The legend of 2009-10 just keeps getting bigger and more false.

Following the cup year the Hawks were facing an enormous cap issue:

1. Toews, Kane and Keiths new contracts kicked in and added additional 9 mil plus another 4 mill in bonus.

2. Going into 10-11 the Hawks had the following commitments and cap hits....

Cambell: 7.1, Kane: 6.3, Toews: 6.3, Huet: 5.6, Keith 5.3, Hossa: 5.3, Sharp: 3.9, Seabs: 3.5, Bolland: 3.4, Versteeg: 3.1, Buff: 3.0, Sopel: 2.3, Brouwer: 1.0, Kop: 1.2

14 players with 57.3 mil in cap. They were 4 mil shy of the cap and needed 8 more players.

Niemi and Hjarm were RFA's. Sharks offered 4 yrs to #4 at 3.5 mil per and the Hawks matched now they have 15 players with a cap hit of 61 mil right at the cap limit with 7 players left to sign.

Now what was Bowman to do? He can't have a roster with 18 players making 3 to 6 mil per year and he needs to dress a team of 20 every nite. ALSO his starting cup winning goalie is an RFA!

Eager, Frazer and Ladd were RFA's. Burish was UFA....he was not traded but was free to sign with any team and he and the Stars found the love.

Ladd was probably looking for an increase from 1.6 to 2.5.

This isn't difficult folks: they had to move Buff, Versteeg, Ladd and Sopel because they had value...at least Bowman could get something in return and unload 9+ mil in salary.

Niemi gets the Arb win...Hawks can't afford it and let him go. And decide to eat Huet's cap hit for 2 years!

Mismanagement? Come on!! I guess you could nail Tallon for messing up and overpaying Versteeg and Buff with their 3 year contracts after the 08-09 year.
- bogiedoc

I don't know either way but some here will tell you that was Bowman's fault.

I agree with you. A big part of the choices were about positions that mattered more than others. Like center and defense.

It's a reasoning some will never except or let go. Which is fine.
- pri$ey

That reasoning isn't fact. There are a whole lot of other reasons btw that I have heard first hand from people that work there and they have nothing to do with positions. I would let it go if we actually replaced those guys with someone. Still waiting...

I wonder if Bowman is the reason Tallon is still overpaying players in Florida..
- pri$ey

How is that working out in Florida btw?

That reasoning isn't fact. There are a whole lot of other reasons btw that I have heard first hand from people that work there and they have nothing to do with positions. I would let it go if we actually replaced those guys with someone. Still waiting...
- ilinkhawk

You said you weren't talking about it anymore 3 months ago

How is that working out in Florida btw?
- ilinkhawk

Tied for the last playoff spot in a weak division and only because the best team in the division is having a bad season.

The legend of 2009-10 just keeps getting bigger and more false.

Following the cup year the Hawks were facing an enormous cap issue:

1. Toews, Kane and Keiths new contracts kicked in and added additional 9 mil plus another 4 mill in bonus.

2. Going into 10-11 the Hawks had the following commitments and cap hits....

Cambell: 7.1, Kane: 6.3, Toews: 6.3, Huet: 5.6, Keith 5.3, Hossa: 5.3, Sharp: 3.9, Seabs: 3.5, Bolland: 3.4, Versteeg: 3.1, Buff: 3.0, Sopel: 2.3, Brouwer: 1.0, Kop: 1.2

14 players with 57.3 mil in cap. They were 4 mil shy of the cap and needed 8 more players.

Niemi and Hjarm were RFA's. Sharks offered 4 yrs to #4 at 3.5 mil per and the Hawks matched now they have 15 players with a cap hit of 61 mil right at the cap limit with 7 players left to sign.

Now what was Bowman to do? He can't have a roster with 18 players making 3 to 6 mil per year and he needs to dress a team of 20 every nite. ALSO his starting cup winning goalie is an RFA!

Eager, Frazer and Ladd were RFA's. Burish was UFA....he was not traded but was free to sign with any team and he and the Stars found the love.

Ladd was probably looking for an increase from 1.6 to 2.5.

This isn't difficult folks: they had to move Buff, Versteeg, Ladd and Sopel because they had value...at least Bowman could get something in return and unload 9+ mil in salary.

Niemi gets the Arb win...Hawks can't afford it and let him go. And decide to eat Huet's cap hit for 2 years!

Mismanagement? Come on!! I guess you could nail Tallon for messing up and overpaying Versteeg and Buff with their 3 year contracts after the 08-09 year.
- bogiedoc

There were options. If the goal was to maximize return, we should have dealt Toews. Bolland's value was very very high. And at the end of the day we also matched the Shark offer. On a side note. I heard this weekend at a SB party that was done with some additional intent by Wilson for how Tallon was treated.

You said you weren't talking about it anymore 3 months ago
- pri$ey

Just responding to folks like you who take the other side. Notice I never bring it up

Tied for the last playoff spot in a weak division and only because the best team in the division is having a bad season.
- pri$ey

If that's all you are seeing down there, that's pretty shortsighted. Go ask some of the fans that are actually excited to go to games what they think about the overspending...

