Offer sheets are hard:

1st....you have to have the 2 Firsts, a 2nd and 3rd pick to give up (and must be their own too). Most teams do not.

2nd....you have to have the CAP space to fit the guy in....9 million a year. Again, most teams not even close.

3rd.....You need a combo of BOTH the above, AND a willingness to piss off that team, and many others....

All-in-all......Offer sheet are difficult to do....especially with high valued players.
- hawk35

Carolina has all of the above.... Just remains to be seen if they care about hurting Peter Chiarelli's feelings.

In fairness, right or wrong it DOES look awful suspicious given the construction of Hossa's contract.
- BINGO!

Only if you question the integrity of Hossa, the Hawks and the doctors involved.

In fairness, right or wrong it DOES look awful suspicious given the construction of Hossa's contract.
- BINGO!

It's only "suspicious" if you honestly believe Hossa, future HOF'r, is a lying sack who would choose to exit the NHL with a fabricated, and somewhat embarrassing fraudulent medical condition. Plus it would be a conspiracy in conjunction with Blackhawks management...and perhaps the NHL itself.

Lastly, the Hawks are a lesser team without the 38 yo veteran, so his departure is a bad thing for the Blackhawks.

Ideally we'd be able to put him on LTIR and trade him in a package with some prospects to the Hurricanes. They may have trouble getting to the floor.
- walleyeb1

I don't think the Canes are overly interested. We'll need a lot of our cap space in the next two or three seasons. Would have to have something real nice coming with him.

http://thehockeywriters.c...er-sheet-myth-or-reality/

Here you go. I knew I read a recent article about it. Offer sheets have been around a lot longer that I was aware of.
- Rota's Rooter

Thank you!

I don't think the Canes are overly interested. We'll need a lot of our cap space in the next two or three seasons. Would have to have something real nice coming with him.
- BINGO!

Ahhh right on queue.....linger around just long enough to talk Hurricanes. You operate like clockwork.

Many people forget that Hammer signed an Offer Sheet with San Jose that was matched by Chicago.
- Z3Hawk

And, if memory serves me correctly (which it doesn't always do), the Blackhawks signed Keith Tkachuk to an offer sheet that was matched by the original Winnipeg Jets.

It's only "suspicious" if you honestly believe Hossa, future HOF'r, is a lying sack who would choose to exit the NHL with a fabricated, and somewhat embarrassing fraudulent medical condition. Plus it would be a conspiracy in conjunction with Blackhawks management...and perhaps the NHL itself.
- ArlingtonRob

Well, I dunno about Hossa himself, but the others, why not?

I'm not here to attack anybody on this. I'm just saying the optics sure are ugly considering his contract looks as though it was built for exactly this kind of situation.

The rest is up to somebody else to worry about. But to say it doesn't at least LOOK suspicious is silly.

Many people forget that Hammer signed an Offer Sheet with San Jose that was matched by Chicago.
- Z3Hawk

And it turned out to be a value match.

I don't think the Canes are overly interested. We'll need a lot of our cap space in the next two or three seasons. Would have to have something real nice coming with him.
- BINGO!

For what? Not going anywhere...

Ahhh right on queue.....linger around just long enough to talk Hurricanes. You operate like clockwork.
- EnzoD

The topic was teams that have the ability to send an offer sheet. I can only really think of one.

Carolina has all of the above.... Just remains to be seen if they care about hurting Peter Chiarelli's feelings.
- BINGO!

Quick question--are you from Carolina?

Just wondering if you grew up a Canes fan or became one.

Always like when other fans chime in on the blog. Nice to get some different perspective on the Hawks and other teams around the league.

For what? Not going anywhere...
- riozzo

?

The entirety of the defense needs new contracts in the next two years.

Carolina has all of the above.... Just remains to be seen if they care about hurting Peter Chiarelli's feelings.
- BINGO!

Nobody should care about that.

Quick question--are you from Carolina?

Just wondering if you grew up a Canes fan or became one.

Always like when other fans chime in on the blog. Nice to get some different perspective on the Hawks and other teams around the league.
- Hank3Henshaw

Saskatchewan.

