Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
- paulr

Internally, KD told Rocky the rebuild will take one year.

Tage Thompson 7 years $50 mil.
- LAHawk

I would think this is likely to turn out to be a really good contract. Locked up for 7 years, a very large, young scoring winger. I know he's only got one year of high end production, but he's been trending up and his underlying numbers are positive.

Just under $7M per for that I think is a good contract for both sides.

I would think this is likely to turn out to be a really good contract. Locked up for 7 years, a very large, young scoring winger. I know he's only got one year of high end production, but he's been trending up and his underlying numbers are positive.

Just under $7M per for that I think is a good contract for both sides.
- Chunk

I think so too. They moved him to center last year which is his natural position.

Internally, KD told Rocky the rebuild will take one year.
- rpeters01

Not with the generation small defender coming out in the 2024 Entry draft.


CHI
Aron Kiviharju LD Finland
5' 10"

The forward in Buffalo, TT,signed a gold contract.

and moreover, his progress actually helps balance the O'Reilly trade with the Blues.

On trades like this I would love to know what the team giving up a prospect REALLY thought of him BEFORE the trade was made...

They may want him on wing to concentrate less on centre duties and more "creation thinking"...

I would think this is likely to turn out to be a really good contract. Locked up for 7 years, a very large, young scoring winger. I know he's only got one year of high end production, but he's been trending up and his underlying numbers are positive.

Just under $7M per for that I think is a good contract for both sides.
- Chunk

Not to be a punk but i thought you only liked 4 or 5 year contracts?

I think so too. They moved him to center last year which is his natural position.
- LAHawk

These are his numbers, that’s why trading a young big center is always a risk, they usually take a little longer to acclimate. Sorry for the messy data, but you can see that he didn’t produce much until this past season.

GP G A P +/- PIM PLAYOFFS GP G A P +/- PIM
2017-18 Logo of the St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Blues NHL 41 3 6 9 -12 12 |
2018-19 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 65 7 5 12 -22 20 |
2019-20 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 0 0 |
2020-21 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 38 8 6 14 -6 17 |
2021-22 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 78 38 30 68 -17 37 |
NHL TOTAL NHL 223 56 47 103

Please help me avoid temptation.

I saw the Columbus fan trade proposal hlink, ad 5 minutes and now and embarrassed I reacted to it's stupidity and lashed out. But it felt good.

Not to be a punk but i thought you only liked 4 or 5 year contracts?
- BetweenTheDots

Not a punk at all, and 100% true. I am not a fan of the longer contracts at all. I'm also very analytical in nature. If you are going to sign someone to such a long contract, make sure it is a younger player. He will be 32 when that contract ends.

Compare this with the ones that Huberdeau and Kadri received. They'll be 30 and 31 respectively when those monster contracts start. The likelihood of Thompson being worth his contract over its duration is much higher than either of those.

I'm not blind to the fact that the deal that Keith signed was a boon for the Hawks. It's just that deals like that hinder the team so much. Each additional year makes it that much harder if you ultimately want/have to trade them.

I know it will never happen, but take a look at Pavelski's contract history on CapFriendly. That is how I would like to handle every player's contract history. 3-5 year deals as they go along. Sure you risk losing them, but that is why you put so much money/effort into drafting/development/FA.

These are his numbers, that’s why trading a young big center is always a risk, they usually take a little longer to acclimate. Sorry for the messy data, but you can see that he didn’t produce much until this past season.

GP G A P +/- PIM PLAYOFFS GP G A P +/- PIM
2017-18 Logo of the St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Blues NHL 41 3 6 9 -12 12 |
2018-19 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 65 7 5 12 -22 20 |
2019-20 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 0 0 |
2020-21 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 38 8 6 14 -6 17 |
2021-22 Logo of the Buffalo SabresBuffalo Sabres NHL 78 38 30 68 -17 37 |
NHL TOTAL NHL 223 56 47 103
- Angotti

Yup, it is never going to be an easy decision. Every year there are players chosen that should be good and never are (or take a long time to break through), and others that no one expected to do anything and are good in short order.

Borgstrom was taken a few picks before Thompson. Trent Frederic was taken by Boston just after.

