Remember this? That was awesome.
- Ogilthorpe2

Couldn't see it Ogi Wan

I think it's maybe, umm, naive to assume this is all face value. Why would Raanta sign with the Hawks—when there were other teams in the running who likely could (abnd did) promise him a real shot at starting? What did the Hawks therefore say to him to get him to come with them?

It's just not really plausible they just walked in and cut in line in front of 5-6 other teams and signed him—and there is no back story.

Do the Hawks know he can be a #1 in the NHL? No, I don't think it is a lead pipe lock. But do they have the scouting, and did he have production in the SM-Liiga to indicate it is highly likely he will be? Yes. He was marginally better than Antti Niemi at the same age in the same league. Is Niemi a #1. Yes. Is he a good one? Yes.

If you're saying this is just a depth replenishing move and has no bearing on Crawford next summer, I'm 99.9% certain you're wrong. He's too good, too many other teams wanted him. Period.
- John Jaeckel

Here's a shocker for you, Big Fella - I completely agree with this!! There's no doubt Raanta is an attempt to fill CC's shoes when Crawford gets too expensive. It was a big deal, too, because there's little in the system in the short term. All Raanta has to do is prove he's capable of being as "good enough" as CC was this past year (I think he will - this FO has increasing credibility in my book). Question - will they kick CC to the curb if Raanta doesn't play some NHL games this year to see him at the NHL level?

I heard a young Hawk family wanted CC to take a picture with their new baby. The dad handed CC the baby, but on the glove side. Baby fell but was OK...






- TrueGrit

Guess it wasn't this baby


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7KfJOVfTUQ

Sharp is pound for pound the best Hawk forward along the wall...And one of the best in the NHL....That trait isn't utilized as much while playing center.

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

His board skills, talent and overall tenacity give him a legit shot to make Team Canada.

Guess it wasn't this baby


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7KfJOVfTUQ
- philco28

You know I am with you Phil. I am a big CC fan. Just having some fun...

I have both, NHL Network rebroadcast the TSN feed the following day and I have that one too.
- MartiniMan

Both good. I just think the Canadian feed shows more interesting shots. One girl kept screaming and shaking after the bolland goal. I think part of bickell's group. It was funny

Not sure if we're talking about the same broadcast but game 6 was not featured here in the Detroit area due to the downtown fireworks display; kind of representative of what the city has been doing with it's money for the last 30 years or so.

Anyway, we had the CBC feed and after the tying goal by Bickell I was texting a friend about it. I looked up and was like wtf just happened? Did the Hawks just score again. We all know they did but from that feed you'd have never have known it. They re-played the NBC feed the next day and I dvr'd it. Though I sometimes get annoyed with Doc Emerick, at least his call on the goal was one worthy of something that likely represented the final goal and an exclamation point concluding a great series.
- HawkintheD

Yeah Doc's call is more exciting. But the Canadian feed is great about showing parent's reactions in the stands, showing the player benches more, and even showed the front office people in the suites.

Both good. I just think the Canadian feed shows more interesting shots. One girl kept screaming and shaking after the bolland goal. I think part of bickell's group. It was funny
- tomcat24

I'm reminded of the end of "Hard Day's Night" - Beatles are singing "She Loves You", and a little girl in the audience is just in tears, crying, screaming "George, George..." over and over.

Must be a Commonwealth thing.

You know I am with you Phil. I am a big CC fan. Just having some fun...
- TrueGrit

I knew you were TG

Couldn't see it Ogi Wan

- philco28

Ogi Wan Kaneobi! May the force be with you.

Doubtful they get him at that figure. If I am Bowman, that's where I would START on a proposal for a long term deal. $4.75-5 million per? More likely.

You get this deal done before the summer. You don't let this guy go. This team is built around exactly what this guy does and the kind of depth and flexibility he adds for the coaching staff.
- John Jaeckel

I would love for the Hawks to re-up Hammer long term but I think there's a real chance he may be lost to UFA and I think whatever he does he will get more than $5 mil per. But yes I think this deal has to get done before next Summer or Hammer will walk. Can easily see sometime giving him $5.5-$6 mil a year for 5-6 years. He'll only be 27. He's also a top pairing d-man on most teams.

