Another win to keep the streak alive! Great write up on these adds JL!

I am tempering my excitement as the teams the Hawks have beaten are games that they should win. That being said, the confidence level right now looks to be at it's highest point in the last two years. Tomorrow is a true test with arguably the biggest sleeper in the Eastern Conference. Nonetheless, love the buzz around the team right now and the possibility of sneaking into the playoffs!

Cheers fellas!
- nickmo2699

When they held the worst record in the league I'm pretty sure other teams considered the Hawks "games they should have won".

Great blog JL !

Never had a doubt about Strome'r. Saw him play a few times in the O and he's a hockey player. The stroke of genius was Bowman reuniting him with his junior wingman. It's worked out brilliantly thus far.

The Caggulia acquisition wasn't the first time the Hawks have picked Peter Chiarelli's pocket. Tallon plucked Kris Versteeg away from the Bruins in Feb. 2007 for Brandon Bochenski. Astute move hence by the Bean Counter.

Koekkoek and Perlini are serviceable if anything. Hawks have loaded up with big body d-men with long wing spans. I see that as a good thing as those active stick giraffes take away more time and space.

Like your suggestion that Perlini use his massive frame more, but the Hawks have eschewed a physical forecheck for eons now. Still believe in that lad though and like the way Colliton has rotated him and used the spare part players judiciously. The late Pat Burns did that shrewdly during two highly successful playoff runs by the Leafs in the early 90s.

The Delia extension was well earned, though he has got to eliminate the soft mid range goals that should be routine saves.

Good run by the Boyz though. Nice to see.
- philco28

Good call Phil.

There's been a couple that have compared Caggiula a bit to Versteeg's style as well.

Quick thought on Delia and No movement and No trade clause

Considering Delia a little over a year removed from barely playing pro hockey, getting a 3 year deal at 1mm buys him time and gives him some security.

This is a great deal for both sides. Calls to firing his agent are unbased in fact.

IF Delia gets hurt now or slumps, he is not forsaken.

For those cursing the NMC/NTC you have to understand that the players are people with families. Some level of professional courtesy is a part of doing business. Think military families, whipsawed and moved around the country every year. Tough life.

The 10 team list is not an end all in moving someone.
- TrueGrit

Ok. But if he is a stud and Crow does not comeback, he could have a big pay day the following year.

The summer of 2020 should be interesting. Up for renewal will be Strome, Debrincat, Caggiula, Kahun, and Gus.

This summer will have Cuckoo, Dahlstrom, Forsling, Sikura, Kampf, and Perlini, aside from the expiring and likely not renewed Ward, Kunitz, and Kruger. If they trade anybody from the expiring contracts, Kruger was my first guess, though I wasn't thinking of Kampf's injury situation when I said that. Otherwise, I would guess Forsling, because of how much he has struggled with the forecheck. It's hard to know what his ceiling is when he's been hurt for a good chunk of the season, though.
- 333inthe3rd

Wouldn't be surprised to see DeBrincat and Strome both extended this summer. Stan could play them off each other as the future of this team... buddies playing together for years to come!

I think after this seven game win streak we've now exited from the Hughes-Kakko sweepstakes (unless we reverse this with a five or seven game losing streak which isn't impossible with how this team has played this year :lol and are going to be in full Playoff push mode. Now that doesn't meant that they're gonna be selling our 1st Rd pick for a Rental, but I'd be surprised if the Hawks traded anyone right now just for draft currency or prospects.

Can't see a way that Kruger, AA, Kunitz (many have wanted it but it isn't gonna happened with his NTC), Gus, etc. get moved out now unless it's an overpayment from a team that REALLY wants one of those guys. Team is finally starting to not only buy into JC's system but believe it in and have fun with it. Because of this they're starting to build chemistry as a team and moving out anyone just for a prospect or a draft pick would hurt what this team is starting to build. Unless it can be justified that it was just a clear win for the team (like someone offering a 1st for Gus or something like that *example not a suggestion) I don't see anyone being moved out unless it's NHL talent for NHL talent kind of deal.

Awesome to see Stan lock up Delia to a contract extension for a good amount of time and a great cap hit for the team as well. This is gonna be huge for the Hawks cap space going into the summer but also going forward. Best case, we got an extremely cheap starting Goalie going forward, realistic we've got a very good backup that can start and play well when needed, worst case he can't keep it up and gets sent down to the AHL and his cap doesn't count agains the team. To anyone saying he should have taken more money or his Agent should have asked for more or whatever, he's only play 16 NHL games to this point. Being guaranteed that kinda money is more than he probably thought he'd every see in his career to this point so he gladly took it. It's a win-win.

Intersting Sikura got the call again. I guess with the way the team is playing they feel maybe he can add some more offensive depth to the team and help push for the Playoffs? I though it might be a 4th line guy like Martinsen, Nilsson, Johnson, or maybe Knott to bring some Center depth (Johnson or Nilsson) or grit to the bottom six.

Team Defense has been a MAJOR key in our teams turn around (besides Kane playing like an MVP). I kinda like the idea of just playing Keith and Seabrook together. They know each other and what to expect from one another. Let them work together and use their chemistry to hold their own instead of having them try n bring along a young kid. Everyone else has done a good job of continuing to step their game up and play solidly. No one is gonna say that this teams D is amazing or that we're set, but you can see that they are continuing to get better and better with each game.

Gonna be interesting the next two and half weeks here to see how the team plays and what Stan feels is the best move for this team this year but also going forward. Been fun watching the Hawks play GOOD hockey night in and night out and actually have a chance to win.

