Montreal re-signed defenseman Kaiden Guhle for 6 years @ $5.5 million AAV.

That Vlasic deal is looking better and better every day.
- DarthKane

Here's to hoping Bedard's 2nd contract ends up being the right fit for him and the 'Hawks.

Here's to hoping Bedard's 2nd contract ends up being the right fit for him and the 'Hawks.
- 35Tony0

I wonder if KD will do a bridge deal to maximize the amount of time the team has Bedard under control?

I wonder if KD will do a bridge deal to maximize the amount of time the team has Bedard under control?
- DarthKane

That would be the ideal.

I wonder if KD will do a bridge deal to maximize the amount of time the team has Bedard under control?
- DarthKane

If Bedard and his agent is smart, they would do similar to Austin Matthews contracts, shorter term of 5 years so when that is up he would be a UFA.

https://x.com/RinksideGeneral/status/1818285247483752493

In depth X thread on Boisvert.
- 35Tony0

Is there a way to read this without having a Twitter account?

If Bedard and his agent is smart, they would do similar to Austin Matthews contracts, shorter term of 5 years so when that is up he would be a UFA.
- LAHawk

Agree LA, I mentioned something similar a couple of pages back. And, following the Matthews model, if he puts up enough points the next couple of years, his next contract could be in 8 figures.

Montreal re-signed defenseman Kaiden Guhle for 6 years @ $5.5 million AAV.

That Vlasic deal is looking better and better every day.
- DarthKane

I still can't believe we let Zadorov go.

Over on the Oilers blog if Stan wins 4 cups it won't be enough.

I still can't believe we let Zadorov go.
- rpeters01

I’m happy the Hawks did let him go.

Over on the Oilers blog if Stan wins 4 cups it won't be enough.
- rpeters01

Stan won three cups here and he’s remembered for trading Panarin and not having a great draft record.

If Bedard and his agent is smart, they would do similar to Austin Matthews contracts, shorter term of 5 years so when that is up he would be a UFA.
- LAHawk

For sure, I’d be ok with that as long as KD is certain he can re-sign Bedard.

Kane & Toews signed similar deals - 5 years @ $6.3 million AAV.

Stan won three cups here and he’s remembered for trading Panarin and not having a great draft record.
- paulr

Stan shouldn’t get credit for building the dynasty teams. But he should get credit for re-tooling the 2013 and 2015 Cup teams. He did well finding bargains to fill depth roles.

https://twitter.com/Byron...B0zKA67WLV5i5ovCYSbw&s=19

I guess by this chart he's going to have to either sign FAs or trade for players.

Stan shouldn’t get credit for building the dynasty teams. But he should get credit for re-tooling the 2013 and 2015 Cup teams. He did well finding bargains to fill depth roles.
- DarthKane

I think credit or blame can be really hard to assign from the outside looking in. Similar to coaches, where the head coach catches all the credit or blame, there is really a group of people involved (like assistant coaches in my example)

For Bowman, he was hired on 9 years before he was made GM. For those years 2000-2009 he was involved in evaluation of players/prospects, especially as he moved from special assistant, to director of hockey operations, to assistant GM. He wasn't just some guy who walked off the street in July 2009 and became GM of the Hawks, so I would consider that he deserves some credit for the work he did to help build that team. (Not saying most of the credit)

He kept the team on track and got them over the hump during the season which I think deserves another bit of credit as well. Things could have happened differently with a different GM and maybe the Hawks don't win the cup. Impossible to know and obviously not everything in 2010 was great (Kyle Beach Incident) but I see the good and the bad as organization success or failure, more than just on one guy.

I think credit or blame can be really hard to assign from the outside looking in. Similar to coaches, where the head coach catches all the credit or blame, there is really a group of people involved (like assistant coaches in my example)

For Bowman, he was hired on 9 years before he was made GM. For those years 2000-2009 he was involved in evaluation of players/prospects, especially as he moved from special assistant, to director of hockey operations, to assistant GM. He wasn't just some guy who walked off the street in July 2009 and became GM of the Hawks, so I would consider that he deserves some credit for the work he did to help build that team. (Not saying most of the credit)

He kept the team on track and got them over the hump during the season which I think deserves another bit of credit as well. Things could have happened differently with a different GM and maybe the Hawks don't win the cup. Impossible to know and obviously not everything in 2010 was great (Kyle Beach Incident) but I see the good and the bad as organization success or failure, more than just on one guy.
- breadbag

Assigning blame is certainly not difficult on the BoD.

https://twitter.com/ByronMBader/status/1818330838888833374?t=d4B0zKA67WLV5i5ovCYSbw&s=19

I guess by this chart he's going to have to either sign FAs or trade for players.
- BetweenTheDots

There are multiple ways to skin a cat. Many teams with top end talent upfront don’t have enough talent on the backend. KD is building his backend up and he got lucky with Bedard up front. Still more talent to accumulate, however things are looking good, they’ll be a contender in about three years. Need to find a player with similar attributes to Barkov.

