I think you’re consistently one of the best posters on this site, I respect your opinion, and agree with your points of view frequently...this just happens to be one of those times where I disagree. I think many people undervalue what AA brought, and overvalue those few categories in which Smith is better. If Dach isn’t a Calder candidate next season and/or if Toews or Strome miss significant time to injuries I think it could be a long season.
- Ogilthorpe2

Fair enough. Ultimately we both want our Hawks to succeed regardless of the moves we agree with or disagree with at the time they were made. The good news is that my enfeebled brain won't remember what I said and when I said it, let alone what others said, so all these differences of opinion will be long forgotten and irrelevant in about ... oh ... 24 hours?

Are you happy about that?
- mohel

Happy the Hawks drafted Kirby Dach, implied by the Kirby gif. Somebody check on Z3Hawk.

Half the issue is that the off season is boring and we have no actual games to argue about.

Fall will come and everyone will go back to bashing Gus and worrying that Stan Bowman will resign him.
- breadbag

I must say, this is about as un-boring of an off season as I can remember. Starting with the lottery and 2 months of the Turcotte/Byram/Cozens/Dach merry-go-round followed by Stan turning over almost half the team. The angst level is considerably lower than some of the past off seasons, probably because Stan isn't playing defense when it seems like every other GM is playing offense. That may the reason it seems more boring than it actually is ... if that makes sense.

People need to stop stressing about this.

Take a longer term view of things, because while the team may be better on paper, and may not be done with deals yet this off season, once you accept they aren't going to win the cup next season

They also have a new CBA to get through.

And the expansion draft.

And re-signing ADB and Strome.

And developing the future defensive group.

None of these things are going to happen this year, so they are doing the best with what they have to work with cap and contract wise to be better than last year. A reasonable and achievable goal.

So they lost AA and Joki. Would keeping them win them a Cup this year? No.

This year's team is an all in just to make the playoffs to recapture some public relevance, and most importantly setting themselves up to be more flexible with shorter term deals until then, as the real rebuild takes shape over the next two years.

Patience.
- Return of the Roar

I’m not sure they sign him at this point. They may see what they can get in trade for his rights. If they do sign him I’d say one year at the league minimum!

He’s really stuck, Bowman just needs to not do something stupid like overpaying when he holds all the cards!
- walleyeb1

Actually if you look back what's been happening guys like Perlini have been signing for $2.3-2.8 this last week. The board has been saying $1.5.

Scares me how rational this is
- Ogilthorpe2

This. I hope

I think most would consider the Esposito trade to Boston as a far worse trade made by the 'Hawks.

Esposito, Hodge, Stanfield for Martin, Marotte, Norris.

Arguably the worst hockey trade ever.
- Schlep

Consider/

This crap was THE WORST 0- they could have asked for Bernie Parent or Doug Favell...

Consider/

This crap was THE WORST 0- they could have asked for Bernie Parent or Doug Favell...
- wiz1901

Jack Norris did stop this penalty shot. I was at this game and my dad said Shakey (Walton's nickname) was going to miss.

https://www.bing.com/vide...5165EC3A0AFAF65&FORM=VIRE

Actually if you look back what's been happening guys like Perlini have been signing for $2.3-2.8 this last week. The board has been saying $1.5.
- rpeters01

I’d let him sit out the season before I gave him that kind of money!

Know I’m in the minority with this, but I like the trade. Glad to see AA move on and think everyone will like Smith once they watch him play. Smith and Shaw on the checking line with Kubalik would be tough yo play against, although I haven’t actually seen Kuba play yet.
My bottom 6:
Kubalik/Smith/Shaw
Caggs/Carpenter/Kampf
- Assman22

Not altogether certain that you represent a minority opinion.

I honestly don't understand this mind set, if he knows how to play the game of hockey, and he's talented and tough enough to do it, let him play, if he's a top talent center playing 3rd line center advantage Blackhawks. There are players that need to be nurtured along and there are players who can be thrown into the fire, all of them don't have to be coddled along and i hope Dach is one of those players.

I wonder if Hughes and Kakko will be playing in the minors?
- BetweenTheDots

I hope you are right. If Dach is considered ready and willing to play center right away in the NHL, no problem by me. The entire lineup has so many scenarios that could play out and Dach playing center is one of them.

But if he's not ready yet to play center but is still worthy to be in the starting lineup, then wing is where he will be.

