If Thornton and Marleau are going to do cheap, short term contracts to chase a Cup, there isn't much logic to them doing it with Chicago. You don't go to a team less successful than your own the last 2 years to chase a Cup, when the team that's won the Cup the last 2 years in a row would love to have you and can offer more $$.
- Antilles

Who would they go to instead? Sharks arent going to win. Pens wouldnt sign them, Caps wouldnt have spots, Preds are going to ne so focused on getting all of their guys signed. I dont know another place that gives them a better shot. Ottawa had one good run but who knows if they can get close next year. Ducks implode every year. What other team has the superstars you need to win and spots for guys to step in?

Will Henri Jokiharju stay in the WHL next year or will he end up in Rockford?

I'm tired of hearing about Hinostroza, Kero, and the other short term players the hawks have paraded before us. These guys are not going to last in this league. We need to see more of Hayden, Fortin and maybe DiBrinkat this year or next to see what we have. I've been watching this team for 53 years and have seen plenty of Kero's come and go. We need guys who can skate, take the body, PASS, shoot and play defense. Is that a lot to ask? Yes, but if you want to stick around those are the requirements. I am so sick of the stick check and guys playing out of position or not manning the point. You don't have to be a big man to play big hockey. I applaud Stan for what he has done so far but don"t stop now cuz we just ain't there yet.

Will Henri Jokiharju stay in the WHL next year or will he end up in Rockford?
- walleyeb1

Junior eligible (age) players are not allowed to play in the AHL. They either make the big club or go back to juniors.

I get the Saad for Panarin deal. Even though Panarin is the better offensive player, Saad is no slouch and brings you other advantages. Losing Hjalmarson is going to kill you though. I don't see how you can replace one of the best defensive, shot blocking, penalty killing D men in the league with Murphy and just assume everything will work out because of the "stretch pass".

Junior eligible (age) players are not allowed to play in the AHL. They either make the big club or go back to juniors.
- Trammelt

Can they play in the ECHL?

JJ et al. Proposal/question for you.

If speed and getting younger are the name of the game on StanBos mindset, and with all of these rumors of Anisimov being shipped to Vegas where he can play with shipachov, Emelin, etc.

Would Anisimov be enough to bring back Marchessault (1 YL @ 750K then RFA), and one of their young defenseman, a la Mcnabb, Schmidt, THEODORE?

Shore up the C spot, bring in a lot of speed, and put some promising youth on the backend?

The Hawks played slower last season than at any time since Toews/Kane arrived....And I'm not only referring to skating speed-but the ability to turn a play from defense to offense wiith effective passing as well.
- Al

yes, and it's all related.

Bowman still better be making some moves. The fact that he gave Seabrook that big contract with all those years is solely on his a**. HORRID CONTRACT.

If this team fails again this year he has to Trade 88 & include Seabrook in that deal. It is the ONLY WAY that a team is going to take on that Contract. And it has to be a team that can afford those 2 contracts. So basically Seabrook is here until the end of this HORRID contract. BRUTAL.

Have to figure out a way to get Chucky for AA. MTL is willing to part ways with him.

Kruger hopefully will be gone July 2nd. Another HORRID contract by Stanley!
Coach Q should ask for a raise for what Stanley has given him the last 2 years.

IMO Bowman has this year to fix the mess he has made or he should be GONE.

Any chance they missed Jurco? *crosses fingers*
- TTtime

That would be six weeks of serious, hard negotiation and skullduggery . . . utterly wasted.

- Ogilthorpe2

Never get tired of that Matthew McConnaughy gif. Let's bust that out another few thousand times. At least.

Bowman still better be making some moves. The fact that he gave Seabrook that big contract with all those years is solely on his a**. HORRID CONTRACT.

If this team fails again this year he has to Trade 88 & include Seabrook in that deal. It is the ONLY WAY that a team is going to take on that Contract. And it has to be a team that can afford those 2 contracts. So basically Seabrook is here until the end of this HORRID contract. BRUTAL.

