Glad I'm not alone in this thinking Rick!
- savvyone-1

With you Savvy. And there are many other players that can be added to the list of guys who struggle and fade as they age - Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry being the prime examples.

Father Time is undefeated. He just gives a few guys some extended term - like Ovi and Patrick Marleau.

Do you trust Lou's evaluation of Lee. He reportedly will give $6.5. They will bargin over term but even five years is a big commitment. I would not give a Tavarez that length term because his skating may bring him down if the league keeps getting faster..Three, four years maybe but i check how old Tavares is. How is Lee's skating?

While skating speed is not an end all for each member on a roster, there is a serious issue if a point producer fades because he is not able to succeed the same if the league becomes too fast for him.
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- jhawk59

Tavares is one of the top players in the NHL, I think the Leafs goofed by signing him because their weakness was on defense and they didn't really need another forward and the Tavares signing has, in part, put the Leafs into cap hell and they still have a week blueline. Ryan O'Reilly should have shown us that hockey smarts can overcome a player who is an average skater. Tavares was a good signing but the wrong team signed him.

Tampa Bay signs Coburn one of their UFA defenseman, 2 years at only 1.7M per year. Good deal for TB considering his last contract was for 3.7M per year. He must like the sun.

Edit - In same article UFA Stralman to interview with other teams next week.
https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/

TSN trade bait list, link to full list:

https://www.tsn.ca/trade-...s-trade-options-1.1324471

TSN trade bait list, link to full list:

https://www.tsn.ca/trade-...s-trade-options-1.1324471


- walleyeb1

My preferences are Miller, Frolik and Callahan with a sweetener.

Do you trust Lou's evaluation of Lee. He reportedly will give $6.5. They will bargin over term but even five years is a big commitment. I would not give a Tavarez that length term because his skating may bring him down if the league keeps getting faster..Three, four years maybe but i check how old Tavares is. How is Lee's skating?

While skating speed is not an end all for each member on a roster, there is a serious issue if a point producer fades because he is not able to succeed the same if the league becomes too fast for him.
.
- jhawk59

Understand what you are saying about Tavares, but skating has never been his #1 asset. He is a hockey player who knows how to play the game with the skill of knowing how to put the puck in the net. He turns 30 shortly and probably has 3 excellent years left. If the Leafs win a Cup, the contract will have been worth it to them.

And dwelling on a player's foot speed alone is a little superficial - ROR, Brayden Schenn, Ovi and a whole bunch of 'slow' defenceman all have been on Cup winning teams in the last couple of years.

With you Savvy. And there are many other players that can be added to the list of guys who struggle and fade as they age - Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry being the prime examples.

Father Time is undefeated. He just gives a few guys some extended term - like Ovi and Patrick Marleau.
- RickJ

With you here too Rick. Your post made me sad because it got me thinking about Big Hoss. There was a guy who could have easily fit into defeating Father Time category.

I know you agree -- without 81, Hawks don't win 3 CUPS. IMO, out of everyone, that is the guy they are really missing. Phenomenal 200' player, strong as 2 bulls with great skating to boot. Plus, a pro's pro, showed many a young-Hawk how the game should be played.

One of those guys that could play into his 40's and still contribute.

Tavares is one of the top players in the NHL, I think the Leafs goofed by signing him because their weakness was on defense and they didn't really need another forward and the Tavares signing has, in part, put the Leafs into cap hell and they still have a week blueline. Ryan O'Reilly should have shown us that hockey smarts can overcome a player who is an average skater. Tavares was a good signing but the wrong team signed him.
- paulr

Why would it have occurred to the Leafs that they needed to focus on improving their defence? They already had the great Jake Gardiner and Zaitsev back there to help Tavares win a Cup and have a big parade just like the Raptors did.

Larry Tanenbaum should fire Shanahan, Dubas and Babcock immediately and install Masai Ujiri as Head Coach and General Manager of the Leafs. Then there is a chance at a Cup.

@frank_seravalli

TRADE BAIT: GM Kevin Cheveldayoff says #nhljets have a lot of balls in the air. So what’s next?

