My point is Bowman hasn't signed Strome so why are you getting your shorts in a knot?

How do you know Bowman could have signed Bickell more cheaply?

If Bickell doesn't have MS I'd think it would be safe to assume he continues to be the "beast of the 2013 playoffs" or possibly even better in which case it ws a great deal.
- paulr

Fair point....I just responding to a hypothetical scenario.....I just don't value Strome anywhere close to 7.5 or 7 AAV as of right now.

I read an article in 2013 that the Bickell camp reached out to Bowman in mid part of the season to start talking deal, and the Hawks chose to wait. Bickell was the only IN HOUSE guy at the time with the skill, size, and decent speed to be a top 6 player.

What people on this blog confuse at times, is I don't hate the player, but I sometimes do hate their deals because it limits the Hawks LT their ability to be flexible...

When the championship window is wide open like it was in 2016, I have no issues with Bowman going "all in"....yeah it sucks they lost Danault and I recall people having trantrums on here because he had to give THE Marko Dano to get Ladd, but I want my GM being aggressive to give his coaches and players the best chance to succeed.

People can chastise Columbus all day....their GM put all his chips in the middle and took out the best regular season team....with ease and took Boston to 6. They were very close to making the Cup final as they would have waxed Carolina IMO.

As somebody else stated, I see this as a huge turning point for the Toews/kane/Seabrook/Keith/Crawford era. Bowman plays his cards right and adds what ails this team, and they are back in the conversation for making a run in the spring while the above 5 are still somewhat (seabrook, and possibly Keith) still valuable contributors.

They add a #4/#5 D man, a top 6 winger, and a veteran to stabilize what I assume will be an influx of speedy young kids on the bottom 6......this team can win 16 games in the spring baring any major injuries to 19/88/12/50/2

Sportsnet anoints Kaner a Generational Talent

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...t-15-first-overall-picks/
- EnzoD

No question....and here comes the guy who hates him and will point to his crap D zone coverage.

Please......kane not only has a HUGE desire to win, but also his remarkable ability to get better.....truly amazing, and props to him for taking some of the young USA kids at the worlds under his wing.

He should be wearing an A next season......but sadly wont' be.

The Hayes deal could actually work for us. Since many of the teams in cap hell have high level talent to sign better than Hayes, it’s just plain common sense that these higher profile players are going to want more. That being the case, cap hell teams are going to have to make hard decisions.

Let the fleecing begin.
- gifman

If Toronto, gives Marner 90 million, as I read...….I will cry laughing.

What an organization...the yankees of hockey without the major, and most important factor...….championships in the modern era. Save me from the original 6 days.

Wait until Babcock gets fired when the bomb again in the spring....

No way Strome only gets $5MM. If he scores more than 20 and is at least close to 50% at the dot he's in Hayes territory.

Perhaps all the more reason to draft a center. Leverage.
- Return of the Roar

Just a note about Debrincat and Strome - guys like Hayes are not their comparables. If you go by arbitration rules, player comparables are based on age, games played, and production first with contract status (is it 2nd, 3rd), additional metrics / arguments added secondary.

For this reason, Debrincat and Strome's comps will be young guys coming off their ELC in the 21-24 range. Debrincat is currently in the Monahan/Gaudreau/Pastrnak comp, though if he has another monster year there are arguments that he should be in the Tarasenko range. Strome is a little harder because his games played is low compared to his age and PPG. If he can at least maintain a .6-.65 PPG, his comps would be guys like Wheeler/Saad/Scheifele/Larkin.

... and hopefully Chad Krys isn't reading this message board. He'd feel real left out.
- Tyler Cameron

Let's hope that none of the Hawks or their prospects are reading this board. Period.

Bickell deal wasn't bad?

So you are OK if Bowman signs Strome for 7.5-8 AAV?
- SteveRain

$4M/4yrs was a reasonable deal for a power forward who just had a monster playoff performance. Other teams were rumored to be interested in him, and the Hawks had no other comparable player on the roster. It wasn’t a bad deal. How was anyone going to predict that Bickell was going to become afflicted later? And... you don’t just wake up with that... it was probably affecting Bickell years in advance of his diagnosis.

With the cap now projected to be in the 81.5-82 range, I don't think you see Anisimov moved very easily, and if you do, it won't be for picks only.
- Larmer

It might be easier to move AA than you think and the return may surprise us. This is silly season. Wait to you see the players signed for $4.5 mil. A #cv that plays 70 games and scores about 15 goals and 40 points, semi responsible defensively, can play in front of the net on the PP.

But even if you move him for only picks you also gain cap space, and that is really important.

To me it seems a little to quiet today I thought there would be more activity maybe because of the looming news the cap might not go up as much as expected.
- Scott1977

The NHL is still figuring out the salary cap. I read that it won’t be announced till Saturday. Seriously how hard is it to come up with a number. Also, it apparently is going to less then 82 mil. Haha Bettman is such a douche.

No question....and here comes the guy who hates him and will point to his crap D zone coverage.

