Seeing Gustafsson out there on the 3 on 3 OT was very telling for me.
- walleyeb1

Agreed

Enjoy paying 1.1 of his salary this year and next. He is what he is and can be dealt, benched, bought out, waived, or put in the AHL. Pens fans have plenty more to worry about than how Scuderi is playing in Chicago
- ikeane

About the same as a buy out would have been anyway.. so meh

Eli got his Christmas miracle?
- stljam

The gift was seeing Rundblad waived. The cherry on the sunday would be his asking for release from his contract to play in Switzerland. An extra $100k in cap space.

Thanks Mex. As usual tons of great points. But the one bolded is the most interesting to me. Centers NEED finishers. And the Hawks must find them. Whatever options exist MUST be explored. Hell, if we can FIND that player IN HOUSE it means no trade is necessary (unless they really want to beef up the Defense by going after a Top 4 type player, which wouldn't hurt my feelings). I think you win with Defense anyway....
- kwolf68

You can have the best 6 D-men in the world on the blue line but if your forwards aren't doing their jobs defensively, you will still give up a lot of goals. Its takes every player on the ice being where they are suppose to be.

And that starts 200 feet from your net. If you want to see a couple of example of guys who struggle with that, watch Garbutt and Bickell. Garbutt has no clue abut spacing on the ice and Bickell is Bickell.

About the same as a buy out would have been anyway.. so meh
- Guile

Thought it was about twice the buyout. Getting Scudering triggered other moves - waiving Rundblad - which allowed the call up of Gustaffson. They can send him down for more space as well but I see the logic in having him as opposed to a whining Daley in the room.

"Gloat" all you want. The Pens D will take you nowhere in the playoffs.... if you make it.

You weren't wrong about Daley. If you can play 10+ seasons in the NHL as a top 4 guy and be a + player in that time you are one of the best 125 players in the world at that position. Daley was as advertised. He skated well and was a + player with the Hawks. As advertised, no (on ice) surprises. One can pound minutiae, for whatever fits their purpose best, but reason/numbers/eye test shows he was as advertised to/for Q and StanBowPops&McD.

The guy with the cups didn't like him, so he's gone. Hawks get a "predictable" (insurance at the very least) 6-7th Dmen with cap savings for a THIRD pairing vet in the hard cap world. If they can do better as the season progresses Scuderi will be moved out, but at the very least he's insurance and at best a 6-7 guy.
- Mr Ricochet

You mean the numbers that showed that Q choose to play 3 rookies significantly more minutes then one of the best 125 D-men in the league. Or the fact he never came close to being top 4 in TOi? Or the fact he was far more sheltered then Viktor Svedberg? Couldn't play the PK?

Minutiae like that?

He has a LNTC that apparently wasn't required to be removed for the trade to you guys. So is that still in place now he's with a new team? If so the only move that may be made is to Rockford which gives you another 900k or so (which is better than a kick in the balls everyday of the week! ). Doubt you find another organisation willing to take him that he's willing to go to.
- Aussiepenguin

I believe LNTC no longer in effect after the trade. Rockford is probably the only destination but he could be added in to another trade if the option is there.

Q likes his vets. He squeezed water from a rock with Timmo, Rosi and Cumiskey last playoffs. You may have noticed the results. Scuderi actually had a solid 1-2 games before the face shot. If he gets Rosi enough rest to play 6 in the playoffs and Gustaffson and TVR can be situational 4-5s the Hawks D will look pretty solid. That depends on Gus continuing to progress and TVR not regressing though.... and I'd take Gus and TVR over every d man on the Pens except Letang and Maata at this stage.

Happy New Years everyone!

Some observations from last night:

AA is exactly what he needs to be and last night showed it again. He knows his job with 72 and 88 and he does it really really well.

I know it was his turnover that caused the breakaway in the second period (I forget which Avs player it was) but Panarin's backcheck to stop a goal was beautiful. Hustled, didn't give up, and avoided a penalty. I had high hopes for him offensively but he's so much better defensively than I was expecting (and Kane has improved a lot in that area, too)

Danault's energy and compete levels = He, Desi, and Tuevo are looking like they can be a VERY solid 3rd line

Gus looked good, and it seems like his offensive side will help the transition game

I'm not worried about Toews. If/when Stan gets a LW that can finish, or they put Hossa there and TT or Dano at RW, I think Toews' points start climbing quickly. Once the D is more solid I think his point production increases, too.

Darling let in some softies but so does Crow, and he's never rusty the way Darling is. Made some really nice stops, too, and he'll be better with more frequent games.

Gotta work on not giving up goals immediately after a PK. I think two of the Avs goals were like that?

Nice to not be the team with a too many men penalty.

Kudos to Shaw for staying calm and avoiding a matching penalty. Still not perfect but he's matured a lot when it comes to knowing when to take penalties. I hope they never trade him.

http://chicago.suntimes.c...holes-fill-cap-space-work

Lazerus thinks a No. 4 defenseman, takes priority over a bottom-six forward.

Thoughts?