Ok 2 minute minor for using an acronym for a name on a hockey site that is also the even more common acronym for Left Defence.

Get in the box, you mongrel. Any lip, and you'll get a 10 minute time out to think about it.
- SC116

via GIPHY

https://twitter.com/ByronMBader/status/1818330838888833374?t=d4B0zKA67WLV5i5ovCYSbw&s=19

I guess by this chart he's going to have to either sign FAs or trade for players.
- BetweenTheDots

Of course over time you sign players, trade players and try to fill in the weaknesses in the lineup. I think some people get stuck on "Building via the draft" as if every player on the team must be drafted. The idea is to get foundation to build on as well as additional assets to build your team via trade, etc..

That chart also doesn't take into account the changes to the landscape of the league which affect the make up of teams. When the salary cap started and the few years it took for its effects to actually start to change the make up of more teams. The changes to frontloaded contracts, contract limits, the expansion drafts, and the flat cap caused by pandemic.

The pattern that stands out the most are the teams that won over the last several years had their top couple forwards and their #1 D drafted in house. Those are also the teams that you see winning multiple times, vs the teams that were one and done.

Assigning blame is certainly not difficult on the BoD.
- DarthKane

It's all Chris Campoli's fault for that damn turnover.

I still can't believe we let Zadorov go.
- rpeters01

Another KD fail.

There are multiple ways to skin a cat. Many teams with top end talent upfront don’t have enough talent on the backend. KD is building his backend up and he got lucky with Bedard up front. Still more talent to accumulate, however things are looking good, they’ll be a contender in about three years. Need to find a player with similar attributes to Barkov.
- Angotti

Well it sounds like there are a lot of players drafted that are difficult to play against. Another ingredient i keep reading of our prospects is their work ethic, i do agree with you 2 to 3 years the team will start getting better maybe even a playoff team.

I know there is criticism of the Cubs how they were supposed to be good this year, one tell tale sign i see that says they are closer to being a good team is they can string off winning streaks. I can't wait for the Blackhawks to begin doing the same thing.

Although when i look at that chart none of those teams had even half of the 1st round draft picks we had in a 3 year span and soon it'll be 4, 10 possible 1st rounders as of now. Throw in 2nd and 3rd round picks just crazy how flooded our prospect pool is right now.

As I've said before the potential of building a monster is right in front of us.

Well it sounds like there are a lot of players drafted that are difficult to play against. Another ingredient i keep reading of our prospects is their work ethic, i do agree with you 2 to 3 years the team will start getting better maybe even a playoff team.

I know there is criticism of the Cubs how they were supposed to be good this year, one tell tale sign i see that says they are closer to being a good team is they can string off winning streaks. I can't wait for the Blackhawks to begin doing the same thing.

Although when i look at that chart none of those teams had even half of the 1st round draft picks we had in a 3 year span and soon it'll be 4, 10 possible 1st rounders as of now. Throw in 2nd and 3rd round picks just crazy how flooded our prospect pool is right now.

As I've said before the potential of building a monster is right in front of us.
- BetweenTheDots

As stacked as the Hawk prospect pool is, Montreal, SanJose and Anaheim all boast lots of talent and like Chicago there’s a good balance between positions, skill, size, speed and compete. In a few years I think those three teams and Chicago will be the top teams.

As stacked as the Hawk prospect pool is, Montreal, SanJose and Anaheim all boast lots of talent and like Chicago there’s a good balance between positions, skill, size, speed and compete. In a few years I think those three teams and Chicago will be the top teams.
- paulr

I think Utah and Columbus will be interesting as well. Not so sure about the Habs but we'll see.

For sure, I’d be ok with that as long as KD is certain he can re-sign Bedard.

Kane & Toews signed similar deals - 5 years @ $6.3 million AAV.
- DarthKane

With inflation that's well over $8M per year.

I think Utah and Columbus will be interesting as well. Not so sure about the Habs but we'll see.
- BetweenTheDots

Dach, Newhook, Suzuki, Slafkovsky, Caufield, Guhle, Hutson and Arber Xhekaj are the young guys on the current Hab roster. Add in prospects Owen Beck, Joshua Roy, Florian Xhekaj, David Reinbacher, Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage. The Habs sure look promising to me. Utah and Columbus have traditionally managed to (frank) everything up but under new management and ownership maybe that all changes?