No, I totally get your point. The likelihood of signing a LEGIT Top 4 D-Man on a short term contract or a lower term is a pipe dream really. That's why I'd rather just see them not spend the money there and develop the kids to take over and hope they can come sooner rather than later. Then spend your money on an impact Forward since we have very few guys on the horizon (and none in the next year or maybe even two; except for MAYBE our draft pick this year IF they go with a Forward) who can step up to help this team right away.

To me the risk of overpaying for a Defensemen in FA is more likely to come back to bite the Hawks in the a$$ (like it already has) than it is to help the team where they could flip whoever they sign down the road. If we didn't have an aging Keith and/or Seabrook at a high cap hit I could see the possibility of taking the risk on someone like a Tyler Myers but having to sign him for 6-7M next year might be something this team lives to regret.
- Savetheembers33

I completely agree with your point 100% Its fair to say the hawks won't even come close to a 500 record. They should at this point make every effort possible to move out as many bad contracts, core players and guys in the middle on the bubble and bring up their youth to see what they have in Rockford and use the picks and prospects to replenish a depleted farm system and next year you could be looking at including Johki 4 new defenseman. Then July st you have enough money to address your forwards and bring in at least 2 topm6 guys and a solid defenseman on a 2 to 3 year contract ..

Maybe you moves toews in the off season if he is not moved already to gain a higher draft pick and prospects

I did not hear anything on this. Interesting.

Pierre is a great hockey guy but I think there's a reason he's in between the benches and not working for an NHL team since 1996(!).

I would be surprised if he lands anywhere now.

Brisebois on the other hand. That one makes a lot of sense.
- Justin Lowe

Lets not forget Pierre’s one season as head coach. When he was fired his team said it was the best thing that ever happened to the organization because he was not respected by his team or any other team In the league.

Kampf game hasn't changed at all. He is doing pretty much the same thing he always does when he steps on the ice. Works his ass off. Now he is doing it with more confidence. He has all the makings of a vg shutdown player.
- Elbows15

I've liked watching Kampf play, I've liked him more and more each game. He's had chemistry with Kahun and Krugs at different times. I don't know if Krugs will resign cheap in the off-season, but I see Kampf taking Krugs' place down the line. Decent at the dot, pk time, drives the net, and backchecks. Great bottom 6er in my book.

I've liked watching Kampf play, I've liked him more and more each game. He's had chemistry with Kahun and Krugs at different times. I don't know if Krugs will resign cheap in the off-season, but I see Kampf taking Krugs' place down the line. Decent at the dot, pk time, drives the net, and backchecks. Great bottom 6er in my book.
- I Am The Breadman

Help a brother out, here. Have you seen Perlini? He seems to be missing.

Help a brother out, here. Have you seen Perlini? He seems to be missing.
- Elbows15

Yeah, I see him skating, but not doing anything. He has speed and it has been flashed, but nothing coming from it. Fortin?

You hit the nail on the head with all points. The issue which concerns me is taking players in trade whom youknow is not a long term answer. Rather take the draft choice.

An example; we had Duclair. He was off to a good start from a scoring viewpoint this season. He represents a player with separation skating speed and had a promising start to a career as a rookie on NYR. Dies or would he pay the price to contribute in other ways if he cannot win or deserve a top line spot?

We have Fortin now. He may one day become stronger on his skates. We also have a few players in AHL whom might make the NHL as bottom line players. It is a dhsmenone of them.appear mhl ready. And I wonder if Sikula's brother is a possibility. I suspect Nilsson and the Penn. State kid is the most likely bets as players whom could eztablush a niche. I prefer to wait for them and use whatever we have in the meanwhile. No player pick ups.No Fuclaur or fringe forward whom.skate fast.

I am.curious if not G Knott, could Samuelson be much like Martinsen?

Yeah, I see him skating, but not doing anything. He has speed and it has been flashed, but nothing coming from it. Fortin?
- I Am The Breadman

Fortin at least touches the pcuk occasionally and does engage in board battles. Perlini seems allergic to them

Why would he go home and give up the rest of his salary for the season? It is the only time he will ever make $2M + playing hockey.
- RickJ

I’m not really sure if he’d lose anything, he was paid $500,00 of that as a signing bonus and earned almost half of the remaining $1,750,00 already. Not sure exactly how his European Assignment Clause is structured, it could force the Blackhawks to loan him to his old European team. He obviously asked for the clause for a reason and knowing Bowman it probably benefits him more than us.

You hit the nail on the head with all points. The issue which concerns me is taking players in trade whom youknow is not a long term answer. Rather take the draft choice.

