New contract for Josh Anderson in Montreal- 7 x 5.5M
- boilermaker100

Is that after the exchange rate?

Responding to anything that guy posts is an exercise in futility. He knows best about all subjects even if he has no clue what he's talking about.
- GPHawksfan

I assume you mean Taylor? I'm coming around to Ogi's premise that he's a troll.

Hahaha, i hear you. You just never know from week to week, be nice if they don't spot them 7 points to start the game
- BetweenTheDots

More like 10. They were moving the ball before the pick so still hope but not a good start.

Any chance that Crawford enters the market place and finds that the 3.5M he left on the table is more than what is being offered elsewhere?

And then circles back to Bowman?
- 67hawks

Maybe or after not getting Murray, the hawks are targeting someone tomorrow to play with one of the kids...BUT...if the Hawks do let the two kids play, finish in the lottery and the kids are decent...one of them will get selected by the Kraken and that subtraction is over before it starts...

Going with the kids is likely Plan C.

Plan A: re-sign Crawford
Plan B: acquire young goalie
Pan C: go with in-house solution
- DarthKane

Plan D: Acquire a vet without a no-trade clause and Karken availability
Plan E: Acquire a true starter w/o given a no-trade clause and if he falters, Kraken fodder.

Saad + Murphy or Dehan to the Avs for Bryam + pick?


- RedRevenge

You notice Colorado Justin Barron with their first pick?

Any chance that Crawford enters the market place and finds that the 3.5M he left on the table is more than what is being offered elsewhere?

And then circles back to Bowman?
- 67hawks

I'm sure Joe Sakic has taken notice. Cro's the guy that would put the Avs over the top, they've got everything else. But they won't win anything with those 2 Euro stiffs they have between the pipes.

And the Bruins or Canes would be willing to pay too.

I listened to Mark Kelley’s draft recap. I noticed he mentioned that the Dmen that were drafted were more late bloomers and also focused more on the defensive side vs being a puck mover or offensive Dman. Kaiser seems to maybe have a bit more offensive upside, out of MN high school sort of reminds me of Nick Leddy’s back ground a bit.

My question, in a deep draft of forwards with skill, they drafted Dmen in the later rounds. Kelley mentions they are late bloomers and they targeted more defensive Dmen to play along with the current prospects that are more puck movers/carriers. It seems they drafted based on need...as they almost anticipate in 2-3 years most/all of Rockfords prospects will be promoted or move on.

Do you think they really took best player available or does it look like they are filling an organizational need on the draft picks? Looking at Rockfords stats last year I just wish they would have taken a few higher skilled forwards in this draft and maybe a few more Dmen in next years.

How they deal with Strome is going to be very interesting. Hardass Stan only owes him a 10% raise now and he has Danny Wirtz listening in with interest. I think Dylan has a choice - take the raise or sit out the season.
The UFA's are coming tomorrow and there are plenty of them from the non qualified list and other players who need to be moved by cap strapped teams.
- RickJ

The reasomALL these teams released guys was they weren't gonna let an arbitrator compare their mid level players to stats of other guys and let the arbitrator mead out BIG dollars at this juncture.

So the hard ball you see is here for awhile or at least until the beer sales pick back up in the arenas...

Detroit has had the worst record in the league over the combined past 2 seasons, and the best spot they have drafted is #4.
- LAHawk

and they and the other rummies let Perfetti drop to Winnipeg! That was crazy!

Really? Cause Toews and Kane signing for 10.5M each doesn't scream we want to compete to me. Those contracts are a large part of why the demise may have been quicker.
- Elbows15

Sio the are in a competitive sport, and you didn't expect their reps and the Hawks to not play them like top players in the league.

Looo around what the younger guys on non playoff team are getting earlier than when the Kane / Toews duo got the big deal.

More like 10. They were moving the ball before the pick so still hope but not a good start.
- HawkintheD

They should either sign him or trade him, 3 int jump balls in 3 weeks, (frank)ing brutal

I'm sure Joe Sakic has taken notice. Cro's the guy that would put the Avs over the top, they've got everything else. But they won't win anything with those 2 Euro stiffs they have between the pipes.

And the Bruins or Canes would be willing to pay too.
- RickJ

Crawford may not get the accolades from the media or other fan bases, but other GM’s know his value. I hope he does sign with a contender and takes them all the way.

They should either sign him or trade him, 3 int jump balls in 3 weeks, (frank)ing brutal
- BetweenTheDots

LOL! I still think sign him but that's a fair point, especially since contested throws was supposed to be one of A-Rob's strengths. I like Mooney and Johnson from the current draft.

