Thought AZ already said they have no interest in picking up the Hossa contract.
- Hank3Henshaw

They only said they hadn't talked about it. They are below the floor right now. So are about 11 teams.

Just saw the news about Dave Semenko passing away from cancer at 59.

Sad stuff.

I would probably add Sharp (at a crazy low price on a tryout contract to see if he is healthy) because he is a LW. Then let Hartman play RW his natural position on the 3rd line with Hayden and Schmaltz.
- -Doh-

Sharp as a depth winger on the cheap would be a good thing for this (suddenly) very young team.

Sharp as a depth winger on the cheap would be a good thing for this (suddenly) very young team.
- EnzoD

I'm sure we will see one of these types of deals. A guy coming off a bad performance, an injury, or a bad rep for cheap to prove it.

Sharp as a depth winger on the cheap would be a good thing for this (suddenly) very young team.
- EnzoD

I think Sharpie has a 3-4 month rehab term after hip surgery. Not a good thing for a vet his age. And I doubt he wants to play for $1M on a one year deal.

I'm looking for bigger, younger, faster and with a very sour, nasty disposition toward opponents.

JJ I know I heard something about Stan in talks with Pitt about Hagelin or something?

Would we be able to grab Rust for say Schmaltz? I think Rust's game is what we are looking for, we have enough perimeter players.
- nickmo2699

Rust is an older, not as good version of Hartman.

I think Sharpie has a 3-4 month rehab term after hip surgery. Not a good thing for a vet his age. And I doubt he wants to play for $1M on a one year deal.

I'm looking for bigger, younger, faster and with a very sour, nasty disposition toward opponents.
- RickJ

I'm on board with that. Anyone in mind?

Bettman and Daley are lawyers, they need to read the fine print of the medical reports and find some league doctor to provide answers to a few of their medical questions about rashes.

This could take months, if not years.
- RickJ

I think there's a legal hole in your argument though, Rick, which brings it back to what this stuff is always about: leverage.

There is no legal basis for not granting LTIR status. By all accounts—the team, the team doctor (who has been around the NHL for a long, long time), the player and the agent—ALL attest to the severity of the condition, the treatment, and the side effects of the treatment, which are all accepted as common medical knowledge.

They have no legal grounds to not grant the LTIR.

Now, everyone can point to Hossa's contract and timing. Well, sure, but that's akin to accusing someone of theft solely because they live next door to the victim and just lost their job. Plausible motive and means, but no other evidence. In fact, there's indisputable evidence to the contrary.

You can't prosecute a case on that.

So . . . as lawyers . . . Daley and Bettman know they will be sued, likely, by the PA and the Blackhawks if they don't grant the status.

Donald Fehr is not one to avoid litigation, Hossa's agent, Ritch Winter, is one of the top 4-5 agents in the game, incredibly powerful. And Rocky Wirtz is a highly powerful owner with leverage to exert in the next CBA negotiation. Bettman doesn't want to lose his support—or have him become adversarial—with regard to Bettman's beloved expansion into dogmeat hockey markets that become floor teams. And Rocky WILL go nuclear on this if it affects the Hawks' moves this summer. The team's on ice fortunes and the revenue to be gained are riding on what they get done this summer.

All that just because MLSE or True North or Pegula or whoever has a momentary bug in their nether regions? Not worth the time or effort.

I don't see the league holding this up.

I think Sharpie has a 3-4 month rehab term after hip surgery. Not a good thing for a vet his age. And I doubt he wants to play for $1M on a one year deal.

I'm looking for bigger (or plays bigger) , younger, faster and with a very sour, nasty disposition toward opponents.
- RickJ

Fixed, and I'm all over it regardless.

More Panik, less Jurco. At least, less of the "Jurco" we've seen thus far.

I think it's ALL show—specifically for the whiners in the other front offices.