An example; we had Duclair. He was off to a good start from a scoring viewpoint this season. He represents a player with separation skating speed and had a promising start to a career as a rookie on NYR. Dies or would he pay the price to contribute in other ways if he cannot win or deserve a top line spot?

We have Fortin now. He may one day become stronger on his skates. We also have a few players in AHL whom might make the NHL as bottom line players. It is a dhsmenone of them.appear mhl ready. And I wonder if Sikula's brother is a possibility. I suspect Nilsson and the Penn. State kid is the most likely bets as players whom could eztablush a niche. I prefer to wait for them and use whatever we have in the meanwhile. No player pick ups.No Fuclaur or fringe forward whom.skate fast.

I am.curious if not G Knott, could Samuelson be much like Martinsen?
- jhawk59

Samuelson is an AHL player.

Fortin at least touches the pcuk occasionally and does engage in board battles. Perlini seems allergic to them
- Elbows15

I've been disappointed in him, definitely.

I am not sold on the have to move out personnel wholesale at the TDL; sure if it makes sense and the return is of value ... do it, but it shouldn't be for the sake of 'playing the kids' - that's setting up future failure -since the entire point of a core (any core, not necessarily the core as currently defined by the Hawks) -is about mentorship, and leadership.

If you dump them all for the sake of 'saving cap space' -which, incidentally, sounds a lot like the good old days when the team decided not to sign a pending UFA and to get any sort of return ... mainly because WWW felt that he did not want to pay the going rate, ended up getting some really great returns for some guys that were central to the team. (and by great, I mean apart from Zhamnov et al for Roenick, I can't remember them off the top of my head ...).

That basically is the old way of thinking, of what used to be called the Or-gan-i-zation ... I can't pull off the spelling but it was sorta about the pronunciation like Foley's tree tirty tree in da tird.... thing ...) --- we won't pay -and will play what we got -ported over to the salary cap era NHL.

That proved to be a team culture killer and led to playing in front of a lot of empty seats -and stories in places like the Trib (might have been the Trib) where they couldn't even give away tickets. That would be a pretty steep fall off from where they've been --- but the point is... it happened that way. I don't know how you market that happening. It took upper management change to happen, and it is a bit of uncharted territory for Rocky. I think he knows that you don't hire friends in a business setting.

It would be unwise to allow something to become another version of whatever Bob Pulford was to WWW.

Anyways, I guess I got off track - I don't see them selling off the core at the TDL just to be doing it. I can see them re-evaluating the core, and establishing a different trajectory for the team going forward. It might result in a different core.

I think they'll be looking for who works well in that mentorship space. And I don't know that anyone is a perfect fit. For example Keith needs to chill out with the on ice frustration (and that has been a career issue with him -he's done it before). He isn't a 50 pim guy on a team that has played 33 games ... but that is what he is now --- largely due to that one game... what message does that send? Sure, one as a proud professional, but all things considered it set a terrible example. Does it mean ditch him? I guess if the price is right ... but other than that, here is a valuable guy with a lot of skill and a head for the game ... he can be what he wants to be -but he has to decide that. I imagine he knows it... Others are going to be in the same position.

It was only the Penguins. Wouldn’t schedule the parade just yet. Most teams are beating them this season.

I am not sold on the have to move out personnel wholesale at the TDL; sure if it makes sense and the return is of value ... do it, but it shouldn't be for the sake of 'playing the kids' - that's setting up future failure -since the entire point of a core (any core, not necessarily the core as currently defined by the Hawks) -is about mentorship, and leadership.

If you dump them all for the sake of 'saving cap space' -which, incidentally, sounds a lot like the good old days when the team decided not to sign a pending UFA and to get any sort of return ... mainly because WWW felt that he did not want to pay the going rate, ended up getting some really great returns for some guys that were central to the team. (and by great, I mean apart from Zhamnov et al for Roenick, I can't remember them off the top of my head ...).

That basically is the old way of thinking, of what used to be called the Or-gan-i-zation ... I can't pull off the spelling but it was sorta about the pronunciation like Foley's tree tirty tree in da tird.... thing ...) --- we won't pay -and will play what we got -ported over to the salary cap era NHL.

That proved to be a team culture killer and led to playing in front of a lot of empty seats -and stories in places like the Trib (might have been the Trib) where they couldn't even give away tickets. That would be a pretty steep fall off from where they've been --- but the point is... it happened that way. I don't know how you market that happening. It took upper management change to happen, and it is a bit of uncharted territory for Rocky. I think he knows that you don't hire friends in a business setting.

It would be unwise to allow something to become another version of whatever Bob Pulford was to WWW.

