Who's saying he would be anything but a 4th line grinder with the Hawks—setting aside what his salary needs might be?
- John Jaeckel

You can't really set aside salary when talking value imo. He made $1.6m last year and is reportedly looking for a raise after riding an unsustainable sh% in the playoffs that was 2-3 times higher than his norm (for all of 2 goals). If he was making sub $1m, sure. He faced the lowest QOC possible over the last few years, in slightly more DZS to OZS, and got destroyed in shot metric possession.

Add them to the list, for sure, actually Fro could finish a chance now and then
- John Jaeckel

For the amount of chances he got "now and then" wasn't good enough.

Frolik is/was a nice role player. IMO definitely not worth the $4.3million cap hit.

Happy with Stans moves ,pretty predicable who got moved ,not so much on the return .Saad is a beast and will be a nice upgrade . Murphy don't know a lot about , but sure has the pedigree .And on a better team his numbers should improve . Don't like the idea on moving AA ,will make the HAWKS much weaker down the middle . Still believe coach Q is on a very short leash ,the hiring of 2 AC seems odd and maybe a harbinger of change .. GO HAWKS !!

I proposed a Booner Jenner for Anisimov swap.

Cap savings ($1.6MM) and a more physical center down the middle who should be able to replace Anisimovs 20+ goals easily next to kane.

Anisimov is also a Tortorella favorite and he once said he was the best player he ever coached, talked about how smart he is

Add in the panarin chemistry and bingo
- Stan_Bowman

The only thing missing from this blog post is a "and Bob's your uncle" reference. My favorite JJ-ism

I thought I saw the Blue Jackets might be buying out Hartnell. He wouldn't be a bad pickup to throw on LW for lines 2 or 3.
- Dannyboy

Did not see this, interesting. At 35 yrs old he was down to 12:00 a night last year yet put up 37 points and to my eye his skating legs looked ok and his compete was as nasty as ever. Lotta intangibles, especially playoffs, as well with this guy.... Very very interesting LW option....... Nice catch.

Sharp on a mega-cheap deal...sure...no harm there.

Shaw, on his present deal. No freakin' way!!! Hate it....please..."Just say "No"""
- hawk35

Gotta ask, after all the alleged" locker room problems concerning wandering "Rich" Sharp and other team mates women, why is this even being discussed? I can't began to think that Sharp " found religion and a copy of the 10 commandments" in his time away from Chicago. I wonder how solid is this thought amongst the Hawk top guys, or is this just a contingent of 25 year old women with Sharp jerseys among other things drumming this up. I am sure JJ has a solid source, but how hot is the temperature on this one. Along with Evander Kane???...... Let's see, a night on the town with the 2Kanes and Sharp?????? I'm in! But is Bowman and McD.??????

You cough up the $20.00 a year and it works great. small price to pay for this content. And I hope JJ gets at least half my payment.

After all, where else can I go to get complemented and flamed by the same guy in the span of 10 minutes. and isn't Vopatsrash untreated worth the price of admission?
- riozzo

I was golfing saturday and using one of those goofy looking bright balls named Volvik, but all I could think of every time I looked at it was Vopatsrash. Good news is I have another excuse for a horsepoop score.

Except you can't set aside salary, can you? He made $1.6m last year and is reportedly looking for a raise after riding an unsustainable sh% in the playoffs that was 2-3 times higher than his norm (for all of 2 goals). If he was making sub $1m, sure. He faced the lowest QOC possible over the last few years, in slightly more DZS to OZS, and got destroyed in shot metric possession.
- L_B_R

Well they could not afford him at $2 million per, without question, nor likely Wingels at $3 mil per.

This and the basics of filling out a roster, where they are cap-wise today, etc should tell you what they need to do beyond just losing Kruger's hit.

And let me say this, AS OPTIMISTIC AS I'VE BEEN about these two deals last week, if SB doesn't pull at least one more rabbit out of his hat in the next couple of weeks, this is pretty much a soft rebuild, and the results will likely have people calling for a full rebuild next summer.

Bowman did some interesting things last week, but if he wants to make any kind of run this year, his work can't be done yet.

