I agree another C is needed. Just a solid C who can skate fills the bill.
- z1990z

Teravainen...problem solved.

It's not forgotten, it's just not ideal. Q seems to prefer spread the Toews/Kane wealth around. Ideally this creates matchup problems for the opposition, but it only works if you have legit complimentary pieces for each to skate with. Hossa works on Toews' wing, but so far nobody is picking up the slack for Kane. Toews and Kane are great together, but the team benefits from them being apart and still being able to dominate.

They don't need a star 2C, they just need a legit pro, preferably with some size, who can keep up with Kane and Saad, win an occasional faceoff, and be defensively responsible.
- Ogilthorpe2

Stan discussed the type of center Kane needs at the postmortem presser, and I thought it was interesting. He said Kane has the puck all the time, like a center, and needs a different type of center than most excellent wings. To me that means he wants a center who will go to the net and is a scorer for Kane to pass to. Should be interesting...

It's not forgotten, it's just not ideal. Q seems to prefer spread the Toews/Kane wealth around. Ideally this creates matchup problems for the opposition, but it only works if you have legit complimentary pieces for each to skate with. Hossa works on Toews' wing, but so far nobody is picking up the slack for Kane. Toews and Kane are great together, but the team benefits from them being apart and still being able to dominate.

They don't need a star 2C, they just need a legit pro, preferably with some size, who can keep up with Kane and Saad, win an occasional faceoff, and be defensively responsible.
- Ogilthorpe2

Vermette. I know i sound like a broken record but that guy would make this lineup very good. He's not huge, but he's fast, he's quick, defensively sound, wins faceoffs, plays PP, PK. He'd look good in the Indian Head

Vermette. I know i sound like a broken record but that guy would make this lineup very good. He's not huge, but he's fast, he's quick, defensively sound, wins faceoffs, plays PP, PK. He'd look good in the Indian Head
- BlazinMike

Agreed. He'd be at the top of my list.

Teravainen...problem solved.
- DarthKane

Huge gamble DK to expect TT to make that jump this season. And he is smaller then Kane. Could happen, who knows.

Vermette. I know i sound like a broken record but that guy would make this lineup very good. He's not huge, but he's fast, he's quick, defensively sound, wins faceoffs, plays PP, PK. He'd look good in the Indian Head
- BlazinMike

Nothing wrong with a broken record that is correct....

Teravainen...problem solved.
- DarthKane

I don't know if that's the solution right off the bat, but I'm sure someone in the front office is thinking that is the solution in the near future - by the end of next season perhaps?

FWIW, I believe that it's not too far of a reach to try out Teravainen there to start the season - provided he's centering Hossa. Who knows, maybe it works?

Teravainen...problem solved.
- DarthKane

Need a proven pro IMO. Not a star, just a legit NHL'er...someone who won't slow Kane and Saad down, as insurance. I'd even bring Regin back, but it doesn't sound like that's in the cards.

Vermette. I know i sound like a broken record but that guy would make this lineup very good. He's not huge, but he's fast, he's quick, defensively sound, wins faceoffs, plays PP, PK. He'd look good in the Indian Head
- BlazinMike

I agree, but he has one more year on his contract. Who do trade to get him?

Is Toews not a legit center to play with? Why has this option been forgotten? Has the whole world gone insane?
- FredoXV

Q said in an interview he likes to keep them separate for match up problems.

Kane is so good he can produce with anyone on the ice (cept Zeus this year) so he can get away with silly things like that.

So ipso facto Kane doesn't have a center to compliment his game for an entire season. Nor is there a legitimate plan B in case Toews goes down for 10-20 games for any reason. Like getting concussed... Again...

Some fans feel more comfortable with strength up the middle, Others think it can be done with committee. The Hawks have done it with both but by committee is not as historically successful. Different strokes and such.

I agree, but he has one more year on his contract. Who do trade to get him?
- Lido_Shuffle

Starts with an "S", ends in a "P", and has a "har" in the middle.

So - if you move Kane up to play with Toews and Bickell - who is between Sharp/Saad and Hossa on the second line?

