The spotlight on Thibeault is a good call, Cameron; thanks for reviewing his time in the league (not just for the Blackhawks).

I do not aim to steal any ideas you might have, Cameron. However the goaltender review got me thinking how Chicago has always had pretty good goaltending going as far back as Bannerman. The exception would be Hurt. He could be good but his unorthodox style coupled with soft goals caused him much derision on hockey boards.

I am throwing this out for others to respond:

Rate the goaltenders beginning with Bannerman as to whom was best to worse. Is Crawford the best. Niemi is considered only for his brief tenure here not his career overall.
- jhawk59

Greg Millen has to be #1. No doubt in my mind.

Greg Millen has to be #1. No doubt in my mind.
- Ogilthorpe2

My only memory of Millen on the Hawks was that he almost never played. I believe he was a throw-in to the Goulet trade from Quebec after spending his best years in STL.

Late in the season I was in STL to watch the Blues/Hawks for game 1 of a home and home weekend with the both teams fighting for 1st place. The next nights game was 3/17/1991 (the infamous St. Pat's line brawl).

Between periods I was confronted in the restroom by a very intoxicated Blues fan and asked why Keenan wasn't playing Millen?

Trying to avoid a confrontation, I had to calmly explain to the rube that although I was a Hawks fan, I wasn't actively involved in roster decisions and he would have to pose his question to Mike Keenan. He seem satisfied with my response.

Looks like you can scratch Chelios off the list for a front office job. He's happy being an ambassador and doesn't want to add to his workload.

https://www.secondcityhoc...s-not-interested-nhl-2020

How in the world is the NHL going to survive this? Without fans and a sub par TV contract where does the revenue come from to keep this league afloat?
- TJYTJY

Is Seattle having second thoughts? Probably not, probably won't even lose a franchise. In business for over 100 years...

Instead of compliance buy outs what if they allow 2 contracts to not count against the teams salary cap? The beginning of cracking the hard cap.

Instead of compliance buy outs what if they allow 2 contracts to not count against the teams salary cap? The beginning of cracking the hard cap.
- BetweenTheDots

I saw this mentioned on a different site somewhere. I think an agent proposed that the the highest salary on the team not count against the cap.

Instead of compliance buy outs what if they allow 2 contracts to not count against the teams salary cap? The beginning of cracking the hard cap.
- BetweenTheDots

It’s not the cap that’s an issue: it’s the CBA-mandated 50/50 split of HRR between the owners and players.

If one or two “hits” wind up not counting against the cap, unless they renegotiate the split, all that would do would be to increase the escrow moneys returned to the owners - meaning the rest players would wind up subsidizing the pay for the players not being charged to the cap.

At least - that’s how I understand it.

MAILBAG TOMORROW?

Hey everyone, I would love to mix it up with a mailbag edition tomorrow if I have enough questions.

Anyone have anything they want to ask about hockey? life in Canada? My book? Fun stories you want to share?


--

DM me!

Listened to Elliote Friedman this morning:

Owners do not want to have compliance buyouts, as their regular businesses are suffering from the pandemic, and they do not feel like just throwing more extra money at their hockey teams by paying for players to go away.

Looks like looking at a 24 team playoff and no finish to regular season because of timing. The NHL and the NHLPA have agreed to a 45-55 day pause between the end of the playoffs and the beginning of the new season that the NHL would like to start Dec. 1,

The reason why Bettman is pushing for a draft in June (although there is no strong sentiment either way by the owners), is like the players, scouts contracts also run July1-June 30, and you are going to see a big reduction in scouting staffs as there will be nothing to scout (except for Europe). With no AHL, USHL, Canadian juniors and college not going to be playing, no need to have scouts on the payroll.

Looks like you can scratch Chelios off the list for a front office job. He's happy being an ambassador and doesn't want to add to his workload.

https://www.secondcityhoc...s-not-interested-nhl-2020
- boilermaker100

Yeah, just saw this. Am kind of glad. Chelios had some front office experience but not enough where I’d feel good about him taking over either GM or President.

Idk that I’ve really seen a name with former or present Hawk ties I like. On Second City there were a couple from outside the org they mentioned I found interesting in Ron Hextall and Darren Yorke, who is the current director of CAR Player Personnel and has been in charge of the team’s amateur scouting and draft.

Whoever it is just like the draft but, BEA (Exec) instead of BPA.

Greg Millen has to be #1. No doubt in my mind.
- Ogilthorpe2

I thought Darren Pang was #1...