They will likely resolve this with Hossa on LTIR by Saturday AM. If not, I have one thing to say to Bettman:

"Rocky Wirtz on line 1. Donald Fehr on line 2."
- John Jaeckel

Most PR people know how to bury stories, thus the Friday afternoon document dumps that are still common in politics. So the NHL could issue a statement about Hossa now, between the drafts and free agency, when NHL fans are craving some news and jump on anything. Or they can wait until the free agent signing period begins when there is a lot of other NHL news to discuss so whatever they do about Hossa gets overshadowed by player X signing with team Y.

Exchanging 4 picks is too much. Look at the other deals I posted. The team trading the contract received value, a player or a decent pick (or more). They didn't downgrade 4 picks.
- TheTrob

Exactly, who is doing who a favor? You can look at it both ways, a team is doing Chicago a favor by taking the contract or Chicago is doing them a favor by giving them 5.35M in cap space of 1M.

It's hard to see the value in Pouliot. He's got a weird history of being good at times and not good most of the time.
- JRoenick97

So true remember when he was with the Rangers at the start of the playoffs was playing great, but by the end he kept taking stupidp penalties.
Put him in the Sharp category if there nothing else and will sign a 1 year 1 mill then maybe

I think there's a legal hole in your argument though, Rick, which brings it back to what this stuff is always about: leverage.

There is no legal basis for not granting LTIR status. By all accounts—the team, the team doctor (who has been around the NHL for a long, long time), the player and the agent—ALL attest to the severity of the condition, the treatment, and the side effects of the treatment, which are all accepted as common medical knowledge.

They have no legal grounds to not grant the LTIR.

Now, everyone can point to Hossa's contract and timing. Well, sure, but that's akin to accusing someone of theft solely because they live next door to the victim and just lost their job. Plausible motive and means, but no other evidence. In fact, there's indisputable evidence to the contrary.

You can't prosecute a case on that.

So . . . as lawyers . . . Daley and Bettman know they will be sued, likely, by the PA and the Blackhawks if they don't grant the status.

Donald Fehr is not one to avoid litigation, Hossa's agent, Ritch Winter, is one of the top 4-5 agents in the game, incredibly powerful. And Rocky Wirtz is a highly powerful owner with leverage to exert in the next CBA negotiation. Bettman doesn't want to lose his support—or have him become adversarial—with regard to Bettman's beloved expansion into dogmeat hockey markets that become floor teams. And Rocky WILL go nuclear on this if it affects the Hawks' moves this summer. The team's on ice fortunes and the revenue to be gained are riding on what they get done this summer.

All that just because MLSE or True North or Pegula or whoever has a momentary bug in their nether regions? Not worth the time or effort.

I don't see the league holding this up.
- John Jaeckel

Here is how I think the league wants people to think they are looking into it vs how much they are probably looking into it..

I'm on board with that. Anyone in mind?
- EnzoD

Michael Ferland type but the Flames will resign him. Or Austin Watson but the Preds won't let him go either.

So maybe the under the radar guy JJ suggested is plausible.

How about Harry Z - he's an annoying type.

Fixed, and I'm all over it regardless.

More Panik, less Jurco. At least, less of the "Jurco" we've seen thus far.
- John Jaeckel

And what waste the six weeks SB was scouting Jurco when he was in the press box eating popcorn

Hossa contract + Hino + a swap of A pick isn't an overpay. Downgrading 4 picks IS an overpay, especially to a team that seems to value their picks. Again, look at the Datsyuk trade. Datsuyk and the 16th picks returned the 20th, 53rd and Joe Vitale.

This isn't a dump. The contract has value to Arizona.
- TheTrob

What happens if the other team gets competitive and wants the cap space in a year or two. Puts pressure on Hossa to report or retire. If he doesn't show they start fining him, etc.

Not certain it would happen but think Hawks would forever have worries in the back of their mind until contract is officially dead.

