So who would be the ideal GM for the Hawks moving forward if they let Stan go? Who do you bring in? I was pondering this the day before they let Q go, thinking it would be Stan who took the hit. I honestly couldn't think of a solid GM I'd want in that was available. And we'd have to act quick, as Seattle will be looking too.
- resqmed99

It’s a good question - and as it’s been pointed out earlier in the thread - what kind of GM do you think McD is going to feel comfortable hiring? The candidates that would be best for the Hawks given their current situation are probably going to shy away from a “collaboration” with McD who doesn’t have an extensive hockey background - but still seems to get substantively involved anyway. Tallon had his faults, but his biggest mistake was pushing back on McD when it came to hockey decisions.

This dynamic reminds me of the dark ages we appear to be coming out of with the Bears. Ted Phillips has made the McCaskeys a lot of money - and is a smart business mind by most accounts - but there was persistent speculation that he would be substantively involved in football decisions - which is not really his “lane.” I recall reports where this was addressed by the football consultant brought in to assist with the last GM search resulting in Pace being hired. There now appears to be a clarification of the GMs authority to make football decisions.

I'm not trolling. I legitimately don't understand why those guys have no-move clauses.
- BINGO!

I think I do, they want to be able to control what team they’re traded to at the trade deadline.

Eddie O is seeing it thru the eyes of a former player and coach who has been there in the trenches. It takes a lot to go public in the media or on air with that type of accusation.

What Schmaltz needs is a performance review in the dressing room one on one with Mark Messier. He was famous for dealing with a teammate who he didn't think was pulling his weight or was gutless.

Anybody still questioning why Q healthy scratched this stiff?
- RickJ

yes foley and edzo have been noting the poor plays and decisions of individual players since Q was torpedoed. Watch out instead of #8 or others getting a lecture or sitting those two might be getting a call from McD and Co to cool it.

I think I do, they want to be able to control what team they’re traded to at the trade deadline.
- walleyeb1

NMC give the player tons of power.

They can steer who they're traded to, or provide a list of teams that they can't be traded to, or don't need their services, etc., just to make the whole process difficult and keep them on the current team.

yes foley and edzo have been noting the poor plays and decisions of individual players since Q was torpedoed. Watch out instead of #8 or others getting a lecture or sitting those two might be getting a call from McD and Co to cool it.
- bogiedoc

I don’t think so, I think McD and Company, if it keeps up he will be more worried when they start seeing 5,6, 8000 empty seats every game.The press conference was a public make a nice showing, I am willing to bet that Stan Bowman knows it is a fix it or else mode, or he is next on the chopping block next spring. That criticism is totally warranted and those two aren’t the only ones that are saying that.

Justice





More
BREAKING NEWS- as per @FriedgeHNIC Tom Wilson suspension reduced to 14 games by arbitrator.

The next 21 games for the Hawks leading into the Christmas break:

STL, LA, MIN, @WSH, @TBL, @FL, VEGAS, @WPG, @NSH, CGY, @ANA, @VEGAS, MTL, @WPG, PIT, WPG, SANJOSE, NSH, @DAL,@COL, FL

Let' be generous and give them a few wins and a OTL or two equaling 14 points. That will give them 30 points at Christmas. Hopefully some major front office housecleaning at that time
- boilermaker100

I have been saying this team has 19 games (38 pts) vs preds, jets, stars and aves...who knows maybe they surprise get 15 of those. ugh.

road games: WSH, TBL, WPG 2x, NSH

they never win in TB or Wash even when they were good. They might eke out 2 of those 10 pts...

this is a 70 pt team bottom 2-3 teams in the league...

they will be chasing the lottery by thanksgiving...and then the roster decisions get very interesting

So who would be the ideal GM for the Hawks moving forward if they let Stan go? Who do you bring in? I was pondering this the day before they let Q go, thinking it would be Stan who took the hit. I honestly couldn't think of a solid GM I'd want in that was available. And we'd have to act quick, as Seattle will be looking too.
- resqmed99

Maciver hopefully. Forner NHLer and intelligent mind. Please not MacIsaac. He's a yes man.

Ward and Kunitz are on one-year deals - they shouldn't have any kind of NMC/NTC - especially Kunitz.

However: looking at other teams (based on the information in CapFriendly) and how many players have some for of NMC/NTC:

TBL has 10 players with them
Sharks have 8
Caps and Pens have 7
Blues have 6
Jets have 5
Preds (according to CapFriendly) have none - but that doesn't seem right.

Yes - the Hawks have the most - but not outrageously so, given that 6 of them attach to players who won two or three Cups with the team.

