With me, more a "like/hate/like/hate/like" relationship. He won't win you a series, but, with a good defense in front of him, he won't lose you one - and he will help the defense more than he hurts it.

As I said last blog, I'd go about a million over hit hit now - to, say, hope for $3.5MM but probably go to $4MM - IF Hjalmarsson gets signed first.
- StLBravesFan

Wonder if the Hawks could get Crow for $3.5 with bonus incentives for winning Vezina, Jennings ?

I understand the Bowman re: ORG principle to jettison goalies when they start looking for raises.

Just have to say...i've had my love/hate/love/hate/love affair with Crow and was never more impressed than i was in G6 of the Final. He was STELLAR and was... pretty much throughout the 23 game run to GLORY.

Emery will find out fast, Philly doesn't have a d corps like us. Corey's worth $4 mil but will command more i'm sure and will likely be gone after this season.
- philco28

Hello Phil! What level of goalie do you believe is necessary (regardless of the name on the back) for the Hawks to win the Cup? My own thought is that at least NHL average is needed - probably nearer to good. Not excellent or great, just average-to-good.

Crawford walks (to get paid) and Emery comes back after a healthy, yet statistically unremarkable year behind the Philadelphia's defense.

Emery and Antti. There's my bold prediction.

MM...it's a shame too because we groomed Crow a long time to taste the payoff. Have a feeling Raanta or one of the young'ns won't deliver as quick as the brain trust might believe.
- philco28

The one constant of the salary cap world is that teams that have success aren't ever going to be able to keep everyone they would like to.

The fact remains, it is going to be more important that they get Hjalmarsson lockup up in the next 11 months than Crawford....

Crawford walks (to get paid) and Emery comes back after a healthy, yet statistically unremarkable behind the Philadelphia's defense.

Emery and Antti. There's my bold prediction.
- AceRatbang

And leaves his hips in Philly.

I know you said "healthy", but I'm not sure he's proven that yet: I saw a defense that helped him more than Crawford (except the Calgary game), and a goalie that still had some trouble going post-to-post, side-to-side, starting and stopping his slide.

With me, more a "like/hate/like/hate/like" relationship. He won't win you a series, but, with a good defense in front of him, he won't lose you one - and he will help the defense more than he hurts it.

As I said last blog, I'd go about a million over hit hit now - to, say, hope for $3.5MM but probably go to $4MM - IF Hjalmarsson gets signed first.
- StLBravesFan

That is a good plan, but it is dependent on Raanta being at least as capable as Crawford (I don't think the Hawks win the Final with a lesser goalie - too many really close games that we won). If after this season at Rockfish he doesn't look the part we'll need to go dumpster diving or pay Crawford the market rate, which will be way higher than $3.5-$4M.

Hello Phil! What level of goalie do you believe is necessary (regardless of the name on the back) for the Hawks to win the Cup? My own thought is that at least NHL average is needed - probably nearer to good. Not excellent or great, just average-to-good.
- mohel

Hey Mo...yeah, i'd lean toward a DURABLE vet with a .550 to .650 win pct with at least some solid NHL playoff experience.

The one constant of the salary cap world is that teams that have success aren't ever going to be able to keep everyone they would like to.

The fact remains, it is going to be more important that they get Hjalmarsson lockup up in the next 11 months than Crawford....
- MartiniMan

Probably right about Hammer. Wonder when any of the d become expendable to make room for the next wave of blue line prospects.

or me getting up from the dinner table at a semi-nice restaurant looking to employ the old 'dine 'n dash'.
- philco28

Crawford walks (to get paid) and Emery comes back after a healthy, yet statistically unremarkable year behind the Philadelphia's defense.

Emery and Antti. There's my bold prediction.
- AceRatbang

I'll role with Raanta with Khabby on the bench with a case of Old Milwaukee cans.

Haha. Nice comparable
- eburgio

Thanks, I do what I can.

And leaves his hips in Philly.

I know you said "healthy", but I'm not sure he's proven that yet: I saw a defense that helped him more than Crawford (except the Calgary game), and a goalie that still had some trouble going post-to-post, side-to-side, starting and stopping his slide.
- StLBravesFan

Right. My prediction (dumb guess) is that he does prove it.

Wonder if the Hawks could get Crow for $3.5 with bonus incentives for winning Vezina, Jennings ?
- philco28

Those bonuses would still count towards the cap and I thought bonuses were only available on entry level deals and 35+ contracts.

Crawford would want guaranteed money anyway, and he deserves it.

Those bonuses would still count towards the cap and I thought bonuses were only available on entry level deals and 35+ contracts.

