Yakupov is a defensive liability, so no real loss there IMO. The team will find another top 6 winger.

Yakupov is a defensive liability, so no real loss there IMO. The team will find another top 6 winger.
- 93Joe

You have to think (based on actions since mid August) they are looking for one. But it's not gonna be easy. You either are going for unproven prospect (which we have a few of those anyway) or someone proven (which will cost a lot).

I have to think they have more names as possible trade targets on the board...other than Yakupov. Not sure why they'd go for Vesey and Yak as hard as they did and not follow through with something as a fall back. Not holding my breath for anyone super awesome. Hell I don't know that Yak is going to do much, but he's the type of flier you go for when you lack a lot of leverage.

No one is "blaming" the infallible Stan for not getting Vesey.

But there was a swing and miss for Yak as that was probably (maybe) directly tied to the stupid ass deal Bowman made involving Scuderi.
- kwolf68

I don't think Stan is infallible but I also don't blame him for everything some fans think he should have done better.

You ain't kiddin, I'm no Hawk apologist and neither is JJ. We want to see them do good but this GM lately is batting below the Mendoza line! He's gotten takin in 80% of his trades, had 2 FA's turn their asses up at him the last 2summers, I'll give the scouting department Panerin, but Bowman will probably F that up down the road too! Now he's gonna go all Lovie on us, with the "we like our team" or Richard is our 1st line LW crap"! Now he's gonna try and pound down a bunch of unproven kids down Q and the fans throats! He's an arrogant F! I'm probably not the only 1that feels that way but probably 1of the few to step out blatantly say how Ifeel. Don't kid yourself, those 3cups were Mike Smith and Dale Tallons work, this team sliding down will beBowmans work! F! Am I hot about losing a potentially nice player with a fresh start to the Blues ! Bend over Stoshu, Armstrong just got ya !
- wonthecup10

Are you sure you really want the Hawks to do well? You literally said you hope Yak and the Blues "[torch] the Hawks!" as some way to get back at the GM of the team. That sounds less than supportive.

Are you sure you really want the Hawks to do well? You literally said you hope Yak and the Blues "
- L_B_R[torch] the Hawks!" as some way to get back at the GM of the team. That sounds less than supportive.

Only in the fact as to see Bowman wind up with more egg on his face.....Again!!

It wasn't a salary cap issue, it was a dollars issue. If we really wanted Yak that badly, Rocky could have sent a mill over and that would be for EDM to retain.
- busmaster

Eh, that's super illegal but okay sure. Edmonton is in no way a budget team, they don't care about the $1m difference, but they wanted extra thrown in for the favor of retaining salary. Even JJ said that, dude. Instead, they went with the quick / easy deal where they got exactly what they were looking for in the past in a 3rd round pick (added bonus that it could turn into a 2nd). Could totally be Bowman waiting and Chia not wanting to do that or could be Chia never thought he'd really get anything for the salary retention. Either way, Yak would have been a good pick up for the right price, but it's not the end of the world and he was still a risk.

Not like they didn't miss out on JVR

Only in the fact as to see Bowman wind up with more egg on his face.....Again!!
- wonthecup10

I hope Bowman ends up with the same egg on his face he did in 2013 and 2015 - it obviously came in a nice shiny cup.

I hope Bowman ends up with the same egg on his face he did in 2013 and 2015 - it obviously came in a nice shiny cup.
- L_B_R

Ha! Two Cups after paying the core and having to gut the team a couple times...meh!

Some fan you are. We all know the Hawks would win the Cup every year if not for Stan.

Eh, that's super illegal but okay sure. Edmonton is in no way a budget team, they don't care about the $1m difference, but they wanted extra thrown in for the favor of retaining salary. Even JJ said that, dude. Instead, they went with the quick / easy deal where they got exactly what they were looking for in the past in a 3rd round pick (added bonus that it could turn into a 2nd). Could totally be Bowman waiting and Chia not wanting to do that or could be Chia never thought he'd really get anything for the salary retention. Either way, Yak would have been a good pick up for the right price, but it's not the end of the world and he was still a risk.
- L_B_R