Not a punk at all, and 100% true. I am not a fan of the longer contracts at all. I'm also very analytical in nature. If you are going to sign someone to such a long contract, make sure it is a younger player. He will be 32 when that contract ends.

Compare this with the ones that Huberdeau and Kadri received. They'll be 30 and 31 respectively when those monster contracts start. The likelihood of Thompson being worth his contract over its duration is much higher than either of those.

I'm not blind to the fact that the deal that Keith signed was a boon for the Hawks. It's just that deals like that hinder the team so much. Each additional year makes it that much harder if you ultimately want/have to trade them.

I know it will never happen, but take a look at Pavelski's contract history on CapFriendly. That is how I would like to handle every player's contract history. 3-5 year deals as they go along. Sure you risk losing them, but that is why you put so much money/effort into drafting/development/FA.
- Chunk

Keith's contract was originally under different rules. The NHL brass purposely punished the owners who did those contracts by changing the rules in the CBA. Thus, why Weber will still be on LTIR for another 4 years so Nashville won't be on the hook for $6.1 mil. in recapture penalties.

Keith's contract was originally under different rules. The NHL brass purposely punished the owners who did those contracts by changing the rules in the CBA. Thus, why Weber will still be on LTIR for another 4 years so Nashville won't be on the hook for $6.1 mil. in recapture penalties.
- LAHawk

I'm well aware. My point was about it being a long contract that goes well into the 30-40 year old range.

Not a punk at all, and 100% true. I am not a fan of the longer contracts at all. I'm also very analytical in nature. If you are going to sign someone to such a long contract, make sure it is a younger player. He will be 32 when that contract ends.

Compare this with the ones that Huberdeau and Kadri received. They'll be 30 and 31 respectively when those monster contracts start. The likelihood of Thompson being worth his contract over its duration is much higher than either of those.

I'm not blind to the fact that the deal that Keith signed was a boon for the Hawks. It's just that deals like that hinder the team so much. Each additional year makes it that much harder if you ultimately want/have to trade them.

I know it will never happen, but take a look at Pavelski's contract history on CapFriendly. That is how I would like to handle every player's contract history. 3-5 year deals as they go along. Sure you risk losing them, but that is why you put so much money/effort into drafting/development/FA.
- Chunk

I do agree with a lot of this in regards to age is such an important factor, so many bad contracts put there, I'm a big Pietro fan but that contract, yuck

I do agree with a lot of this in regards to age is such an important factor, so many bad contracts put there, I'm a big Pietro fan but that contract, yuck
- BetweenTheDots

The list of defensemen on bad contracts (from my perspective) is comical.

Karlsson
Doughty
Pietro
Burns
Jones
Hamilton
Weber
Vlasic
Seabrook
Ellis
Letang (yes I know it's a 35+ contract, but still).

That's just off the top of my head.

Compliments of TSN. A brief video interview with Adam Fantilli.

https://www.tsn.ca/NHL/vi...blend-of-bergeron~2511713

Compliments of TSN. A brief video interview with Adam Fantilli.

https://www.tsn.ca/NHL/vi...blend-of-bergeron~2511713
- boilermaker100

He could be a very special player, if he was in the 22 draft he would go #1 overall. Its too bad he won't be there at #4 for the Hawks.

CapFriendly has Oettinger signing today for 3 years $12M total ($4M AAV).

Ben Pope
@BenPopeCST
·
3h
Neither Patrick Kane nor Jonathan Toews have approached the Blackhawks with trade requests, Kyle Davidson told me today. Despite the rampant rumors (he has seen them), there's "nothing new."

All parties are “excited to get to training camp and see how the season plays out.”

Compliments of TSN. A brief video interview with Adam Fantilli.

https://www.tsn.ca/NHL/vi...blend-of-bergeron~2511713
- boilermaker100

Thanks for the link, BM.............. I think if anyone exposed Fantilli to some video of Peter Forsberg he'd think their games are similar. Both flat out horses that can go beast mode and take over a shift/game but as skilled hands and feet as anyone, compete off the charts and back down from nothing.

I'd imagine he's in the conversation with Michov for the #2 overall in some camps but a solid season as a true freshman at Michigan this yr may give him the edge.

