Going back home and the Bergevin connection...The bread crumbs were there, most likely they saw it coming.

The position was vacant in Montreal for awhile.
- Al

not to mention Price is an immense talent and they have invested a lot in him

was probably only a Stephane Waite mentor away from being a vezina goalie IMO

I'd sooner take a tandem of Brookbank & Stanton over Komisarek. Komisarek is bordering John Scott slow. He doesn't help here.

Karlsson is returning to Sweden. I wouldn't expect Hutton back, with the signing of Raanta.

I doubt DiPietro could find a two way deal. I think he'll end up with an AHL deal somewhere, and will have to prove himself there.
- EKolb13

Oh shi t, didn't know that about komisarek! I am sure the Bowmans will pull off an under the radar suprise in the next couple of days.
Ryan jones? some say yes, some say no, what iss the deal on this kid?does this guy have size and does he have the stones to drive guys though the boards cleanly & can he stand up to the looch's of the league? Hope rosy is coming back, but I got a feeling SB is looking for someone alittle younger that CAN PLAY and has a mean streak. something of the shane o'brien type. speaking of D's who 's last names begin with O", what is ryne o'byrnes status, is he out there or is he signed ? that would be a good pick up. fricken goalie? you tell me. I want a guy who can play at least 25-30 games and give up a legit shot to win most nights.

Giroux is good, but he just got OVERPAID

only cap hit above $8 mil now that has 0 hardware to his name

No Hart Trophy
No Art Ross
No Conn Smythe
No Cup

NOTHING

another Holmgren "pay them huge contracts and hope they live up to it" deal
- FourFeathers773

Two years ago even after the concussion he was a world beater...that series against the Penquins...I'll confess I probably saw him in 8 full games, and he was either a bit out of shape or injured, or missin Jagr, or something.

I don't know if I would be ready to say he won't be an impact star next season. The dee was injured and crap,and the Russian in net was "whta's to be is to be..."

My take on the salary is it is almost as IF EACH team no matter if they have a 8 mil player IS going to have a guy slotted and paid at that high end mostly because they all seem to think they HAVE to pay high to make the best offensive forward feel he able to play to that pay....
You remember when the Flyers gave Carter the ten year deal?

Maybe the figure that shrinking Cap is going up and that the don't even want to entertain chances of losing this kid.

I seriously wouldn't doubt that Kane and Toews get appraoch early too...

a GM's job has become a every day worry about out future inside the Cap, and I think with many of them They are HAPPY to pay to get it done, so the rosetr around that guy can be where they concentrate.

Each team alwasy seems to have player decisons to make and thye figire out the discards, and try and lock up the guys they want around first each off season.

I am fairly certain Parise's departure in New Jersey is one that all teams fear can happen to them and they are frightened about not closing on star players.

Going to see more original six franchise renaissances. MTL and TOR will be back in the mix for some time to come. Just need the NYR to get it back together and they will all be in it.

Great news for the sport.

I wouldn't actually call Komisarek slow, just less able to play the new NHL style on both sides.

What about Henrik Karlsson? Was he that terrible in Rockford? He seems like he could be a pretty solid number two, and we have him signed until next 14-15. I know he wasn't going to get a very good chance to start playing second fiddle to kipper in Calgary (which are the only instances i've seen him).
- wildcatgoal

He's already signed to play in Europe next year.

I wouldn't actually call Komisarek slow, just less able to play the new NHL style on both sides.
- wiz1901

Call it what you may but he plays too slow for here is my guess.

Waite is well thought and I don't know who is coming in but....The front office shouldn't have been caught off guard with him going to the Habs.
- Al

Definitely not. Plus as you know championship teams and teams that have had a run of success get plucked in the front office, coaching staff and roster so this is also a product of success.

One thing about these trades and the draft - Western conference division B is getting stronger. Dallas and Colorado definitely better next season. Columbus - if they get Fillipula and Horton could be tough and Nashville with Weber and Jones....
- tredbrta

I agree with your general point, but I believe Columbus is heading to the Eastern Conference.

It's a good feeling to know that our team doesn't need to make a big move tomorrow or the days to follow. Voids need to be filled but it's not like we are desperate for a core member of the team.

Unlike 2010 we will have the majority of the team intact going into next season. We lost 2 4th line forwards (not to minimize Bolland and Frolik's impact), a 6D, underperforming 3RW, bandaid 2C (who could be brought back) and a backup goalie.

In addition to likely 2 of Smith, Morin, Hayes, and Pirri making the team (barring any miracles like TT or Danault making the team instead) Stan will fill the remaning voids with cost effective stop-gaps.

Free agent day is exciting, but more often than not these moves don't lead to immediate championships. The past 3 Cup winners did not sign a player on July 1 that dressed in the final. For us the more exciting time will be training camp when we watch the young guys dual it out.