That seems really high to me. Has had both knee and shoulder injuries, and was not producing much last year before he went down. Granted, I don't really follow him much, but it sounds like something Stan would have done 2 years ago.
- Chunk

Just when I thought Montreal was doing some good things. That seems way to high and too long

LOL! I still think sign him but that's a fair point, especially since contested throws was supposed to be one of A-Rob's strengths. I like Mooney and Johnson from the current draft.
- HawkintheD

Hope your still watching, how quickly things can change

You cannot say with 100% certainty that Bowman moving on from Crawford "will be the most questionable moves he had made"

In the overall picture it is too early to say that
In the overall picture you do not yet know the dollar and cap constraints Bowman is working under. Not until Rocky or Stan says, or we learn by how things turn out.

If the team is going to feature a lot of youth and keeps trying to bring in more youth (even a tad earlier than some kids may be ready), then Crawford here is not likely going to equate = playoffs

Additionally Bowman may want to give the Rockford goaltenders more playing time than Crawford would like....too bad for Crawford.....Stan may be itching to determine which goaltender he feels is better as a back up in the next couple or so years ahead. Cheaper withput Crawford to find out now
- jhawk59[next season]. After all, Stan probably wants to keep the door open whom is the veteran netminder so that he (Bowman) can save even more money by switching out with a less expensive veteran the year after next.

The rub here is that Crawford is the most expensive goalie to have as #1. Bowman did not want to give him two years anyway (I bet).

I do not believe the road to the playoffs next season will not be as easy. Therefore Crawford isn't necessary if he won't take a discount. Better to bring in a less expensive veteran and mix with the Rockford guys in net.

I think what you are saying is sound, and could be quite right in the long run. I was venting a bit, but I do believe that Crawford has a permanent place in Hawks' history.

I am like everyone else here. I want the Hawks to do well and win more Cups. They have a long road ahead of them regardless.

Hope your still watching, how quickly things can change
- BetweenTheDots

Work smart not hard. The offense showed up for about 5 minutes in the first half.

Down 2 but better than being down 13 like earlier. They can do this! (I hope)

I listened to Mark Kelley’s draft recap. I noticed he mentioned that the Dmen that were drafted were more late bloomers and also focused more on the defensive side vs being a puck mover or offensive Dman. Kaiser seems to maybe have a bit more offensive upside, out of MN high school sort of reminds me of Nick Leddy’s back ground a bit.

My question, in a deep draft of forwards with skill, they drafted Dmen in the later rounds. Kelley mentions they are late bloomers and they targeted more defensive Dmen to play along with the current prospects that are more puck movers/carriers. It seems they drafted based on need...as they almost anticipate in 2-3 years most/all of Rockfords prospects will be promoted or move on.

Do you think they really took best player available or does it look like they are filling an organizational need on the draft picks? Looking at Rockfords stats last year I just wish they would have taken a few higher skilled forwards in this draft and maybe a few more Dmen in next years.
- DrewDawg

I'll take this one

I think the Hawks were disappointed they couldn't move up to get Askarov, but I think they were more disappointed they could get Dylan Holloway.
But. in the draft you move on...
Lukas Reichel: I really wasn't able to see many fi=ull game highlight from the German league, but I do have recorded dvd of all the German teams nternational games. Reichel only played with JJ Peterka and Stützle a little but that was much rarer case than Reichel ended up with his own line to carry.
I won't repeat throwing up those lengthly profiles, but there was a conversation about he was Tuevo-like, still slight but a generator.
His next two years of on the job training in the German pro league with see a bigger stronger guy emerging.
Reichel seems a bit of an undisciplined attacj=ker who end up nearer to the other two forwards because he wants to make the play.
He has played all three forward positions. He has a low panic point in his possessions. He is a set up guy at this point. I saw lots of comments today about a middle six high water mark, but I think that it is far too early to determine ANY place on a NHL team right now, that is the fan's worst enemy, early press clipping.
Now this is me talking: I have no way of knowing what Kelley thinks or projects really. but I know what I am getting with defenseman Braden Schneider, and apparently the Rangers thought the same when they traded up, (and the luck of picking first let's them gamble a bit here too...), so that Hawk philosophy of finding bigger defensive defenders later in the draft, selecting Schneider takes care of that.
(Other side-you take Schneider here and guess who plays in a year or two and isn't interested in a bridge deal, right?)
If you really are taking the best player available, maybe want watch this one play out with both Schneider and Dawson Mercer.
You better think that Reichel's over all jump negates the ability Mercer has on zone entries. I'll say no more because non of us can judge until five years or som down the pike.