Ogi Wan Kaneobi! May the force be with you.
- DarthKane

Absolutely and i take it from Martini Man's reply to Ogi...that the original post was about the magical 2 in :17


Kane, GREAT PLAY to enter the zone...Keith with a deft pass to Taze, who in turn threaded a perfect feed through Chara's legs to Bicks......WOW'ZA

You know...I am going to go off the reservation here a bit....

I have read countless entries about Crawford and how he is blessed with the Hawks D and system. Similar to the arguments you hear about NFL qbs like Drew Brees or Tom Brady who are "system qbs".

Crawford, like Niemi, let in some very bad goals in the playoffs...Clutterbuck, game 6 vs Detroit, etc. However, like Niemi he bounced back and what game did he truly $hit the bed that gave the Hawks NO chance to win?

Is he the 2nd coming of Patrick Roy? NO...but I think at some point the hatred for him has to end and people need to realize that he is good enough to win and win consistently in this league...Without him in 2011, they may not make the playoffs OR sniff game 7 vs Vancouver. Yes, he sucked vs Phoenix, but the whole team did...

I'm not a huge CC guy, but all this talk about about Raanta is just that....talk. Raanta is very raw, very unproven ,and may not prove anything at the NHL level before it's time for this management to make a very hard decision on what to pay CC and/or roll the dice with a very large unknown Finn.

It'll take at least 4.5-5.5 to ink Crawford depending upon the years. It'll cost the Hawks at least the same to sign Hammer. from there, they'll have to make a decision on buying out Hossa, trading a Sharp or Seabrook or Oduya....and the last big one is the wonder twins...

If an @ss clown like Gagner can get 4.8 and LIttle can get 4.7 what will Toews and Kane get? 2 unmatched comparables that are going to cost Rocky some serious coin. No coincidence Kruger and Leddy's deals both expire in time to sign Kane and Toews, because Bowman knows he'll need every penny to get it done.

And yes, the cap will go up, but to sky rocket 15-20 million in 2 years? I think not....Maybe to 75 million by the start of the 2015-16 season, at best.

His board skills, talent and overall tenacity give him a legit shot to make Team Canada.
- philco28

He's a beast...and to think some people on here wanted to deal HIM INSTEAD of BOLUS?!?

He's as fierce a competitor as they come, and probably my next jersey behind Toews.

His board skills, talent and overall tenacity give him a legit shot to make Team Canada.
- philco28

Considering Seabrook played like HELL vs Detroit in the playoffs, rode the pine the entire gold medal game in Vancouver while rocking his Eddie Munster hair style, I don't see how he makes Team Canada. Baring an injury to major guy, he's not going....

Considering Seabrook played like HELL vs Detroit in the playoffs, rode the pine the entire gold medal game in Vancouver while rocking his Eddie Munster hair style, I don't see how he makes Team Canada. Baring an injury to major guy, he's not going....
- SteveRain

Seabrook was especially terrible in game 7 against Detroit.

Seabrook was especially terrible in game 7 against Detroit.
- DarthKane

Selective memories....the Hawks as a collective played like sh*t for 4 games against Detroit. The turnaround in started in Game 5 with putting Seabs and Keith back together.

Selective memories....the Hawks as a collective played like sh*t for 4 games against Detroit. The turnaround in started in Game 5 with putting Seabs and Kieth back together.
- Blackwater13

And when our forecheck got SERIOUS.

Game 4 or 5 (forget which) versus Boston?!
- John Jaeckel

The OT game the Hawks one where his glove was exposed? I'll give you that. It's overshadowed by a Hawks win but ok. If that's one out of 23 games then that looks a bit better than Kane who really didn't show until what the LA series? Again, I think the voting is how about how you interpret most valuable in the playoffs.. is it the big games, what have you done for me lately, or consistency throughout.

Seabrook was especially terrible in game 7 against Detroit.
- DarthKane

Really?

Games 1-6.....he was B-A-D.

I heard a young Hawk family wanted CC to take a picture with their new baby. The dad handed CC the baby, but on the glove side. Baby fell but was OK...






