I agree, if they were to take Hossa's contract, they'd be looking for a much simpler deal.
- walleyeb1

I also don't know if they're all that worried about being below the cap floor. They have 5 spots still to fill which could easily get them to the floor.

Prediction: Hawks will trade Anisimov, Hossas contract, and Forsling to Carolina for Victor Rask.

The Hawks will then move Kruger for LVG Colin Miller and sign Gagner.

Saad Toews Panik
Gagner Rask Kane
Panik Schmaltz Hartman
Hayden Dauphin Kero

Keith Murphy
Seabrook Kempny
Smith Rutta
Gustaffson
- Bjm84

Who is this Smith you speak of??

W/L pitcher's record as a stand-alone is the most misleading stat in baseball.

But since you mentioned it, I would like to see which pitchers (specifically starters) who have a good WHIP and K/9 yet have that dreaded W/L record.

I mention starters specifically since relievers typically don't have enough decisions to make sense either way.
- blackhawk24

I never said W/L was a stand alone. Every stats' value depends on context. That is why I mentioned run support. Carlos Martinez of the Cards loses focus in many games. He has great stats but is 6-6. A.J. Burnett was the poster child for what I am saying for at least a great chunk of his career. The opposite? Steve Carlton who displayed Independent Dominance winning 27 games on a team that won 59.

Don't you ever get tired of the pot shots?
- riozzo

At least he didn't post something along the lines of:

Headlines read:

"Panarin declared the GREATEST hockey player in the history of the sport! Loss of 99 percentile player and well known Super Colossal Mega Star too much for Blackhawks to overcome"!

Well, that's because they have 10 players going UFA or RFA. Schultz, Dumoulin, and Sheary are their big RFAs and they're potentially losing their 3C and 4C in Bonino and Cullen (may keep the former, but it might cost them). They're also losing on of their top 4 in Daley, possibly Kunitz who is a still a decent middle 6 player who plays a big leadership role for them, and may need to find a backup unless they want Jarry wasting away not playing much.
- L_B_R

It is all players they can miss though. It is not that they will let these players walk because they don't have the cap room. After signing Schultz, Dumo, Sheary they still have 8 million in cap space.

It is all players they can miss though. It is not that they will let these players walk because they don't have the cap room. After signing Schultz, Dumo, Sheary they still have 8 million in cap space.
- DutchSenators

A large reason they have the Cap space is how easily they disposed of Fluery, only giving a 2nd round pick as a sweetener. To get rid of Bickell (not as good sure, but lower cap hit) it cost the Hawks a legit NHL player.

A large reason they have the Cap space is how easily they disposed of Fluery, only giving a 2nd round pick as a sweetener. To get rid of Bickell (not as good sure, but lower cap hit) it cost the Hawks a legit NHL player.
- kwolf68

Chris Kunitz, Trevor Daley, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen will be playing in different jerseys next season.

Who is this Smith you speak of??
- dahawks8819

Yeah wondering about that too???

It is all players they can miss though. It is not that they will let these players walk because they don't have the cap room. After signing Schultz, Dumo, Sheary they still have 8 million in cap space.
- DutchSenators

My comment wasn't implying they were going to let their RFAs walk - I was simply saying that they had a lot of FAs to pay so that amount of cap space is a little misleading. A lot of teams look like they have a ton of space right now because they have several pending FAs (and some teams are just cheap).

A large reason they have the Cap space is how easily they disposed of Fluery, only giving a 2nd round pick as a sweetener. To get rid of Bickell (not as good sure, but lower cap hit) it cost the Hawks a legit NHL player.
- kwolf68

They also have several guys up who are UFAs...but I'd rather have Rutherford (who's won 2 cups along with the one in Carolina) instead of the wizard of the NMC running my club...it looks like Stan is finally getting it this year and I'm thrilled...like both moves so far, but interested to see what he's going to do here in the next 72 hours...
at the same time how many mulligans do you get? Rundblad, Sharp, Leddy...not to mention the TDL moves...

hopefully Stan is going to be able to pull a couple more rabbits out of the hat here...
also wondering how the league is going to stick it to us on the Hossa LTIR...