After hearing about that Hawks/we take the best player available philosophy, I think my eyes role in the second too.
I think they were disappointed that Samuel Colangelo wasn't there, but I think they knew he was going off the board, and probably weren't going to offer both #46 and 78l because morehan likely a goalie run might come (two beside Commesso, nor really a run, but when you haven't been fortunate in drafting and developing them, you don't want to go hit or miss I the mid-rounds, I guess.) Is Drew Commesso gonna grow bigger? Id he from a big tall family, because you just took a guys smaller than Crawford, and believe me Crow was much highly thought in the QMJHL of when he came out.
So I guess I thought that the class of skaters was thinning by slot #46, but if you wanted BIG, jack Finley was there, and Tampa was willing to trade up, right?
and maybe it was early for tough guy Will Cuylle ? He has a shot.
I just think I had Drew going between 41-59 and dropped him as the draft got closer.

I thought Landon Slaggert and Wyatt Kaiser were solid picks where they went off the board. Slaggert was a solid third rounder and I had him in the going off in the late 90's slots, because everyone knows he is going to school where his father is an assistant, and that college route might have had NHL teams looking at bigger Euros around them who they don't have to worry about going the uFA route after 4 college years...

He has a good cycle game against the boards and will be a better player when he gets bigger and stronger. From J. Zucker to TJ Compher, the USA program has been great at developing all around players who never forgot what the best play is. The USA kid all have high hockey IQ sound decision making instincts and good all-around toolbox and skill.

I had Wyatt Kaiser ranked in the 75-80 range on my board. I think he is a really good skater, and at this point isn't outstanding in any areas as a high school, but he is going to a terrific program in Minn-Duluth... his skating and balance are his bread and butter now, and he has really good upside and value for the Blackhawks too.

These were excellent picks at the end of the third, not in anyway reaches, very safe raffle tickets as possible future pros.

I saw a little of Michael Krutil but I am gonna reserve judgement until he progresses and we see how he fits over here.

I don't think defenseman Isaak Phillips is through growing. He is a solid skater, with some grit and finesse and his star is on the rise. He was playing behind some good older defenders there.



Chad Yetman from Erie is 5’ 11” 178 lbs. and scored more 43 goals than assists (31),having 74 points in 61 games. He is also on an upward trajectory although I hardly noticed him when watching but I am not Mark Kelley...

I simply love that Habs Bergevin let the Hawks trade for the pick.

Before day one of the draft, I was reminiscing with an old friend how when we saw the draft many moons ago included a big 6 ' 8" defenseman and we said, "What if he can skate? And Zdeno Chára could.
What if this kid can?
Louis Crevier Chicoutimi. 6’ 8” 209lbs.
At 6'8, Crevier can stand a few feet from you and still poke check the puck and prevent plays with ease. He's an "unnatural" presence on the ice; players think they've escaped his grip, but they often haven't moved far and quickly enough. He's a decent skater for his size. He recognizes assignments and anticipates passes reasonably well in the defensive zone.

I am gonna watch close now...

Oh, I am going start filling in the profiles for 202, so Corey and Wheeler can copying them
https://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2021/

Well, this might put the nail in the coffin of Darling returning to Chicago:

The news that Corey Crawford's tenure as the Chicago Blackhawks goaltender hit Scott Darling like a ton of bricks.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God. Did that really happen?' " Darling said in a phone interview Thursday night, six hours after GM Stan Bowman announced that the Hawks will not re-sign Crawford next season.

Still a Hawks fan to his core, Darling admitted he was "disappointed and shocked" by the news.

"I don't know what their plan is," Darling said. "I'm not a GM, I'm not on the inside. I don't know what their talks are like.

"But what from what I've heard, Crow was willing to take the hometown discount to stay here. Honestly I'm just nervous for the team. Crow has been the backbone, keeping them afloat for years now. ... It's gonna be very weird to see Corey playing in a different jersey next year."

"(Crawford) had a juggernaut team in front of him when he first came in," Darling said. "My worries as a Hawks fan is if you don't have a top-five goalie with the team that's in place right now, that's gonna be a rough season.

"Unless you sign a Holtby or a Lundqvist or one of these amazing free-agent goalies that are out there, I mean you might as well set up for a rebuild."


