I could see you enjoying the cups more than me if PTSD was part of the equation cuz watching StanBow give up 1sts to get rid of good players, Sharp for instance, mortified me.

I was in the stands for those 3 cups and enjoyed the hell out of it but always worried it was on shaky ground cuz of the cap. In real time.
- Mr Ricochet

As I said I looked at the cap problems, and the subsequent movement of players, as part of winning especially considering Bowman was one of the pioneers of the cap era. Hopefully KD has learned some lessons from the cap problems, not only of the Blackhawks but of many teams since, some of which got into cap hell with nothing to show for it.

Has Vegas found the silver bullet to beat the cap to have long term success?
- Mr Ricochet

Well according to Dots, the only teams that have good years are the Stanley Cup winners, and the lottery teams, all the rest are losers, so I guess not.

Wasn't it Vince Lombardi who said 2nd is the 1st loser?!?
- mohel

Everyone who doesn't win are the losers, especially in Professional Sports

Everyone who doesn't win are the losers, especially in Professional Sports
- vabeachbear

Not true!

Canada up 2-0 against Austria
No goals or points from 98
Guhle and Cozens with the goals
- captainserious

Bust

It’s funny how Lindstrom’s back problem is getting more and more serious by the day and without any official reports.
- paulr

These things do take on a life of their own sometimes don't they. Happens all the time, every draft has players who drop because of injury. Maybe rightly so, how many guys miss more than 20 games during their draft year and don't drop?

Tough to risk the high pick, on someone may be injury prone. Teams who don't hit on their high picks especially when they are in the top 10 are doomed to failure. You have to hit on those guys when you are drafting up there.

Keep pushing the narrative, add ankle and knee problems, he may drop down to 20 if we get enough rumors out there

Not sure if any of you have listened to this podcast before:

https://www.nhl.com/news/...n-nhl-draft-class-podcast

Just listened to their mock draft episode from last week.
Going to listen to the USHL/NTDP episode while I walk to work tomorrow morning

Cmon, VBear. You see no difference for the fan of Carolina and Chicago the last 5 yrs?..... We all want to win but winning a Cup is the hardest thing to do in sport and falling a step or two short meant you had one helluva season.

Although falling short that yr was a fantastic ride for the fan.
- Mr Ricochet

We agree to disagree, the path may take you a few years to get there, but if you don't win the cup, you lose.

History doesn't remember the losers, only the winners, mostly because winners write the history.

I live in Carolina, so i can kind of relate, but honestly, the hockey fans here are not the same as hockey fans in Chicago, ill just say that.

What I remember is that Marty Feldman guy telling us how they Canes never needed to add anyone when the Hawks were dumping guys, not Kane, not Crawford, then their 3rd level goalie would gives up a couple easy goals to knock them out of the playoffs. Hell they should've kept Marzek, he's better than Anderson.

How their owner wouldn't go all in to win a cup for all the years before this one. To me they aren't tough enough to win a cup. TT.............. Now they talk that Brind A'more is on the hot seat if he doesn't get to the finals. Go ahead and fire him, see where you are in a couple years.

Has Vegas found the silver bullet to beat the cap to have long term success?
- Mr Ricochet

We'll see, i doubt it, as someday you have to pay the piper. Even though it worked in a few occasions, i think shelving guys for most of the season to circumvent the cap, they dressing them for the playoffs and expecting them all to compete at a high level is not a good long term strategy.

These things do take on a life of their own sometimes don't they. Happens all the time, every draft has players who drop because of injury. Maybe rightly so, how many guys miss more than 20 games during their draft year and don't drop?

Tough to risk the high pick, on someone may be injury prone. Teams who don't hit on their high picks especially when they are in the top 10 are doomed to failure. You have to hit on those guys when you are drafting up there.

Keep pushing the narrative, add ankle and knee problems, he may drop down to 20 if we get enough rumors out there

- vabeachbear

I heard he's in a body cast with a full neck brace.

Canada was up 6-1
Austria has just tied it up 6-6

Canada was up 6-1
Austria has just tied it up 6-6
- captainserious

Tavares won it for Canada 7-6 OT.

Well according to Dots, the only teams that have good years are the Stanley Cup winners, and the lottery teams, all the rest are losers, so I guess not.
- LAHawk

One thing is obvious to me LA, you've lived in California to long.

We agree to disagree, the path may take you a few years to get there, but if you don't win the cup, you lose.

History doesn't remember the losers, only the winners, mostly because winners write the history.

I live in Carolina, so i can kind of relate, but honestly, the hockey fans here are not the same as hockey fans in Chicago, ill just say that.

What I remember is that Marty Feldman guy telling us how they Canes never needed to add anyone when the Hawks were dumping guys, not Kane, not Crawford, then their 3rd level goalie would gives up a couple easy goals to knock them out of the playoffs. Hell they should've kept Marzek, he's better than Anderson.

How their owner wouldn't go all in to win a cup for all the years before this one. To me they aren't tough enough to win a cup. TT.............. Now they talk that Brind A'more is on the hot seat if he doesn't get to the finals. Go ahead and fire him, see where you are in a couple years.
- vabeachbear

Maybe Carolina isn't the best example only cuz, as you mention, they were way too gun shy for too long in adding the piece(s) to get em over the top, but still. Those fans were given a damn fun team and players to watch.

Love watching Carolina operate. An owner that demands fiscal responsibility, a top fancy stat guy as an assistant GM, a good GM and above all they scout and draft well. .... I'm in for a team with a 3rd line mentality up and down the roster but like Waddell and the owner I was too slow to realize you need an elite piece or two to go further and IMO Guentzal was the proof and a helluva an add. And that Cossack centerman they added upped their overall skill level a good bit.