Have to figure out a way to get Chucky for AA. MTL is willing to part ways with him.

Kruger hopefully will be gone July 2nd. Another HORRID contract by Stanley!
Coach Q should ask for a raise for what Stanley has given him the last 2 years.

IMO Bowman has this year to fix the mess he has made or he should be GONE.
- Goalie-33

I think there is universal agreement on this, if for nothing more than just getting cap compliant. The "tone" of the stuff I heard Friday, looking forward, was confident. Like, the Hawks feel like they can and will get some more business done that will help the team.

Will Henri Jokiharju stay in the WHL next year or will he end up in Rockford?
- walleyeb1

Believe OHL.

I also think you will see, at every level of the organization, guys playing where they belong developmentally. Which was not the case last year.

So those expecting/hoping to see DeBrincat (the main example I guess) plugged in this year to the NHL roster will likely be disappointed, although it's likely the best thing for him and the team.

JJ et al. Proposal/question for you.

If speed and getting younger are the name of the game on StanBos mindset, and with all of these rumors of Anisimov being shipped to Vegas where he can play with shipachov, Emelin, etc.

Would Anisimov be enough to bring back Marchessault (1 YL @ 750K then RFA), and one of their young defenseman, a la Mcnabb, Schmidt, THEODORE?

Shore up the C spot, bring in a lot of speed, and put some promising youth on the backend?
- Trammelt

I have heard Schmidt's name as a Vegas asset they would lie to pry away. Not sure if it would come back for AA, or if AA is even going there (Montreal, NJ, Buffalo, all in the mix as well—at minimum)

Believe OHL.

I also think you will see, at every level of the organization, guys playing where they belong developmentally. Which was not the case last year.

So those expecting/hoping to see DeBrincat (the main example I guess) plugged in this year to the NHL roster will likely be disappointed, although it's likely the best thing for him and the team.
- John Jaeckel

Hometown Portland Winterhawks of the WHL (and former team of one Mr. Marian Hossa), I do believe.

Believe OHL.

I also think you will see, at every level of the organization, guys playing where they belong developmentally. Which was not the case last year.

So those expecting/hoping to see DeBrincat (the main example I guess) plugged in this year to the NHL roster will likely be disappointed, although it's likely the best thing for him and the team.
- John Jaeckel

So these guys are basically stuck there and can't be developed by the team that selects them in the AHL even if they're 18+?

I get the Saad for Panarin deal. Even though Panarin is the better offensive player, Saad is no slouch and brings you other advantages. Losing Hjalmarson is going to kill you though. I don't see how you can replace one of the best defensive, shot blocking, penalty killing D men in the league with Murphy and just assume everything will work out because of the "stretch pass".
- fattyboubatty

The stretch pass should be back in the arsenal for the first time in a couple of years and that makes a difference. Does that mean "it will all work out?" No, and I don't think anyone actually said that.

I think—as I've said before—the temptation is to want to declare a "winner or a loser" in each trade within the first 24 hours. Do the moron math of comparing points or possession numbers on different teams with different linemates. And if we're being honest, just as Hawk fans generally want to proclaim these wins, fans of other teams, especially conference and division rivals like, umm, the Blues, will want to declare it a loss.

It's human nature.

Time and again, guys flourish or flop by comparison with new teams. So the analytics with their old teams are suspect at best.

The only conclusions I have drawn is the Hawks lost a lot of leadership and character—now, they may have gained (and gained back some) some too.

They got younger and cheaper.

And they got faster. That is indisputable. What that leads to could be good, or not if they fail to execute.

So these guys are basically stuck there and can't be developed by the team that selects them in the AHL even if they're 18+?
- walleyeb1

I think they have to be at least 19 to play in the A. Someone who knows the CBA better can clear it up.

