John Jaeckel: What’s The Plan, Stan?

FIRST TIME 1ST!!

FIRST TIME 1ST!!
- TheOrchard

Congratulations

JJ: Great blog, I'm in Fla and going to game tonight, should be interesting to see if there is any payback on Petrovic

John Jaeckel: What’s The Plan, Stan?
- John Jaeckel

Great blog. Win. Now.

I have never been a guy that criticized Bowman a ton, but his lack of action on Kesler got to me, and now what appears to be his inaction (so far) to fill holes after Kane has gone down is really wearing on me. Sure, we've got prospects, but none of them are as honed as they need to be, or jsut aren't as good as touted. Plus, we have a coach who everyone knows makes young guys earn a spot (sometimes to a fault). With all that knowledge, a good GM should be making moves now to get the coach some players who can win, and win now. How Bowman reacts this season will basically make or break my opinion of him.

John Jaeckel: What’s The Plan, Stan?
- John Jaeckel

JJ, nice write up. Here's DL reasoning on why he pulled the trigger on Sekera and gave so much.

http://lakingsinsider.com...-impetus-of-sekera-trade/

I'm not a Bowman supporter by any means, but I feel like he's in a pretty lose/lose situation here. Say you sell off assets that you can use next year for rentals and don't win a cup...he's going to get criticized for dumping cheap guys he could have used to fill the roster out. On the flip side, he does nothing and they also don't win a cup...he's going to criticized for making no moves.

The reality, in my opinion, is the Hawks are going nowhere without Kane. That's how important he is. He's the offensive catalyst, and despite years of being bashed for his maturity or perceived off ice issues, he's who shows up in the big games and now that he's gone...everyone is in a panic.

I don't really know what the answer is here.

JJ, nice write up. Here's DL reasoning on why he pulled the trigger on Sekera and gave so much.

http://lakingsinsider.com...-impetus-of-sekera-trade/
- arh777

Good share. Thanks for not being a wienerhead troll, too.

John Jaeckel: What’s The Plan, Stan?
- John Jaeckel

So are the trade rumors totally dried up? Is the Florida trade dead? Vermette and Petry? Dead? Neidermier? Dead? (Oops. Animal House flashback).

Going to the game tonight and tomorrow night still planning to have fun - because it's a game. A hockey game. and it's still my happy place.

You guys wont obviously be able to replace Kane, but there are options if you want a scoring Winger....Jagr, Stewart, Gagner, Purcell, Kopecky,Lupol.....plenty of options.

FIRST TIME 1ST!!
- TheOrchard

Well done.

Since this is your First First hooefully it foreshadows a first first for Bowman as well,

Aquire VermettE

Aquure a real D man

Move Sharp if possible.


That would be some serious firsts to go along with your first !

the problem seems to be twofold:

1. Toews/Kane contracts into the future doesn't allow for bad or evenly questionably bad contracts like Bickell, Crawford, or Sharp. Bickell has a bad contract. They can't afford to pay Sharp almost 6 and not get serious production or flat out study play like Hossa. Crawford could get the same amount from another team, but to get 6 on the Hawks' books, he needs to be a game changer. Having roughly 20 million tied up in your top two forwards doesn't allow for any overpayments or underproduction on the rest of the team.
2. Nobody from farm is really stepping up. Could be from lack of high picks due to always being good. Could be from subpar drafting.

I don't think there's an easy or short term fix, but getting those three bad contracts off the books is a start.

Nice John, What about a couple of those Leafs if they are in play, J V R for one?, ya think they would entertain the thought of flipping that Sil kid they got from the Pens yesterday? That would be more of a move for the future. If they aregonna spend Kane's cap hit, & if Toronto is willing to talk about Trevor's brother, I would rather see that as a piece not only for this year but for the future, then like you said , worry about the cap in the summer, then if you have to let the back yard hockey player & a couple of other pieces sail, hey , at least ya added JVR to the pile with 19,20 &88. Hmmmmm, why do I somehow get that feeling that come Monday at 3pm, I am going to be rubbing my head saying "WTF Stoshu, Stoshu, you DupaYoshu !"

Bowman has been almost TOO cautious not to overpay for anyone or make any big deals which shake things up. Can he afford to continue using this cautious approach right now? His franchise player is injured and the Blackhawks playoff hopes look dimmer and dimmer every day that passes. Can he afford to do nothing? Can he afford another year of saying "I like our team and didn't want to make changes".

I think not. SOMETHING needs to give and soon or we will all be watching a first round exit (if the Hawks can hang onto their playoff spot).

Like I said in your previous blog. This it the time right now that will define Bowman as the Blackhawks GM. Time to put up or shut up. Tumultuous times for Hawks fans indeed but we are all waiting patiently for Junior Bowman to finally prove himself and prove to the fans that he actually has what it takes to be a competent GM. His job has been far too easy thus far.

OUTSTANDING write up JJ.

And hopefully this finally make those who are not in the "now" mode, think a little differently.

Doesn't mean mortgage years of planning. But it does mean using the recently opened-up cap space by the injury to who was going to be the 2015 Hart trophy winner and making this team dangerous again.