I don't know either way but some here will tell you that was Bowman's fault.
- pri$ey

Tallon was the GM. It goes to him regardless of who actually was working on it.

If that's all you are seeing down there, that's pretty shortsighted. Go ask some of the fans that are actually excited to go to games what they think about the overspending...
- ilinkhawk

Why do I care about the fans? We were talking about the team he built.. That is tied for the last playoff spot and I'd be willing to bet they miss the playoffs.

Why do I care about the fans? We were talking about the team he built.. That is tied for the last playoff spot and I'd be willing to bet they miss the playoffs.
- pri$ey

Let's talk about the team then. They finished in 15th place last year. That's last.. in the Conference. This year however you want to spin it, they are leading their division and sit 3rd in the conference. And the fans actually can go to a game and see a team that has a chance to win. That was not the case by a longshot last year.

The legend of 2009-10 just keeps getting bigger and more false.

Following the cup year the Hawks were facing an enormous cap issue:

1. Toews, Kane and Keiths new contracts kicked in and added additional 9 mil plus another 4 mill in bonus.

2. Going into 10-11 the Hawks had the following commitments and cap hits....

Cambell: 7.1, Kane: 6.3, Toews: 6.3, Huet: 5.6, Keith 5.3, Hossa: 5.3, Sharp: 3.9, Seabs: 3.5, Bolland: 3.4, Versteeg: 3.1, Buff: 3.0, Sopel: 2.3, Brouwer: 1.0, Kop: 1.2

14 players with 57.3 mil in cap. They were 4 mil shy of the cap and needed 8 more players.

Niemi and Hjarm were RFA's. Sharks offered 4 yrs to #4 at 3.5 mil per and the Hawks matched now they have 15 players with a cap hit of 61 mil right at the cap limit with 7 players left to sign.

Now what was Bowman to do? He can't have a roster with 18 players making 3 to 6 mil per year and he needs to dress a team of 20 every nite. ALSO his starting cup winning goalie is an RFA!

Eager, Frazer and Ladd were RFA's. Burish was UFA....he was not traded but was free to sign with any team and he and the Stars found the love.

Ladd was probably looking for an increase from 1.6 to 2.5.

This isn't difficult folks: they had to move Buff, Versteeg, Ladd and Sopel because they had value...at least Bowman could get something in return and unload 9+ mil in salary.

Niemi gets the Arb win...Hawks can't afford it and let him go. And decide to eat Huet's cap hit for 2 years!

Mismanagement? Come on!! I guess you could nail Tallon for messing up and overpaying Versteeg and Buff with their 3 year contracts after the 08-09 year.
- bogiedoc

thanks for the recap
of all the movves made to free up cap space i think buf is the biggest loss
cant argue with versteeg ladd and sopel being let go

just surprised they could not see the value buf brought to the team with his style of play
this year we have the campbell trade that i will admit at the time i thought was good until i realize they cant do anything with the cap space
this team with both buf and campbell in the lineup would be significantly better and we would only be looking for physical number 6 defenseman or a couple third and fourth line wingers

I get your last post but how can you think Montreal isn't on the short list? Their fan base is just as broad as the Leafs is..

I can't help but to think some of your anti-Quebec opinions are coming out here.
- pri$ey

How about these reasons:

1) Montreal is in Canada, the outdoor game is principally for American TV viewership.
2) The team stinks, look at the standings.
3) They have played in it twice already in Canada on the road because there is no suitable facility in Montreal unless McGill Stadium works.
4) Montreal had the All Star Game and the NHL Entry Draft both in 2009.
5) And lastly, unlike the previous Liberal Governments, Bettman has no need to appease the whining, sniveling Quebecers looking for a handout, simply because the Canadiens have no other league to secede to.

Contrary to what Canadiens fans think, in the big NHL picture of 2012 the team just isn't as relevant as it used to be. Start winning and they might be a marquee team again, but that won't be happening any time soon.

thanks for the recap
of all the movves made to free up cap space i think buf is the biggest loss
cant argue with versteeg ladd and sopel being let go

just surprised they could not see the value buf brought to the team with his style of play
this year we have the campbell trade that i will admit at the time i thought was good until i realize they cant do anything with the cap space
this team with both buf and campbell in the lineup would be significantly better and we would only be looking for physical number 6 defenseman or a couple third and fourth line wingers
- molly2522

I don't think you can underestimate Buff's desire to play D in the Hawks decision to move him. As good as he was as a top 6 LW, he's not a good D-man...defensively anyways. Yeah he's still putting up points, but no one will ever convince me that he's a better D-man than Forward. Would he have been happy staying here if it meant playing as a forward? If not, would it have become a distraction? None of us will ever know for sure, but I bet the fact that he made it known that he prefered to play D figured ino the decision to move him.