John Jaeckel: What’s The Plan, Stan?
- John Jaeckel

One of the best pieces of sports journalism I've read in a long time. JJ 4 Hart!

Spot on JJ, when is the fanboy GM going to step up to the plate and put on the big boy pants. We know he should have made moves last summer - he did nothing.
We've also seen what he got back after the purge in 2010 - nothing.

The time to win is now not next season or two years down the road. ONE GOAL as McD likes to say. As someone who's followed this team for decades I've seen enough of the Dollar Bill tank era time and again. And we know that a lot of players are going this summer because of the new cap mess that Stan has created. We know the team is going to look like 2011 next season again.

Yes you've lost arguably the best offensive player in the game and this team has looked sad for the last 2 months, but there's still a boatload of talent there. Only having 3 good defensemen has killed this team. Again where's the GM...Runblad and Erixon...please...

Some folks are talking about the Sekera overpay...well as mentioned the market set the price. Lombardi went for it again. At least he's trying to win. And count me among those that wanted Carter for Sharp and whomever it was at that point. Carter has killed us time and again and the Hawks still don't have enough depth at center.

Make some moves Stan and give your team a chance. One would think the players in your lockeroom want help to have a shot at it.

Great point that hasnt really been brought up in this time of turmoil.
- nickmo2699

I would not deal Marian Hossa. At his cap hit, with his ability, even at his age, he is a huge bargain.
- John Jaeckel

My point was not dealing Hossa at all- It is his age.

I'm not arguing that Crawford or Sharp has been bad or would be bad on another team. It's all conditional on keeping 20 mil locked up with Kane and Toews. To spend 6 on a goalie and another forward with those two contracts, they have to carry a helluva load. Otherwise, you continually run into lack of depth on bottom lines and pairings much like what Pitts often experiences.
- Vegas Trotzkies

fair enough and i think at least 2 of those 3 contracts are gone this summer...but with the Kane LTIR money, there is now no reason to move salary to get the pieces they need...move some prospects/picks now and reload when the mini purge happens this off season.

Vermette and Yandle

for

Bickell, Hartman, Pokka, McNeill, and a 1st?

or is that too much?
- SUDA88

Of course but does the $ work ?

Id do that in a second too. JVR for Bickell TT a d some picks or anotHer prospect. Sign me up.


Hell Id do JVR for Sharp and a pick if the Leafs wanted to do that
- mrpaulish

But does Stan do that? Bc TT is his only hyped draft pick of this magnitude. You know what I mean?

Bravo! Now if the mainstream media would wake their brains up to this, I might read them more too.

Dont even put that into the atmosphere. The Hawks have to do something.

Just standing still would be like sellig because of the loss of Kane.


I can not believe the Hawks are going to waste a good Hossa year . Hossa might not have many left.
- mrpaulish

Why do they have to do something? We all want them to, but they don't have to. In fact the Kane injury even made us have an extra roster spot, when TVR comes back, that we don't have to send a defender to the minors (who would have to clear waivers).

Great point that hasnt really been brought up in this time of turmoil.
- nickmo2699




My point was not dealing Hossa at all- It is his age.
- Elliots07

Age is irrelevant when speaking about Marian Hossa. He operates on a different plane than the rest of us mere mortals

A Hossa discussion can be summed up with: "He is Marian Hossa and you are not"

One of the best pieces of sports journalism I've read in a long time. JJ 4 Hart!
- arps714

Wow, thank you!

Me too, I want to see him have a real legacy!!
- John Jaeckel

Hawks and Az and the Oilers have been silent so far.

All 3 can potentially be active .

Im not counting the Hawks as a do nothing team at this deadline until Vermette Petry and a few others are off the board.

I really want the Hawks to deal Sharp for a fun return if they can. Id say Florida and MTL aould fit the bill

Bozak's name has been floated out there in connection with the Hawks last couple of days. I have not heard it from my sources. But . . . I have heard Hawks and TO are talking a lot.
- John Jaeckel

When the Blue Jays were great in the late 80's/early 90's they had a bean counter at the top of the house and a real baseball man running the team - Pat Gillick. The baseball man was a convincing salesman too who always found a way to make the bean counter look good with his trades and feel safe. Once Gillick left, they have never been the same.

I state this as a comparison of Tallon vs Stanbo. If you are looking for a game changing trade, forget Stanbo being at the center of it. Either he doesn't have the authority to pull the trigger when absolutely required or he always needs a couple hours to sleep on it and by then it's an opportunity lost.

Is he going to do something - ya, probably, maybe. But it will be too little, too late. They need a defenceman first, a center and a physical forward who can motor. His 'assistants' Chevaldayoff and Bergevin have already beaten him to the punch for what they wanted/needed. Tallon had a guy they could have used and the Wild spent a 3rd rounder - whoopee.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Stan is certainly not above criticism. But can we please dispense with the Stan missed out on Carter and Kesler arguments in addition to the Toews/Kane contracts crippling the team.