Toews and Kane were overpaid when they signed there deals on 7/9/2014 because of the economics of the league - the cap not going up as much as "everyone" thought - but they aren't overpaid considering the contracts executed by other teams since then.

Seabrook's contract is for too long of a term - but his cap hit of $6.875MM is probably not out of line for the type of player he was on 9/26/2015, when he signed his contract.

Again, Ward and Kunitz are on one year deals; certainly Kunitz agree to a TDL deal to a contender - I doubt they would move Ward at all this year.

Kruger's M-NTC says he can list 7 teams he cannot be traded to - not a great impediment to a TDL deal (altho his contracted cap hit of $2.775MM is too high for his value).

The other NMC/NTC deals are Keith - a very team-friendly deal signed in 2009; Crawford - not a bad contract for a two-time Cup winning goalie; and Anisimov.
- StLBravesFan

Seabs I disagree he is about the 10th highest paid D man in the league. Even in 2015 he was not that (top 30 maybe) (which is 5 mil and not 7) 7 is for guys that are true # 1's. and he last contract before this made him the 10th highest d in the league as well so he was never under paid. that contract was untradable the day he signed it. that is how you know he was not worth it.

Justice





More
BREAKING NEWS- as per @FriedgeHNIC Tom Wilson suspension reduced to 14 games by arbitrator.
- mrpaulish

to bad....it should have been 25...well next time (and there will be a next time...SOON) it will be 25 plus and hopefully a career ender...he is detriment to the game, the NHL and fellow players...

NMC give the player tons of power.

They can steer who they're traded to, or provide a list of teams that they can't be traded to, or don't need their services, etc., just to make the whole process difficult and keep them on the current team.
- Hank3Henshaw

Don't dress the guy for 20 games and then see how firmly he stands behind his NMC. When the team is going nowhere management can afford to test these clauses.

If they're eventually going to blow it up...

Guys I'd like to see stay:

- Kane
- Toews or AA
- Hayden
- Kahun
- Fortin
- Johnson
- Martinsen
- Forlsling
- Murphy
- Gust (just for offensive upside from backend)
- Davidson/Manning
- Joki

Move whoever else you can to free up space and potentially bring some guys in via trade.

It’s a good question - and as it’s been pointedly out earlier in the thread - what kind of GM do you think McD is going to feel comfortable hiring? The candidates that would be best for the Hawks given their current situation are probably going to shy away from a “collaboration” with McD who doesn’t have an extensive hockey background - but still seems to get substantively involved anyway. Tallon had his faults, but his biggest mistake was pushing back on McD when it came to hockey decisions.

This dynamic reminds me of the dark ages we appear to be coming out of with the Bears. Ted Phillips has made the McCaskeys a lot of money - and is a smart business mind by most accounts - but there was persistent speculation that he would be substantively involved in football decisions - which is not really his “lane.” I recall reports where this was addressed by the football consultant brought in to assist with the last GM search resulting in Pace being hired. There now appears to be a clarification of the GMs authority to make football decisions.
- Chief4Feathers

I am telling ya the best GM prospect out there at the moment is Mark Hunter by far ,if given a chance he would grab this team by the throat and wring it into shape .He would have the pipeline brimming with grade A prospects This may offend some but most would be coming from the Canadian OHL WHL QMJHL they are the primary breeding ground for NHL players .And Make Eddie O his assistant .Just my two cents ..

to bad....it should have been 25...well next time (and there will be a next time...SOON) it will be 25 plus and hopefully a career ender...he is detriment to the game, the NHL and fellow players...
- bogiedoc

Hopefully not a career ender for the recipient of one of those dirty hits. Someone will be facing a hefty law suit for permitting this to occur.

I'm not trolling. I legitimately don't understand why those guys have no-move clauses.
- BINGO!

I can only speculate - but it appears Stan included the NMC/NTCs in the various contracts as part of his inducement to get the player to agree to the $/term being offered. Also, I think it may have been part of a signal to the player that he was considered part of the “core” of the team. (This of course doesn’t apply to the one-year deals for Ward and Kunitz - but those aren’t really the heart of the problem)

However, what most of us have been harping about since these deals were inked was that the $/term offered to each player was sufficient (or in excess - e.g. Seabrook) and NMC/NTC were excessive and problematic. In the NHL world of a hard cap and guaranteed contracts - the inability to move a player to address/improve the changing dynamics of a team is a significant problem.

Until everyone goes only yes men need apply.
- 6628

Hey 66, I was thinking of you when I watched last night -- that Barry Smith is one dour-looking SOB. Can you just imagine that bastage behind the bench telling you what to do?

