Zach Jarom: Game Day: Hawks vs Panthers

Zach, should be pointed out Philp's contract is a 2 way.

Today @ 2:10 PM ET
Tyler Johnson will be an UFA after next year....so Kane falls off, and then you have McCabe. You could retain on Murphy and Johnson and then have Johnson fall off after next year. In a cap crunch for a team, Murphy at 2.4 vs 4.4 is likely more attractive and nets you a higher return. Murphy is 1 year longer than McCabe so the math to me makes sense. Murphy has a 10 team NO list so you can still navigate this with 2/3 of the league.

They also should have room to eat bad money and get returns similar to what Ottawa paid them to take on 22.
- SteveRain


Eating money is different than retaining. Why I said retaining on T. Johnson next year because it will only be until the end of the year. Also retaining on Murphy stops you from being a third party broker and getting a free draft choice if the Hawks are able to be part of a brokered deal.

I get your obsession with moving Murphy but I highly doubt KD moves him with money retained. Best scenario for the Hawks is if he becomes a third pairing defenseman, but then again you have Zaitsev for one more who is equally bad.

Today @ 2:10 PM ET
Tyler Johnson will be an UFA after next year....so Kane falls off, and then you have McCabe. You could retain on Murphy and Johnson and then have Johnson fall off after next year. In a cap crunch for a team, Murphy at 2.4 vs 4.4 is likely more attractive and nets you a higher return. Murphy is 1 year longer than McCabe so the math to me makes sense. Murphy has a 10 team NO list so you can still navigate this with 2/3 of the league.

They also should have room to eat bad money and get returns similar to what Ottawa paid them to take on 22.
- SteveRain


Eating money is different than retaining. Why I said retaining on T. Johnson next year because it will only be until the end of the year. Also retaining on Murphy stops you from being a third party broker and getting a free draft choice if the Hawks are able to be part of a brokered deal.

I get your obsession with moving Murphy but I highly doubt KD moves him with money retained. Best scenario for the Hawks is if he becomes a third pairing defenseman, but then again you have Zaitsev for one more who is equally bad.
- LAHawk

Fair point on obsession but I am just looking at this roster and realistically thinking what KD can shop next deadline to get more top end picks. Eating money on bad deals makes sense as long as they aren't LT......but for every guy like Domi it's going to be risk to find the right guys and let them get a TON of minutes to draw interest from contenders.

Would I love to see them move out Seth Jones? Sure...but we just read how hard it was for San Jose to find a team willing to take on Karlsson as he still has half his deal left. Defense men are always coveted at the deadline. So maybe KD needs to look at either Murphy or Zaitsev based on who's playing better and what he can get acquire if he chose to retain salary on either. same with Tyler Johnson, PRoblem with Johnson is staying healthy.

However outside of Murphy and Jones, the hawks as of now don't have a single rostered player signed beyond next year. Some RFAs coming up but the smaller deals on guys like Raddysh, Kurashev make sense.

I dont' see any reason to sign Caleb Jones...assuming you have prospects ready. Curious if they try and move Mitchell. he seems to be a square peg trying to fit in with this regime.

I also keep on going back to Richardson's quote about how the younger guys now on this team need to continue to showcase their talents, abilities as they next wave will be coming...so that to me just seems like an organizational direction that these current RFAs wont' be getting deals longer than 2 years...if that.

Zach, should be pointed out Philp's contract is a 2 way.
- LAHawk

Good Call, will make that note

I just looked at Murphy's buyout calculation, and it is one of the weirder ones I've seen. https://www.capfriendly.c...-calculator/connor-murphy

The crazy idea in my head right now is the Hawks take a bad contract back from a team with real urgency, retain half on Murphy, and get more picks in the deal. And the other team could buy out Murphy if they need more space right now.

Fair point on obsession but I am just looking at this roster and realistically thinking what KD can shop next deadline to get more top end picks. Eating money on bad deals makes sense as long as they aren't LT......but for every guy like Domi it's going to be risk to find the right guys and let them get a TON of minutes to draw interest from contenders.

Would I love to see them move out Seth Jones? Sure...but we just read how hard it was for San Jose to find a team willing to take on Karlsson as he still has half his deal left. Defense men are always coveted at the deadline. So maybe KD needs to look at either Murphy or Zaitsev based on who's playing better and what he can get acquire if he chose to retain salary on either. same with Tyler Johnson, PRoblem with Johnson is staying healthy.