I agree with your general point, but I believe Columbus is heading to the Eastern Conference.
- mohel

http://bleacherreport.com...on-map-and-playoff-format

Columbus stays in division B. Detroit moves to C.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1567483-nhl-realignment-2013-14-new-division-map-and-playoff-format

Columbus stays in division B. Detroit moves to C.
- tredbrta

Columbus is in division D according to that link.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1567483-nhl-realignment-2013-14-new-division-map-and-playoff-format

Columbus stays in division B. Detroit moves to C.
- tredbrta

Columbus moves to division D in the Eastern Conference.

Colorado is now in the Hawks division, along with Winnipeg.

---
As excited as Columbus is to be playing more games in their time zone, moving to the East is going to kill them.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1567483-nhl-realignment-2013-14-new-division-map-and-playoff-format

Columbus stays in division B. Detroit moves to C.
- tredbrta

Boy do I hate our division next year.... We SHOULD dominate but there are few games I am actually gonna be excited for (St. Louis, Minnesota, and Winnipeg to a lesser extent) and alot of those snoozer games against Colorado and Dallas
I MISS THE WINGS

Emery's bringing the Cup to my hometown (Hammertown, Ontario) a week from Saturday....11:30am-1:30pm at some bar called KOI in Hess Village

Emery's bringing the Cup to my hometown (Hammertown, Ontario) a week from Saturday....11:30am-1:30pm at some bar called KOI in Hess Village

- philco28

Make sure you take lots of pictures to share with us!

I wonder if Stalberg will go off on Q when he signs with another team like Grabovski did when he was bought out?

I wouldn't actually call Komisarek slow, just less able to play the new NHL style on both sides.
- wiz1901

Maybe not slow per say, but he has limited mobility. His trouble in Toronto was he was brought in by a GM, Burke, who sold him as something he wasn't close to being, a top pairing guy able to play in all situations. He is really a complimentary, 3rd pairing guy who brings physicality and shot blocking and needs a mobile partner to look after the transitional part of the game. The other thing is he has to keep his gloves on around Lucic.

I wonder if Stalberg will go off on Q when he signs with another team like Grabovski did when he was bought out?
- DarthKane

I do t know about that , Stalberg did get his name on the cup. Stakbergs soft play wasn't Qs fault .

Any guesses fellas on how well fill out the roster ?

I think we could use 2 centers . .

Matty Hendricks for the 4th line

And

Recently bought out X Maple Leaf Gravo for a 2nd line center.

Any guesses fellas on how well fill out the roster ?

I think we could use 2 centers . .

Matty Hendricks for the 4th line

And

Recently bought out X Maple Leaf Gravo for a 2nd line center.
- mrpaulish

Hendricks is fine but if they´re going to give Pirri a chance the time is now. Let him play between Sharp&Hossa and develop there. Don´t think they have enough cap space to sign Grabo anyway..

Any guesses fellas on how well fill out the roster ?

I think we could use 2 centers . .

Matty Hendricks for the 4th line

And

Recently bought out X Maple Leaf Gravo for a 2nd line center.
- mrpaulish

Grabosvski isn't a fit for the Hawks. Grabovski is similar to Ovechkin or the Kostitsyns who don't play well within the confines of a structured defensive system and who's defensive responsibilities are minimal. Under Ron Wilson, Grabovski was fine and put up some decent numbers. Playing under Randy Carlyle's defensive structure which is very similar to Quenneville's defensive structure, Grabovski failed miserably. Then top off the way he reacted yesterday after he was bought out and the fact that Montreal ran him out of town because of his attitude and because he was fighting with his teammates.

Grabovski excells in a non structured environment with a coach who doesn't expect much of him defensively. Bruce Boudreau in Anaheim, a coach who is a glorified gate opener, who has mimimal defensive structure would be the ideal situation for Grabovski to land. In Chicago he would be watching games from the pressbox before the season was at quarter way through.

The same for some Hawk fans who think Crawford is the second coming of Patrick Roy.
- paulr

True dat

Any guesses fellas on how well fill out the roster ?

I think we could use 2 centers . .

Matty Hendricks for the 4th line

And

Recently bought out X Maple Leaf Gravo for a 2nd line center.
- mrpaulish

I think Bowman fills out the roster with some of the kids from Rockford. It may make for a boring day today but at some point they have to see if the kids can play at this level. The Hawks are in pretty good shape this time around with most of the team coming back. Free agency isn't the best way to build a team so the more home grown talent they can insert into the line up the better.

Any guesses fellas on how well fill out the roster ?

I think we could use 2 centers . .

Matty Hendricks for the 4th line

And

Recently bought out X Maple Leaf Gravo for a 2nd line center.
- mrpaulish

I think Bowman sits out today. Today is all about the big ticket items and overspending on tier 2 items. I think he waits to see what's left when the dust settles and jumps on some guys who may not have gotten what they thought they were worth and take a cheap deal for a shot at the Cup.