Please......kane not only has a HUGE desire to win, but also his remarkable ability to get better.....truly amazing, and props to him for taking some of the young USA kids at the worlds under his wing.

He should be wearing an A next season......but sadly wont' be.
- SteveRain

Kane has improved his 200’ game quite a lot from his early years. And... anyone picking out one shift and being hypercritical of his play needs to keep in mind that he’s been double- or triple-shifting - it’s bound to hit you during a game.

Just a note about Debrincat and Strome - guys like Hayes are not their comparables. If you go by arbitration rules, player comparables are based on age, games played, and production first with contract status (is it 2nd, 3rd), additional metrics / arguments added secondary.

For this reason, Debrincat and Strome's comps will be young guys coming off their ELC in the 21-24 range. Debrincat is currently in the Monahan/Gaudreau/Pastrnak comp, though if he has another monster year there are arguments that he should be in the Tarasenko range. Strome is a little harder because his games played is low compared to his age and PPG. If he can at least maintain a .6-.65 PPG, his comps would be guys like Wheeler/Saad/Scheifele/Larkin.
- L_B_R

Hawks would be best suited to wait until the season is over....

16 pts in 48 games with Arizona
51 pts in 58 games with the Hawks

Which player is he?

Kane has improved his 200’ game quite a lot from his early years. And... anyone picking out one shift and being hypercritical of his play needs to keep in mind that he’s been double- or triple-shifting - it’s bound to hit you during a game.
- Chief4Feathers

I agree and can I join you on the river you reside in?

That is a priceless bio....well done.

...and to add to the confusion, Sam Cosentino selects Trevor Zegras for us...

https://www.sportsnet.ca/...ng-turbulent-first-round/

https://twitter.com/Mitch...4s69mzaevfhq1j6u7jl57kqd0

The NHL is still figuring out the salary cap. I read that it won’t be announced till Saturday. Seriously how hard is it to come up with a number. Also, it apparently is going to less then 82 mil. Haha Bettman is such a douche.
- gifman

I agree. One of the most strategically important pieces of information a GM has to consider for the construction of their roster should be available at a reasonable time in advance of the draft. While most understand it is going to land within a certain range ($82M - $83M), this amount should be locked in before the draft so GMs can accurately plan accordingly.

Perry is done. Could barely keep up with an AHL pace this past year. Not to mention he is a (frank)ing scumbag. 30 games played and -16 with only 10 points. He was bought out for a good reason...hard pass.
- EnzoD

I can't argue with the scumbag part. But some would call it a mean/nasty streak which some would say the Hawks could use more of.

He only played 31 games last year coming back from MCL knee surgery. A full summer of rehabbing and a new team could make a huge difference.

The previous 3 years he was 54 point guy with a plus minus of -0- playing on a bad offensive club most of the time.

Can't wait for some GM to give Duchene 10M.

Hawks would be best suited to wait until the season is over....

16 pts in 48 games with Arizona
51 pts in 58 games with the Hawks

Which player is he?
- SteveRain

It's a gamble either way. If ADB puts up huge numbers it's very likely Strome is involved with that and by season's end could be worth more than he is offered now. On the flip side Strome may not put up the numbers or demonstrate the level of play to warrant the contract he signs now. Not sure when the best time to sign him is?

Can't wait for some GM to give Duchene 10M.
- Elbows15

Yeah, no poop.

The only microscopic silver lining in the Hayes deal is that Fletcher didn’t hand out a NMC/NTC along with it.

Hawks would be best suited to wait until the season is over....

16 pts in 48 games with Arizona
51 pts in 58 games with the Hawks

Which player is he?
- SteveRain

My bet? He is going to be closer to guy he was with the Hawks. And I hated that trade. What he did with the Yotes is irrelevant. He was used so poorly.

If the Hawks can lock him up right on a 3 year deal at 4.5-6M AAV, I would do that all day long.

Yeah, no poop.

The only microscopic silver lining in the Hayes deal is that Fletcher didn’t hand out a NMC/NTC along with it.
- Chief4Feathers

The contract itself is a NMC.

The contract itself is a NMC.
- Elbows15

I can’t argue with that - it blows.

Can't wait for some GM to give Duchene 10M.
- Elbows15

Duchene is what I imagine Alex Turcotte's production/impact will be in the NHL...similar stature

It's a gamble either way. If ADB puts up huge numbers it's very likely Strome is involved with that and by season's end could be worth more than he is offered now. On the flip side Strome may not put up the numbers or demonstrate the level of play to warrant the contract he signs now. Not sure when the best time to sign him is?
- paulr

I think the Hawks have a very motivated Strome on their hands. He will put the work in to try to improve.

He should. Even if hes lying. He should. Bait the gm's.
- Logan Reilly

I hear Stan is a Master Baiter.

Can't wait for some GM to give Duchene 10M.
- Elbows15

Or Pavelski

Especially after Hayes hits for 7.14

Say it again......no issue with 88s deal. 19 produces all over like he did last year and he's fine as well.