However outside of Murphy and Jones, the hawks as of now don't have a single rostered player signed beyond next year. Some RFAs coming up but the smaller deals on guys like Raddysh, Kurashev make sense.

I dont' see any reason to sign Caleb Jones...assuming you have prospects ready. Curious if they try and move Mitchell. he seems to be a square peg trying to fit in with this regime.

I also keep on going back to Richardson's quote about how the younger guys now on this team need to continue to showcase their talents, abilities as they next wave will be coming...so that to me just seems like an organizational direction that these current RFAs wont' be getting deals longer than 2 years...if that.

Steve Rain

I too Steve wonder how KD gets to the cap floor next year. I have been kidding by saying KD should sign Toews to a 1 year $10 mil. contract and put him on LTIR.

You figure if Domi resigns that he is going to get some term, probably 3 years. I don't think he wants to go through the process again, and would probably take a lower AAV elsewhere for 3 years than sign a one year deal just to be flipped.

Not against resigning Athanaseu for a year, but for what? a $500K raise to $3.5 So lets say you sign those 2 (say Domi at 3 x $5 mil, less term but same AAV as Strome and Athanaseu at $3.5 mil), and $6 Mil to resign Kurashev, Bjork, Soderblom and Anderson. Add in Vlasic and Phillips on their ELC's for a little less than $2 mil. That leaves you basically a full roster and still needing a $5 mil. player to get to the floor.

Not a criticism for anyone on this board personally, but visiting this board is akin to going to the the same picked over garage sale down the block...every weekend...for months on end.

A table full of rotary phones, typewriters and other stuff that nobody wants or needs.

Kudos to the young guys getting a chance and playing their hearts out. I will take that win or lose all day long.

Not a criticism for anyone on this board personally, but visiting this board is akin to going to the the same picked over garage sale down the block...every weekend...for months on end.

A table full of rotary phones, typewriters and other stuff that nobody wants or needs.

Kudos to the young guys getting a chance and playing their hearts out. I will take that win or lose all day long.
- TrueGrit

That absolutely. It gives me hope for the future, seeing that every night.

Otherwise, just consider this board an outlet for everyone to vent their frustrations. At this point we can start to feel that there is something brewing for the future, even if we don't have much in the way of specific players who are going to make it happen. We just see a ton of draft picks, and a system that has demonstrated that it can develop assets.

I read this blog pretty much every day but contribute little as I am just a longtime fan {mid-sixties} and I don't read up about future prospects. I do pay attention to history, though. I see what everyone proposes about future trades and such but if you have been paying attention, KD has a tendency to surprise us with what some might call out of the box thinking. I look forward to draft day, as I am sure everyone else does and I expect a few more surprises from our GM. What they are? Not even sure KD knows. I put my faith and trust in him as long as he does the job. Good moves or not, he is sticking to his guns about turning this organization around. That is more than I can say about the Accountant.

So Mitchell’s performance continues to be terrible, yet he is all star level in the AHL

I wonder what the coaches think are his issue(s). Someone on this board would have volunteered if we knew the answer

I get it that not all prospects work out, not all make the grade in the NHL

Mitchell has to be very good due to his size. Therefore I questioned if the physical factor, ie. hockey is a rough physical sport…was a reason why he struggles up here. However the AHL is a physical league too and Mitchell is a completely different looking player at that level

On this board we complained that the physical and intimidation was too much for ex Blackhawk Schmaltz to overcome. Well he is getting by in Arizona and even having missed games this season due to injury, he might get 30 goals

Mitchell do as well as Schmaltz if he gets away from Chicago? I don’t see that happening but who knows what is wrong with Mitchell

As awful as the Hawks defense is I feel some defenders improved during this season under LR. S. Jones, McCabe, Philips, maybe even C. Jones (though he is still pretty awful). Is there any chance Zaitsev could improve the rest of this year and next year raising his value at the TDL?

As awful as the Hawks defense is I feel some defenders improved during this season under LR. S. Jones, McCabe, Philips, maybe even C. Jones (though he is still pretty awful). Is there any chance Zaitsev could improve the rest of this year and next year raising his value at the TDL?
- Ztra

Let’s hope if he begins to improve he does it next season.

Fair point on obsession but I am just looking at this roster and realistically thinking what KD can shop next deadline to get more top end picks. Eating money on bad deals makes sense as long as they aren't LT......but for every guy like Domi it's going to be risk to find the right guys and let them get a TON of minutes to draw interest from contenders.