Crawford would want guaranteed money anyway, and he deserves it.
- DarthKane

Yeah...just spitball'n on the bonuses...and Crow does DESERVE IT.

I heard you were discussing Table Hockey games...
so i am going to show you the one I have.

I found the guy who tricked up this one in the vidoe and although it cost me, I have thsi exact game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=venC2oQdMGA
Honestly THIS is my game down to the Toews, and Kane and Hull and Mikita afces...

The only problem is you repalce the springs a whole lot...

I probably would trade it for my original plastic "glass", drop the puck from the scoreboard one, just prior to the plastic stick variations....

and I always loved the original stationary player game where the two corner "defenseman" were in lower ruts and you basically fired that marble unless the wood finish was of the "ice."

If anybody is interested, I still have a whole lot of 1960's Blackhawk programs with the Eagle Toys ad campaign for the 60's versions.

I was selling them on Ebay for 20 bucks, and the fact that i just have so many I have taken a break from flooding the market.
- wiz1901

Wiz. That hockey game is the definition of AWESOME. Do you actually have many of those? Got hook us up with one.

Hayes skating resembles a rabies infected raccoon stumbling around in the daylight.
- EKolb13

Hey Eli...you've used that line before. Mix it up will ya.

Hey Eli...you've used that line before. Mix it up will ya.
- ArlingtonRob

I'll take that into consideration.

For what its worth, I get a lot of mileage out of that line with Hayes.

I'll take that into consideration.

For what its worth, I get a lot of mileage out of that line with Hayes.
- EKolb13

Apparently, more mileage than Hayes gets on his skates.

I heard you were discussing Table Hockey games...
so i am going to show you the one I have.

I found the guy who tricked up this one in the vidoe and although it cost me, I have thsi exact game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=venC2oQdMGA
Honestly THIS is my game down to the Toews, and Kane and Hull and Mikita afces...

The only problem is you repalce the springs a whole lot...

I probably would trade it for my original plastic "glass", drop the puck from the scoreboard one, just prior to the plastic stick variations....

and I always loved the original stationary player game where the two corner "defenseman" were in lower ruts and you basically fired that marble unless the wood finish was of the "ice."

If anybody is interested, I still have a whole lot of 1960's Blackhawk programs with the Eagle Toys ad campaign for the 60's versions.

I was selling them on Ebay for 20 bucks, and the fact that i just have so many I have taken a break from flooding the market.
- wiz1901

Had the original stationary players game. Leafs vs Habs...

I'll take that into consideration.

For what its worth, I get a lot of mileage out of that line with Hayes.
- EKolb13

Oh my!

Relying on unproven players is the Bowman way: it worked last year, don't know about next year.

Although not all rookies, the following players (all young) had not won a play-off series until last year: Saad (rookie), Shaw (2nd year), Kruger (2nd year), Leddy (2nd year), Crawford (3rd year).

Again, don't know if it can happen again, but this is the "Bowman Way" to solve cap problems.


- StLBravesFan

Bang on, factual, short and to the point. Great post..... Not rebuild but reload relying on organization depth. There is no other way in the cap world without getting a series of vets every year to take 1-2-3 mil less than they are worth. Ideally you find a mix of unproven organizational depth and vets taking less for a chance at the cup.

Hayes skating resembles a rabies infected raccoon stumbling around in the daylight.
- EKolb13

Less than adequate skating is amplified by not knowing positioning. If you're solid positionally you skate less, and if you are weak in that regard it becomes less so.

Kid has some attributes. If he matures mentally he can help a roster.

I'm basically on board with all of Stan's moves this summer (hated to see Bolland and Frolik go, but understand why), except the Khabibulin signing. They could have gotten Khudobin for half that, and made it much easier on themselves to bring in a Morrow, LaRose, or Raymond-type player.
- MartiniMan

Yep.......... It's almost like the Hawks "still" don't trust Crawford to the point of bringing in a Khudobin type. I love The Wall but at 2 mil in the cap squeeze I would have liked a cheaper #2. Crawford has earned the right to be looked at as a #1 who can be trusted enough to spend coveted cap money somewhere else on a roster other than a "proven" #2.

I'm in agreement with you on Crawford as well. He was always a last option in StanBowPops&McD's eyes, but always persevered culminating in a cup win. I'll be a fan of the team that pays him what he deserves once he's "allowed" to test the market.

Apparently, more mileage than Hayes gets on his skates.
- StLBravesFan

Less than adequate skating is amplified by not knowing positioning. If you're solid positionally you skate less, and if you are weak in that regard it becomes less so.

Kid has some attributes. If he matures mentally he can help a roster.
- Mr Ricochet

That is definitely going to have bearing as to if he sticks in the NHL or not, along with how he does on his skates.