Do they have a stat for piss poor attitude? I'm sure he leads the league in that.
- EKolb13

I heard the same about Carter and to some extent Kopitar in the past, and they are partying with the cup right now. A change of scenery can do wonders for some...

Arnott would make you happy?
- mvp0207

I would do that a second...Put Kruger in the 3rd hole and move Bolland up. Time to see what Bolland can do...Arnott would add another high quality character guy, and help guys like Hayes, Bickell, Shaw, play like a professional every night.

I'm all about moving Bolland up, as much I;m not a fan of his, and seeing if Kruger can man the 3rd line role.

At this point, I just don't see them trading away to solve one weakness, while creating a new weakness (Getting rid of Hammer)...

Right, elite talent. If someone can figure out how to get his head on straight, he could be scary good. I hear a lot of 1 year deals being mentioned, so that leads me to believe most teams are not confident that can happen.
- Sundevil

Also teh Caps scored a lot more goals as a team during the same period than NJ and only some of it was becasue of Semin.

More opportunity to get points with the Caps than NJ the majority of the time.

I would do that a second...Put Kruger in the 3rd hole and move Bolland up. Time to see what Bolland can do...Arnott would add another high quality character guy, and help guys like Hayes, Bickell, Shaw, play like a professional every night.

I'm all about moving Bolland up, as much I;m not a fan of his, and seeing if Kruger can man the 3rd line role.

At this point, I just don't see them trading away to solve one weakness, while creating a new weakness (Getting rid of Hammer)...
- SteveRain

I guarantee the day after Arnott is signed people will say hes much the same mold of Bruntte, OD and Mayers last year. So is he a "high quality character guy," (<--this was the exact things being said about Brunette and OD last year) or another old slow veteran that we will all be complaining about come game 30.

I don't disagree with you, but the solution is not simple. I'm sure Bowman realizes that we could use a #2 center, but do you want to trade Kane for Plekanec?! Then you fill one hole and create another. Sure, you can see our D depth is weak, but he signed Oduya for a good contract and there's very few defenseman that will actually make a difference. Again, Bowman should trade for another top 4 defense, but what does he need to give up? A prospect isn't going to get you much.

I really only see two teams in the entire league that have made significant improvements thus far: Minnesota and Carolina. I would say LA also gets a plus for just being able to retain their players at reasonable cap hits, like Stoll. Otherwise, every other team in the league is the same or worse.

Making trades work in a video game is great, but in real life teams don't give up good players for crap players.

I enjoy reading JJ's blogs, but its a rumor blog not a fact blog. When JJ says he is hearing from a source that maybe something is happening, it doesn't mean its true. The latest of "Bowman has had lots of trade discussions but is too tentative to pull the trigger" doesn't mean anything. We have NO information. Does that mean, teams are offering lots of picks and prospects for Toews and Bowman won't do it thus making him tentative?!

Maybe Columbus asked for Kane, Keith, and Hammer for Nash?? We have no idea. So how can you female dog about Bowman not making a trade when you don't even know what the trade is. I guarantee you that if and when Bowman makes a trade, the same people who are female doging now, will be female doging about the trade, no matter what it is.
- coldsteelonice

Not disputing that...Just saying when you see guys like Ott, Roy go....those may have filled just as big of a void as a Suter, Parise would have.

We'll see....I'm not going to pass final judgement until the start of the season, but so far...it's been a very discouraging/frustrating offseason from a team where honestly...a SOLID signing/trade and you are right there...again.

I also don't dispute that teams like Detroit are in a much worse off situation. However, I don't care about Detroit...or Minnesota..or the Kings. Just the Hawks.

Also teh Caps scored a lot more goals as a team during the same period than NJ and only some of it was becasue of Semin.

More opportunity to get points with the Caps than NJ the majority of the time.
- Al

Thats the first thing that came to my mind. You'd have to look at percenatge of teams total goals, and I would Think Parises number would be higher.

I guarantee the day after Arnott is signed people will say hes much the same mold of Bruntte, OD and Mayers last year. So is he a "high quality character guy," (<--this was the exact things being said about Brunette and OD last year) or another old slow veteran that we will all be complaining about come game 30.
- mvp0207

True but the HUGE difference would be, is that it enables you to solidify spots on your team. Nobody is expecting Arnott to be a savior. What he would do is center a 4th line that woudl be very tough to play with, allow Kruger to groom into the 3rd role, and again....you put Bolland in the 2c and see what you have. At least for 40 games before Q hits his magical red button and slots back in the 3c slot.

Brunette was billed as a top 6 guy, who was supposed to cash in on the PP and what not. I don't think anyone, god willing, would expect Arnott to do that.

RE: Semin

Do the Hawks really need another RW who doesn't hit or win faceoffs?

I heard the same about Carter and to some extent Kopitar in the past, and they are partying with the cup right now. A change of scenery can do wonders for some...
- Sundevil

I get your argument, but it really doesn't make sense to me to bring in another "skill" guy, especially if he's nothing but problems attitude wise. Semin could be the attitude that only makes things worse, not better.

If he was a power forward, I might be more supportive of your position.