I was - and still am - hoping that this FO unrest JJ citing could be happening a few weeks ago, actually makes SB get more aggressive. I sure know Lombardi, Murray and a few other GMs (StL & NSH especially) are not going to wait.

Come on Stan, you were the "capologist" in the DT era, go show us you have brass balls.

what Bowman has to show for all the draft picks and prospects accumulated in the trades of: Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Kris Versteeg, Brian Campbell and Troy Brouwer.

Exactly. What do you think Lombardi, Nill, Shero, Dudley, or even a Bergevin, Chevy, Murray or Tallon could have received for this guys? Would they have received at least someone that is productive on their roster right now? Yeah, yeah, the fax issue was Tallon's fault, but wasn't StanBo in charge of contracts? Tallon also build most of the team that one in '10, and '13. Didn't he (SB) receive credit for the Hossa and Campbell signings on the Hawk's website? McD didn't like Tallon, it happens, and used whatever he could to move him. Office politics, it happens everywhere. What team president has the ego to be in the commercials. Could you see any other team NHL team prez doing that?

Nothing is going to change. Not as long as McD signed his pact to keep the Bowman's in power. Stan might have had a lot of success as a coach, but he also took over Cup winning teams in Montreal and Pittsburgh, but how was he when calling the shots in Buffalo?

Expecting the Hawks to make an significant move, whether to go younger and dump salary in anticipation of next season, or making a big move to compete this year, is smoking the good stuff.

Brouwer is another guy that would have been great to keep around, but perhaps he wasn't marketable enough to keep around. 200 hits and low penalties sounds good to me. Yeah, his hands weren't the best, but I'd take him over Winnik in a second.

JJ, nice write up. Here's DL reasoning on why he pulled the trigger on Sekera and gave so much.

http://lakingsinsider.com...-impetus-of-sekera-trade/
- arh777

DL has the balls I know I wish SB had.

John Jaeckel: What’s The Plan, Stan?
- John Jaeckel

What about James van Reimsdyk for Bickell, a 2015 first rd pick and Ryan Hartman?
Would Hawks fan do that deal?

the problem seems to be twofold:

1. Toews/Kane contracts into the future doesn't allow for bad or evenly questionably bad contracts like Bickell, Crawford, or Sharp. Bickell has a bad contract. They can't afford to pay Sharp almost 6 and not get serious production or flat out study play like Hossa. Crawford could get the same amount from another team, but to get 6 on the Hawks' books, he needs to be a game changer. Having roughly 20 million tied up in your top two forwards doesn't allow for any overpayments or underproduction on the rest of the team.
2. Nobody from farm is really stepping up. Could be from lack of high picks due to always being good. Could be from subpar drafting.

I don't think there's an easy or short term fix, but getting those three bad contracts off the books is a start.
- Vegas Trotzkies

I like Shaw but if he is making over 2 mill, he is overpaid also, add that to the bad contract list.

the problem seems to be twofold:

1. Toews/Kane contracts into the future doesn't allow for bad or evenly questionably bad contracts like Bickell, Crawford, or Sharp. Bickell has a bad contract. They can't afford to pay Sharp almost 6 and not get serious production or flat out study play like Hossa. Crawford could get the same amount from another team, but to get 6 on the Hawks' books, he needs to be a game changer. Having roughly 20 million tied up in your top two forwards doesn't allow for any overpayments or underproduction on the rest of the team.
2. Nobody from farm is really stepping up. Could be from lack of high picks due to always being good. Could be from subpar drafting.

I don't think there's an easy or short term fix, but getting those three bad contracts off the books is a start.
- Vegas Trotzkies

They need to decide if they're in it for this year, or do they get a head start on dumping contracts for younger players for next season, hoping they might do something in the playoffs while doing so. I'm for the latter. The Florida rumor being a prime example. Another potential building block, while dumping guys they're going to deal next Summer anyways.

What about James van Reimsdyk for Bickell, a 2015 first rd pick and Ryan Hartman?
Would Hawks fan do that deal?
- PatC80

(frank) ya, I'll drive em to the Airport the minute that deal goes down !!!!!!

What about James van Reimsdyk for Bickell, a 2015 first rd pick and Ryan Hartman?
Would Hawks fan do that deal?
- PatC80

I would egg Stan Bowman if he did NOT do that deal.

You guys wont obviously be able to replace Kane, but there are options if you want a scoring Winger....Jagr, Stewart, Gagner, Purcell, Kopecky,Lupol.....plenty of options.
- Jeropotato

Yup, plenty of options for expiring contracts on guys who play a physical game too.

Recently it has been suggested the zebras losing the pea in their whistles. Maybe some grit, grease and grime in acquired players will help the 'Hawks come game #83.

Great article JJ, one of your best ever

If you're investing SO MUCH (both in years & contract dollars) in the core players - as you've outlined JJ - shouldn't the goal be to win now? You're wasting prime years from Kane, Toews, Seabrook, Saad (before he gets a huge contract), Hossa et all if that IS NOT the goal each year.

Is the FO goal to win now?
Or is it to try to win now, but protect yourself in the future?

... that's the problem, they're trying to do both.