That's fine....but this wasn't a generational talent, or a massive hole that the Hawks got rid of. It's Phillip Danault....who to this day I don't think has ever scored more than 15 goals in a season. HE had less skill than Bolland and Kruger was better defensively......holding on to this as a massive blunder? I don't see it.

If people want to lose their minds over Teuvo that's more acceptable. That is a top 6 hole that they have had issues replacing. Again, at the time due to cap issues to kick Bickell, Teuvo was the price.
- SteveRain

Sorry Steve, I agreed with what you had originally said. I was just pointing out that the trade didn’t seem to include Q’s input. I also agree with your assessment about Danault’s skill level and importance. But the way some posters rank Danault you’d think he was a cross between Bob Gainey and Steve Larmer.

The biggest mistake with the Danault trade was that Bowman and Quenneville were seemingly on completely different pages in that the players acquired for Danault weren’t players Q was able to work with.
- paulr

What was weird was it seemed like Q was playing Danault regularly and trusted him. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Danault was never press boxed to my knowledge.

That said C'est la vie.

To your retort earlier to the poster who was lamenting all of Stan's franchise crippling missteps...

Yeah the Danault one hurt a bit and giving up Teuvo even more so, but I get it.

Anyone who blames Stanbo for the Kevin Hayes one isn't...well...you know.

Sorry Steve, I agreed with what you had originally said. I was just pointing out that the trade didn’t seem to include Q’s input. I also agree with your assessment about Danault’s skill level and importance. But the way some posters rank Danault you’d think he was a cross between Bob Gainey and Steve Larmer.
- paulr

Hahaha....100% agreed. That was point re the love for Danault and over dramatizing it.

Now, my focus returns to being a huge Habs fan so they can knock out the Leafs.

Playoffs have been fun to watch. Other major obstacle facing our Hawks moving forward....every other team but Dallas, made the dance this year. Granted that wont be the case as those said teams will have to beat up on one another a lot more, but central division will be tough next year.

I hope Colorado wins....fun, fast, young team to watch.

Anyone but Toronto, Boston, Pittsburgh in that order.

What was weird was it seemed like Q was playing Danault regularly and trusted him. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Danault was never press boxed to my knowledge.

That said C'est la vie.

To your retort earlier to the poster who was lamenting all of Stan's franchise crippling missteps...

Yeah the Danault one hurt a bit and giving up Teuvo even more so, but I get it.

Anyone who blames Stanbo for the Kevin Hayes one isn't...well...you know.
- HawkintheD

100% agreed.

Window was open to win and not trade away players who Hawks deemed essentially either to get better OR to get cap compliant.

Very curious to watch how Washington handles Ovechkin's contract and making that work.

What was weird was it seemed like Q was playing Danault regularly and trusted him. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Danault was never press boxed to my knowledge.

That said C'est la vie.

To your retort earlier to the poster who was lamenting all of Stan's franchise crippling missteps...

Yeah the Danault one hurt a bit and giving up Teuvo even more so, but I get it.

Anyone who blames Stanbo for the Kevin Hayes one isn't...well...you know.
- HawkintheD

While in hindsight the Danault trade wasn’t well done at the time I thought Bowman had added pieces to give the Hawks another run.

Hahaha....100% agreed. That was point re the love for Danault and over dramatizing it.

Now, my focus returns to being a huge Habs fan so they can knock out the Leafs.

Playoffs have been fun to watch. Other major obstacle facing our Hawks moving forward....every other team but Dallas, made the dance this year. Granted that wont be the case as those said teams will have to beat up on one another a lot more, but central division will be tough next year.

I hope Colorado wins....fun, fast, young team to watch.

Anyone but Toronto, Boston, Pittsburgh in that order.
- SteveRain

I agree I’d like to see Colorado win. I want the Habs to knock out the Leaves (I doubt it will happen) but then I want the Habs out as soon as possible after that.

I agree I’d like to see Colorado win. I want the Habs to knock out the Leaves (I doubt it will happen) but then I want the Habs out as soon as possible after that.
- paulr

Agreed....hoping Jets can knock out the Oilers as well.