I haven't been following too closely but with the Ducks firing their coach... does this seem like an opening for Q?
- breadbag

Personally, I wouldn't think so. Ducks have a very talented and deep farm system, but are kinda in the same position as the Hawks were with a lot of older guys on big contracts that are gonna be hard if not impossible to move. I think a team that is a bit younger that Q could shape to his playing style and that are close to a Stanley Cup run would make the most sense. Very similar to him taking over the Hawks

I like Delia signing ,would really like him to take a page from Ward book and play the puck a little less ,Delia is a real wild card when he plays the puck .

I haven't been following too closely but with the Ducks firing their coach... does this seem like an opening for Q?
- breadbag

I don't see Bob Murray giving up the power that Q would want, unless Murray gets the ax too, but he was just extended by the owner.

Don’t knock Kristi Yamaguchi...I hear she has a wicked wrista
- Ogilthorpe2

I'm impressed that she still lacing them up at age 47. #Warrior

I haven't been following too closely but with the Ducks firing their coach... does this seem like an opening for Q?
- breadbag

Edmonton is the last team you will see make the mistake of hiring dinosaur coaches in NHL.

If you are a hawk fan, yes Ducks please hire Q.

Caggiula is a train wreck in his own end. Those hits are always leaving him out of position. He was with mcdavid for most of the year and didnt mount to much. Hes lucky he now has toews and kane to deflect.

Kunitz is playing due to his 1000th game.
- I Am The Breadman

Yes forgot about that. Honor Kunitz with his 1,000 then start rotating him with the other 4th line wingers.

We’ll then see how the bottom 6 shakes out once Kampf returns. By that time one or a few of the bottom 6ers could be traded making space for Kampf.

Also by that time, hoping Jokiharju and Forsling are swapped to bring the Finn back to the Hawks to close out the regular season.

Ok. But if he is a stud and Crow does not comeback, he could have a big pay day the following year.
- -Doh-

Like the weather, once you go out 3 days, the ability to predict with certainty goes away.

I hope he earns a big pay day, would mean good things for hawks.

I'm impressed that she still lacing them up at age 47. #Warrior
- Beaver-Warrior

Kristi Yamaguchi is also married to Bret Hedican. He’s been a Sharks analyst for a while now.

Personally, I wouldn't think so. Ducks have a very talented and deep farm system, but are kinda in the same position as the Hawks were with a lot of older guys on big contracts that are gonna be hard if not impossible to move. I think a team that is a bit younger that Q could shape to his playing style and that are close to a Stanley Cup run would make the most sense. Very similar to him taking over the Hawks
- Savetheembers33

$23.5 tied up in Getzlaf, Perry and Kesler with NMC's. 15 players signed next year at a cap hit of $71M, they have some good youngsters in Jones, Comtois and Terry, but they have a lot of dead weight they need to ship out, Silverberg is a UFA, I think would be a good under the radar signing by some team.

Kristi Yamaguchi is also married to Bret Hedican. He’s been a Sharks analyst for a while now.
- AEL_Fox

See, There ya go. She even knows advanced stats.

Wouldn't be surprised to see DeBrincat and Strome both extended this summer. Stan could play them off each other as the future of this team... buddies playing together for years to come!
- Justin Lowe

I would like to see Debrincat signed for 6x6 (Forsberg contract).

Right now I would try to sign Strome from around 4 million x 5. I think it's to early to give him a larger contract unless he plays like this next year.

Yes forgot about that. Honor Kunitz with his 1,000 then start rotating him with the other 4th line wingers.

We’ll then see how the bottom 6 shakes out once Kampf returns. By that time one or a few of the bottom 6ers could be traded making space for Kampf.

Also by that time, hoping Jokiharju and Forsling are swapped to bring the Finn back to the Hawks to close out the regular season.
- AEL_Fox

I'd love for Joki to come back up. I hope JC can trust him more and lean on him a little bit more. I get that he is 19, but he's already shown promise.

Good call Phil.

There's been a couple that have compared Caggiula a bit to Versteeg's style as well.
- Justin Lowe

Both pesky types for sure.

Wouldn't be surprised to see DeBrincat and Strome both extended this summer. Stan could play them off each other as the future of this team... buddies playing together for years to come!
- Justin Lowe

Around 6M x 6 for Cat and 5M x 6 for Strome?

Wouldn't be surprised to see DeBrincat and Strome both extended this summer. Stan could play them off each other as the future of this team... buddies playing together for years to come!
- Justin Lowe

Don't they have the same agent, also? I'm wondering how their negotiations will play out.

$23.5 tied up in Getzlaf, Perry and Kesler with NMC's. 15 players signed next year at a cap hit of $71M, they have some good youngsters in Jones, Comtois and Terry, but they have a lot of dead weight they need to ship out, Silverberg is a UFA, I think would be a good under the radar signing by some team.
- LAHawk

Ducks are not a bad team imo.

more and more teams are signing fringe guys long term. I'm glad that SB has joined the band wagon. for guys that might bounce in and out of NHL and AHL they get long term guaranteed money. would love to get Dahlstrom and a 3 year deal as well. you can bury them in the rock for nothing and then it only cost you cash. in regard to perlini he has not been good. you cannot give up on him yet, the reason he does not go down he would claimed.

i will be debbie downer:

ok they won but ward needed to have his best game of the year to handle 45 sog's, normally when he sees that number of shots the hawks are getting blown out

they still lead the league in dangerous chances against 5v5...

the offense with kane, toews, strome and saad has been en fuego for the last 7-8 games....sorry but that won't continue, they will cool off..secondary scoring is still low but have been getting offense from the D.

once again until they tighten it up defensively and cut down sog's and the high quality chances they cough up they are a meh to below avg bubble team at best...

the big bad blob that is the lower half of WC teams will have teams that are quite capable of 6-8 game losing streaks

Ducks are not a bad team imo.
- TrueGrit

hmm 2-19 with a -54 goal differential and they can't score says otherwise...
not that i care...