THIS is where Bettman FAILS. The entire marketing dept of the NHL fails.
- blackhawk24

Oh, don't worry. There is a man employed at 1901 w Madison with eyes clearly on that seat and with a track record of proven turnarounds.

In most of the past expansions drafts deals were made to the newbies to bypass picking certain "available" players with the agreement being we send you longer term prospects (and the Hawks have shown mastery at developing mid-level prospects) and you have a built in minor league support for the period where the guys Las Vegas takes in the 2018 draft actually get to a closer to NHL without rushing them, which will be the case.

The question is more why would the Hawks make Seabrook available over TVR?
That contract might be a deterrent but whta you just gifted Las Vegas was a top NHL golatender over a cap friendly improving TVR, and that makes little sense over TRADING Seabrook for REAL VALUE (which I am not advocating!).

There are going to be goalies available with big contracts, and I would have to think Las Vegas would be interested in to veterans who might have a year or two left on deals so that they go off the books if they decline rapidly.

The point is TVR is the only available signed hawk defender they would be even close to willing to put up for adoption.
Making a deal with Las Vegas to "take another speciifc player at forward" and future considerations, is the type of agreement you want to attempt to hammer out.

It is clear they don't want to lose their back-up or TVR; it is just a matter of negotiating a suitable agreement.
A lot may have to do with exactly who is the GM in Las Vegas...

The hawks could make a deadline deth deal for a NHL veteran defender with one year left on his deal (2 yrs at this moment) and offer him up and throw in a Icehogs.

Some GMs are going to look at like this: It IS JUST ONE Player, and our team isn't defined by one player.
I really wouldn't be surprised if the signings and their camp performances might be auditions for Las Vegas to see what they can get to be competitve in younger new Cap hits, because no matter the place expansion teams HAVE to maintain a "slow profile" and manage Cap $, expectations, and still get to pick early and build.
Is TVR a high end building block for an expansion team?
You would have to filter through the team support system and his pairings to make that assessment.
Is Seabrook? (yes).
He would get picked over anybody else were leave unprotected.

Las Vegas will feel comforatble they can sell tickets and not need to win now, so they may have the benefit of entirely difffernet perspective of building a team longer term than all the others have had to...
- wiz1901

Las Vegas will feel comforatble they can sell tickets and not need to win now, so they may have the benefit of entirely difffernet perspective of building a team longer term than all the others have had to...

That's a huge unknown...I go back to my original thinking about Vegas. If it was such a lock no lose situation-Why wasn't the NBA there 25-30 years ago?

One year ago today...


- DarthKane

A night I'll never forget. Going down from the 300 level and sitting in the 100 level and watching all the players interact with family and friends on the ice was the best part.

Hopefully the organization figures out a way to get back to that level.

Las Vegas will feel comforatble they can sell tickets and not need to win now, so they may have the benefit of entirely difffernet perspective of building a team longer term than all the others have had to...

That's a huge unknown...I go back to my original thinking about Vegas. If it was such a lock no lose situation-Why wasn't the NBA there 25-30 years ago?
- Al

That's a good question but I think if you go back and look at all the "neutral" site games in the early 90s look at how many of those became markets for the NHL? Minnesota, Arizona, Vegas, California, and so on. I don't know if the NBA ever pushed hard for Vegas and with Jerry Ts Runnin Rebs being a huge draw in the early 90s explains why the NBA didnt' go there.

Plus out of all the sports, basketball is the easiest by far to corrupt in regards to point spreads.

It may not be as good for the league as Bettman thinks, but the cap has brought a measure of parity to the league.

In the 11 seasons since the cap was negotiated in:

7 different Cup winners
15 different teams in the final - 1/2 of the league has made the final in the last 11 seasons.
- StLBravesFan

And in the 11 season before there were 6 different winners....The illusion of parity is achieved by the point system whereby if appears everyone has a chance to make the playoffs throughout the majority of the season. Statistically, as is the case with your point, the argument is faulty.

That's a good question but I think if you go back and look at all the "neutral" site games in the early 90s look at how many of those became markets for the NHL? Minnesota, Arizona, Vegas, California, and so on. I don't know if the NBA ever pushed hard for Vegas and with Jerry Ts Runnin Rebs being a huge draw in the early 90s explains why the NBA didnt' go there.