Carter and Kesler - if Stan acquired one of those two it would have caused cap issue in the short term and long term. In the short term we'd looking at something like losing Sharp is get Carter or Kesler. Would that have really improved the team? We could argue either way, but the difference would be minimal. In the long term it's likely that Carter or Kesler would have been gone this off season just like Sharp will be. This argument is old and been rehashed several times over, enough is enough.

Toews and Kane - can I please hear some more female doging about how we have two of the top elite forwards in their prime locked up for the long term. It's easy to say that Stan should have signed these guys for $9 - $9.5 million, but none of us were in the negotiations and know what options were available. For all we know Toews and Kane wanted $12 million and Stan got them down to $10.5. This is the cost of doing busy and having 2 superstars on the team. The only other option would have been to trade one or both of them. How would that have worked out? Anyone complaining about these contracts should remember the days when the ABC line was our top unit. So I'll say it again, to those who think Toews and Kane are paid too much - boo (frank)ing hoo, get over it.

Regarding the this trade deadline, yes Stan needs to make a move and yes his job became more difficult. But can we wait until the deadline has passed before ripping Stan apart. If Stan does nothing then he deserves whatever he gets, but until then lets show some patience.

You think a move for JVR would need a guy like TT included or another top flight prospect?
- nickmo2699

I believe they have to be very careful with a guy coming in & "using" the Kane LTIR $...someone with term left after this season may create some kind of penalty next year...cap wizards?

Wow, thank you!
- John Jaeckel

it really is a good piece JJ. And the Irony of the Leddy vs Oduya decision is it was one of the only moves he made with "winning now" in mind...and look how that turned out. lol

Hear, hear.

Great information and honest analysis.

Dont even put that into the atmosphere. The Hawks have to do something.

Just standing still would be like sellig because of the loss of Kane.


I can not believe the Hawks are going to waste a good Hossa year . Hossa might not have many left.
- mrpaulish

I feel like I've been saying this for years... he just gets better

But does Stan do that? Bc TT is his only hyped draft pick of this magnitude. You know what I mean?
- nickmo2699

I dont know what Stan is going to do.

This feels like the first time Stan HAS to do.something. I think we all have really wanted Stan to be active before i.e. Kesler, Carter , Gaborik, Roy , Cole but now it feels like he has to and the are attainable quality assets out there

Of course but does the $ work ?
- mrpaulish

You're right, didn't know Yandle was 5mil+...

I believe they have to be very careful with a guy coming in & "using" the Kane LTIR $...someone with term left after this season may create some kind of penalty next year...cap wizards?
- dsav123

Might be irrelevant if a guy like Bickell with term is headed the other way
Im.not sure.though .

Wish Capgeek was still around


Who is the resident Cap masters ? Eli ? LBR ? ANYONE ?

You're right, didn't know Yandle was 5mil+...
- SUDA88

Then take your listed deal abd add Patrick Sharp !

I understand the frustration of the Hawks not going out and signing needed pieces but I think a big reason for that is the fact the Hawks, more than any team, has more cap tied up in their core group. Toews, Kane, Keith, Sharp, Hossa, Crawford, Hjalmarsson and Seabrook take up over half the team’s cap. The Ducks don’t have the same core expenditures, LA doesn’t so they both have the flexibility to be in on another high price big name player. Because LA doesn’t have the same expensive core they can use their cap room to build team depth. If the Hawks move some bigger contracts like Sharp, Bickell, Crawford and possibly Seabrook they open up some valuable cap space to allow them to build more depth in the team but probably not to be in a position to be in on deals to add higher priced players either through trade or free agency.

I’m not so sure this about if Bowman is better or worse than another GM because he can’t add more higher priced players to the team as much as it is about the architecture of the teams in question.

Excellent piece John...

I will be on with Boomer today at 12:30 CST talking about many of the points in your blog.

My issue is twofold...Is Petry/Vermette enough of an add to get to the 3rd round??
And....
Can Bowman at this point after Toew/Kane new deals(upcoming cap issues) take the chance to trade a 1 or 2 top Ice Hogs for basically rentals??

Hi JJ,
Do you see us making a blockbuster trade for both Vermette AND Yandle?
If yes, what would it take? (I know, it's a lot)

I dont know what Stan is going to do.

This feels like the first time Stan HAS to do.something. I think we all have really wanted Stan to be active before i.e. Kesler, Carter , Gaborik, Roy , Cole but now it feels like he has to and the are attainable quality assets out there
- mrpaulish

agreed, and if what Bob McKenzie was saying the other day about Toews going to management, he better!