In addition to some praise for Dach, there was this from today,

Mario Tirabassi

@Mario_Tirabassi
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Follow @Mario_Tirabassi

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Bowman singled out players like Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, and Alex Nylander as guys who stand out and look ahead of the curve in camp so far this week.
#Blackhawks #NHL

Chances are the "other" goalie is going to play a lot of games, even if Crawford stays off IR the entire season. I would rather have Lehner play those 30 or 40 or more games than Delia and I suspect you would too. I suspect the difference of opinion between us is that I put more weight on having the delta of Lehner versus Delia for 60 minutes per game over 30 or 40 games than the delta between Anisimov versus Smith for 16 minutes per game for 82 games.

Maybe at some point Delia will prove to be as good as Lehner but that point has not yet been reached. Given Crawford's recent injury history I think the priority to have the best #2 goalie possible is much more important than having Anisimov on the team.
- EbonyRaptor

Lehner #1a
Crow #1b
Is how they will call it and "a" will play more than "b "

Easy fellas. No inter-posse fighting.
- Ogilthorpe2

That's right! Geez, Mo! Unified front! We have a hive mind...remember that!

That's right! Geez, Mo! Unified front! We have a hive mind...remember that!
- HawkintheD

Sorry, my bad. What is Ogi cooking us for dinner? I'm hangry.

Some quotes from the coach about his new players and the objective he has for the team.

https://www.nhl.com/black...ons-he-wanted/c-308284908

Mood?

People need to stop stressing about this.

Take a longer term view of things, because while the team may be better on paper, and may not be done with deals yet this off season, once you accept they aren't going to win the cup next season

They also have a new CBA to get through.

And the expansion draft.

And re-signing ADB and Strome.

And developing the future defensive group.

None of these things are going to happen this year, so they are doing the best with what they have to work with cap and contract wise to be better than last year. A reasonable and achievable goal.

So they lost AA and Joki. Would keeping them win them a Cup this year? No.

This year's team is an all in just to make the playoffs to recapture some public relevance, and most importantly setting themselves up to be more flexible with shorter term deals until then, as the real rebuild takes shape over the next two years.

Patience.
- Return of the Roar

Your sounding like a Debbie Downer


Until training camp,starts and we get to the end of training camp to evaluate Stans moves and the team.

On paper this team is a lot better.
I do think Chicago will surprise a lot of teams and end up in the West top 3 worst case top 5.

Should Chicago have a miracle season and go deep into the playoffs that's a lot of progress that Stan has made to better this team

Some quotes from the coach about his new players and the objective he has for the team.

https://www.nhl.com/black...ons-he-wanted/c-308284908
- breadbag

Hmm. Sounds like Colliton plans on having his own souped version of a line blender.

Last year the Hawks roster had a few players on their NHL roster that probably should have been classified as journeyman AHL players. This year Rockford could have a few players that could be classified as marginal NHL players. A small, but significant, difference. As a believer that the difference is razor thin between winning and losing in the NHL, the slight upgrade in the bottom 6, the slight upgrade on D, the slight upgrade in goal could be meaningful.

Versteeg is a forgotten man. But I think he would have to be added to the pool of about 12 guys fighting for a few roster spots. (Dach, Kubalik, Wedin, Carpenter, Sikura, Perlini, Entwistle, Highmore, Quennville, Nylander, Kurashev, Saarlea, Smith) Kris had 11 pts in 12 games after joining the Swedish League in February. If he is healthy, even if he does not make the Hawks, he will make training camp, scrimmages and preseason games more interesting. He will not go down without a fight (figuratively and literally).
- -Doh-

I have always liked Versteeg. Up until 2 years ago he was a decent player then encountered injury issues. If he is healthy now and I am certain he will be highly motivated, who knows. He could make things interesting during training camp.

Sorry, my bad. What is Ogi cooking us for dinner? I'm hangry.
- mohel

Chicken Dijon with Basil and Garlic Scape purée with a side of sautéed rapini and wild rice medley.

Chicken Dijon with Basil and Garlic Scape purée with a side of sautéed rapini and wild rice medley.
- Ogilthorpe2

You can get that at McDonald’s?

Actually if you look back what's been happening guys like Perlini have been signing for $2.3-2.8 this last week. The board has been saying $1.5.
- rpeters01

So Stan will sign Perlini for 5 years @ $5 million AAV with a full NMC.

Bowman on Perlini:

“We had some roster things we had to take care of to be in a position to sign him. Negotiations are probably going to pick up as we go forward here. I think you have to be patient with that. I don’t have a timetable on when we’re going to get him signed.

You can get that at McDonald’s?
- DarthKane

No one makes McDonald's like Ogi.