No team here. Was a Whaler fan. Team moved, so, (frank) it, might as well stick with them. Big fan of Ron Francis.

Nobody should care about that.
- JRoenick97

Totally agree with you there. It bothers me that a lot of teams seem to try to avoid stepping on each others toes. It's garbage. Do you want to win or not?

This! (where is that Matthew McC GIF when you need it?)
Exactly John.
Anyone that doesn't understand this aspect really doesn't understand how this completely changes the game, gets D playing cautious (they can no longer pinch down in the offensive zone if they know they are likely to get burned at the other end of the ice). Who was able to do that for the Hawks this past season?

No one.

It's not just speed (aka as Stalberg) but hockey smart speed.
Thrilled the Saadfather is back.
- savvyone-1

This is the point I have been making for a while now. Part of the downside to the many years of Q is that the Hawks became predictable in how they broke out the puck and used the stretch pass. When the Hawks lost Sharp and Saad they lost their 2 main fly the zone threats that kept the opposing D honest (granted Sharp was slowing down when he left the Hawks). Those players had as you say "hockey smart speed", or put more simply, they had the ability to FINISH. Stalberg was fast, but had no finish, Frolik had issues finishing his chances.

Whether it has been lack of hands, lack of speed, lack of finish, or some combination of the above, opposition was no longer afraid to play an aggressive forecheck and cheating D in the Hawks zone because there was really no one to consistently make them pay.

Ahhh right on queue.....linger around just long enough to talk Hurricanes. You operate like clockwork.
- EnzoD

Not sure what the big deal is. He's been here and someone brought up a trade to them.

Well, I dunno about Hossa himself, but the others, why not?

I'm not here to attack anybody on this. I'm just saying the optics sure are ugly considering his contract looks as though it was built for exactly this kind of situation.

The rest is up to somebody else to worry about. But to say it doesn't at least LOOK suspicious is silly.
- BINGO!

Any conspiracy involving the Hawks and the NHL would require a cooperative Hossa. Again, I can't imagine Hossa agreeing to being "forced out" of the NHL with an embarrassing skin condition.

However, if this scenario did turn out to be true I personally would lose respect for all involved.

Ahhh right on queue.....linger around just long enough to talk Hurricanes. You operate like clockwork.
- EnzoD

What's the big deal? Bingo usually says what needs to be heard, not what everyone wants to hear. He brings a realistic perspective on many topics.

Any conspiracy involving the Hawks and the NHL would require a cooperative Hossa. Again, I can't imagine Hossa agreeing to being "forced out" of the NHL with an embarrassing skin condition.

However, if this scenario did turn out to be true I personally would lose respect for all involved.
- ArlingtonRob

I feel like if it was a conspiracy , they'd just use his back issues from before as a scapegoat. I truly believe Hossa had more to offer.

Any conspiracy involving the Hawks and the NHL would require a cooperative Hossa. Again, I can't imagine Hossa agreeing to being "forced out" of the NHL with an embarrassing skin condition.

However, if this scenario did turn out to be true I personally would lose respect for all involved.
- ArlingtonRob

Oh for sure. Personally I don't see it. It doesn't smell like the Chris Pronger thing did. But there are going to be some around the league that are definitely going to ask questions.

Not sure what the big deal is. He's been here and someone brought up a trade to them.
- JRoenick97

The guy has the exact same song and dance every time he comes here. He comments negatively on the Hawks situation, proposes a lopsided trade that benefits anyone BUT the Hawks, then waits for any opportunity to shift the conversation to the Hurricanes. I do my best to ignore the guy. I'm over it and that's the last you'll have to hear about it from me.

The guy has the exact same song and dance every time he comes here. He comments negatively on the Hawks situation, proposes a lopsided trade that benefits anyone BUT the Hawks, then waits for any opportunity to shift the conversation to the Hurricanes. I do my best to ignore the guy. I'm over it and that's the last you'll have to hear about it from me.
- EnzoD

Sorry for relating things to the team I follow most closely?

What's the big deal? Bingo usually says what needs to be heard, not what everyone wants to hear. He brings a realistic perspective on many topics.
- Hossa1881

Appreciated!