Personally, I think they have two more deals essentially in the can. Or maybe one, with high confidence on getting another done.

I don't know what the hawks do to backfll Hossa's spot after the first game of the year, what, do they sign Jay McKee?

One possibility I guess is they package like DeBrincat and a pick for a nice $5 million player from some team on a rebuild. Maybe?

Seems to me something has to be done soon while the market is fluid and there's still buyers and sellers—before the market is Tomas Vanek and Dan Girardi. And versteeg (that was for TT Time).

And let me say, pre-emptively, I know I will get pushback on this. "Youth Movement!" and "if they're gonna play guys with less than a year, why not DeBrincat or Fortin?"

To which I will say, you can argue it til the cows come home—maybe one or the other earns a roster spot, maybe they don't. But I don't think the Hawks will have the luxury of carrying a kid who pretty much has a top 6 style game, to learn the ropes of the pro game this year on the NHL roster.

This is not (yet anyway) a rebuilding club.
- John Jaeckel

No doubt DeBrincat plays a top 6 game but is that true as well of Fortin? Can he play a middle 6/bottom 6 game? As little as I've seen of him it seems so, he's not all finesse? Does he have the 2 way game?

Gotta ask, after all the alleged" locker room problems concerning wandering "Rich" Sharp and other team mates women, why is this even being discussed? I can't began to think that Sharp " found religion and a copy of the 10 commandments" in his time away from Chicago. I wonder how solid is this thought amongst the Hawk top guys, or is this just a contingent of 25 year old women with Sharp jerseys among other things drumming this up. I am sure JJ has a solid source, but how hot is the temperature on this one. Along with Evander Kane???...... Let's see, a night on the town with the 2Kanes and Sharp?????? I'm in! But is Bowman and McD.??????
- wonthecup10

I don't even care about the rumors, I just don't want him back because he's older, slower, injury prone, etc., etc..

Not to mention, I really don't like the narrative of bringing back past Hawks---especially when it really doesn't make sense.

The Hawks have a great opportunity to go with some new/young guys and take a different avenue than their traditional path.

Dunno if they do Jenner for AA, but I tweeted a thread this Am that outlines why Cbus makes a lot of sense as a suitor for AA. Cbus has 3-4 LW assets that potentially could help the Hawks, sooner or later.
- John Jaeckel

Hawks also get 5 years younger with Jenner who hasnt hit his prime yet.

Pair that with the cap savings, I would throw in a 2nd/3rd to get it done

Speaking of which have the Blackhawks given Anton Forsberg a qualifying offer yet and how comfortable are we with him as our backup?
- walleyeb1

I think they are satisfied with him as a #2, Walleye........... Won a cup as the workhorse for Cleveland a couple years back in the AHL and wasn't overwhelmed at the NHL level in the small sample size despite what the numbers showed.

No doubt DeBrincat plays a top 6 game but is that true as well of Fortin? Can he play a middle 6/bottom 6 game? As little as I've seen of him it seems so, he's not all finesse? Does he have the 2 way game?
- Mr Ricochet

All valid questions. Much can change in a year with 19 year olds.

But I would give Fortin the better shot for two reasons:

1) He looked very much able to play and play at top speed with pros last year in camp and preseason games. DeBrincat was a ghost.

2) I think the Hawks are very much trying to upgrade speed at every position. Which was, like, the one flaw in DeBrincat's game—in junior at junior speed.

I'm sure, unless the Hawks explicitly acquire a LW in the next couple of weeks, both of those guys will get an honest look, but the first time Debrincat gets beat coming back defensively, or Fortin does, Q will default to a Hartman or a Schmaltz out of position on the LW, before either of them.

How about Kruger to Vegas, throw in a sweetener and get Marchessault in return?

Hawks also get 5 years younger with Jenner who hasnt hit his prime yet.

Pair that with the cap savings, I would throw in a 2nd/3rd to get it done
- Stan_Bowman

Hey, if it works, count me in, I like Jenner.

How about Kruger to Vegas, throw in a sweetener and get Marchessault in return?
- Hank3Henshaw

Isn't he a RW?

Isn't he a RW?
- John Jaeckel

Center.