What happens if the other team gets competitive and wants the cap space in a year or two. Puts pressure on Hossa to report or retire. If he doesn't show they start fining him, etc.

Not certain it would happen but think Hawks would forever have worries in the back of their mind until contract is officially dead.
- Gerk

He has a injury no pressure in the world can force him to lace up in this day and age...

And we all know big Hoss would just lean over to Zedano and say, pass me a beer...

Exchanging 4 picks is too much. Look at the other deals I posted. The team trading the contract received value, a player or a decent pick (or more). They didn't downgrade 4 picks.
- TheTrob

You could be right. If we could get away with just giving up Hossa/Hino and getting something back I would be ok with that.

I'm on board with that. Anyone in mind?
- EnzoD

Yes, bingo!

Sharpie - pass
Neil - pass
Gagner - pass
Shaw - pass

None of these players will make the team hungrier and faster.
Would be worse than what we had last year, and how did that finish...exactly.

There are better options out there....

I think there's a legal hole in your argument though, Rick, which brings it back to what this stuff is always about: leverage.

There is no legal basis for not granting LTIR status. By all accounts—the team, the team doctor (who has been around the NHL for a long, long time), the player and the agent—ALL attest to the severity of the condition, the treatment, and the side effects of the treatment, which are all accepted as common medical knowledge.

They have no legal grounds to not grant the LTIR.

Now, everyone can point to Hossa's contract and timing. Well, sure, but that's akin to accusing someone of theft solely because they live next door to the victim and just lost their job. Plausible motive and means, but no other evidence. In fact, there's indisputable evidence to the contrary.

You can't prosecute a case on that.

So . . . as lawyers . . . Daley and Bettman know they will be sued, likely, by the PA and the Blackhawks if they don't grant the status.

Donald Fehr is not one to avoid litigation, Hossa's agent, Ritch Winter, is one of the top 4-5 agents in the game, incredibly powerful. And Rocky Wirtz is a highly powerful owner with leverage to exert in the next CBA negotiation. Bettman doesn't want to lose his support—or have him become adversarial—with regard to Bettman's beloved expansion into dogmeat hockey markets that become floor teams. And Rocky WILL go nuclear on this if it affects the Hawks' moves this summer. The team's on ice fortunes and the revenue to be gained are riding on what they get done this summer.

All that just because MLSE or True North or Pegula or whoever has a momentary bug in their nether regions? Not worth the time or effort.

I don't see the league holding this up.
- John Jaeckel

Granted, all very valid points by you JJ.

But all I keep thinking about is how long the Wideman hitting the linesman case got dragged out and it still isn't done with legally.

What happens if the other team gets competitive and wants the cap space in a year or two. Puts pressure on Hossa to report or retire. If he doesn't show they start fining him, etc.

Not certain it would happen but think Hawks would forever have worries in the back of their mind until contract is officially dead.
- Gerk

In the case of teams like Carolina and Arizona they probably will always operate far (at least $5 mil) under the cap. They do not have the revenue stream to support a salary level at or near the cap. They would lose their ass.

Thought AZ already said they have no interest in picking up the Hossa contract.
- Hank3Henshaw

What did you expect them to say?

Here is how I think the league wants people to think they are looking into it vs how much they are probably looking into it..




- breadbag

Yeah except Bettman and Daley would be drinking Shirley Temples

He has a injury no pressure in the world can force him to lace up in this day and age...

And we all know big Hoss would just lean over to Zedano and say, pass me a beer...
- riozzo

Fair enough, I'm assuming by the very rare chance he is not actually allowed to go on LTIR.

More likely what is to happen is that he is granted LTIR status but league moves to implement other restrictive rules around the practice. IE will freeze him out from ever coming back and playing, not allowed to buy out or trade LTIR players, etc. Punitive moves like that.

Any chance that the Hossa contract going to AZ for something nominal was "Part B" of the Hjalmarsson deal. It just could not be announced until the NHL decides on his LTIR status? Just asking.