July 2, 2011 Richards signs for 9 yrs and $60 mill. Three yrs later he's shopping around the League hat in hand for a one year deal. OK Eli can act as notary on this. You're going on record right now that you would rather have Richards as your 2C than Kesler or Datsyuk!
- meta_puck_luck

I never said I'd rather have Richards than those 2, but Richards is who we have, we can't get Kesler or Datsyuk, and all I was getting at is that Richards is not garbage. He has been great so far, and IMO, there is no reason to believe he won't be great for us for the entire season and post season, until something happens that proves otherwise.

On another track, I see that Damian Brunner had his contract "terminated" by the Devils. Can someone please explain how that works? I know that he went unclaimed on waivers and is going back to sweden or finland or somewhere. My question is how can they just remove the cap hit?
- TheTrob

Doesn't that work like Huet did? Player clears waivers the cap hit is gone.

So sounds like Toews is traveling with the team to NY. Good sign. All is well.

Doesn't that work like Huet did? Player clears waivers the cap hit is gone.
- tredbrta

Different CBA. Plus they paid Huet the full amount of his deal, they just "lent" him to the overseas team.

Toews vs Zetterberg line. Datsyuk is Detroit's 2C
- meta_puck_luck

Coaches don't always put their #1 against the opposing #1, they usually put their best shut down line against the opposing teams best offensive line. It just happens that the Hawks best shut down line most of the time is the Toews line.

I would hate to get all the way to the SCF and have to rely on an exhausted Richards to chase around Detroit's second line C - Datsyuk!
- meta_puck_luck

Okay, so you're saying Detroit is coming out of the East?

IF that happened and the Hawks come out of the West, here is the real matchup problem: The Hawks 3 scoring ones versus a soft, injured or really inexperienced Detroit defense over a 5-7 game series.

Your best defenseman is as good as the Hawks' third best

Kronwall=Hjalmarsson (IF/WHEN 55 is healthy)

I'd throw Kruger out against one of their top lines, Toews against the other. After that, the Wings are essentially nullified. They're still a good team with a great coach, but they don't really have the horses anymore to win a Cup.

Okay, so you're saying Detroit is coming out of the East?
- John Jaeckel

I didn't even catch that, still not used to Detroit in the East. Although, the way they have been playing as of late, it could be them against the Hawks in the SCF. That would be an awesome SCF, not to mention the TV ratings those games would get.

Okay, I'm not acting as notary on this...

As much as you, me, or anyone would love to have a Kesler, Datsyuk, or ________ as the #2C here, it is not going to happen. At least not this season.
- EKolb13

How about this one for this year or the OS? Chris Kreider is in the dog house again in NY. Rangers have cap space.

Sharp for Kreider. Either the Hawks eat some of Sharp's cap to make it happen or take another salary with Kreider.

Would love to make this happen with Bickell and Morin but doubt Sather would bite on that one. Sharp could get it done as that team needs a boost and AV clearly hates Kreider.

Kreider's speed would be scary with Kane or Toews. He is not Stalberg 2.0 either. Has proven he has hands.

Okay, so you're saying Detroit is coming out of the East?
- John Jaeckel

No team has skated circles around the Hawks like the Wings did. That game could have been 8 to 1. Thats as good a measuring stick as any, so yes indeed Im calling for it... Hawks vs Wings for the Greatest Prize in Competitive Sports.

Brunner is heading for the Swiss League, if I'm not mistaken?

I'm not sure as to how terminating a contract works with the cap. I'd love to hear an explanation as to how that works.
- EKolb13

Termination of the contract means it no longer counts against the cap.

Different CBA. Plus they paid Huet the full amount of his deal, they just "lent" him to the overseas team.
- TheTrob

Then why is Brennan not counting against the Hawk's cap?

Brunner cleared waivers so they lost the cap hit even though they continued to pay his salary. Then Brunner and the Devils mutually agreed to terminate so the Devils no longer have to pay him. As long as the player is on board - hard to imagine that scenario resulting in a cap hit that would essentially be a penalty.

How about this one for this year or the OS? Chris Kreider is in the dog house again in NY. Rangers have cap space.

Sharp for Kreider. Either the Hawks eat some of Sharp's cap to make it happen or take another salary with Kreider.

Would love to make this happen with Bickell and Morin but doubt Sather would bite on that one. Sharp could get it done as that team needs a boost and AV clearly hates Kreider.

Kreider's speed would be scary with Kane or Toews. He is not Stalberg 2.0 either. Has proven he has hands.
- tredbrta

I love Kreider, but I have my doubts that Sather would be looking to let him go in a trade this season.

