Running with John's report on Rosey/Kempny pairing being likely, keeping TRV when they have Gustafsson, Svedberg and possibly Pokka capable of handling the 7th D spot seems guiltiness if he could possibly bring back a 1LW, no?
- TyYoungfelt

I could live with trading TvR, but not for Yakupov. I just don't see him fitting in with the team.

I don't see Roszival as anything more than the 7th defenseman either. Defense was a major issue last year, as was 1LW. I don't know if there's enough cap space (without a trade) to legimately address both needs. At least Kempny and Campbell address the concerns on defense. I would be reluctant to give that up for a risk like Yak.

As far as remaining FA LW's:

Elias
Doan
Hudler
Versteeg
Raymond
Pirri
Korpikoski

And... some others...

FA pool not looking great...
- Chunk

...maybe not much left in the tank, but Doan is a leader and can be a junkyard dog.

I could live with trading TvR, but not for Yakupov. I just don't see him fitting in with the team.

I don't see Roszival as anything more than the 7th defenseman either. Defense was a major issue last year, as was 1LW. I don't know if there's enough cap space (without a trade) to legimately address both needs. At least Kempny and Campbell address the concerns on defense. I would be reluctant to give that up for a risk like Yak.
- DarthKane

Agreed on Yak, he'd struggle under Q's two way system for sure

I guess memories get short in the warm weather. Weiss did the square root of f$ck all after he was acquired and now its Q's fault? And Weiss admitted today after signing in Philly that although he liked the idea of going back to Montreal, nobody with the Habs even bothered calling him.

He's lucky he got a $9M deal with the Flyers who need forwards, nobody else in the league was going to pay him that. He is just a mediocre NHL player, now overpaid.
- RickJ

Never pass a post of yours and find your player assessments near what I have them but disagree with you on Weise, all 158 of your posts about of him. Do you see Habs games regularly?

Anyway love that Weise landed in Philly. He'll fit well.

...maybe not much left in the tank, but Doan is a leader and can be a junkyard dog.
- RedFeather

Doan has no intention of leaving Arizona, so I wouldn't consider him an option

It's weird because I was just thinking to myself about an hour ago that Purcell seems like a forward for the Kings. Good signing. The pile is getting much thinner now.
- 93Joe

Indeed..........

Running with John's report on Rosey/Kempny pairing being likely, keeping TRV when they have Gustafsson, Svedberg and possibly Pokka capable of handling the 7th D spot seems guiltiness if he could possibly bring back a 1LW, no?
- TyYoungfelt

After having TVR penciled in at 4 at the start of last year and playing there, to being bumped down to 7 is not good for him. Chance he gets moved. Only problem is, if he does, next year starts without Campbell or Rozy. If Kempny is not what we thought, we have a real issue. We're back next year with no 4D. At least we know what we get with TVR. I would honestly keep TVR as the 5/6 with Kempny and have Rozy spot sub. But who knows.

To add on to my previous post regarding replacing the possession/cycle game that Toews-Hossa play (because they don't have the F1 necessary to play that style and there isn't that type of F1 LW in the system or on the free agent horizon) - I would rather go with a top-6 of xx-19-88 / 72-15-xx or 72-19-xx / xx-15-88 and then move Hossa down and have a 3rd line of Panik-Kruger-Hossa. Having one of those top-6 options would make carrying a rookie or young player on each of the top two lines more doable.

After having TVR penciled in at 4 at the start of last year and playing there, to being bumped down to 7 is not good for him. Chance he gets moved. Only problem is, if he does, next year starts without Campbell or Rozy. If Kempny is not what we thought, we have a real issue. We're back next year with no 4D. At least we know what we get with TVR. I would honestly keep TVR as the 5/6 with Kempny and have Rozy spot sub. But who knows.
- HawksHype

He's absolutely not a #7, he's a #5.

Rozy/Goose/Sved will revolve around #7.

Well, I hope everyone realizes people here are talking about Tanner Kero, Vince Hinostroza, Kris Versteeg, Sam Gagner, etc as actual options playing with Toews and Hossa.

But Boedker?! OMG THAT GUY IS AWFUL!!!




You find a way to fit Boedker in at 1LW, fill out the bottom lines with a bunch of warm bodies, Kempny and Campbell added on D, and the Hawks are odds-on favorites for the Cup.

Period.
- John Jaeckel

Not easily done at the 4 mil per over 4 he just got. The 4 mil hit that he got by the way I think is fair.

To add on to my previous post regarding replacing the possession/cycle game that Toews-Hossa play (because they don't have the F1 necessary to play that style and there isn't that type of F1 LW in the system or on the free agent horizon) - I would rather go with a top-6 of xx-19-88 / 72-15-xx or 72-19-xx / xx-15-88 and then move Hossa down and have a 3rd line of Panik-Kruger-Hossa. Having one of those top-6 options would make carrying a rookie or young player on each of the top two lines more doable.
- EbonyRaptor

I love the idea of a Panik-Kruger-Hossa line. Kruger and Hossa had good chemistry in the playoffs, and it spreads out the scoring depth to 3 lines(Yes, I think Hossa can still score 25+)

At this point, most of the decent--and affordable--players are off the board.

The Blackhawks still have glaring holes to fill, most notably on #1LW (Or #2 LW, if you move Panarin there)

I see two options...One, play the Rockford kids, and hope for a miracle.

Two....some big contract (CC, Seabs, Kruger) needs to be moved to fill that LW hole.

Or, it'll be one and done in next years playoffs.

If you're Catholic, better head to church and start lighting candles for Hudler.
- John Jaeckel

JJ, don't tell me you are on the ledge. It's high stakes poker game. Buckle up man and enjoy the ride, enjoy the process.........