The list of defensemen on bad contracts (from my perspective) is comical.

Karlsson
Doughty
Pietro
Burns
Jones
Hamilton
Weber
Vlasic
Seabrook
Ellis
Letang (yes I know it's a 35+ contract, but still).

That's just off the top of my head.
- Chunk

It's becoming more common that signing elite players to contracts that will be painful the last couple/few yrs while your cup window is open is the cost of doing business these days.

It's signing a 3rd line player for 2nd line money or #3 Dmen for #1 money that kills a club not as much a Kadri or Huberdeau to a contract that won't age well. The window is open so you better jump while it is cuz it can close fast.

Like CAL, worry about yrs 5 or 6 of those contracts then and go for the cup today. Buy them out, add sweetners to move them 5-6 yrs from now and get to the Finals today.

It's becoming more common that signing elite players to contracts that will be painful the last couple/few yrs while your cup window is open is the cost of doing business these days.

It's signing a 3rd line player for 2nd line money or #3 Dmen for #1 money that kills a club not as much a Kadri or Huberdeau to a contract that won't age well. The window is open so you better jump while it is cuz it can close fast.

Like CAL, worry about yrs 5 or 6 of those contracts then and go for the cup today. Buy them out, add sweetners to move them 5-6 yrs from now and get to the Finals today.
- Mr Ricochet

This is absolutely what is going to happen in many instances, and your reasoning is solid.

That doesn't mean I agree with it or like it.

Thanks for the link, BM.............. I think if anyone exposed Fantilli to some video of Peter Forsberg he'd think their games are similar. Both flat out horses that can go beast mode and take over a shift/game but as skilled hands and feet as anyone, compete off the charts and back down from nothing.

I'd imagine he's in the conversation with Michov for the #2 overall in some camps but a solid season as a true freshman at Michigan this yr may give him the edge.
- Mr Ricochet

I have added the Michigan games to my to watch list.

I think that were will be a lot of focus and on what the college Fantaili looks like, and that will give us indicators if he can end up nose to nose at the finish line.
This last year draft saw the best Russian / arguable the 2nd /3rd best forward drop to slot #20.
Matvei Michkov is far different than Washington's Ivan Miroshnichenko but it seems the that the Vasily Podkolzin float into mid-first does exist, even if Michkov drops to the top dozen which like everything in the world is possible.

I have added the Michigan games to my to watch list.

I think that were will be a lot of focus and on what the college Fantaili looks like, and that will give us indicators if he can end up nose to nose at the finish line.
This last year draft saw the best Russian / arguable the 2nd /3rd best forward drop to slot #20.
Matvei Michkov is far different than Washington's Ivan Miroshnichenko but it seems the that the Vasily Podkolzin float into mid-first does exist, even if Michkov drops to the top dozen which like everything in the world is possible.
- wiz1901

Hey Wiz. Correct me if I am wrong, but the earliest Michkov could actually suit up in the NHL would be the 2026-27 season? The Hawks are sort of in the position to gamble on that, but I'm not sure if they'd really want to do that if they are picking #2.

Hey Wiz. Correct me if I am wrong, but the earliest Michkov could actually suit up in the NHL would be the 2026-27 season? The Hawks are sort of in the position to gamble on that, but I'm not sure if they'd really want to do that if they are picking #2.
- Chunk

Honestly, I would not take a chance on Michkov, unless he was there for the Tampa pick.

Honestly, I would not take a chance on Michkov, unless he was there for the Tampa pick.
- Angotti

I'm sure immediately after the Hawks made the pick, Bettman would announce that he is permanently banned from ever playing in the NHL.

Hey Wiz. Correct me if I am wrong, but the earliest Michkov could actually suit up in the NHL would be the 2026-27 season? The Hawks are sort of in the position to gamble on that, but I'm not sure if they'd really want to do that if they are picking #2.
- Chunk

That is correct. Michkov will not be "eligible" to play in the NHL until he's 22. He has to play 3 yrs after being drafted in the KHL to honor his contract, his 19, 20 and 21 yr old yrs. Does he report to the NHL then? What is the political situation in Russia then?

Scary, man. Using a 2nd overall on what certainly has some uncertainty.