Maybe the Rangers would want Sharp this summer if they decide not to re-up St. Louis?

Termination of the contract means it no longer counts against the cap.
- MartiniMan

So it's as simple as that?

No team has skated circles around the Hawks like the Wings did. That game could have been 8 to 1. Thats as good a measuring stick as any, so yes indeed Im calling for it... Hawks vs Wings for the Greatest Prize in Competitive Sports.
- meta_puck_luck

That Wings game versus the game in Vancouver 2 weeks back are vying for "mailed it in" honors.

I think 2 players made an effort in that game. I know the resident blogger said the Hawks could not handle the Wings speed but we know better. That was also before Q settled on 4 lines and was still in "blender" mode.

Dude, ease up, I'd hate to see you get banned. I agree with your analysis. Not a dirty hit. Kane was wise not to throw.
- meta_puck_luck

Hey, I want to apologize, I lost it and shouldn't have.

I just think there is a lot more to what happens in regualr season that neeeds fixing before the real season and read and reacted improperly.

No team has skated circles around the Hawks like the Wings did. That game could have been 8 to 1. Thats as good a measuring stick as any, so yes indeed Im calling for it... Hawks vs Wings for the Greatest Prize in Competitive Sports.
- meta_puck_luck

Could be.

Hawks in 5 or 6.

One regular season game, when the Hawks were clearly not together yet as a team, is almost meaningless.

Check the regular season record over the last three seasons . . . uh oh.

Termination of the contract means it no longer counts against the cap.
- MartiniMan

Right, but is he then free to sign anywhere? I haven't heard of many terminated contracts before. I understand that if a player is claimed off of waivers the claiming team would be responsible to assume his contract, and there is no compensation to the team waiving. But if a club really wanted to get rid of someone, you would assume if its a player like Brunner, who still has value and can play it would happen more often. You would see guys having their contracts terminated and signing elsewhere.

Then why is Brennan not counting against the Hawk's cap?

Brunner cleared waivers so they lost the cap hit even though they continued to pay his salary. Then Brunner and the Devils mutually agreed to terminate so the Devils no longer have to pay him. As long as the player is on board - hard to imagine that scenario resulting in a cap hit would essentially be a penalty.
- tredbrta

Brennan's cap hit comes in well under the $925,000 maximum for the buried contract rule.

http://capgeek.com/faq/new-cba

So sounds like Toews is traveling with the team to NY. Good sign. All is well.
- SimpleJack

I just don't know - those same radio talking heads went into mentioning that there were rumours the Hawks played Toews in the past despite the fact he had clear concussion symptoms.

I love Kreider, but I have my doubts that Sather would be looking to let him go in a trade this season.

Maybe the Rangers would want Sharp this summer if they decide not to re-up St. Louis?
- EKolb13

Fingers crossed. I'm sure Sather will have a lot of takers for him but I think the Rangers look pretty bad this year. Maybe Sather would look for another leader and Sharp would obviously love NY.

Kreider cannot be happy with AV scratching him again. He could be a great fit in the Hawks system.

This is not some fabrication, I have it on good word that Pittsburgh has discussed Morin with the Hawks.

Fingers crossed. I'm sure Sather will have a lot of takers for him but I think the Rangers look pretty bad this year. Maybe Sather would look for another leader and Sharp would obviously love NY.

Kreider cannot be happy with AV scratching him again. He could be a great fit in the Hawks system.
- tredbrta

I cant see it happening this season. Rangers have no cap space and I don't see the Hawks eating any portion of Sharps deal. If they are gonna move him for Cap space they are going to want the full $5.9

Brennan's cap hit comes in well under the $925,000 maximum for the buried contract rule.

http://capgeek.com/faq/new-cba
- EKolb13

So, until Brunner terminated, there was a cap hit. Thanks.

BURIED CONTRACTS (Wade Redden Rule)

Money paid to players outside of the NHL counts against the cap.

A one-way contract counts against the cap as follows:

cap hit – [ minimum salary + $375,000 ]

Example: If Player A with cap hit $6.5M plays in the minors in 2013-14, he counts as follows.

$6.5M – [ $550,000 + $375,000 ] = $5.575M

This is not some fabrication, I have it on good word that Pittsburgh has discussed Morin with the Hawks.
- wiz1901

Morin======> the new Rob Brown?

I cant see it happening this season. Rangers have no cap space and I don't see the Hawks eating any portion of Sharps deal. If they are gonna move him for Cap space they are going to want the full $5.9
- TheTrob

I thought the Rangers have 2-3 mill in space. My bad.