From here: https://www.dailyherald.c...wks-decision-on-crawford-

Well, this might put the nail in the coffin of Darling returning to Chicago:

The news that Corey Crawford's tenure as the Chicago Blackhawks goaltender hit Scott Darling like a ton of bricks.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God. Did that really happen?' " Darling said in a phone interview Thursday night, six hours after GM Stan Bowman announced that the Hawks will not re-sign Crawford next season.

Still a Hawks fan to his core, Darling admitted he was "disappointed and shocked" by the news.

"I don't know what their plan is," Darling said. "I'm not a GM, I'm not on the inside. I don't know what their talks are like.

"But what from what I've heard, Crow was willing to take the hometown discount to stay here. Honestly I'm just nervous for the team. Crow has been the backbone, keeping them afloat for years now. ... It's gonna be very weird to see Corey playing in a different jersey next year."

"(Crawford) had a juggernaut team in front of him when he first came in," Darling said. "My worries as a Hawks fan is if you don't have a top-five goalie with the team that's in place right now, that's gonna be a rough season.

"Unless you sign a Holtby or a Lundqvist or one of these amazing free-agent goalies that are out there, I mean you might as well set up for a rebuild."


From here: https://www.dailyherald.c...wks-decision-on-crawford-
- pdx2ord

My first choice was to re-sign Crawford for one more year, but I understand the Hawks moving on. At some point the Hawks need to turn the team over to the youth, either via a full or partial rebuild.

Toews, Kane and Keith are still not valuable (on and off the ice) to trade, but anyone else is fair game. The likes of Saad, Murphy, and de Haan are all very good players but replaceable to varying degrees. Within one year left Saad could net a significant return, especially if the Hawks retain salary (which they could do with spending less that $2 million on goaltending). Murphy is a solid addition to any top 4 at a very reasonable cap hit, that could bring back significant assets too.

I listened to Mark Kelley’s draft recap. I noticed he mentioned that the Dmen that were drafted were more late bloomers and also focused more on the defensive side vs being a puck mover or offensive Dman. Kaiser seems to maybe have a bit more offensive upside, out of MN high school sort of reminds me of Nick Leddy’s back ground a bit.

My question, in a deep draft of forwards with skill, they drafted Dmen in the later rounds. Kelley mentions they are late bloomers and they targeted more defensive Dmen to play along with the current prospects that are more puck movers/carriers. It seems they drafted based on need...as they almost anticipate in 2-3 years most/all of Rockfords prospects will be promoted or move on.

Do you think they really took best player available or does it look like they are filling an organizational need on the draft picks? Looking at Rockfords stats last year I just wish they would have taken a few higher skilled forwards in this draft and maybe a few more Dmen in next years.
- DrewDawg

Good questions about what the draft strategy was earlier this week. I'll be touching on this a bit in Friday's blog.

As expected, lots going on this week so tomorrow's blog will cover numerous topics.

The Athletic is reporting the Hawks will bring back Subban to fight for the net with Lankinen and Delia. For the record, my money is on Lankinen between the three of them.

They’re also report Strome is be re-signed for 2 years around $2.5 million AAV and Kubalik for 3 year between $3.75 to $3.9. I’d be surprised to see the Hawks go 3 years with Kubalik, that’s when he becomes a UFA. But it is one way to keep the cap hit down.

The Athletic is reporting the Hawks will bring back Subban to fight for the net with Lankinen and Delia. For the record, my money is on Lankinen between the three of them.

They’re also report Strome is be re-signed for 2 years around $2.5 million AAV and Kubalik for 3 year between $3.75 to $3.9. I’d be surprised to see the Hawks go 3 years with Kubalik, that’s when he becomes a UFA. But it is one way to keep the cap hit down.
- DarthKane

If those numbers are correct - I'm happy. Rag on Strome all you want - he is still an excellent 50+ point offensive player and getting him for $2.5M is a good deal for the Hawks. I agree a 2-year deal for Kubalik would have been better because he's only shown what he can do for 1 year - but holding it under $4M for a 30-goal scorer is pretty good for the Hawks.

The Athletic is reporting the Hawks will bring back Subban to fight for the net with Lankinen and Delia. For the record, my money is on Lankinen between the three of them.

They’re also report Strome is be re-signed for 2 years around $2.5 million AAV and Kubalik for 3 year between $3.75 to $3.9. I’d be surprised to see the Hawks go 3 years with Kubalik, that’s when he becomes a UFA. But it is one way to keep the cap hit down.
- DarthKane

Over $3.0 is too much worse than Panik! He's a 30 goal scorer once make him prove it!!!!