Also cannot imagine JC being named head coach and getting BS and DG foisted on him. Where was the wire going back to McDonut? I didn't happen to see it when Barry was in the TV camera's view -- maybe wrong angle? Blowman was probably at the teletype sending messages down from on high.

yes foley and edzo have been noting the poor plays and decisions of individual players since Q was torpedoed. Watch out instead of #8 or others getting a lecture or sitting those two might be getting a call from McD and Co to cool it.
- bogiedoc

It happened to Stone and Carey when they were covering the Cubs during the dumpster fire years...

It happened to Stone and Carey when they were covering the Cubs during the dumpster fire years...
- Chief4Feathers

Don't forget that Stone was removed from his Cubs job because the front office told him that fans were complaining about his critiquing of players and asked him to stop. He told them he wouldn't and that it was his job to give honest feedback and hold players accountable, so the Cubs removed him.

True story.

Anyone else think Eddie O sounds like a former head coach who might be a little upset that he didn't get any consideration to replace Q? He sure seems more assertive in criticizing the team's play.
- Larmer

He has 100% increased his open criticism of the team since Q was fired. It has been very apparently that he seems like he has something to prove IMO.

He has 100% increased his open criticism of the team since Q was fired. It has been very apparently that he seems like he has something to prove IMO.
- breadbag

I like it and appreciate his honest thoughts/critiques.

Maciver hopefully. Forner NHLer and intelligent mind. Please not MacIsaac. He's a yes man.
- AEL_Fox

Chris Chelios, IF he wants it. I think his NHL hall of fame career would warrant atleast a conversation about the job. If it's anybody that would know what it takes to be an NHL player ,both mentally and Physically, he would. some guys would be on the way out sooner than later. The question would be if he would be given full autonomy to do so by Rocky. And would Rocky tell John to stay out of it and just stick to marketing, just a thought.

Chris Chelios, IF he wants it. I think his NHL hall of fame career would warrant atleast a conversation about the job. If it's anybody that would know what it takes to be an NHL player ,both mentally and Physically, he would. some guys would be on the way out sooner than later. The question would be if he would be given full autonomy to do so by Rocky. And would Rocky tell John to stay out of it and just stick to marketing, just a thought.
- wonthecup10

Chelly would be cool.

Would also like JR - would be a total maverick. Why not?

Hall of fame players don't necessarily make good GM's.

Does Chellios know "talent" when he sees it? Can he negotiate contracts/trades?

I have no idea...

I'm sorry but excusing or givingmRocky a pass is clearly insane. The buck ultimately stops with him , Rocky just like his father has rubbed people the wrong way.
This team is in Stans hands and we've all watched Stans moves , with over paying underperforming players and handing out like candy these ridiculous no movement clauses to players whom are close to the end of their careers or past their prime which in turn in a salary cap era and always running against the cap it ties the teams hands. Trading off young assets like Leddy , Tevo to fix incompetent mistakes like giving Bickell or Seabrook for starters those contracts.


Or moving out PANARIN for saad and Forsberg lmao .


Change should have happened at best 3 years ago but at worst when they got smoked 4 and done then last year after missing the playoffs you finally remove the GM .



Until Rocky admits to himself that he has a problem he is the problem. MC D will always defend Stan and that's a problem and Stan can't define talent if he was hit in the face with it nor can he have any common sense on realistic contracts to offer players.


This team lacks talent period . Who's fault is that ? Stans
- Taylorst1

Yes Stan's fault -- not Rocky's.

If they're eventually going to blow it up...

Guys I'd like to see stay:

- Kane
- Toews or AA
- Hayden
- Kahun
- Fortin
- Johnson
- Martinsen
- Frolsling
- Murphy
- Gust (just for offensive upside from backend)
- Davidson/Manning

Move whoever else you can to free up space and potentially bring some guys in via trade.
- Hank3Henshaw

No Joki? I think he's the only current Dman I keep.
Keith would bring back several decent picks/prospects due to his cap hit and skill.
Seabs...see if someone would give you a 7th round pick, but even then we'd probably have to retain salary.
Manning and Rutta...get whatever you can get, or waive them.
I'm on the fence about Gus. I thought he looked better defensively this game. If he keeps that up, I'd wouldn't mind him splitting 6/7 with Davidson.
Next year D-corp:
Beaudin/ Joki
Forsling/ Murphy
Gus/Mitchell
Seabs (because no one's taking that contract + leadership for the young Dmen)
This would give Boqvist one more year to mature in London.