Plus out of all the sports, basketball is the easiest by far to corrupt in regards to point spreads.
- SteveRain

NBA isn't a gate driven league the NHL is-I think it is more risky to go to Vegas than Quebec City or even Seattle. But those places aren't as "sexy".

I doubt it happens, based on the rumors of STL but I truly hope the hawks are done playing outside for a season. It's getting old. I think you see it with the players as their outdoor record is no great shakes.

Let somebody else have their fun......

NBA isn't a gate driven league the NHL is-I think it is more risky to go to Vegas than Quebec City or even Seattle. But those places aren't as "sexy".
- Al

True and I never believed Seattle for a second.
1. You have to close a proximity to Vancouver
2. The nHL has to be scared off a lot by the way the SuperSonics ended their stay there.
3. I can't imagine a lot of support for hockey in the pac west.

I was hoping for Quebec City. I realize NHL needs more teams in Canada and I'm sure a relocation will happen there soon enough.

No surprise move or return?



- gifman

Wouldn't rule it out. Wouldn't count on it.

Oh, don't worry. There is a man employed at 1901 w Madison with eyes clearly on that seat and with a track record of proven turnarounds.
- SteveRain

....That's the type of person they need. Someone to build a foolproof organizational system.

....That's the type of person they need. Someone to build a foolproof organizational system.
- Al

Actually, I think he would make a huge and positive impact on a league that really doesn't get it when it comes to marketing and expanding its brand and base.

True and I never believed Seattle for a second.
1. You have to close a proximity to Vancouver
2. The nHL has to be scared off a lot by the way the SuperSonics ended their stay there.
3. I can't imagine a lot of support for hockey in the pac west.

I was hoping for Quebec City. I realize NHL needs more teams in Canada and I'm sure a relocation will happen there soon enough.
- SteveRain

I don't have enough facts to discount the likelihood for success in any of those places, but I don't think Vegas will be the layup many do. Vegas has become a trendy place for 25-35 year olds to go Clubbing and experience the scene for a few days. Not sure they will embrace the idea of spending 3 hours at a hockey game while there. It's not like that opportunity isn't available to many while they are home.

I'm waiting to see what happens in the Peg if they don't win-That's a small building which needs to be filled to the top every night. I think the original season ticket "contracts" or about up.

Actually, I think he would make a huge and positive impact on a league that really doesn't get it when it comes to marketing and expanding its brand and base.
- John Jaeckel

Exactly, without question...

Popularity is built upon promoting stars, which the NHL does a poor job of and building team brands.

Bettman's goal is for a different team to win the Cup every year yet every other major sport has succeeded far better than the NHL while embracing dynasties etc.
Folks either love a winner or hate them but they still watch.

Growing the sport is not about trying to ensure no repeat Champs and then putting the same teams constantly on national telecasts and in outdoor games. It's a nonsensical approach, and by chance if it does ever work, the NHL will be the first to employ that type of strategy and succeed.

There was nothing brilliant about what Bowman did. He dealt a top D spec and a first for a rental, that takes no brilliance. He traded a prospect and a #2 for a solid banger and a guy often scratched. He failed to add anything on the blueline even though he was giving away prospects and picks like chicklets.

That said, Q was pretty awful this year with his dog house shenanigans....

BOTH guys better pick it up, because relying on 88, 2, 7, 4, 19, 50, and 81 to bail you out of all your poor moves is asking too much.
- kwolf68

You could argue there was nothing brilliant about it with the benefit of hindsight because it didn't yield the result you (any Hawk fan) wanted.

Last year the result was different and the deadline deals worked. I think most people were perfectly fine with them other than the one that brought us Kimmo.

Wouldn't rule it out. Wouldn't count on it.
- John Jaeckel

You didn't see what I did.

You mentioned that there might be a surprise move with a surprise return. Your post was making a guess on who would be traded. You mentioned the most likely people then I came in and asked who would your guess be on the surprise move.

Obviously it didn't work on my part but I did hope you would have given a bigger morsel of the rumor you heard. But I failed ...

You didn't see what I did.

You mentioned that there might be a surprise move with a surprise return. Your post was making a guess on who would be traded. You mentioned the most likely people then I came in and asked who would your guess be on the surprise move.

Obviously it didn't work on my part but I did hope you would have given a bigger morsel of the rumor you heard. But I failed ...