SHould have some good 2nd round matchups....hopefully

Boston vs Islanders.....amazing to hear Nasseau fans again
Colorado vs Las Vegas
Carolina vs Tampa.....assuming Carolina doesnt implode vs Nashville

Hahaha....100% agreed. That was point re the love for Danault and over dramatizing it.

Now, my focus returns to being a huge Habs fan so they can knock out the Leafs.

Playoffs have been fun to watch. Other major obstacle facing our Hawks moving forward....every other team but Dallas, made the dance this year. Granted that wont be the case as those said teams will have to beat up on one another a lot more, but central division will be tough next year.

I hope Colorado wins....fun, fast, young team to watch.

Anyone but Toronto, Boston, Pittsburgh in that order.
- SteveRain

My order would be different but I'd add NSH and Tampa. The Blues and Caps are out so mission accomplished there. Does that leave anyone?

It's always interesting to look at past drafts and see if there were players picked right after who became stars. In 2014, five picks after Schmaltz, Boston selected Pasta. That's really the only instance I see starting with 2010 for the first rounders. In 2011, they picked Clendening in the 2nd, one pick right before Boone Jenner. And Kucherov went towards the end of the 2nd that year, also. Thankfully, that's about all I saw that jumped out.

IMO calling Danault one of the worst trades in franchise history is bit dramatic.

Id have to go back and look but again.....Hawks were gearing up for another cup run, needed some veteran presence and had said shutdown center in Marcus Kruger. WHo if the Hawks would traded at that time, 82% of this board would have melted down.

Trade didn't pan out.....just like Lazerus losing his mind that the Hawks traded the immortal Marko Dano for Ladd in the same window to gear up for another cup.

Still don't have any qualms about Bowman being aggressive.....danault is a NICE player, but he's not anything great or anything that I miss.
- SteveRain

Two biggest mistakes in Wirtz Blackhawk hockey will always be, (I can't imagine them doing worse in the future),
1a) Phil Esposito trade.
1b) Not a trade but letting Bobby Hull go.

In more modern times, the Belfour and Roenick trades weren't much better. The Sharp trade never made sense getting Daley back at $3m and letting Oduya sign with Dallas for the same $. I know they did Sharp a favor but Stan got nothing.

Watching Makar in these playoffs, i imagine he will continue to get better, the Blackhawks seriously need to consider signing him to an offer sheet. It'll be a steep price but he's so talented

I guess i should say offer him a serious contract that he is willing to sign

Watching Makar in these playoffs, i imagine he will continue to get better, the Blackhawks seriously need to consider signing him to an offer sheet. It'll be a steep price but he's so talented

I guess i should say offer him a serious contract that he is willing to sign
- BetweenTheDots

How much are you willing to offer him? How many draft choices are you going to have to give up?

Watching Makar in these playoffs, i imagine he will continue to get better, the Blackhawks seriously need to consider signing him to an offer sheet. It'll be a steep price but he's so talented

I guess i should say offer him a serious contract that he is willing to sign
- BetweenTheDots

As good as he is, offer sheets (of this size) are so prohibitive to being able to build and maintain a competitive team. So you have to pay a large salary, and give up at least three (at best) if not four high end draft picks.

I would say there are better ways to do this.

Watching Makar in these playoffs, i imagine he will continue to get better, the Blackhawks seriously need to consider signing him to an offer sheet. It'll be a steep price but he's so talented

I guess i should say offer him a serious contract that he is willing to sign
- BetweenTheDots

An offer sheet up to 10.9M will cost the Hawks their 2022 and 2023 firsts, and 2022 2nd and 3rd.

Over 10.9M will cost the Hawks their 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 firsts.

Even though it sometimes takes a few years for the picks to develop into NHL players, you still need an infusion of youth into the lineup throughout the future. An offer sheet of these sizes will severly limit that.

Besides, why wouldn't Colorado match the offer?

