross him off the Hawks wish list.

Then no one could walk on it, right?
- StLBravesFan

I could put those rope barriers around it.

Word is that Vinny is looking for 5 years/$25 million.

If that's the case, you can cross him off the Hawks wish list.
- EKolb13

And some dumb GM will sign him for that, then probably buy him out next year.

Word is that Vinny is looking for 5 years/$25 million.

If that's the case, you can cross him off the Hawks wish list.
- EKolb13

Forget Vinny. What about Lapierre?

The "play better within their system" is a loaded question. Its hard to say anybody because the team as constructed just won a cup, so we know most of them fit the Hawks system very well. But in terms of general hockey value, I think the only people they wouldn't get fair value for no matter what is Toews, all world number one center, dominant puck possesser and Selke finalist (probably the most valuable kind of hockey player, backed up by the fact he was statistically the MVP according to GVT) and Keith because teams who lose number 1 d-men suffer the greatest and most noticeable drop in winning. I think they could trade Kane and get similar value back, along with Sharp and Seabrook. Not advocating the trades, just saying if I were the GM calls about 19 and 2 would be the only calls I wouldn't take
- rollpards19

Agree on 19 but definitely not on 2. His trade value is at his highest once again after 2 pretty mediocre years after his Norris Trophy. Not to mention his age, cap hit, and enthusiasm to win it again. Believe me, I'm not advocating trading him but if Montreal would insist on him in a package to get Subban, I would consider it in a heartbeat. IMO.......... 2 cups with this core group was great but I'm concerned with their motivation and intensity to continue to put forth all the effort to do it again. The "hangover" has proven to be legit and after what happened in 2011, I'm thinking we might see the same thing next year. As a fan, I surely don't want to relive that experience.

I kike your thinking, but that likely prices Roszival out of a Hawks sweater.
- Kentxo

It looks like Jeff Schultz will be bought out by Washington, I'd like to see him in Chicago next season. 6'6" and 230 pounds, could be a good pairing with Leddy

I could put those rope barriers around it.
- mrpaulish

But miniature!

It looks like Jeff Schultz will be bought out by Washington, I'd like to see him in Chicago next season. 6'6" and 230 pounds, could be a good pairing with Leddy
- DarthKane

Leddy needs a player who compliments him not one who is just a pylon.

Forget Vinny. What about Lapierre?
- Kentxo

Mad Max could be a good 4th line centre and replacement for Frolik on the PK. I've seen him play lots in Vancouver. He's the type of player you hate to play against but want on your team.

It looks like Jeff Schultz will be bought out by Washington, I'd like to see him in Chicago next season. 6'6" and 230 pounds, could be a good pairing with Leddy
- DarthKane

No, no, no, absolutely no. He is not fast, not physical, not worth the aggravation.

I have shared Caps season tickets since the first lockout and have seen him get beaten many times. He and Stalberg would be hilarious trying to hit each other as they are so contact-averse.

Please God no, do not put him with Leddy or even in Chicago.

It looks like Jeff Schultz will be bought out by Washington, I'd like to see him in Chicago next season. 6'6" and 230 pounds, could be a good pairing with Leddy
- DarthKane

Shultz is a slug. He has the energy of ERic Daze. No thanks. Shaw is a lot more physical than Shultz.