Haven't solved a problem.
- StLBravesFan

Although Hossa seems to be able to carry a line a lot better than Kane has in recent seasons.

Why they don't keep 10 and 81 together at all times baffles me.

Teravainen...problem solved.
- DarthKane

Based on what... Or is my sarcasm detector broke

Starts with an "S", ends in a "P", and has a "har" in the middle.
- Ogilthorpe2

Sharapova : P

Starts with an "S", ends in a "P", and has a "har" in the middle.
- Ogilthorpe2

Sharapova : P
- carcus

Ends in a "P" Carc, a "P"...get back to work, slacker

Vermette. I know i sound like a broken record but that guy would make this lineup very good. He's not huge, but he's fast, he's quick, defensively sound, wins faceoffs, plays PP, PK. He'd look good in the Indian Head
- BlazinMike

Ahh someone else who shares the Vermette love. He's the one I've been wanting but of course the yotes won't be trading him within the conference.

But hey, Gretzky got traded. Not to mention Phoenix/Arizona has a glutton of centers with Hanzal and Ribeiro. I'd give them sharp. It's a win/win in my book, they get a perennial scorer and we get our perfect two-way center.

Ends in a "P" Carc, a "P"...get back to work, slacker
- Ogilthorpe2

I put a P at the end.

Need a proven pro IMO. Not a star, just a legit NHL'er...someone who won't slow Kane and Saad down, as insurance. I'd even bring Regin back, but it doesn't sound like that's in the cards.
- Ogilthorpe2

We can do better than Regin. If you're going the low-cost UFA route then I'd try Santorelli, he had a solid year in Vancouver and could be signed for less than $1 million.

Starts with an "S", ends in a "P", and has a "har" in the middle.
- Ogilthorpe2

If Vanek signs with Arizona, mabye they also trade for the guy who starts with 'S', ends in a 'P', and has a 'har' in the middle.

I don't know if that's the solution right off the bat, but I'm sure someone in the front office is thinking that is the solution in the near future - by the end of next season perhaps?

FWIW, I believe that it's not too far of a reach to try out Teravainen there to start the season - provided he's centering Hossa. Who knows, maybe it works?
- EKolb13

I was half-joking with the TT comment. It wouldn't be the end of the world to try Teravainen, but I would rather have him spend a season in Rockford and go with an NHL proven centre.

Vermette. I know i sound like a broken record but that guy would make this lineup very good. He's not huge, but he's fast, he's quick, defensively sound, wins faceoffs, plays PP, PK. He'd look good in the Indian Head
- BlazinMike

But even a broken record is right twice a day.

No, wait a minute....

We can do better than Regin. If you're going the low-cost UFA route then I'd try Santorelli, he had a solid year in Vancouver and could be signed for less than $1 million.
- DarthKane

We could do better I'm sure, and I don't know nothing from nothing (just ask Elbows), but I was really impressed with Regin. Guy could flat out fly, and even though he wasn't big, he went hard to net...a lot. Seems like a good low cost option to me. Of course it's only worth it if the money saved by going low cost at 2C is spent to seriously bolster the bottom 6/D depth.

Like I said, I don't think Kane and Saad need a star C, just a legit pro who can skate.

And that makes all this panic about gutting the roster, overpaying for players, firing the coaching staff etc. so bizarre. The Hawks were the second best team in the NHL with a team who had a few holes, they need to make a few adjustments not rebuild or even retool the team.
- paulr

Bin(frank)ingO.

We could do better I'm sure, and I don't know nothing from nothing (just ask a Elbows), but I was really impressed with Regin. Guy could flat out fly, and even though he wasn't big, he went hard to net...a lot. Seems like a good low cost option to me. Of course it's only worth it if the money saved by going low cost at 2C is spent to seriously bolster the bottom 6 depth.

Like I said, I font think Kane and Saad need a star C, just a legit pro who can skate.
- Ogilthorpe2

His face-off percentage was terrible, IIRC, but I liked a lot of the rest of his game - for 3C, not 2C, tho.