Watching Makar in these playoffs, i imagine he will continue to get better, the Blackhawks seriously need to consider signing him to an offer sheet. It'll be a steep price but he's so talented

I guess i should say offer him a serious contract that he is willing to sign
- BetweenTheDots

Makar is a great young defenseman, and I would love for the Hawks to get him, but that’s not happening. The Hawks are about four to players away from being a contender, if they signed Makar, that would take care of one of those five players, then what? No high picks, $10M less in cap space, this scenario would not end well. The Hawks have to build through draft, sign good Euro players, and trade from surplus, then and only then should they spend money on a free agent.

Watching Makar in these playoffs, i imagine he will continue to get better, the Blackhawks seriously need to consider signing him to an offer sheet. It'll be a steep price but he's so talented

I guess i should say offer him a serious contract that he is willing to sign
- BetweenTheDots

Maker is a great talent and he’ll get even better but signing him would kill the re-build in its tracks. The Hawks cannot afford to give up the draft picks needed to sign one player.

Maker is a great talent and he’ll get even better but signing him would kill the re-build in its tracks. The Hawks cannot afford to give up the draft picks needed to sign one player.
- paulr

COL is in better cap space then the hawks and are much closer to a SCT so they would be a team making offer sheets on players becuase there pick would be 25 or less more then likely.

While in hindsight the Danault trade wasn’t well done at the time I thought Bowman had added pieces to give the Hawks another run.
- paulr

i didn't get the return thats what bugged me the most about that trade. You have to move assets at the deadline to get players in return. it was those that was the real head scratcher.

How much are you willing to offer him? How many draft choices are you going to have to give up?
- LAHawk

Id offer him $10 mil per for the max years, Avs don't match we get a great player, but if Avs match they will struggle mightily to keep that core together

And you have Makar heading a young blue line with young forwards, we all see the misses when teams draft. He would be a great piece to build around. I couldn't believe no one offered a deal like that to Hedman. Those dmen come along what maybe once every 5 years

And the best part is he's what 22? Hard to imagine he won't get better.

Commesso added to Team USA.

so assuming we end up with #11 and the top 8 skaters are gone and we do not want a goalie these would be the 2 guys I like the most. A 2 -way center with size that can win faceoffs in Mctavish and lysell who is one of the better skaters puck handlers in the drat.


here are some highlights on Mason mctavish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8S19FfGx8o&t=139s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFMmeWHyDRM&t=131s

I dont think his skating looks bad to me. maybe someone else can offer an opinion.


Fabian lysell highlights


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsO1CQeRxhU

Id offer him $10 mil per for the max years, Avs don't match we get a great player, but if Avs match they will struggle mightily to keep that core together

And you have Makar heading a young blue line with young forwards, we all see the misses when teams draft. He would be a great piece to build around. I couldn't believe no one offered a deal like that to Hedman. Those dmen come along what maybe once every 5 years
- BetweenTheDots

Well the Hawks don't have their third round pick so the compensation doesn't work.

And you would have to cut $5 mil. in salary or else you are over the cap which disqualifies you to make the offer.

Great Blog! With all the Danualt talk, do you think realistically a player like Gaudette could come in and partially replace what he was suppose to be? Both top out at low teens in goals, play hard, thought Danualt much better defensively. Adam being about 4 years youngers, but I can see some potential there if he doesn't get pushed to wing.

Well the Hawks don't have their third round pick so the compensation doesn't work.

And you would have to cut $5 mil. in salary or else you are over the cap which disqualifies you to make the offer.
- LAHawk

Details.

Well the Hawks don't have their third round pick so the compensation doesn't work.

And you would have to cut $5 mil. in salary or else you are over the cap which disqualifies you to make the offer.
- LAHawk

... and you still don't have good enough forwards.
... and you are banking on the majority of the D prospects reaching their potential.
... and you still have to pencil Keith into the lineup as well as his cap hit.
... and Colliton is going to screw him up anyways.

The reason that the Hawks are in the position they currently are is because they did not have enough high end talent coming up, and/or developing through the ranks. I think it would be quite foolish to go that route without being in position to compete right now.