It's more than the three cups. It's Bowman trying to correct the horrible habit of Dollar Bill Wirtz running fan favorites out of town (Hull, Esposito, Roenick, etc...)

It's not that I can't envison Toews or Kane being traded, I just think the request has to come from the player(s) and it has to be publicly known - Toews wants to go home to Winnipeg, Kane wants to go home to Buffalo scenario.
- Tanuki

I was racking my brain, and Mikita is the only star player I know who spent his entire career in the Chicago organization.

Theo great blog you wrote. Its a tale of 2 choices we fans and the organization have to face and embrace.


Toews knew exactly at the time he and kane inked their contracts as to the teams ultimate demise because of the cap Era.

Toews has 2 choices either take his gripes behind closed doors like a respectful athlete would and come to a agreement that either he stays or opts out of his contract and allows chicago to fully rebuild.

Either way the parties over

Theo great blog you wrote. Its a tale of 2 choices we fans and the organization have to face and embrace.


Toews knew exactly at the time he and kane inked their contracts as to the teams ultimate demise because of the cap Era.

Toews has 2 choices either take his gripes behind closed doors like a respectful athlete would and come to a agreement that either he stays or opts out of his contract and allows chicago to fully rebuild.

Either way the parties over
- Taylorst1

I'm guessing this is just worded wrong and you meant that he waives his NMC?

If the Blackhawks traded Kane to the Sabres, I would start with Reinhart of those roster players you mentioned plus at least one 1st round pick.

Sorry, I'm greedy, I believe Kane is worth multiple 1st rounders or at least a 1st rounder and a high-end prospect like Cozens.
- Theo Fox

Rather concentrate on the quality of the prospect than wherever in round one a draft pick lies. Who knows if that draft pick is a tier one selection. Both the first round and the prospect is a starting conversation. Just focus on the fact that we do not have a game breaker top end skill or power forward in our pipeline. I would seriously review the quality of 2021 first round. If we wind up with two #1's, can the lower of them be exchanged for an earlier choice? The idea is to covert the return for Kane into the two highest rated players- one a draft pick, one an existing Buffalo prospect. Do your homework and add in our own number one. You come away with three impact players, whatever combination of forwards and dmen is so unknown now though.

That is if you are trading Kane. I would not trade him. I like our chances when we add a first round 2021 selection. I would consider trading one of our dmen prospects however for a forward prospect. Not a commonality to see such a trade....

I personally don't think the Hawks owe the "core" anything else. They haven't won a playoff series in 5 years. A playoff game in 4, or even been to the playoffs in 3 (considering they would not have made it last year if the season played out).

They've filled in around the core while Q was still here, and after. The biggest weakness on the team was supposedly the D-corps and it was completely revamped.

You can appreciate what the core has done without giving them any say in the front office moves. I don't think you can allow for that to happen and remain competitive. Between the cap and the current state of the league, Stan has to do what is required to rebuild the team into a competitive one. If I had to venture a guess, I would say that maybe only Kane should be resigned at the end of his deal if he is still producing, simply because that type of player is much harder to find/develop.

Should the FO tell these four the direction of the team? Yes. Should they give them any say in how that is done? Absolutely not. My disdain for the idea of a "core" is well documented. You have to be able to move on from players once they are not producing or providing value equal to their contract.

I thought the league is getting younger. The Leafs 4th line could be Thornton, Spezza and Wayne Simmonds.

Actually compared too so many of the pre-Covid-19 deals they have become less crazy to manage...if a team is looking for a headline grab, a way to sell tickets when the people can go to games again, these guys bring a floundering PR disaster team a good new spokesperson, leader and frontman.
- wiz1901

Interesting take Wiz, I like it.

I personally don't think the Hawks owe the "core" anything else. They haven't won a playoff series in 5 years. A playoff game in 4, or even been to the playoffs in 3 (considering they would not have made it last year if the season played out).

They've filled in around the core while Q was still here, and after. The biggest weakness on the team was supposedly the D-corps and it was completely revamped.

You can appreciate what the core has done without giving them any say in the front office moves. I don't think you can allow for that to happen and remain competitive. Between the cap and the current state of the league, Stan has to do what is required to rebuild the team into a competitive one. If I had to venture a guess, I would say that maybe only Kane should be resigned at the end of his deal if he is still producing, simply because that type of player is much harder to find/develop.