RE: Semin

Do the Hawks really need another RW who doesn't hit or win faceoffs?
- Return of the Roar

Unlkess Kane is at center for the whole season ...

Do the Hawks need any right wing??

RE: Semin

Do the Hawks really need another RW who doesn't hit or win faceoffs?
- Return of the Roar

Not a huge Alexander Semin fan but , He can finish , might be the perfect compliment on Kane's line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziU1MkAAK9o

The Hawks may run out of other options. I dunno

I get your argument, but it really doesn't make sense to me to bring in another "skill" guy, especially if he's nothing but problems attitude wise. Semin could be the attitude that only makes things worse, not better.

If he was a power forward, I might be more supportive of your position.
- EKolb13

perhaps he becomes a force in Q's system?

I don't give much credit for resigning your own guys - you should have a built-in advantage with them, especially after they won a cup (or were about to).

When Toews / Kane / Keith signed, it was the middle of the year before the Cup year, as I recall - a young team, on the rise, giving to very young players security. Should have been - and were - easy to resign, especially at a large dollar figure.

The issue is persuading (a) other team's FAs to come here, and (b) other GMs to make a trade that helps your team. Failed.
- StLBravesFan

I disagree with this. Bowman resigned them before they won the cup, Toews won the Conn Smythe, Kane scored the cup clinching goal, and Keith won a Norris trophy. How much do you think they all would have gotten had he waited for the offseason?? He DOES deserve credit for that. Another thing that he deserves credit for was trading Barker that season too. Not for the return (which was Leddy), but because Barker was another player Tallon overpaid and was still under contract. It would have made it even harder if Barker was still on the team too heading into 2010-2011.

perhaps he becomes a force in Q's system?
- imgross.org

I think he'd get confused with Q's system in the first few days and quit. Too much juggling of the lines.

Q will have him benched like Frolik before long.

Semin is no power forward.

I get your argument, but it really doesn't make sense to me to bring in another "skill" guy, especially if he's nothing but problems attitude wise. Semin could be the attitude that only makes things worse, not better.

If he was a power forward, I might be more supportive of your position.
- EKolb13

No. But everyone was all exited about the prospect of sign Parise, and we were going to figure it out.

Again I do not think he is a great fit here - but he is talented. It would not surprise me if the Hawks get tired of waiting for Doan, and sign Semin to trot out at the dog and pony show at the Hilton.

Unlkess Kane is at center for the whole season ...

Do the Hawks need any right wing??
- Al

It is still doing the same thing over again expecting a different result. Who is the hitter on a line of Stalberg/Kane/Semin, not to mention Sharp/Toews/Hossa?

All I see are six hittees.

It is still doing the same thing over again expecting a different result. Who is the hitter on a line of Stalberg/Kane/Semin, not to mention Sharp/Toews/Hossa?
- Return of the Roar

Ughhhhhhhhhhh......Stalberg???

Ughhhhhhhhhhh......Stalberg???
- Al

Exactly....who else plays the physical LW top six minutes? Carcillo?

I'll ditto the ugh.

It is still doing the same thing over again expecting a different result. Who is the hitter on a line of Stalberg/Kane/Semin, not to mention Sharp/Toews/Hossa?
- Return of the Roar

Exactly. We absolutely need to get tougher in our top 6, but outside of Doan, that is not as sexy as a sniper like Semin.

You know that MCD the showman is breathing down Stanbow's neck right now, as he doesn't want to go the the convention and get booed (he doesn't realize he will get booed either way)

No. But everyone was all exited about the prospect of sign Parise, and we were going to figure it out.

Again I do not think he is a great fit here - but he is talented. It would not surprise me if the Hawks get tired of waiting for Doan, and sign Semin to trot out at the dog and pony show at the Hilton.
- Sundevil

He would have been a great fit if the team wants to play more north and south.

Parise is a tenacious forechecker with a lot of skill and very low maintenance.

He would have been the most valuable all around player moving forward next to Toews.

RE: Semin

Do the Hawks really need another RW who doesn't hit or win faceoffs?
- Return of the Roar

Morrow...Evander Kane

Morrow...Evander Kane
- Al

Dats more like it.

But do you really think (a) Stan will get either of them or (b) Stan even thinks they need to be tougher up front?

What concerns me is I really think they only had a Plan A to get Suter, and due to cap constraints chose not to pursue depth moves instead, leaving them with a shallower pool of people that will cost more now than at the deadline as any kind of Plan B.

Dats more like it.

But do you really think (a) Stan will get either of them or (b) Stan even thinks they need to be tougher up front?
- Return of the Roar

Actions will tell the story.

Actions will tell the story.
- Al

The only coup I can see them pulling off is a way to get Weber, even for a year if he decides to bolt. But I still think swinging for the fences on the A+ talent was the wrong approach to begin with. Just has McD written all over it.

He would have been a great fit if the team wants to play more north and south.

Parise is a tenacious forechecker with a lot of skill and very low maintenance.

He would have been the most valuable all around player moving forward next to Toews.
- Al

I guess I was not clear, my point was not to debate the value of Parise vs. Semin, but that we were willing to sign another winger when we still haven't addressed our glaring hole at C