Totally agree Stan could have sent a better defensive prospect to sweeten the deal to get Edmonton to retail salary. we have at least a couple defensive prospects that are NHL ready he could have used one of to get the deal done

I hope Bowman ends up with the same egg on his face he did in 2013 and 2015 - it obviously came in a nice shiny cup.
- L_B_R

Hope your right,the difference is, he had a deeper roster to start the season and had a bit more wiggle room come the deadline, this team is paper thin , if they get off to a bad start, they don't have enough depth to play catch up. Most are right, losing the kid to the Blues isn't the worst thing in in the world , but he's better than anything that is gonna line up in the top 6 with Tazer and company. Move on I guess, another boner by Stan that prematurely goes soft!

Totally agree Stan could have sent a better defensive prospect to sweeten the deal to get Edmonton to retail salary. we have at least a couple defensive prospects that are NHL ready he could have used one of to get the deal done
- molly2522

You know which defensive prospect was offered? I thought most were extrapolating TVR, Pokka, or Gus - who were better prospect/players that they should have give up?

Hope your right,the difference is, he had a deeper roster to start the season and had a bit more wiggle room come the deadline, this team is paper thin , if they get off to a bad start, they don't have enough depth to play catch up. Most are right, losing the kid to the Blues isn't the worst thing in in the world , but he's better than anything that is gonna line up in the top 6 with Tazer and company. Move on I guess, another boner by Stan that prematurely goes soft!
- wonthecup10

Offensively maybe but I think Panik with regular playing time can equal and likely surpass the Yak's average of 12 goals/season.

Panik had 2 less goals in half as many game last season. Would Yak have gotten some new lease on life and had his career take off wearing the Indianhead? Maybe. But missing out on him certainly isn't something to get upset about AFAIC.

Eh, that's super illegal but okay sure. Edmonton is in no way a budget team, they don't care about the $1m difference, but they wanted extra thrown in for the favor of retaining salary. Even JJ said that, dude. Instead, they went with the quick / easy deal where they got exactly what they were looking for in the past in a 3rd round pick (added bonus that it could turn into a 2nd). Could totally be Bowman waiting and Chia not wanting to do that or could be Chia never thought he'd really get anything for the salary retention. Either way, Yak would have been a good pick up for the right price, but it's not the end of the world and he was still a risk.

Not like they didn't miss out on JVR
- L_B_R

Okay didn't know that was illegal.

If dollars wasn't the issue, and it didn't cost EDM anything to retain the salary since they are not against the cap, we just had to beat STL's crappy deal by a smidge and we didn't. Either Stan has no clue as to priorities when he plays hardball, or we didn't really want Yak too much.

Okay didn't know that was illegal.

If dollars wasn't the issue, and it didn't cost EDM anything to retain the salary since they are not against the cap, we just had to beat STL's crappy deal by a smidge and we didn't. Either Stan has no clue as to priorities when he plays hardball, or we didn't really want Yak too much.
- busmaster

The salary cap is a priority. Hence why it didn't work out and the Blackhawks didn't beat the deal by a "smidge".

Salary cap, people. It is a real thing and it sucks for the Blackhawks.

Okay didn't know that was illegal.

If dollars wasn't the issue, and it didn't cost EDM anything to retain the salary since they are not against the cap, we just had to beat STL's crappy deal by a smidge and we didn't. Either Stan has no clue as to priorities when he plays hardball, or we didn't really want Yak too much.
- busmaster

See, Yak's value to the Hawks vs the Blues is different because of their need for cap help in the deal and thus cannot be compared as straight forward as this, so we don't know what that 'smidge' was that could have gotten it done. The Hawks may not be willing to give up picks because the draft is in Chicago next year, too. Who knows.

I'll just say that if the salary retained part hadn't been emphasized in all the reports as the stickler, I'd be more annoyed about this than I am. The salary cap is hell. And maybe that's where you can be angry at Bowman - that Daley, Scuderi, Ehrhoff bs is biting them. I would have liked to see the Yak-experiment on the Hawks, but not I hope he continues to be bad defensively lol.

Yep - I said that earlier - still think someway it could have gotten done, especially for the cheap return the Oil got.

Potential top-6ers don't come along very often, and after the current group of 5, only a couple of maybes in the system.