You mean the numbers that showed that Q choose to play 3 rookies significantly more minutes then one of the best 125 D-men in the league. Or the fact he never came close to being top 4 in TOi? Or the fact he was far more sheltered then Viktor Svedberg? Couldn't play the PK?

Minutiae like that?
- TTtime

Many here were willing to give Daley a shot. The physical tools were there. I doubted he would be an upgrade to Oduya - who seemed made for Qs style - but thought he might add offense to offset the obvious defensive issues. Daley knew what was being asked of him defensively and simply couldn't or wouldn't do it. Turned out his offense is pretty one dimensional. His terrible passing was what really, really surprised me. He is doing better offensively with the Pens - no surprise there but he will still be a passenger come playoff time.

He was supposedly a character guy - turns out he was an entitled primadonna. Nill knew he was adding by subtracting with that trade. Really sucks it cost us Oduya - less so Johns as it would be really nice seeing a rotation at 5-6 of TVR/Gus/Rosi/Johns behind last year's top 4 this year.

You mean the numbers that showed that Q choose to play 3 rookies significantly more minutes then one of the best 125 D-men in the league. Or the fact he never came close to being top 4 in TOi? Or the fact he was far more sheltered then Viktor Svedberg? Couldn't play the PK?

Minutiae like that?
- TTtime

Best 125 in the world, over a 10 yr span. Top 4 guy in the best league in the world that contains 30 teams.. At least according to a 10 year body of work/numbers. But maybe he didn't/can't play on his "edges" in a Hawk jersey, aay Elbows?

Pound all the minutia you want, stick with any narrative that's cooked up amongst the fellas, bring the crew for back up but Daley was as advertised. No surprises he put up the same numbers in the same style of play as he has for 10+ years as a + player and is doing the same in Pittsburgh as he did here.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/7/71/1220731/blackhawks-holes-fill-cap-space-work

Lazerus thinks a No. 4 defenseman, takes priority over a bottom-six forward.

Thoughts?
- walleyeb1

Lazerus doesn't even mention the need for a LW. Seems to believe the choice is between a bottom 6 forward or a dman.

So many teams in the market for a top 4 d man the price will be steep. Maybe these rumored maneuvers with AZ could end up bringing Grossman here instead of Boedker? Maybe both? Hard to imagine the cost. Would really rather see them giving TT and Dano real looks at their natural position and moving Hossa over to LW first.

You can have the best 6 D-men in the world on the blue line but if your forwards aren't doing their jobs defensively, you will still give up a lot of goals. Its takes every player on the ice being where they are suppose to be.

And that starts 200 feet from your net. If you want to see a couple of example of guys who struggle with that, watch Garbutt and Bickell. Garbutt has no clue abut spacing on the ice and Bickell is Bickell.
- TTtime

Help us out, like you do with playing on "edges" (ever have a pair of skates shrpened, Elbows?), about Gurbutt's, or anyone else's spacing. Or the Hawk philosophy with their variations on system forechecks which constitutes how one spaces....... Or do they seal the wall or the middle on a forecheck and how does the spacing work there? Or how many do they send, or does it vary, and the "spacing" that follows.

Help the less knowledgeable, Bows........

Interesting read re Boedker:

http://www.azcentral.com/...iscuss-contract/77843200/

The gift was seeing Rundblad waived. The cherry on the sunday would be his asking for release from his contract to play in Switzerland. An extra $100k in cap space.
- tredbrta

He'll ask for a release from a 2-year $2.1MM deal?

Unlikely - but he'll be "loaned" to some team (like Huet was), with Rocky picking up the difference between what his European salary will be and the total contract.

Hawks have to eat $100K in cap space, tho....

Interesting read re Boedker:

http://www.azcentral.com/...iscuss-contract/77843200/
- walleyeb1

"Do something good for Michael and good for us......" seems like theybknow he will be traded

Many here were willing to give Daley a shot. The physical tools were there. I doubted he would be an upgrade to Oduya - who seemed made for Qs style - but thought he might add offense to offset the obvious defensive issues. Daley knew what was being asked of him defensively and simply couldn't or wouldn't do it. Turned out his offense is pretty one dimensional. His terrible passing was what really, really surprised me. He is doing better offensively with the Pens - no surprise there but he will still be a passenger come playoff time.

He was supposedly a character guy - turns out he was an entitled primadonna. Nill knew he was adding by subtracting with that trade. Really sucks it cost us Oduya - less so Johns as it would be really nice seeing a rotation at 5-6 of TVR/Gus/Rosi/Johns behind last year's top 4 this year.
- tredbrta

I don't know that he is or isn't a character guy but Daley has played in the Hawk division since this regime has been here. Hard to believe management didn't have a pretty good book on Daley.

Could just be the Hawks had to take him, whether they wanted him or not, to move Sharp money, just don't know.

I believe LNTC no longer in effect after the trade. Rockford is probably the only destination but he could be added in to another trade if the option is there.

