Friend of mine who used to be Buff's agent once said to me, around 2005: "he can be an ok defenseman; he can be a hall of famer as a wing."

I think he was right.
- John Jaeckel

Oh the man has freakish size to go with his skill. He would need to drop weight if he were to play on the wing again. That 2010 Cup Team had some nasty to it. Buff, Ladd, Brouwer, Kopecky, Eager, Burish, Madden... Geezus

I will say this.. If Ladd is somehow available at the dead line, Stan really needs to make a play. Ladd checks alot of boxes for the Hawks and would really open the ice up for 19 and 81...

Ladd 19 81
72 15 88

Guess Ladd could wear 61 since Kruger has 16... who cares Ill take it.

So.....now that we've basically all come to agree that the Jets dont stand a chance in the grand scheme of things....can we PLEASE also put to rest the notion the the Hawks are a bubble team? Im just sick of seeing people throw that word around.

The Pacific is garbage aside from the Kings. No way they get more than 3 teams. 5 teams will come out of the central, again.....so someone PLEASE tell me how we wont inevitably be one of those 5 teams?? We're already in a pretty good spot and we've yet to play our best hockey, not even close. We own an advantage over all those other teams(MIN, NSH, STL, WIN, DAL) in the majority of the facets of the game, eye test or on paper. Our insane amount of experience and know how is just a bonus.

We stay healthy we WILL make the playoffs. Only question is what seed.

This isn't close to being a bubble team and wont be any time soon.
- SimpleJack

We stay healthy we WILL make the playoffs.

Agreed but as of today there is less of a chance making the playoffs with some bad injuries than in years past.

So.....now that we've basically all come to agree that the Jets dont stand a chance in the grand scheme of things....can we PLEASE also put to rest the notion the the Hawks are a bubble team? Im just sick of seeing people throw that word around.

The Pacific is garbage aside from the Kings. No way they get more than 3 teams. 5 teams will come out of the central, again.....so someone PLEASE tell me how we wont inevitably be one of those 5 teams?? We're already in a pretty good spot and we've yet to play our best hockey, not even close. We own an advantage over all those other teams(MIN, NSH, STL, WIN, DAL) in the majority of the facets of the game, eye test or on paper. Our insane amount of experience and know how is just a bonus.

We stay healthy we WILL make the playoffs. Only question is what seed.

This isn't close to being a bubble team and wont be any time soon.
- SimpleJack

3 points from being out of the playoffs, more games played than any other team that's in except Vancouver. Feels a little bubbly. Sorry.

Oh the man has freakish size to go with his skill. He would need to drop weight if he were to play on the wing again. That 2010 Cup Team had some nasty to it. Buff, Ladd, Brouwer, Kopecky, Eager, Burish, Madden... Geezus

I will say this.. If Ladd is somehow available at the dead line, Stan really needs to make a play. Ladd checks alot of boxes for the Hawks and would really open the ice up for 19 and 81...

Ladd 19 81
72 15 88
- z1990z

Ladd could very well be this year's Vermette if he chooses to leave the Jets...
One of only 5 players with more than 200 hits and 20 goals last season.

Ladd could very well be this year's Vermette if he chooses to leave the Jets...
One of only 5 players with more than 200 hits and 20 goals last season.
- Al

Price would be high for him, as it should be.

3 points from being out of the playoffs, more games played than any other team that's in except Vancouver. Feels a little bubbly. Sorry.
- John Jaeckel

Maybe if feels that way to you, but the Blackhawks are not a bubble team. A bubble team would be someone like the Sharks, or the Jets....

Nobody on planet earth would call the Hawks a bubble team aside from a few of their own overly worried fans.

Price would be high for him, as it should be.
- John Jaeckel

JJ, would you send TT and 1st for Ladd? Hopefully 29 along in the deal....

Would TT, our 1st, and Bickell even get us Ladd? Is that even enough???

So.....now that we've basically all come to agree that the Jets dont stand a chance in the grand scheme of things....can we PLEASE also put to rest the notion the the Hawks are a bubble team? Im just sick of seeing people throw that word around.

The Pacific is garbage aside from the Kings. No way they get more than 3 teams. 5 teams will come out of the central, again.....so someone PLEASE tell me how we wont inevitably be one of those 5 teams?? We're already in a pretty good spot and we've yet to play our best hockey, not even close. We own an advantage over all those other teams(MIN, NSH, STL, WIN, DAL) in the majority of the facets of the game, eye test or on paper. Our insane amount of experience and know how is just a bonus.

