Is it October yet?

Home opener against the Pens!!! UC will be rocking.

James.Tanner.Is.The.Arizona.Blogger.

The answer to your question begins and ends there.
- tredbrta

I was directing the question to JJ. Does it make sense that the folks over on the Arizona board know more collectively about their own team than anybody from the Chicago board might?

Ugh......

Sorry....I can't sit here and watch people and analysts dismiss Hammer as if he were some 2nd tiered player or some washed up player.

Same people who are ready to bash Hammer's corsi rating and use that as an argument but give Murphy an out because his statistical numbers were on an awful team. Can't have it both ways. You know who also bad most of last year? Keith and Seabrook. Yet both have inmovable deals due to recapture (keith) and term (seabrook).

It's also humorous that all of sudden Panarin got apparently slow.....I saw a kid who was quick enough to rush the outside when he wanted....power forward? No.....but he wasn't skating in cement either.

Bottom line these moves are all about getting younger, having players tied up for a longer duration, while also doing a semi rebuild on the fly.......Hossa is gone, Hammer is gone, Panarin is gone......it's still early but this team is NOT better then the one that ended in April.

ANd if we thought Keith and Seabrook played a lot of minutes before, light a candle that Bowman can find a cheap UFA D men who can play top 4 minutes because the guys behind them are all a very much unknown....not all will succeed, and not all will bomb, but as of today....you have 2 legit NHL d men on your team, and another who is probably a 3rd pairing on most cup contending teams.......
- SteveRain

Stevie Rain Cloud ! !


I hear ya ,but lets wait till the team is fully assembled.

I was directing the question to JJ. Does it make sense that the folks over on the Arizona board know more collectively about their own team than anybody from the Chicago board might?
- Savoy

Why don't you begin your search for an AZ Coyotes poster on HB and come back here when you find him? That should give us all an indefinite break from your Panarin fetish. While you're at it try to read up on the hard cap and how it works.

I was directing the question to JJ. Does it make sense that the folks over on the Arizona board know more collectively about their own team than anybody from the Chicago board might?
- Savoy

Its Arizona for god sakes. Hardly the hockey city. I liked Hammer. The guy was a warrior. Modern NHL/Cap world you cannot avoid change. Murphy is a big/strong guy who has improved the last two years and has leadership traits. The team is faster, bigger and younger. Roll with it guy.

We all wanted Stan to be aggressive and make changes. Done! The Preds series showed us we needed to change the team make up.

Dunno, Panik and Toews played pretty well together. I like 38 better on the 3rd line. I think the top line of 20 19 14 will be damn tough to play against. 19 now has 2 big wingers to play with.
- z1990z

No disagreement here. I'm curious to see what 2C they're considering if AA is traded.

No disagreement here. I'm curious to see what 2C they're considering if AA is traded.
- 93Joe

A Jumbo sized 2C

A Jumbo sized 2C
- Slofire94

I thought Toews and Thornton did not like each other?! Winning a Cup cures all. If it happens so be it. Knowing how classy our captain is if we won a Cup with Thornton, Toews would hand that Cup to Thornton immediately.

A Jumbo sized 2C
- Slofire94

Would be ideal.

A Jumbo sized 2C
- Slofire94

Would be ideal.

A Jumbo sized 2C
- Slofire94

Would be ideal.

I am not here to get in a pissing contest with you. Was Murphy a third pairing guy?
- Savoy

Well, he played 19:10min a game there, top 4 over there (actually, top 3 because Stone left at the midway point of the season)

His ES min were third

His PK min were 4th

Hits were 2nd at 201

Blocked shots, 3rd

So need more proof?

Sorry you're one trick pony, bonus driven perimeter player Panarin is gone - as you were told he would be

A Jumbo sized 2C
- Slofire94

poop man.. on the cheap would be nice.. JJ said they are looking to get faster and younger. You're looking at Toews/Jumbo/Kero/Dauph

TB keeping johnson? No the biggest guy but fits the bill for younger and faster.

I like the Saad for Panarin move. I liked Panarin while he was here, but did not like how he essentially disappeared in the playoffs. We have to go back to an inside game of playoff hockey rather than the perimeter style our personnel were better suited. Saad's acquisition helps with that transition. He will also make our first line better regardless of who the rightwinger is. Toews is not Kane and can't carry his line like Kaner can.

