"...John Jaeckel Jingleheimer Schmidt - put up a newwwww damn blog , The Hawks are giving doubt , the people always shout , Stan get us a GD D and centerman , dah dah dah dah dahhhh ."

Al it seems to me there may be a new direction being taken by teams this year. Seems like more UFA's are being resigned by their clubs instead of dealing them. Maybe this has something to do with teams liking the player they have and not wanting to try and replace them with another UFA in the off season. Also there seems to be a hand full of teams out there that are going all out to win the cup. Rightfully so, these teams are legitimate contenders. The price they seem to be paying for players who could help them win it all, has been very high. I don't believe the Hawks should be one of those teams. As has been discussed on this site the Hawks have at least three large holes. 2C, 3D, and Goaltender. This was before we lost Toews, Hammer, and Monty. We don't know the long term status of these three, so we are to assume we now have even more holes than before. Is this really the year we sell off roster players, developing prospects, and draft choices?
- hawksbuzz

This was a wide open year in the West and with a couple of solid improvements that could have happen 4-6 weeks ago things might be different now.

Teams must be anticipating teh Cap will go up which means certain player especially dmen will get paid this summer....So a team like Carolina who has player that are happy to be there resigned their own.

Also not to be forgotten is their GM Rutherford isn't partial to drafting low round dmen and then paying to develop them.

The cost for rentals has been 2nd-3rd rounders....If Bowman thought his team to be so good trading a 24-30 pick is a reasonable risk.

As far as roster players....There are only a small handfull that could possibly be traded now.....Take Hammer out of the mix and it's slim pickings.

The value to others would be Pirri/Morin and one of the younger players drafted last summer.

Those players would most likely only be dealt for a solid addiion who would have term left on his contract....not a Band Aid.

The reality is SB screwed up. He went for prospects that are STILL not ready to produce at the NHL level.... even by next season. (pirri, saad, morin, danault, mcneil, etc). What he should have done after the cup was go after more players on entry level contracts like wheeler, simmonds, foligno, to name a few. Now the concern is that by the time these prospects (which JJ has pointed out are NHL quality but not top NHL quality prospects) the core you are counting on may not be there. Careful... when owners are playing for the future they tend to 'always' be playing for the future. You have a great core NOW.... You should be playing for NOW. JMO.
- moylander

your objective analysis is accurate but painful to read
how about the next time we play you guys on the road we put stan instands with a hawk jersey that says phily $uck$ and you guys take care of our gm issues

WHo knows maybe we'll get PK Subban , Dusty Brown , and Brassard. And Ill just pay omage to SB every day for the rest of forever....

WHo knows maybe we'll get PK Subban , Dusty Brown , and Brassard. And Ill just pay omage to SB every day for the rest of forever....
- mrpaulish

i will take the other side of that bet

WHo knows maybe we'll get PK Subban , Dusty Brown , and Brassard. And Ill just pay omage to SB every day for the rest of forever....
- mrpaulish

dont bogart that joint, my friend

I'm at the point now - If there is no motivation to trade for a center for Hossa, then see what he can bring in a trade. He deserves more than what he has had so far on this team.

i will take the other side of that bet
- molly2522

Yea.

Im beginning to think there is no master plan , there is only a scared GM , Stand Bowman , sitting in a dark room somewhere in the fetal position knuckles in mouth

Yea.

Im beginning to think there is no master plan , there is only a scared GM , Stand Bowman , sitting in a dark room somewhere in the fetal position knuckles in mouth
- mrpaulish

There's a master plan but it values their players/prospects/picks too much and other teams' players not enough.

But we all agree , right , this team , right now , this very second isnt built well enough to expect to win a play off series. That is unacceptable

dont bogart that joint, my friend
- dpard

Pass it over to me

Not holding my breath on the trade front.

Yea.

Im beginning to think there is no master plan , there is only a scared GM , Stand Bowman , sitting in a dark room somewhere in the fetal position knuckles in mouth
- mrpaulish

Just listened to NHL Radio on XM interview with Jay Zaraski(spelling?) and he was asked why SB does not pick up Roy or another 2nd line center and he said the word is out around the league that SB does not have the b"BALLS to make a trade and thinks that he can't give up a first round pick because he can win with his prospect. I never really believed he is as dumb as this but he is a total moron and we are done this year

Prediction:

Stan makes no deals of significance through the deadline, and the spin meisters will extoll the virtues of the rookie call ups.

Today's team is your 2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks.

on night this site better have a parental disgretion warning

Prediction:

Stan makes no deals of significance through the deadline, and the spin meisters will extoll the virtues of the rookie call ups.

Today's team is your 2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks.
- Return of the Roar

You can take your prediction to the babk

on night this site better have a parental disgretion warning
- molly2522

meant on monday night this site better have a parental disgretion warning

But we all agree , right , this team , right now , this very second isnt built well enough to expect to win a play off series. That is unacceptable
- mrpaulish

absolutely, agreeeeeeeed. I just happen to think they're swinging and missing, rather than just looking at strikes...

stan just had a press conference and he said he is confident they can get the pieces needed from the waiver wire to make a run at the cup

absolutely, agreeeeeeeed. I just happen to think they're swinging and missing, rather than just looking at strikes...
- blackhawk24

They looked at strikes for the entire season before the all star break, in denial of what they really needed to do all along, mesmerized by what will go down in retrospect as the performance of an incredibly lucky and overachieving team.

Prediction:

Stan makes no deals of significance through the deadline, and the spin meisters will extoll the virtues of the rookie call ups.

Today's team is your 2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks.
- Return of the Roar

And the 2012-2013 Blackhawks?

stan just had a press conference and he said he is confident they can get the pieces needed from the waiver wire to make a run at the cup
- molly2522

"We can do better than Kubina...."

From the waiver wire??????

And the 2012-2013 Blackhawks?
- StLBravesFan

Still have to replace nine guys with $10MM in cap space. Stan gets one chance at a do over.

They looked at strikes for the entire season before the all star break, in denial of what they really needed to do all along, mesmerized by what will go down in retrospect as the performance of an incredibly lucky and overachieving team.
- Return of the Roar

You can't use the whole season up to the break as leverage against them making moves. There were virtually no moves before the break. But since the break and moreso, after the 1st week of February, that is a lot different and it is then - and now too - that I feel they're missing on their assessments, both in overvaluing what they have, and undervaluing what they could use to enhance the team.

Prediction:

Stan makes no deals of significance through the deadline, and the spin meisters will extoll the virtues of the rookie call ups.

Today's team is your 2011-12 Chicago Blackhawks.
- Return of the Roar

Been saying that for weeks.