Eye test usually works wonders.
Wiz has already weighed in w/his thoughts that Boedker, no matter who he's paired with doesn't really add up.
Hell, I'd trust Wiz at this point a lot more than "they" within the Madhouse.
- savvyone-1

Is this a job offer?

I certainly hope so.

No one ever wants to pay me for doing this watching these players & games...My wife hates the time I put in...yesterday while we were in the pool for the second time, (morning win/afternoon swim) she says. my faecbook accounnt did thsi meory thing three years ago, and it was me (her) posting that she was out cleaning the pool cage screens while you were in the house doing hockey...Funny that exactly true again today.
I of course ignored her comments.

I don't think the business of being the GM caretaker is in anyway easy especially when it is clear that the GM all thought the Cap was going to rise each and every year for the last five by a whole lot more.
The hawk "problem" is they won maybe earlier than expected.

Those guys in Tampa agreeing to those 8.5 Mil under 8 mil and the new starting goalie in net at 3.5 mil until 2020...I am fairly certain that Steve Yzerman opened with if we are actually gonna get more chances to win we gotta keep the team together and we can't do that if you want too much.
From there Steve's players are either showing their cards that they are walking or actually agreeing with the distinct ONE GOAL prupose of winning.

I don't know if the Russian kid Panarin is any thing but greedy, if he has a sophmore slump, or if he truly thinks he is as good of a player without Kane and the guys wrapped around him.

But if he isn't..don't blame Bowman for letting him tell his story walkiing either.

But just looking at the dollars doled out he has to make at least six and Stan and I need to bring the offer to him now, if he doesn't like it, he can get traded to Siberia for all I care and play with McDavid.

ON BOEDKER:
I guess Doug Wilson really believes on faster wing makes his squad faster, no matter how he fits ?
This doesn't get them back to the dance and fans of every team have to realize the cahnce to dance in the Final is a rare gift of hard work luck and great play by all, whether they are patchwork players form wile-Barre or Rockford...

Me? your new GM...well I am not moving Crawford, or Seabrook or Kruger or anybody because I think I can win with them.

Damn... Good fit for the Sharks IMO
- 93Joe

It wasn't a month ago when the Sharks got skated out of the building for 6 straight games. Don't blame em for looking to upgrade their glacial style of play.

Elliotte Friedman ‏@FriedgeHNIC 6m6 minutes ago
Purcell with LA is one year, $1.6M


This kind of a deal would have been fantastic value for the 'Hawks.
- TommyHawk

A player and deal like this is the kind of deal I'm looking for from the Hawks.

As far as remaining FA LW's:

Elias
Doan
Hudler
Versteeg
Raymond
Pirri
Korpikoski

And... some others...

FA pool not looking great...
- Chunk

Well the plan was to wait until everyone overpaid and grab a bargain.

Never pass a post of yours and find your player assessments near what I have them but disagree with you on Weise, all 158 of your posts about of him. Do you see Habs games regularly?

Anyway love that Weise landed in Philly. He'll fit well.
- Mr Ricochet

Admittedly Dale Weise does nothing for me and you may even agree that he did little to zero in his time in Chicago.

When I look at a player who plays his type of game, I'm looking and loving Troy Brouwer. Young Dale doesn't measure up and he wasn't going to re-sign in Chicago anyway. And Marc Bergevin wasn't interested in having him back either.

Are there any European possibilties for a Top 6 LW?

Barring a trade or Vesey. And I'm thinking of someone other than the two Russian players that played with Breadman.

Swedish league maybe?

Well the plan was to wait until everyone overpaid and grab a bargain.
- walleyeb1

YUP it was...and there will be some good skilled players in the bargain bin...

Did you say Shane Doan is actually looking to play elsewhere?

Guys, of course Chicago could have afforded some of these contracts. But the player has to WANT to play in Chicago. Everyone here seems to be under the impression that every player in the league wants to be in Chicago.
- Hawks_49

World class city, packed house every night, drinks with "Kaner", a few cups in their pocket and playing inside the Q blender. What's not to like?

World class city, packed house every night, drinks with "Kaner", a few cups in their pocket and playing inside the Q blender. What's not to like?
- Mr Ricochet

That's the #1 drawback to Chicago....everyone already got paid, so nobody else can.

With nearly every single available left wing candidate now taken primarily by potential contenders of the Hawks, not only do I see trades for any of them not possible for competition's sake, but also, most of them were signed to undigestable contracts.

For example, you are just not going to trade a core guy for a long term deal in exchange given to say....Bodeker.

Secondly, no one is going to do The Hawks any favors.

What transpired today, or didn't, sure smells like SB has an ace or two or three up his sleeve. As John said, SB's claim that he is happy with the team is a smokescreen.

Vesey, for example, would be huge, as he could be signed to a capped two year ELC at $925K and be protected in the draft.

Time will tell.

With nearly every single available left wing candidate now taken primarily by potential contenders of the Hawks, not only do I see trades for any of them not possible for competition's sake, but also, most of them were signed to undigestable contracts.

For example, you are just not going to trade a core guy for a long term deal in exchange given to say....Bodeker.

Secondly, no one is going to do The Hawks any favors.

What transpired today, or didn't, sure smells like SB has an ace or two or three up his sleeve. As John said, SB's claim that he is happy with the team is a smokescreen.

Vesey, for example, would be huge, as he could be signed to a capped two year ELC and be protected in the draft.

Time will tell.
- Return of the Roar

Spencer Abbott 1LW

World class city, packed house every night, drinks with "Kaner", a few cups in their pocket and playing inside the Q blender. What's not to like?
- Mr Ricochet

Well he appears to be not drinking at the moment and we should probably all hope it stays that way