Anyways, I guess I got off track - I don't see them selling off the core at the TDL just to be doing it. I can see them re-evaluating the core, and establishing a different trajectory for the team going forward. It might result in a different core.

I think they'll be looking for who works well in that mentorship space. And I don't know that anyone is a perfect fit. For example Keith needs to chill out with the on ice frustration (and that has been a career issue with him -he's done it before). He isn't a 50 pim guy on a team that has played 33 games ... but that is what he is now --- largely due to that one game... what message does that send? Sure, one as a proud professional, but all things considered it set a terrible example. Does it mean ditch him? I guess if the price is right ... but other than that, here is a valuable guy with a lot of skill and a head for the game ... he can be what he wants to be -but he has to decide that. I imagine he knows it... Others are going to be in the same position.
- steve-hist-sdc

I do think that the hawks should at least consider moving out Keith, Seabrook if possible and Crawford. Keith and Crawford would be the easier moves and have more value and at this point they will fetch the most return.

It was only the Penguins. Wouldn’t schedule the parade just yet. Most teams are beating them this season.
- Doogs

Hey there. Not sure which comments you are reading, but about 80% of the comments here are about which players we can or cannot ship out of town for picks and prospects. No one here is planning any kind of parade. The vast majority here are simply working through how to get better in the next 2-3 years.

It's been 11 games since our last win. There is bound to be some mild euphoria here as we forgot what a win felt like.

I've been disappointed in him, definitely.
- I Am The Breadman

IMO I think the only 2 players who show any promise would be kampf and kahoun.

Realizing both are rookies and will have ups and downs , they both show energy and some level of good skills.


Fortin to me was just all speed but never really showed enough skill .

I do think that the hawks should at least consider moving out Keith, Seabrook if possible and Crawford. Keith and Crawford would be the easier moves and have more value and at this point they will fetch the most return.
- Taylorst1

They are going to have to move some guys out of here sooner or later if the expectation is that these young guys are going to be on the team in the next 1-3 years.

I'm sure Rutta is just the first to drop. If I had to place a bet, I would put even odds on Gustafsson and Forsling. They would likely be seen as moderately desirable and relatively easy to move. I think a bit further down the road they move Keith out, but not this year. just my guess.

IMO I think the only 2 players who show any promise would be kampf and kahoun.

Realizing both are rookies and will have ups and downs , they both show energy and some level of good skills.


Fortin to me was just all speed but never really showed enough skill .
- Taylorst1

I would throw Joki in that conversation as well of rookies with promise.

Samuelson is an AHL player.
- Elbows15

So is Toews but his still playing 20 minutes a night.

Hey there. Not sure which comments you are reading, but about 80% of the comments here are about which players we can or cannot ship out of town for picks and prospects. No one here is planning any kind of parade. The vast majority here are simply working through how to get better in the next 2-3 years.

It's been 11 games since our last win. There is bound to be some mild euphoria here as we forgot what a win felt like.
- Chunk

I was being funny. Sorry. It has been an incredibly painful season as a Pens fan and thought I saw a spot to share a joke. Not meaning to be a di@k. I was a Hawks fan at the beginning. Not fun for anyone.

I was being funny. Sorry. It has been an incredibly painful season as a Pens fan and thought I saw a spot to share a joke. Not meaning to be a di@k. I was a Hawks fan at the beginning. Not fun for anyone.
- Doogs

Word to the wise, Red Font. I learned the hard way, too.

Word to the wise, Red Font. I learned the hard way, too.
- I Am The Breadman

Noted and apologies again.

I was being funny. Sorry. It has been an incredibly painful season as a Pens fan and thought I saw a spot to share a joke. Not meaning to be a di@k. I was a Hawks fan at the beginning. Not fun for anyone.
- Doogs

Son of a... That's twice this month that I've missed sarcasm... Apologies. I need to step back from the scotch.

Noted and apologies again.
- Doogs

It's all good. I miss out on sarcasm at least twice a week around here.

I do think that the hawks should at least consider moving out Keith, Seabrook if possible and Crawford. Keith and Crawford would be the easier moves and have more value and at this point they will fetch the most return.
- Taylorst1

Of course they should
Problem is

Market is thin for these guys - very thin

Kampf game hasn't changed at all. He is doing pretty much the same thing he always does when he steps on the ice. Works his ass off. Now he is doing it with more confidence. He has all the makings of a vg shutdown player.
- Elbows15

You described Kampf more accurately: he has always been this way fundamentally but his confidence is at the next level which accentuates his strengths. Part of that may have to with just having more NHL games under his belt while another part could be playing for Colliton again.