A fantastic bought into system throughout the whole organIzation but it needed that kick to get em over the hump. Game 6 tonight in Carolina!! A great night for Cane's fans, something we haven't experienced in Chicago for a long long time.......... As freakish as Shesterkin is right now he coughs a lotta rebounds but has made the 2nd and 3rd saves. Still, an opportunity is presented for the net crashing Canes.

We'll see, i doubt it, as someday you have to pay the piper. Even though it worked in a few occasions, i think shelving guys for most of the season to circumvent the cap, they dressing them for the playoffs and expecting them all to compete at a high level is not a good long term strategy.
- vabeachbear

I'm tired of waiting for LVG to HAVE to pay the piper as my team did but it just never happens. Until it does IMO Vegas has figured out the cap, under the rules, until I see them move a key piece without replacing him with BETTER.

I'm tired of waiting for LVG to HAVE to pay the piper as my team did but it just never happens. Until it does IMO Vegas has figured out the cap, under the rules, until I see them move a key piece without replacing him with BETTER.
- Mr Ricochet

Vegas was kind of a bubble team this year and the future of their roster isn't that bright. They traded a lot of their picks, have a weaker than average prospect pool and aging players. It might be all they can do to actually make the wild card next season.

Vegas was kind of a bubble team this year and the future of their roster isn't that bright. They traded a lot of their picks, have a weaker than average prospect pool and aging players. It might be all they can do to actually make the wild card next season.
- breadbag

Gain Hertl and Hannifin for the whole year, lose Martinez and Marchissault the Knights actually get younger, with arguably no loss of talent

Gain Hertl and Hannifin for the whole year, lose Martinez and Marchissault the Knights actually get younger, with arguably no loss of talent
- LAHawk

Maybe, but I never understood the Hannifin love, very overrated in my opinion.

Maybe, but I never understood the Hannifin love, very overrated in my opinion.
- vabeachbear

I agree i watch Vegas a lot since a they have a few good Saskatchewan boys. And i just don't see it. Hannifin to me is just meh.

I'm tired of waiting for LVG to HAVE to pay the piper as my team did but it just never happens. Until it does IMO Vegas has figured out the cap, under the rules, until I see them move a key piece without replacing him with BETTER.
- Mr Ricochet

Have to give them credit, not only did they figure out the cap, they made a mockery of the league with their initial draft. Hoping for Canes to force a game 7 vs. the Rags.

When Hawks add free agents I hope they add a Jerk like Perry. Big, tough, some skill, agitator, defends teammates, heavy hitter, (but faster than Perry)

Yea I did see that, Wiz. Seems you hear that in every sport except for hockey. Kid sure likes himself, with good reason, but I think he's gonna get a good grilling at the combine with organIzations trying to get into the kid's thoughts. ..... NTDP kids are treated like royalty, is Eiserman a diva?
- Mr Ricochet

Nice to see a hockey player that isn't a caricature of platitudes.

Probably going to turn off some GM's who think that hockey players shouldn't have a personality or any selfishness. BUT all the kid does is score and that shot would look good next to Bedard.

It’s funny how Lindstrom’s back problem is getting more and more serious by the day and without any official reports.
- paulr

I haven't seen anything that mentions a herniated disk. If he drops to 20 I guess we'll know why.

Seems like I've lost my ability to make a point in just a few sentences but let me try on a subject I find has 30 variables and waaaaay outa my league.

Any Hawk fan who lived thru the Cup yrs has some kinda PTSD from being in cap hell. Watch a powerhouse dismantled along with draining prospects. ........ I asked in maybe 2014ish is there a way to soften that strangling cap by drafting players who play a style that isn't highly compensated despite winning cups? ... No replies.

Can you build schemes, systems, that win with players that don't require more than a superstar or two? ......... Is there a way to be a top 4 club and not face cap hell evry yr or two?

Has any team done it? It seems ironic that if any team has come close to figuring out the cap conundrum it is Vegas!! Seem to face cap hell every offseason yet they get BETTER each off season. ....

Paul, for one, mentions how will KD navigate the cap, especially with the benefit of starting from a total teardown. ..... That understanding and not getting strangled by the cap is as important as drafting and developing.

Just that as a Hawk's fan always lingering is the pain that the cap can cause if not dealt with properly. And with it being so early in that process, and the rebuild, these are the beginning times when the proverbial rubber hits the road for KD.
- Mr Ricochet

It's just the reality of the cap. Once your stars age out - if you don't find some gems like Dallas has and Tampa was able to - then you kinda fizzle out.

I think that you need to maximize the opportunities for the superstars you have. They have the otherworldly player with Bedard. If another pick pops into something special thats neat but they really need to maximize his prime years and being overly patient would be as bad as signing a half dozen 30 year olds this offseason.

Goofy stuff like a hot goalie can throw some things off in the playoffs but typically teams without super stars don't win the championships. St Louis is probably the most average roster to win recently.

Gain Hertl and Hannifin for the whole year, lose Martinez and Marchissault the Knights actually get younger, with arguably no loss of talent
- LAHawk

Those are only a couple players, only marginally younger and the rest of the roster just added another year, so no.

Stone is 32, Hertl already 30, Karlsson 31, Pietrangelo is 34. Many of their other parts are approaching 30 soon and decline will creep up like it's already started for some of the ones I've named above.

Statistically most players peak around 25 and then start to decline very noticeably after they hit 30. They don't have a lot coming up, not many draft choices, and most of their key parts have peaked, so really not much reason to be optimistic about them doing much.