Belief is Jets offered Nikolaj Ehlers to #Canes for one of their right-shooting defencemen.

---

I’m all in on Anders Lee but where does he slot in? 1RW? Plays center in NYI I believe but his size and lefty shot would be nice on that top line.

Why would it have occurred to the Leafs that they needed to focus on improving their defence? They already had the great Jake Gardiner and Zaitsev back there to help Tavares win a Cup and have a big parade just like the Raptors did.

Larry Tanenbaum should fire Shanahan, Dubas and Babcock immediately and install Masai Ujiri as Head Coach and General Manager of the Leafs. Then there is a chance at a Cup.
- RickJ

All is not lost. All those parades the Leafs and their fans have planned over the past half century worked very well for the Raptors yesterday.

Understand what you are saying about Tavares, but skating has never been his #1 asset. He is a hockey player who knows how to play the game with the skill of knowing how to put the puck in the net. He turns 30 shortly and probably has 3 excellent years left. If the Leafs win a Cup, the contract will have been worth it to them.

And dwelling on a player's foot speed alone is a little superficial - ROR, Brayden Schenn, Ovi and a whole bunch of 'slow' defenceman all have been on Cup winning teams in the last couple of years.
- RickJ

If they win a Cup then it was worth the contract.
Ok with that assessment
But i am always concerned about foot skating speed. For the most part older players with large TOI: can they still produce? It is a gamble made

Point producing older players sometimes can hang on still productive when they know how to score and how to play the game. Agreed again But I would rather pay a bit extra and chop off a year.

Just have to be careful. Look at three Blackhawk examples: Toews, Seabrook, Keith. Make it four with recently "retired" Hossa
.

The Trouba deal with the Rangers is ridiculous.

Having said that it seems like every team is looking for defenders. It will be a sellers market. The price for the top pairing defenders will be crazy high (although I guess no one told Cheveldayoff). It will still be very high for 2nd pairing defenders (Maatta). Some GM might even overpay for 3rd pairing defenders that have potential to develop into 2nd pairing defenders. So I am ok with Bowman stock piling defenders at the NHL, AHL, Juniors levels and maybe Byram in this years draft. The hope is that some team in desperation will overpay for a defensemen currently under the Blackhawks control. And if they are willing to seriously overpay for any defensemen under the Hawks control I am ok with Stan making the move.

Tyler, Capfreindly is reporting Karlsson's AAV is $11.5M making the 8 year deal worth $92M - not $88M - so 8-year/$92M deal.

With Trouba being off the market (had a pipe dream we’d trade for him), now hoping we draft Byram. Would love to have a stud on the backend but now it looks like we’ll take a C according to reports.

That said, if we do take Cozens or Turcotte, what does that say about Strome as our #2C? Will he be shifted to wing or is this a move for the future where Cozens/Turcotte are #1C and Strome is #2C?

All is not lost. All those parades the Leafs and their fans have planned over the past half century worked very well for the Raptors yesterday.
- paulr

Did they plan the shootings?

2 things about Maata deal was voiding the NTC clause, only 3 d can be protected for exp draft that is really tough.

http://www.thepointofpitt...en-really-good-this-year/

I hope the separated shoulder really slowed him down this year for april and the playoffs which would make sense.

one of big things people are saying about pending UFA's is the want NMC so giving one to a D man would be very tough. forwards with 7 gives you more room.

With Trouba being off the market (had a pipe dream we’d trade for him), now hoping we draft Byram. Would love to have a stud on the backend but now it looks like we’ll take a C according to reports.

That said, if we do take Cozens or Turcotte, what does that say about Strome as our #2C? Will he be shifted to wing or is this a move for the future where Cozens/Turcotte are #1C and Strome is #2C?
- Popsghostly

If they draft a center, then expect him to play in minors for a year. Then they will bring him up and he will play #3 center (Anisimov is gone). I don't think they move strome.

The plan would be for him to take over for Toews in 3 years.