- gifman

That is (truly) the extent of the rumor I've heard. No specifics at this point.

Trade your best and most productive player? Smart
- PatShart

You forgot the most troubled and highest value player on the team that would could easily fill several holes in a trade not to mention reducing our cap hit and the ability sign Shaw and Panarin.

Yeah your right it is smart.

You could argue there was nothing brilliant about it with the benefit of hindsight because it didn't yield the result you (any Hawk fan) wanted.

Last year the result was different and the deadline deals worked. I think most people were perfectly fine with them other than the one that brought us Kimmo.
- HawkintheD

To me, if the organization handled Trevor Daley differently, from the time he walked in to the time they dealt him (and what they dealt him for), I think this retrospective on Stanley's moves last summer might be quite different.

There's a lot of talk about parity here, so I did some digging.

I was interested in the 11 Cup champs since the lockout and the 11 Cup champs before the lockout, so I’ve written down the final four teams each year. Then I’ve looked to see if they made an appearance in the final four any time near a previous appearance and denoted such with the symbols below.

* = was in Conference Final within previous two or next two seasons
! = was in Conference Final within previous three or next three seasons
% = was in Conference Final within previous four or next four seasons

(Note: Some teams may have multiple markings. Blackhawks obviously get a * for 2015, 2014, and 2013, but 2013 also gets a ! because of 2010.)

Final Four
2016: Pittsburgh!, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay*
2015: Chicago*, Tampa Bay*%, Anaheim, NY Rangers*
2014: LA*, NY Rangers*, Chicago*, Montreal%
2013: Chicago*!, Boston*, Pittsburgh!, LA*
2012: LA*, New Jersey, NY Rangers*, Phoenix
2011: Boston*, Vancouver, San Jose*, Tampa Bay%
2010: Chicago*!, Philadelphia*, San Jose*, Montreal%
2009: Pittsburgh*, Detroit*, Chicago*, Carolina!
2008: Detroit*, Pittsburgh*, Dallas, Philadelphia*
2007: Anaheim*, Ottawa!, Buffalo*, Detroit*%
2006: Carolina!, Edmonton, Buffalo*, Anaheim*
2004: Tampa Bay, Calgary, San Jose, Philadelphia
2003: New Jersey*, Anaheim*, Ottawa!, Minnesota
2002: Detroit%, Carolina!, Toronto!, Colorado*
2001: Colorado*, New Jersey*, Pittsburgh, St. Louis
2000: New Jersey*, Dallas*, Colorado*, Philadelphia!
1999: Dallas*, Buffalo*, Toronto!, Colorado*
1998: Detroit*%, Washington, Buffalo*, Dallas*
1997: Detroit*, Philadelphia*!, Colorado*, NY Rangers!
1996: Colorado*, Florida, Pittsburgh%, Detroit*
1995: New Jersey*, Detroit*, Philadelphia*, Chicago!
1994: NY Rangers!, Vancouver, New Jersey*, Toronto*

The key point is that, Cap or No Cap, there’s really a run of dominance for most teams. Even Carolina made the final in 2002, won in 2006, and went to the Conference Final in 2009.

Sure there are Cinderella teams like New Jersey and Phoenix in 2012 and Vancouver in 2011 or Minnesota in 2003. But I only count 8 teams after the Salary Cap was instituted that have not made a repeat appearance within 4 years. It’s about the same number for before the Salary Cap.

Blackhawks trade Bickell and Teravainen to Carolina for draft picks???? WTF???

Blackhawks trade Bickell and Teravainen to Carolina for draft picks???? WTF???
- DarthKane

What else did you expect? We all knew what the sweetener would be if traded.

Trade: #Blackhawks get second-round pick (2016) and third-round pick (2017) from #Canes for Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen.

Blackhawks trade Bickell and Teravainen to Carolina for draft picks???? WTF???
- DarthKane

Anybody know what the picks are? Hawks only announced they were getting picks but not what they are .

Blackhawks trade Bickell and Teravainen to Carolina for draft picks???? WTF???
- DarthKane

So maybe they keep Shaw and go after Campbell like the media has been reporting.

Trade: #Blackhawks get second-round pick (2016) and third-round pick (2017) from #Canes for Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen.
- DarthKane

Hmm... It's def a bummer to lose TT but given how awful Bickell's contract was, that's not the worst haul StanBo has ever received...