Looks like you can scratch Chelios off the list for a front office job. He's happy being an ambassador and doesn't want to add to his workload.

https://www.secondcityhoc...s-not-interested-nhl-2020
- boilermaker100

I'm a big Chelios fan, but I'm happy to hear this. I'm fine with having a "hockey guy" take over the spot, but I personally want someone with some significant experience and success. Who knows what the new structure will be, but I'm not interested in nostalgia hires unless they have some sort of track record.

It’s not the cap that’s an issue: it’s the CBA-mandated 50/50 split of HRR between the owners and players.

If one or two “hits” wind up not counting against the cap, unless they renegotiate the split, all that would do would be to increase the escrow moneys returned to the owners - meaning the rest players would wind up subsidizing the pay for the players not being charged to the cap.

At least - that’s how I understand it.
- StLBravesFan

Well that would suck and i imagine nhlpa will not go for it

Do wonder if this will be a sticky part of the negotiating in the next cba.

I'm a big Chelios fan, but I'm happy to hear this. I'm fine with having a "hockey guy" take over the spot, but I personally want someone with some significant experience and success. Who knows what the new structure will be, but I'm not interested in nostalgia hires unless they have some sort of track record.
- Chunk

I have to admit the trade of Chelios was the day i decided i just couldn't follow a team owned by Bill Wirtz

I have to admit the trade of Chelios was the day i decided i just couldn't follow a team owned by Bill Wirtz
- BetweenTheDots

I'm with you. Roenick for Zhamnov was the final nail in the coffin for me. That trade was so horribly one sided.

I'm with you. Roenick for Zhamnov was the final nail in the coffin for me. That trade was so horribly one sided.
- Chunk

Nothing compares with Esposito and Hodge for Pit Martin and Giles Marrotte. There were two others involved. I lost faith when William Wirtz let Bobby Hull go because he wouldn't pay him $250k a year. Hull always has said they had a handshake deal.

Nothing compares with Esposito and Hodge for Pit Martin and Giles Marrotte. There were two others involved. I lost faith when William Wirtz let Bobby Hull go because he wouldn't pay him $250k a year. Hull always has said they had a handshake deal.
- rpeters01

I'm sure, but I wasn't even a fetus then. I was just referring to things I actually encountered/remember.

MAILBAG TOMORROW?

Hey everyone, I would love to mix it up with a mailbag edition tomorrow if I have enough questions.

Anyone have anything they want to ask about hockey? life in Canada? My book? Fun stories you want to share?


--

DM me!
- Tyler Cameron

Nothing?

Cool...coool..cool... coool.

Nothing?

Cool...coool..cool... coool.
- Tyler Cameron

You said DM...

I'll bite. What was the most difficult part of writing your book?

Nothing?

Cool...coool..cool... coool.
- Tyler Cameron

How about some Draft disagreeing ,that could be upon us in less then a Month .

How about some Draft disagreeing ,that could be upon us in less then a Month .
- oldduffman

Duffy, I'm surprised you didn't jump all over Tyler's mention of Thibault being drafted 10th overall in the 1993 draft. I recall there's a certain goalie you covet at the 9th spot this year...

Nothing?

Cool...coool..cool... coool.
- Tyler Cameron

How about if the Hawks have to downsize the front office, (due to no games to scout, significantly decreased revenues) who would be the first casualties?

Duffy, I'm surprised you didn't jump all over Tyler's mention of Thibault being drafted 10th overall in the 1993 draft. I recall there's a certain goalie you covet at the 9th spot this year...
- AEL_Fox

Yes I noticed that. He is a good example of a goalie who went high ,and had a more then solid career . Think I have more then made my opinion clear on the subject . Like to here others ,and there are so many good prospects out there to choose from .

Looks like you can scratch Chelios off the list for a front office job. He's happy being an ambassador and doesn't want to add to his workload.

https://www.secondcityhoc...s-not-interested-nhl-2020
- boilermaker100

How may times have we heard in sports someone saying one thing, and hours/days later the exact opposite happens? It just happened with McD. So what if Chelly says he doesn't want it, probably more reason to think he is leading the pack.

Nothing compares with Esposito and Hodge for Pit Martin and Giles Marrotte. There were two others involved. I lost faith when William Wirtz let Bobby Hull go because he wouldn't pay him $250k a year. Hull always has said they had a handshake deal.
- rpeters01

Fred Stanfield and Jack Norris.

Stanfield was pretty (frank)ing good player in his own right. Put up 667 points in 914 games.