I hope Anisimov is gone in a trade for some new meat and not Shaw. We need a #2C that could win some draws to alleviate dependence on Toews. We also need more speed in that position. At his age, AA is never going to improve on FO's. Face it, Kaner made AA and AP better than they are and he will raise the game of whoever is on the line with him as he always has. AA's trade value is probably the highest it will ever be thanks to Kane. Let's move him and improve our #2C.

I have no problem trading Hammer. However, I do question whether we could have gotten more for him. I do have to say that I was getting tired of jammer poking the puck up the boards resulting in many turnovers. I wish him luck. He was our warrior and a major contributor to our 3 cups.

I was directing the question to JJ. Does it make sense that the folks over on the Arizona board know more collectively about their own team than anybody from the Chicago board might?
- Savoy

It is not surprising that the responses all seem to avoid the obvious answer. My intent was to point out that reading the other guy's board would lead to some different insight that it seems we are unlikely to get around here without doing the additional research. Guys might find out that there are different opinions on the two guys coming here from folks who should know a lot more about it than guys on this board.

Well, he played 19:10min a game there, top 4 over there (actually, top 3 because Stone left at the midway point of the season)

His ES min were third

His PK min were 4th

Hits were 2nd at 201

Blocked shots, 3rd

So need more proof?

Sorry you're one trick pony, bonus driven perimeter player Panarin is gone - as you were told he would be
- PatShart

Thanks for your effort.

Would be ideal.
- mrpaulish

Jumbo is definitely a play maker, but his lack of speed may not fit with Kaner's style. Panarin and Kane had to play with the puck to allow AA to catch up.

Would be nice to see the Hawks develop a bottom six with speed anchored by centers who can first and foremost win faceoffs.
- Return of the Roar

I like where you're going with this...

Jumbo is definitely a play maker, but his lack of speed may not fit with Kaner's style. Panarin and Kane had to play with the puck to allow AA to catch up.
- isu83boo

See Handzus and Richards. He does fine with just about anybody.

Jumbo is definitely a play maker, but his lack of speed may not fit with Kaner's style. Panarin and Kane had to play with the puck to allow AA to catch up.
- isu83boo

Fine, Duchene then

Except Sakic will want 4 1st rounders, Forsling and Qs 2nd born son

>In Hoss and Hammer, Hawks have lost two elite players who are actually better people than hockey players
>Don't think for a moment that the Hammer trade wasn't the hardest to make of Bowman's career
>But understand these trades show that the organization did its homework on what moves would achieve what JJ outlined: younger, cheaper, faster
>It also shows the organization no longer trusts Bettman's "Bernie Madoff" cap forecasts
>Value for value deals usually split public opinion, like these two have
>With the loss of Hoss and Hammer, this will not only be a defining year for Toews on the ice, but also inside the locker room, as well
>I think #19 is up to the challenge

Literally anyone who can get up the ice at speed, stand in the circle, and rip a one timer can play on that LW and score 25 goals.

Dinglecat, if his foot speed is good enough, can probably play that LW, skate the same zone shares as Panarin and be in the Calder running because Patrick Kane is that good at hockey
- fattybeef

Agreed, and think he puts up 25+ his first full year. If he can play with McJesus, he can certainly do the same with Kane

Fine, Duchene then

Except Sakic will want 4 1st rounders, Forsling and Qs 2nd born son
- Slofire94

Would love seeing Duchene's speed and skill wearing the Indianhead. How is he at the dot?

Going to miss Hammer. Clearly he is better than Murphy right now. But how does 24 year old Hammer compare to Murphy? How high is Murphy's ceiling? Could he develop to be as good or better than #4?

Time will tell how the trade works out for everyone involved but right now, it's the kind of trade the Blackhawks need to make.

Next up, do the Blackhawks make qualifying offers to Ras and Jurco. I'm guessing they do. Then another trade please.

See Handzus and Richards. He does fine with just about anybody.
- Quicky72

Richards I'd agree. Bringing up Zus is heresy. I still feel Q stubbornly sticking with him cost us the cup in 2014.

You are right, bottom line, Kaner is going to get his points regardless of his line mates.