We stay healthy we WILL make the playoffs. Only question is what seed.

This isn't close to being a bubble team and wont be any time soon.
- SimpleJack

Yesterday, after one bad game some posters were calling for Bowman to trade their best player. If Kane goes 5 games in a row without a point they will call for his head. And so on! It's the nature of the beast unfortunately. Few people are willing to look at a big sample size but instead react on a game by game basis. I'm sure the Hawks will be called a bubble team a few more times before the season is through. Just try to ignore it. I found out the hard way some people want to worry and want to be upset instead of try to look at the big picture.

So.....now that we've basically all come to agree that the Jets dont stand a chance in the grand scheme of things....can we PLEASE also put to rest the notion the the Hawks are a bubble team? Im just sick of seeing people throw that word around.

The Pacific is garbage aside from the Kings. No way they get more than 3 teams. 5 teams will come out of the central, again.....so someone PLEASE tell me how we wont inevitably be one of those 5 teams?? We're already in a pretty good spot and we've yet to play our best hockey, not even close. We own an advantage over all those other teams(MIN, NSH, STL, WIN, DAL) in the majority of the facets of the game, eye test or on paper. Our insane amount of experience and know how is just a bonus.

We stay healthy we WILL make the playoffs. Only question is what seed.

This isn't close to being a bubble team and wont be any time soon.
- SimpleJack

Not really man.


Not until someone other than Kanes line regularly contributes . The Hawks look like they are a bubble team. 1 injury away from the season being over is a bubble team

Maybe if feels that way to you, but the Blackhawks are not a bubble team. A bubble team would be someone like the Sharks, or the Jets....

Nobody on planet earth would call the Hawks a bubble team aside from a few of their own overly worried fans.
- SimpleJack

Anyone who can click on nhl.com and do math would say they are pretty much a bubble team at the moment.

Look it's an incredibly competitive conference and they did not get off to a great start. Their status can certainly change, one way or the other.

You disagree with me. I get it. I get why (completely). Great. Have a nice day.

Would TT, our 1st, and Bickell even get us Ladd? Is that even enough???
- SimpleJack

Might have to go deeper. I could see them asking for Kruger. Would really like to see Danault get some time up to see what he has. Add Hartman to that last too. Hawks would really have to sweeten any deal to get 29 moved outa here. If not, then we deal with his contract as a 3/4 line LW. Add his now zero skating with his motivation issues... not good. If he gets sent down again I would think it would be impossible to trade him.

Yesterday, after one bad game some posters were calling for Bowman to trade their best player. If Kane goes 5 games in a row without a point they will call for his head. And so on! It's the nature of the beast unfortunately. Few people are willing to look at a big sample size but instead react on a game by game basis. I'm sure the Hawks will be called a bubble team a few more times before the season is through. Just try to ignore it. I found out the hard way some people want to worry and want to be upset instead of try to look at the big picture.
- paulr

I see. So are you trying to connect a dot that I was saying to trade Toews? Because someone tried that in the last thread. It was bullpoop then and it is now.

This line of "attack" is pretty obvious. And unnecessary. At least as far as this board is concerned.

Would TT, our 1st, and Bickell even get us Ladd? Is that even enough???
- SimpleJack

I don't know. Bickell hurts the value of that package more than he helps it because of his salary/skill equation at this point. So no, I don't think so.

I see. So are you trying to connect a dot that I was saying to trade Toews? Because someone tried that in the last thread. It was bullpoop then and it is now.

This line of "attack" is pretty obvious. And unnecessary. At least as far as this board is concerned.
- John Jaeckel

Who said anything about you? If you said that or alluded to it I'd call you on it. You didn't, the person who did I "kissed and made up with" and didn't feel the need to bring his name into it.

And what attack are you talking about?

Yesterday, after one bad game some posters were calling for Bowman to trade their best player. If Kane goes 5 games in a row without a point they will call for his head. And so on! It's the nature of the beast unfortunately. Few people are willing to look at a big sample size but instead react on a game by game basis. I'm sure the Hawks will be called a bubble team a few more times before the season is through. Just try to ignore it. I found out the hard way some people want to worry and want to be upset instead of try to look at the big picture.
- paulr

Its just silly. I couldn't believe the amount of posters that predicted we'd miss the playoffs after Thursdays loss. Nobody using their brains. Just knee jerk panic.