They also have several guys up who are UFAs...but I'd rather have Rutherford (who's won 2 cups along with the one in Carolina) instead of the wizard of the NMC running my club...it looks like Stan is finally getting it this year and I'm thrilled...like both moves so far, but interested to see what he's going to do here in the next 72 hours...
at the same time how many mulligans do you get? Rundblad, Sharp, Leddy...not to mention the TDL moves...

hopefully Stan is going to be able to pull a couple more rabbits out of the hat here...
also wondering how the league is going to stick it to us on the Hossa LTIR...
- DK002

What's to stop the Blackhawks from naming Hossa an off-ice coach, and still keep him under contract? He hasn't retired, he is still employed by the team under the contract he signed. Could this be an option IF they play hardball?

Kukla's Korner‏ @nhl 7m7 minutes ago

Evening Line- Jaromir Jagr: His tweet... Everywhere I look,I read:all FA getting calls from10-12teams. Me0 calls.On
- Mr Ricochet

Let's hope none are from the hawks...remember when we won the Cup against Boston and he never came into the defensive zone?

A large reason they have the Cap space is how easily they disposed of Fluery, only giving a 2nd round pick as a sweetener. To get rid of Bickell (not as good sure, but lower cap hit) it cost the Hawks a legit NHL player.
- kwolf68

I fine it so annoying that Vegas let Pitt off the hook like that, like you said Hawks didn't get a break from any team since they have been up against the cap. There was no need for Vegas to help out Pitt for a lousy 2nd rd pick. There was a lot of goalies available for an expansion team. Pitt is going to be so hard to stop next year.

Or - we should hope - "Good trade for both sides - Arizona happy with Hjalmarsson's addition, and Chicago is good with Murphy and the heir to the French throne."
- StLBravesFan

That would work as well.

waiting for Saturday and free agency, hoping for something interesting tomorrow...

in the meantime, what are the odds that certain guys get traded?

Where are we with Kruger now? It seemed like 95% a week ago but now it feels more like 75% - still likely but some hesitation after the Hossa news.

AA? - a couple of days ago it felt like 75%% chance he gets traded, but now more like 50-50; give or take 10 either way.

Hossa's contract? Seems unlikely but possible. I'm going with 15% chance

Seabrook? Something tells me it's still possible but unlikely. 10% for him.

The only other possibility who has some contract is Panik. Maybe as part of a bigger deal but on his own? 5%

19, 88, 20, 2 all at .01%
50 around 2%

But StanBo can't be done, can he? We need another trade or two, right?

thoughts?

waiting for Saturday and free agency, hoping for something interesting tomorrow...

in the meantime, what are the odds that certain guys get traded?

Where are we with Kruger now? It seemed like 95% a week ago but now it feels more like 75% - still likely but some hesitation after the Hossa news.

AA? - a couple of days ago it felt like 75%% chance he gets traded, but now more like 50-50; give or take 10 either way.

Hossa's contract? Seems unlikely but possible. I'm going with 15% chance

Seabrook? Something tells me it's still possible but unlikely. 10% for him.

The only other possibility who has some contract is Panik. Maybe as part of a bigger deal but on his own? 5%

19, 88, 20, 2 all at .01%
50 around 2%

But StanBo can't be done, can he? We need another trade or two, right?

thoughts?
- matt_ahrens

Kruger/AA is a certainty. 100%. The team is almost $3 mil over the cap. Even with the Hossa LTIR.

I don't think the 'Hawks make any other moves beyond those two wild cards. For the most part, the roster you see now is what you will get come October. I'd expect the hype machine to be fully activated for DeBrincat and Fortin shortly.

Let's hope none are from the hawks...remember when we won the Cup against Boston and he never came into the defensive zone?
- wiz1901

I saw that (franker) in Vegas over Memorial Day Weekend a month ago.

Walked behind him for 30-40 steps at the MGM, and not one person recognized who he was. I tried saying hello and asking for a picture with him, to which he didn't even respond/acknowledge me. He just put his hood up and his glasses on (as if the paparazzi were tripping over themselves to see him ).

Would Anisimov, Schmaltz, Forsling, and a 1st be too much to offer for Duchene? I would do it. Call me crazy.