Q likes his vets. He squeezed water from a rock with Timmo, Rosi and Cumiskey last playoffs. You may have noticed the results. Scuderi actually had a solid 1-2 games before the face shot. If he gets Rosi enough rest to play 6 in the playoffs and Gustaffson and TVR can be situational 4-5s the Hawks D will look pretty solid. That depends on Gus continuing to progress and TVR not regressing though.... and I'd take Gus and TVR over every d man on the Pens except Letang and Maata at this stage.
- tredbrta

Scuds has his positives, he's won 2 cups & even if his body can't do it his mind probably can that can help the young guys. If you want a guy that won't do anything special in offence but will take a puck to the face he is your man - I just think your team needs more in D as does ours. Our D is pretty much a start from scratch project with a whole lot of youth at the moment. Letang is the only high end D we have. Maatta is still only young, Cole hasn't got a lot of experience & 'old' Lovejoy is a steady D man that seems to have gelled well with our young D man Dumoulin. Throw Daley in now who seems to be settling very well at the moment & the group needs time. I like Clendening but he's not getting a shot at the moment - he has shown good offence but takes penalties (which could be because he's so frustrated at not playing), but he has the potential to grow into the group. We've got Pouliot in the baby Pens who is being held back to improve his game but is 'protected' to be top 4 or better.

So we have players that have been thrown into positions that aren't their level at the start of the season. In saying that, if you can get 30 odd shots on goal & score 1 goal, you can't put that on the D. Sid, Geno & Kessel have all missed open nets in games which at their level is inexcusable! Everyone is blaming our D but in my opinion (which doesn't mean a lot), that's just an excuse to not blame our high end offence!! It's like blaming Runblad for Toews not scoring after Toews missed a few chances at the net.

I'm very confident rolling forward with our D & I for 1 would rather pay what we are for Daley than still have Scuds in the team.

I'm very confident rolling forward with our D & I for 1 would rather pay what we are for Daley than still have Scuds in the team.
- Aussiepenguin

Your blogger at HB, who's solid IMO, seems to think the puck isn't being triggered from the back end, no transition more of a station to station system with thoroughbreds under Johnston hence the need for a Daley type.

Safe to say?

Man that Pens team is hard to watch right now, and impossible to handicap.

He'll ask for a release from a 2-year $2.1MM deal?

Unlikely - but he'll be "loaned" to some team (like Huet was), with Rocky picking up the difference between what his European salary will be and the total contract.

Hawks have to eat $100K in cap space, tho....
- StLBravesFan

Sage, tred or anyone do you know for sure how much Runblad going overseas effects his cap hit?

Your blogger at HB, who's solid IMO, seems to think the puck isn't being triggered from the back end, no transition more of a station to station system with thoroughbreds under Johnston hence the need for a Daley type.

Safe to say?

Man that Pens team is hard to watch right now, and impossible to handicap.
- Mr Ricochet

Ryan is a great read, but has his opinions that he chooses to back up with analytical stats, which if you ask anyone should be taken as a 'whole set' not just 'singular stat' which is the case a lot of the time. Don't get me wrong, he knows hockey but also has his opinion on things.

Have you ever seen him criticise Sid or Geno? There were definite & still are issues with the offence, but when the puck is there & the goal in front of whoever, you can't blame transition on a missed goal from that point. Add the F turning over the puck or passing badly to each other, there are many issues not related to the D specifically.

Daley has already put points on the board, & made plays that Scuds isn't capable of just through his speed. As I said I have no great expectations for us this season but believe our D will be very good very soon.

Also doesn't really matter what Johnston wants anymore! Sullivans opinion & needs are much more important.

Edit: Our shooting % at the moment is disgraceful, again can the D be blamed for that?

Your blogger at HB, who's solid IMO, seems to think the puck isn't being triggered from the back end, no transition more of a station to station system with thoroughbreds under Johnston hence the need for a Daley type.

Safe to say?

Man that Pens team is hard to watch right now, and impossible to handicap.
- Mr Ricochet

Pretty much accurate. The Pens have had multiple issues so far but things seem to be turning around. Crosby has finally started to look like himself again.

Still the D is a concern. Just like every other team, they'll be looking for a 3 or 4 if they climb back into a playoff spot. Gonna be an expensive year at the deadline because so many teams want the same thing.

Sage, tred or anyone do you know for sure how much Runblad going overseas effects his cap hit?
- Mr Ricochet

I think (THINK) that no matter where he goes, the relief is the $950,000 - the same as if they send him to Rockford.

You weren't wrong about Daley. If you can play 10+ seasons in the NHL as a top 4 guy and be a + player in that time you are one of the best 125 players in the world at that position. Daley was as advertised. He skated well and was a + player with the Hawks. As advertised, no (on ice) surprises. One can pound minutiae, for whatever fits their purpose best, but reason/numbers/eye test shows he was as advertised to/for Q and StanBowPops&McD.

The guy with the cups didn't like him, so he's gone. Hawks get a "predictable" (insurance at the very least) 6-7th Dmen with cap savings for a THIRD pairing vet in the hard cap world. If they can do better as the season progresses Scuderi will be moved out, but at the very least he's insurance and at best a 6-7 guy.
- Mr Ricochet

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Can you use Scuderi in a "Boyton role" and just use him for PK purposes and very limited minutes??