With Trouba being off the market (had a pipe dream we’d trade for him), now hoping we draft Byram. Would love to have a stud on the backend but now it looks like we’ll take a C according to reports.

That said, if we do take Cozens or Turcotte, what does that say about Strome as our #2C? Will he be shifted to wing or is this a move for the future where Cozens/Turcotte are #1C and Strome is #2C?
- Popsghostly

I think I read on here or somewhere else that one of the knocks on Cozens is that he may be more of a winger in the NHL rather than a center. Which I'd still be fine with.

With you here too Rick. Your post made me sad because it got me thinking about Big Hoss. There was a guy who could have easily fit into defeating Father Time category.

I know you agree -- without 81, Hawks don't win 3 CUPS. IMO, out of everyone, that is the guy they are really missing. Phenomenal 200' player, strong as 2 bulls with great skating to boot. Plus, a pro's pro, showed many a young-Hawk how the game should be played.

One of those guys that could play into his 40's and still contribute.
- savvyone-1

No doubt about it Savvy, Hoss would have been one of the few forwards that could have played well into his 40's. Must be something with Slovakian cooking that kept him and Chara going.

Best story I heard Scotty Bowman tell was about the 2013 SC Final vs Boston. He said Hoss was so banged up he could hardly walk and he kept telling Q he was of no help to the team if he dressed for games. Scotty loves Hoss and spoke to him directly and said we don't need goals from you just give us what you can in the DZone to help get the puck out. So he sucked it up dressed for most of the games.

And then a year or 2 later this board was full of criticism about his powder puff shot and he was washed up when he was having trouble scoring goals.

Hoss is an all timer in Blackhawks lore - right there with Mikita, Hull, Pilote, and the current crew of Keith, Toews and Kane.

With Trouba being off the market (had a pipe dream we’d trade for him), now hoping we draft Byram. Would love to have a stud on the backend but now it looks like we’ll take a C according to reports.

That said, if we do take Cozens or Turcotte, what does that say about Strome as our #2C? Will he be shifted to wing or is this a move for the future where Cozens/Turcotte are #1C and Strome is #2C?
- Popsghostly

My thought exactly. Does this mean that the organization is still skeptical that Strome id their #2 and can bring that consistent production?

With you here too Rick. Your post made me sad because it got me thinking about Big Hoss. There was a guy who could have easily fit into defeating Father Time category.

I know you agree -- without 81, Hawks don't win 3 CUPS. IMO, out of everyone, that is the guy they are really missing. Phenomenal 200' player, strong as 2 bulls with great skating to boot. Plus, a pro's pro, showed many a young-Hawk how the game should be played.

One of those guys that could play into his 40's and still contribute.
- savvyone-1

Totally agree here. We sign Hossa, we win the cup and 2 more. Really evident how much he enhanced Toews, Saad and even Panik’s game. Is there an equivalent in the league now, a workhorse 2-way player like Hoss? That’s who we (and every team needs).

That said, if we do take Cozens or Turcotte, what does that say about Strome as our #2C? Will he be shifted to wing or is this a move for the future where Cozens/Turcotte are #1C and Strome is #2C?
- Popsghostly

Good question. I would assume Cozens/Turcotte plays a season in Rockford as the #1 center. Then, he comes up as the #3 center assuming the Hawks have 3 scoring lines at that point. He would be groomed to be the #1 at some point though.

My thought exactly. Does this mean that the organization is still skeptical that Strome id their #2 and can bring that consistent production?
- nickmo2699

Taking BPA has nothing to do with current team makeup. It’s simply choosing BPA.

I think I read on here or somewhere else that one of the knocks on Cozens is that he may be more of a winger in the NHL rather than a center. Which I'd still be fine with.
- teh_HAWKZ

I heard this as well and that was why Button dropped him in his rankings. The fact that teams didnt know what he would be best at pushes them to pick sure thing C's in place of him. I really think Stan is playing games. I think Byram is their pick and he is floating out interest in other options to see what buttons he can press to see who is desperate to move up.