Would Anisimov, Schmaltz, Forsling, and a 1st be too much to offer for Duchene? I would do it. Call me crazy.
- SimpleJack

Way too much.

Would Anisimov, Schmaltz, Forsling, and a 1st be too much to offer for Duchene? I would do it. Call me crazy.
- SimpleJack

remove schmaltz. i think that's a good deal.

Kruger/AA is a certainty. 100%. The team is almost $3 mil over the cap. Even with the Hossa LTIR.

I don't think the 'Hawks make any other moves beyond those two wild cards. For the most part, the roster you see now is what you will get come October. I'd expect the hype machine to be fully activated for DeBrincat and Fortin shortly.
- TommyHawk

The Hawks are not $3m over the cap with Hossa on LTIR - if they put him on LTIR right now, it would negate any space they are currently over. They also just wouldn't have 0 cap space for the duration of the season.

More likely if they made no more moves (including keeping Kruger) and were going to LTIR him at the start of the season, they would just move some players to the AHL for a short time while they place Hossa on LTIR. For example, they could send down a couple of waiver exempt players (Hayden, Schmaltz) and waive Glass and Rozsival for a day, put Hossa on LTIR the next day - they'd then have almost his full cap hit (minus some $100k) to play with so they could recall the kids + Rozsival if they wanted and still have a lot of space to recall more or trade for someone (now or at TDL).

You can play around with this by using LTIR pro-mode on CapFriendly.

The Hawks are not $3m over the cap with Hossa on LTIR - if they put him on LTIR right now, it would negate any space they are currently over. They also just wouldn't have 0 cap space for the duration of the season.

More likely if they made no more moves (including keeping Kruger) and were going to LTIR him at the start of the season, they would just move some players to the AHL for a short time while they place Hossa on LTIR. For example, they could send down a couple of waiver exempt players (Hayden, Schmaltz) and waive Glass and Rozsival for a day, put Hossa on LTIR the next day - they'd then have almost his full cap hit (minus some $100k) to play with so they could recall the kids + Rozsival if they wanted and still have a lot of space to recall more or trade for someone (now or at TDL).

You can play around with this by using LTIR pro-mode on CapFriendly.
- L_B_R

Unless there's a trade where another team takes Hossa, I don't see the Hawks placing Hossa on LTIR on the first day of the season.

Unless there's a trade where another team takes Hossa, I don't see the Hawks placing Hossa on LTIR on the first day of the season.
- walleyeb1

Why? They would get more cap space with Hossa on LTIR for later vs what cap space they might bank over the course of a season with him on it. There's no advantage keeping him off unless they were pretty well under the cap.

Or am I reading your comment wrong? It's after midnight and I've been up since 4AM yesterday lol.

Would Anisimov, Schmaltz, Forsling, and a 1st be too much to offer for Duchene? I would do it. Call me crazy.
- SimpleJack

The question is more can the Avalanche decide, do they want to trade him, now that the entire league has come up with multi-trade offers, none of which includes all the various pieces they originally said was the asking price.

I am scratching my head now just attempting to figure out what solves Colorado's issues.
At one point I thought it was Hammer, Darling, DeBrincat, a defensive prospect and some other Cap item from the Blackhawks.

I think they would like a young defender in the league playing, and a GOOD forward.

The fact that Duchene has failed as a viable option at the pivot position and the fact that they think he and his salary must go is a problem.

Try and look at it like this:
Does Anisimov and Murphy make Colorado better than keeping Duchene?

And then think about if Duchene (& hit Cap hit) are more valuable than Murphy (and his Cap hit) and Anisimov who might not be the best guy in the dot but plays solids big 2nd line centre?

To me Duchene was a luxury item who would have been out on LW with Toews.

I think Colorado is looking for some team to throw a wet behind the ears defenseman and a first and a reliable young vet...like Boston's Charlie McAvoy, a forward and a first...

I dont see them getting any equal return, so they will be better off keeping him...

Let's hope none are from the hawks...remember when we won the Cup against Boston and he never came into the defensive zone?
- wiz1901

He actually did....in the handshake line, I saw him