Should the FO tell these four the direction of the team? Yes. Should they give them any say in how that is done? Absolutely not. My disdain for the idea of a "core" is well documented. You have to be able to move on from players once they are not producing or providing value equal to their contract.
- Chunk

100%...but may I also add, Toews, as the captain, can't stay silent. He has to represent the team on the ice. He has to show disappointment or it will seem either a) he doesn't care or b) he's on the side of management. Neither of which helps the younger players. But ultimately, he, nor any other player, should have a say in how it's done. You can ask if you want to play with a guy or not, but that's about it.

I think it would be Bowman’s call, with the advice and consent of Danny and Rocky.

I would also assume they would give their consent (no McConnels they) - it would save a lot of cash in a time of trouble, and wouldn’t have much of a marketing effect in a time of...uhhh...trouble.
- StLBravesFan

Just can't help yourself, eh?

ps - McConnell....

I was racking my brain, and Mikita is the only star player I know who spent his entire career in the Chicago organization.
- LAHawk

How about Tony O, although he started in the Canadians organization, but I believe that he only played NHL games with the Hawks.

How about Tony O, although he started in the Canadians organization, but I believe that he only played NHL games with the Hawks.
- Angotti

Eric Daze only played with Chicago

How about Tony O, although he started in the Canadians organization, but I believe that he only played NHL games with the Hawks.
- Angotti

Only Elbows and Sage saw him play live early in his career, but Pierre Pilote played 13 seasons with the Chicago Hockey Team, before one measly season in Toronto.

Only Elbows and Sage saw him play live early in his career, but Pierre Pilote played 13 seasons with the Chicago Hockey Team, before one measly season in Toronto.
- mohel

Well, if you want to go back to the dead puck era:

Bill Mosienko

Eric Daze only played with Chicago
- powerenforcer

He did say star player, although to be fair to Daze(and you) his back just couldn’t hold up, or he would have been a star.

Just can't help yourself, eh?

ps - McConnell....
- mohel

I thought I tied a political comment to hockey pretty nicely.

He did say star player, although to be fair to Daze(and you) his back just couldn’t hold up, or he would have been a star.
- Angotti

He was an ALL-Star game MVP, so there is that.

Well, if you want to go back to the dead puck era:

Bill Mosienko
- StLBravesFan

Did you and Elbows watch him play as well?

Did you and Elbows watch him play as well?
- Angotti

I was around, but not yet watching hockey.

He was an ALL-Star game MVP, so there is that.
- powerenforcer

Fair enough.

Only Elbows and Sage saw him play live early in his career, but Pierre Pilote played 13 seasons with the Chicago Hockey Team, before one measly season in Toronto.
- mohel

I was thinking of Dennis Hull, but I looked up his playing record and he played his last year with Detroit after 13 seasons with the beloved.

Edit - traded to Detroit in 1977 for a 1980 4th round pick.

How about Tony O, although he started in the Canadians organization, but I believe that he only played NHL games with the Hawks.
- Angotti

Nah Tony played 13 games with Montreal the year before he became a Hawk.

How about Tony O, although he started in the Canadians organization, but I believe that he only played NHL games with the Hawks.
- Angotti

Nah Tony played 13 games with Montreal the year before he became a Hawk.

Hypothetical situation - Let's say that after a dismal Hawk season, either Keith or Toews goes to management and tells them I am not waiving my NMC but I want to be exposed to the expansion draft so I can become the face of the Seattle franchise.

Do the Hawks take them up on their offer and lose him for nothing?

Nah Tony played 13 games with Montreal the year before he became a Hawk.
- LAHawk

Okay, thanks for checking on that, was not sure that he played any games in the show with the Habs.

Hypothetical situation - Let's say that after a dismal Hawk season, either Keith or Toews goes to management and tells them I am not waiving my NMC but I want to be exposed to the expansion draft so I can become the face of the Seattle franchise
Do the Hawks take them up on their offer and lose him for nothing?
- boilermaker100

#1 Hawks could only lose 1 player in the expansion draft
#2 Hawks protect both because they won t want to lose either for nothing. Looking at the end of the year, without taking on a big long term contract, Hawks do not have any cap issues.