Who would they go to instead? Sharks arent going to win. Pens wouldnt sign them, Caps wouldnt have spots, Preds are going to ne so focused on getting all of their guys signed. I dont know another place that gives them a better shot. Ottawa had one good run but who knows if they can get close next year. Ducks implode every year. What other team has the superstars you need to win and spots for guys to step in?
- kevndevries

Pens would love to sign them, they have spots for them to step into, and more money than the Blackhawks to offer. What makes you think Pens wouldn't sign them? It's the main topic of conversation for many Pens fans right now, hoping to land Thornton. Literally every reason there is to sign in Chicago, there is a better one to sign in Pittsburgh. Recently won Cups, edge Pittsburgh. Salary, edge Pittsburgh. Majority of Cup winning team still intact, edge Pittsburgh. Sure, they could decide to sign in Chicago. But there is no logical reason to over Pittsburgh for vets Cup chasing right now.

Also, Caps could easily make room for Thornton. Preds can sign more than one player a day, and will still (compared to Blackhawks) have room after signing their RFA's. Ducks did implode this year, but not as bad as Blackhawks, and didn't lose one of the top forwards and downgrade their #3 defenseman in the last month. Oilers are clearly on the rise, and have McDavid to pull other teams focus. I'm not sure any of those teams have a better argument than Blackhawks, the way Pittsburgh does. But there are lots of teams who can present arguments that may sound just as good.

Pens would love to sign them, they have spots for them to step into, and more money than the Blackhawks to offer. What makes you think Pens wouldn't sign them? It's the main topic of conversation for many Pens fans right now, hoping to land Thornton. Literally every reason there is to sign in Chicago, there is a better one to sign in Pittsburgh. Recently won Cups, edge Pittsburgh. Salary, edge Pittsburgh. Majority of Cup winning team still intact, edge Pittsburgh. Sure, they could decide to sign in Chicago. But there is no logical reason to over Pittsburgh for vets Cup chasing right now.

Also, Caps could easily make room for Thornton. Preds can sign more than one player a day, and will still (compared to Blackhawks) have room after signing their RFA's. Ducks did implode this year, but not as bad as Blackhawks, and didn't lose one of the top forwards and downgrade their #3 defenseman in the last month. Oilers are clearly on the rise, and have McDavid to pull other teams focus. I'm not sure any of those teams have a better argument than Blackhawks, the way Pittsburgh does. But there are lots of teams who can present arguments that may sound just as good.
- Antilles

I don't think the Hawks can make that argument as well as a few other teams. They do have the secondary argument of the size of the media market and national TV exposure etc, but at this point, today, they really can't say they are a surefire final four type team.

Can they wim with:

20-19-14
Fortin-Schmaltz-88
Hino-Chucky-Hartman
Kero-Dauphin-Rass

Desi & 22 basically uselesss

2-Murphy
7-Kempny
Ruutu-Forslin

50 & Anton

Looks like best case scernio for Bowman right now. Likely going to be much worse than this.

JMO

So these guys are basically stuck there and can't be developed by the team that selects them in the AHL even if they're 18+?
- walleyeb1

If a player signs a major junior contract, they cannot play in the AHL until 20, it's an agreement all the leagues have. If they never play for a major junior team, like college players, players from over seas, then they can play in the AHL if they are 18 at the start of the AHL season.

If a player signs a major junior contract, they cannot play in the AHL until 20, it's an agreement all the leagues have. If they never play for a major junior team, like college players, players from over seas, then they can play in the AHL if they are 18 at the start of the AHL season.
- Antilles

Thx

Can they wim with:

20-19-14
Fortin-Schmaltz-88
Hino-Chucky-Hartman
Kero-Dauphin-Rass

Desi & 22 basically uselesss

2-Murphy
7-Kempny
Ruutu-Forslin

50 & Anton

Looks like best case scernio for Bowman right now. Likely going to be much worse than this.

JMO
- Goalie-33

Wait, sorry, saw Galchenyuk. OK, move him out to LW on Kane's line. You now have a really good top 6—assuming Schmaltz continues to grow. Galchenyuk is gonna play LW somewhere if not Chicago or Montreal.

So where do u think AA lands?
MTL - Gal
Buff - Kane
other - ?