But....Reilly Smith is a RW. Would love to get him from Vegas in the Kruger deal.

Well they could not afford him at $2 million per, without question, nor likely Wingels at $3 mil per.

This and the basics of filling out a roster, where they are cap-wise today, etc should tell you what they need to do beyond just losing Kruger's hit.

And let me say this, AS OPTIMISTIC AS I'VE BEEN about these two deals last week, if SB doesn't pull at least one more rabbit out of his hat in the next couple of weeks, this is pretty much a soft rebuild, and the results will likely have people calling for a full rebuild next summer.

Bowman did some interesting things last week, but if he wants to make any kind of run this year, his work can't be done yet.

Personally, I think they have two more deals essentially in the can. Or maybe one, with high confidence on getting another done.

I don't know what the hawks do to backfll Hossa's spot after the first game of the year, what, do they sign Jay McKee?

One possibility I guess is they package like DeBrincat and a pick for a nice $5 million player from some team on a rebuild. Maybe?

Seems to me something has to be done soon while the market is fluid and there's still buyers and sellers—before the market is Tomas Vanek and Dan Girardi. And versteeg (that was for TT Time).
- John Jaeckel

Hey John, thanks for the updates...

I would hope Bowman has at least two more moves in the can here...If not I can't see this team doing much this spring except hitting the links. Since they're going to LTIR Hossa I would assume they can't use that cap space until the 2nd day of the season to add or do they wait until the TDL and see what's available at that point?

Meantime they've got very little space to work with...As far as Sharp I can see it happening. When you look at what Thorton is going to want and then look at what you can get Sharp for I think they'd do it at some point here after the other moves are made.

Hey, if it works, count me in, I like Jenner.
- John Jaeckel

There are only so many David Rundblads in the world. Don't need that 2nd round pick anymore

Gotta ask, after all the alleged" locker room problems concerning wandering "Rich" Sharp and other team mates women, why is this even being discussed? I can't began to think that Sharp " found religion and a copy of the 10 commandments" in his time away from Chicago. I wonder how solid is this thought amongst the Hawk top guys, or is this just a contingent of 25 year old women with Sharp jerseys among other things drumming this up. I am sure JJ has a solid source, but how hot is the temperature on this one. Along with Evander Kane???...... Let's see, a night on the town with the 2Kanes and Sharp?????? I'm in! But is Bowman and McD.??????
- wonthecup10

Because they were probably not true?

All valid questions. Much can change in a year with 19 year olds.

But I would give Fortin the better shot for two reasons:

1) He looked very much able to play and play at top speed with pros last year in camp and preseason games. DeBrincat was a ghost.

2) I think the Hawks are very much trying to upgrade speed at every position. Which was, like, the one flaw in DeBrincat's game—in junior at junior speed.

I'm sure, unless the Hawks explicitly acquire a LW in the next couple of weeks, both of those guys will get an honest look, but the first time Debrincat gets beat coming back defensively, or Fortin does, Q will default to a Hartman or a Schmaltz out of position on the LW, before either of them.
- John Jaeckel

I can't get past the CHL Top Prospects Game 2 yrs back. DeBrincat was horrid in his zone. Add he's small and would only be a help in the top 6 IMO he needs at the very least a year in the AHL. 5-6 years ago he'd get 3 years in the AHL before serious roster consideration.

Realizing there are no absolutes in the flat (earth) cap era Fortin won't make the roster either as he has no pro experience. But my question about him is does he have a 2 way game that translates to a bottom 6 role. Again from what little I saw I think he might.

Hawks also get 5 years younger with Jenner who hasnt hit his prime yet.

Pair that with the cap savings, I would throw in a 2nd/3rd to get it done
- Stan_Bowman

I'll kiss Stan's ass right in the middle of the concourse of the new Atrium at the UC if he pulls off Boone Jenner from the Jackets!!!!!

I'll kiss Stan's ass right in the middle of the concourse of the new Atrium at the UC if he pulls off Boone Jenner from the Jackets!!!!!
- wonthecup10

So I pose Anisimov + 2nd for Boone Jenner

Because they were probably not true?
- JRoenick97

I'm just looking forward to" a night on the Town" with those 3I mentioned before!