Lost out on Vesey, Hudler, Yakupov....
- StLBravesFan

Oilers squeezed all they could and got a decent deal for someone they did not want.
"Potential" on Yakupov is now 4 years running in the NHL, so he is closer to being a 1st round bust than a top 6 winger on a playoff team.

Okay didn't know that was illegal.

If dollars wasn't the issue, and it didn't cost EDM anything to retain the salary since they are not against the cap, we just had to beat STL's crappy deal by a smidge and we didn't. Either Stan has no clue as to priorities when he plays hardball, or we didn't really want Yak too much.
- busmaster

Or the Oilers didn't want the Hawks spare parts...

You know which defensive prospect was offered? I thought most were extrapolating TVR, Pokka, or Gus - who were better prospect/players that they should have give up?
- L_B_R

There was little chance TVR was ever considered. Because Chiarelli would have done that deal in a NY second.

See, Yak's value to the Hawks vs the Blues is different because of their need for cap help in the deal and thus cannot be compared as straight forward as this, so we don't know what that 'smidge' was that could have gotten it done. The Hawks may not be willing to give up picks because the draft is in Chicago next year, too. Who knows.

I'll just say that if the salary retained part hadn't been emphasized in all the reports as the stickler, I'd be more annoyed about this than I am. The salary cap is hell. And maybe that's where you can be angry at Bowman - that Daley, Scuderi, Ehrhoff bs is biting them. I would have liked to see the Yak-experiment on the Hawks, but not I hope he continues to be bad defensively lol.
- L_B_R

Ah okay. But the bottom line is - hawks refused to offer anything more than their chopped liver - I mean, who ever figure the day would come when you won't even consider trading your 6d in TVR for a former first pick???

I don't think we wanted him that badly...

Ah okay. But the bottom line is - hawks refused to offer anything more than their chopped liver - I mean, who ever figure the day would come when you won't even consider trading your 6d in TVR for a former first pick???

I don't think we wanted him that badly...
- busmaster

No team wanted Yakupov badly and TVR would have been overpayment.

Sometimes the best trade you make, is the one you don't make .And Stan record stands for itself . I believe the HAWKS FO is always three or four steps ahead of the fan base ..

Sometimes the best trade you make, is the one you don't make .And Stan record stands for itself . I believe the HAWKS FO is always three or four steps ahead of the fan base ..
- oldduffman

Hope your right,the difference is, he had a deeper roster to start the season and had a bit more wiggle room come the deadline, this team is paper thin , if they get off to a bad start, they don't have enough depth to play catch up. Most are right, losing the kid to the Blues isn't the worst thing in in the world , but he's better than anything that is gonna line up in the top 6 with Tazer and company. Move on I guess, another boner by Stan that prematurely goes soft!
- wonthecup10

You keep saying "another" and "again" when referencing to what you perceive to be failures by Bowman. Do you understand how crazy that is? He's won more and achieved more success, because of the work he's done/moves he's made, as a GM than ANYONE else in this league in the salary cap era.

Sometimes i just don't get you man. I know it all comes from a good place and you just want the Hawks to win, so i guess it is what it is. But man....

All of the Yak stuff tells me one thing: the Blackhawks think adding a top six RW would improve the team. They think Panik with 19 and 88 is a good enough top line, at that new RW to AA and Panarin, then you have Motte - Kruger - Hossa for that third line. Three solids. OK, sounds good to me. But the new RW isn't Yak, who is it?

All of the Yak stuff tells me one thing: the Blackhawks think adding a top six RW would improve the team. They think Panik with 19 and 88 is a good enough top line, at that new RW to AA and Panarin, then you have Motte - Kruger - Hossa for that third line. Three solids. OK, sounds good to me. But the new RW isn't Yak, who is it?
- matt_ahrens

I'm expecting the plan to be X-19-81, where X is Fortin for 1-9 games, then Schmaltz for 1-9 games, then Motte for 1-9 games, then Panik for the rest of the season...

It is what it is... I expect th see better GF/GA and possession numbers even with weaker forward lineup simply due to the depth of dmen with actual mobility and passing skills, especially if Forsling sticks.