I must have missed the poster that wanted to trade Toews though. Good thing i did. Thats insane.

Not really man.


Not until someone other than Kanes line regularly contributes . The Hawks look like they are a bubble team. 1 injury away from the season being over is a bubble team
- mrpaulish

Well then i guess there are 30 bubble teams

Who said anything about you? If you said that or alluded to it I'd call you on it. You didn't, the person who did I "kissed and made up with" and didn't feel the need to bring his name into it.

And what attack are you talking about?
- paulr

Ha. OK.

Maybe if feels that way to you, but the Blackhawks are not a bubble team. A bubble team would be someone like the Sharks, or the Jets....

Nobody on planet earth would call the Hawks a bubble team aside from a few of their own overly worried fans.
- SimpleJack

Not true pal.

They are the definition of a bubble team

One good game . One bad game . Already have more games played that the teams in front of them .

If a 7 game series started tomorrow and you're the opposition , your top pairing D goes against the Kane line , and then you have to like your chances , don't ya ?

Ha. OK.
- John Jaeckel

I'll tell you what John. This will be my last post on here. I thought you were a little bigger than this.

Sorry you felt that you're being attacked.

Well then i guess there are 30 bubble teams
- SimpleJack

Not really. There are 4-5 teams that are out of it. Probably another handful you could say are likely in. The only carriage that could get turned into pumpkin I guess is maybe Dallas. But they are an improved team with a great front office and a proven coach.

Other than that, yeah, there are a lot of bubble teams, especially in the West.

Jets fan here, its nice to read another teams site chatting up our team, i'll throw in my opinions.
-good game last night, only difference your power play went 2-5 ours went 0-5
-everything I'm hearing has Buff and Ladd asking for boat loads of money and term. I think Chevy knows both these guys will only be worth their contracts for the first 2-3 years and everything over that will be like so many other horrible contracts around the league...anchors. I for one say trade them both!! but it seems Winnipeg fans are 50/50 on trade or sign
-I think Chevy's plan from day one was to build this team around his draft picks ( Sheiffele, Trouba, Morrisey, Lowry, Ehlers, Hellybuck, Comrie, Petan, Conners and Raslovic) not the guys that came over Atlanta ( Buff, Ladd, Pav, Enstrom, Stuart, Little ) now some of those guys have been re-signed in past years but i see that more as a bridge than them thinking cup.
-we do have one of the best prospect pool in the NHL, so as a fan i do have patience because I never saw this team competing with our best players being the ones from Atlanta.
-someone said we only have one line, in past years yes, but Sheif, Perrault and Stafford have been very good this year
-someone asking about season tickets, season ticket contracts had to be renewed last year and they were 95% renewed, so no worries there

I'll tell you what John. This will be my last post on here. I thought you were a little bigger than this.

Sorry you felt that you're being attacked.
- paulr

Suit yourself. There are no secrets, believe me.

Jets fan here, its nice to read another teams site chatting up our team, i'll throw in my opinions.
-good game last night, only difference your power play went 2-5 ours went 0-5
-everything I'm hearing has Buff and Ladd asking for boat loads of money and term. I think Chevy knows both these guys will only be worth their contracts for the first 2-3 years and everything over that will be like so many other horrible contracts around the league...anchors. I for one say trade them both!! but it seems Winnipeg fans are 50/50 on trade or sign
-I think Chevy's plan from day one was to build this team around his draft picks ( Sheiffele, Trouba, Morrisey, Lowry, Ehlers, Hellybuck, Comrie, Petan, Conners and Raslovic) not the guys that came over Atlanta ( Buff, Ladd, Pav, Enstrom, Stuart, Little ) now some of those guys have been re-signed in past years but i see that more as a bridge than them thinking cup.
-we do have one of the best prospect pool in the NHL, so as a fan i do have patience because I never saw this team competing with our best players being the ones from Atlanta.
-someone said we only have one line, in past years yes, but Sheif, Perrault and Stafford have been very good this year
-someone asking about season tickets, season ticket contracts had to be renewed last year and they were 95% renewed, so no worries there
- Ross77

I am continually impressed by your fan base's sense of realism.

Here is a question for JJ since its his blog,, any way we can get a monthly Rockford update. Whos playing well/not etc? I still think we have some really good young talent there with Ross, Hartman, Baun, Danault, Gusto etc.. Maybe work that out with whoever sees the Hogs play. Just an idea..