Would I love to see them move out Seth Jones? Sure...but we just read how hard it was for San Jose to find a team willing to take on Karlsson as he still has half his deal left. Defense men are always coveted at the deadline. So maybe KD needs to look at either Murphy or Zaitsev based on who's playing better and what he can get acquire if he chose to retain salary on either. same with Tyler Johnson, PRoblem with Johnson is staying healthy.

However outside of Murphy and Jones, the hawks as of now don't have a single rostered player signed beyond next year. Some RFAs coming up but the smaller deals on guys like Raddysh, Kurashev make sense.

I dont' see any reason to sign Caleb Jones...assuming you have prospects ready. Curious if they try and move Mitchell. he seems to be a square peg trying to fit in with this regime.

I also keep on going back to Richardson's quote about how the younger guys now on this team need to continue to showcase their talents, abilities as they next wave will be coming...so that to me just seems like an organizational direction that these current RFAs wont' be getting deals longer than 2 years...if that.

Steve Rain

I too Steve wonder how KD gets to the cap floor next year. I have been kidding by saying KD should sign Toews to a 1 year $10 mil. contract and put him on LTIR.

You figure if Domi resigns that he is going to get some term, probably 3 years. I don't think he wants to go through the process again, and would probably take a lower AAV elsewhere for 3 years than sign a one year deal just to be flipped.

Not against resigning Athanaseu for a year, but for what? a $500K raise to $3.5 So lets say you sign those 2 (say Domi at 3 x $5 mil, less term but same AAV as Strome and Athanaseu at $3.5 mil), and $6 Mil to resign Kurashev, Bjork, Soderblom and Anderson. Add in Vlasic and Phillips on their ELC's for a little less than $2 mil. That leaves you basically a full roster and still needing a $5 mil. player to get to the floor.
- LAHawk

Looking at Capfriendly there are a few high dollar short term contracts the Hawks could acquire (with other assets) AND the players might be decent fits for the Hawks strategy of keeping game’s competitive (but still losing enough to finish in the bottom 3).

So Mitchell’s performance continues to be terrible, yet he is all star level in the AHL

I wonder what the coaches think are his issue(s). Someone on this board would have volunteered if we knew the answer

I get it that not all prospects work out, not all make the grade in the NHL

Mitchell has to be very good due to his size. Therefore I questioned if the physical factor, ie. hockey is a rough physical sport…was a reason why he struggles up here. However the AHL is a physical league too and Mitchell is a completely different looking player at that level

On this board we complained that the physical and intimidation was too much for ex Blackhawk Schmaltz to overcome. Well he is getting by in Arizona and even having missed games this season due to injury, he might get 30 goals

Mitchell do as well as Schmaltz if he gets away from Chicago? I don’t see that happening but who knows what is wrong with Mitchell
- jhawk59

Mitchell looks lost out there, is playing with zero confidence, and is surrounded by crappy partners. He has proven he can play in the AHL. Maybe they just give him extended NHL time and see if he can find his game. But I could see them trading him for a young RFA forward that also needs a change of scenery.

Here’s hoping the players are enjoying the sun in FLA and not thinking about the next two games….

However, LR has this team playing solid hockey which makes me conflicted….

It’s hard to root for a loss, even though that is what’s best….

Screw it… hope they lose….

I feel better….

Exhale………

I wonder what the coaches think are his issue(s). Someone on this board would have volunteered if we knew the answer

What I noticed is that he ends up with his back to the play in the D-zone, especially around the net. He's "covering" his man while the play gets behind him and he is disconnected from the action.
And in the O-zone he carries in deep and peters out. He is not a playmaker at the NHL level.

Another old guard GM out Fletcher out in Philadelphia.

How about that Bears trade?

Isn’t there a football blog for that?

How about that Bears trade?
- RedRevenge

Unbelievable

Unbelievable
- BetweenTheDots

Carolina was 23rd in the off season power rankings. With a rookie QB they could be worse. So I am ok with the trade. It probably means Bears spend a lot of money on free agent offensive and defensive lineman. And now back to our regularly scheduled programming (the Blackhawks).

The Bears trade makes me wonder again, if the Hawks had the #1 pick, what would fair value be for it? How many picks and prospects would it take to give it up?

Zaitsev = Karpotsev

(frank)ing Caleb Jones