- TrueGrit

HAHAHAHA

But I'll tell you what, the guys who lack the ego to get in the way and give back win points with me. Good for CC.

The OT game the Hawks one where his glove was exposed? I'll give you that. It's overshadowed by a Hawks win but ok. If that's one out of 23 games then that looks a bit better than Kane who really didn't show until what the LA series? Again, I think the voting is how about how you interpret most valuable in the playoffs.. is it the big games, what have you done for me lately, or consistency throughout.
- golfbard

I wouldn't have given it to Kane either. I had Bickell all the way, followed by Sharp and Crawford and Kane.

You know...I am going to go off the reservation here a bit....

I have read countless entries about Crawford and how he is blessed with the Hawks D and system. Similar to the arguments you hear about NFL qbs like Drew Brees or Tom Brady who are "system qbs".

Crawford, like Niemi, let in some very bad goals in the playoffs...Clutterbuck, game 6 vs Detroit, etc. However, like Niemi he bounced back and what game did he truly $hit the bed that gave the Hawks NO chance to win?

Is he the 2nd coming of Patrick Roy? NO...but I think at some point the hatred for him has to end and people need to realize that he is good enough to win and win consistently in this league...Without him in 2011, they may not make the playoffs OR sniff game 7 vs Vancouver. Yes, he sucked vs Phoenix, but the whole team did...

I'm not a huge CC guy, but all this talk about about Raanta is just that....talk. Raanta is very raw, very unproven ,and may not prove anything at the NHL level before it's time for this management to make a very hard decision on what to pay CC and/or roll the dice with a very large unknown Finn.

It'll take at least 4.5-5.5 to ink Crawford depending upon the years. It'll cost the Hawks at least the same to sign Hammer. from there, they'll have to make a decision on buying out Hossa, trading a Sharp or Seabrook or Oduya....and the last big one is the wonder twins...

If an @ss clown like Gagner can get 4.8 and LIttle can get 4.7 what will Toews and Kane get? 2 unmatched comparables that are going to cost Rocky some serious coin. No coincidence Kruger and Leddy's deals both expire in time to sign Kane and Toews, because Bowman knows he'll need every penny to get it done.

And yes, the cap will go up, but to sky rocket 15-20 million in 2 years? I think not....Maybe to 75 million by the start of the 2015-16 season, at best.
- SteveRain

Agreed up to a point. Crawford is fine. But to your point, how much can they pay him, or should they?

It is possible Raanta will stink like herring left out too long when he hits North America. But I'm betting, and I think more importantly, the Hawks are, he won't. The circumstances, trajectory and narrative is almost precisely the same as Niemi's. But this guy arguably has better credentials. And Niemi, I'm sorry, is a very good NHL goaltender, technical anomalies, rebounds and all. That guy is a talent and a winner.

By the way, he reads this blog, too!

Not sure if we're talking about the same broadcast but game 6 was not featured here in the Detroit area due to the downtown fireworks display; kind of representative of what the city has been doing with it's money for the last 30 years or so.

Anyway, we had the CBC feed and after the tying goal by Bickell I was texting a friend about it. I looked up and was like wtf just happened? Did the Hawks just score again. We all know they did but from that feed you'd have never have known it. They re-played the NBC feed the next day and I dvr'd it. Though I sometimes get annoyed with Doc Emerick, at least his call on the goal was one worthy of something that likely represented the final goal and an exclamation point concluding a great series.
- HawkintheD

I thought the CBC announcers were very boring and really failed to capture the excitement of the two goals. Were they Bruin fans or what? The NBC feed was far, far batter.

I thought the CBC announcers were very boring and really failed to capture the excitement of the two goals. Were they Bruin fans or what? The NBC feed was far, far batter.
- PitMartin7

True, but generally I preferred them to the NBC broadcast, not a big fan of Doc. He's too melodramatic, tries to make a good play sound way more spectacular that it actually is.

I saw a clip of Bolland's goal with Dave Strader making the call and it was fantastic. Wish I could get the whole game with his call, but I have no idea who he was doing the play by play for.