Theo Fox: Is There a Draft in Here?
Preview of a blog series dedicated to the Chicago Blackhawks and the upcoming NHL draft.

I said in pass blog Mercer holloway boruque also. Added lappierre and schiender. Also think Murphy and saad are traded at the draft or right before the draft to get more picks in a deep draft. Hawks need more depth in their system imo plus like see in free agency hawks sign pitlick or player like him 4th line grinder who plays the body and boards forechecks and contract would not be much. Theo great start in your blog writing on the blackhawks.

Looking forward to the off season to see how Stan reshapes the team. I say he selects a F with the 1st round pick.

Theo, regarding the 1 plus million in bonus payouts, I read somewhere that the Hawks can opt to take half that cap hit this season and the other half the following season. 500K may make a difference this year.

There are probably more players available this year via trade, free agency, buyouts, RFA possible offer sheets etc. due to the flat cap, and teams GM's now told that they now have an internal cap less than the $81.5m. ceiling. I wonder what Hossa's last season at $5.25m (hard to believe this would of been Hossa's last season if he didn't get sick) cap space is worth it to the yotes to dump to be able to field a team next year.

Anybody else notice it's been awfully quiet on the Crawford contract situation since that 3.5M offer was leaked a couple of weeks ago?

Stan is going to have to make a decision soon to move on from Cro if the negotiations aren't going anywhere.

I just threw up in my mouth a little when I saw Rundblad's name.

There are probably more players available this year via trade, free agency, buyouts, RFA possible offer sheets etc. due to the flat cap, and teams GM's now told that they now have an internal cap less than the $81.5m. ceiling. I wonder what Hossa's last season at $5.25m (hard to believe this would of been Hossa's last season if he didn't get sick) cap space is worth it to the yotes to dump to be able to field a team next year.
- LAHawk

Maybe trading shaw's contract if cannot play anymore to team like Toronto which uses dead contracts examples clarkson and horton in how they manage the cap throughout the year. No idea what trade would look like but is an option.

Maybe trading shaw's contract if cannot play anymore to team like Toronto which uses dead contracts examples clarkson and horton in how they manage the cap throughout the year. No idea what trade would look like but is an option.
- Scott1977

Could work as Shaw's cap hit is $3.9 for 2 more years, but is only owed $4.6 for that time. Hossa, would only cost you $1 mil. to carry that $5.25 cap hit. Ottawa could get a lot of good young players/prospects to go with all those draft picks they have.

There are probably more players available this year via trade, free agency, buyouts, RFA possible offer sheets etc. due to the flat cap, and teams GM's now told that they now have an internal cap less than the $81.5m. ceiling. I wonder what Hossa's last season at $5.25m (hard to believe this would of been Hossa's last season if he didn't get sick) cap space is worth it to the yotes to dump to be able to field a team next year.
- LAHawk

Kessler, Zetterberg (yes he's still under contract with the Wings) are a couple of other candidates.

Here's a good read...
https://www.tsn.ca/expect...-ltir-contracts-1.1475747

Senators not re-signing Craig Anderson, maybe Hawks can sign him as a back-up for $1.5m or so for a year.

Senators not re-signing Craig Anderson, maybe Hawks can sign him as a back-up for $1.5m or so for a year.
- LAHawk

With or without a NMC?

Senators not re-signing Craig Anderson, maybe Hawks can sign him as a back-up for $1.5m or so for a year.
- LAHawk

If crow does not sign and hawks go with subban and Anderson to mentor him could be a possible option.

Senators not re-signing Craig Anderson, maybe Hawks can sign him as a back-up for $1.5m or so for a year.
- LAHawk

I don't think he's any better than Delia.

Trade proposal:

Brent Seabrook (4 x 6.875M)
For
James van Reimsdyke (3 x 7M)

who says no?

Or what other pieces would need to be included

If crow does not sign and hawks go with subban and Anderson to mentor him could be a possible option.
- Scott1977

I fully appreciate all that Crawford has done with and for the Hawks. That said, I think moving on may be the best option. Find out what you have in some of these goalie prospect and either continue to develop or move on.

I don't have a really good reason to back this up. Just kind of a feeling. Maybe it's because with the cap and what is basically already locked into the team, I don't think they are going to be overly competitive and if he does play, I want Crow on a competitive team

Trade proposal:

Brent Seabrook (4 x 6.875M)
For
James van Reimsdyke (3 x 7M)

who says no?

Or what other pieces would need to be included
- Slofire94

Seabrook says no

That's a terrible deal for the Flyers. JVR still puts up 20 goals in a bad year. Seabrook is a number 7 dman at best now.

I fully appreciate all that Crawford has done with and for the Hawks. That said, I think moving on may be the best option. Find out what you have in some of these goalie prospect and either continue to develop or move on.

I don't have a really good reason to back this up. Just kind of a feeling. Maybe it's because with the cap and what is basically already locked into the team, I don't think they are going to be overly competitive and if he does play, I want Crow on a competitive team
- Chunk

If Crow truly means that playing time is more important to him than money, he can sign a minimum contract with Edmonton/Calgary and probably get his wish. With another compressed schedule, I can't see how the Hawks can promise Crow the majority of starts. I agree, if Crow wants to be a mentor and probably play 1/2 the games fine, but if he wants to be undisputed #1, I too will say move on. Heck, when expansion came, the Hawks kept Denis Dejordy over one of the greatest goalies of all time (who BTW, invented the butterfly style of goaltending, or at that time called the inverted v) Glenn Hall solely because of age.

That's a terrible deal for the Flyers. JVR still puts up 20 goals in a bad year. Seabrook is a number 7 dman at best now.
- jryan88

Don't worry the Hawks would never do it, they would pay Saad $7 mil. per year before committing to $7 mil. per year for JVR.

Seabrook says no
- LAHawk

Phily says no

That's a terrible deal for the Flyers. JVR still puts up 20 goals in a bad year. Seabrook is a number 7 dman at best now.
- jryan88

Seabrook will come back with top pair performance this year. The reason that I know this is because I am a homer optimist and have nostalgia for what he did 5 years ago.

Phily says no
- Scott1977

It's not going to matter. We are getting Malkin.

Trade proposal:

Brent Seabrook (4 x 6.875M)
For
James van Reimsdyke (3 x 7M)

who says no?

Or what other pieces would need to be included
- Slofire94

Philadelphia for one.

Interesting coaching staff in SJ:

Head: Bob Boughner
Associate: Rocky Thompson
Associate/video: Dan Darrow
Goaltending: Evgeni Nabakov
Assistant: John Madden
Analyst Charlie Townsend
NHL Player Development: Mike Ricci

Madden, Nabokov, and Ricci stood out to me (and of course Boughner).

Interesting coaching staff in SJ:

Head: Bob Boughner
Associate: Rocky Thompson
Associate/video: Dan Darrow
Goaltending: Evgeni Nabakov
Assistant: John Madden
Analyst Charlie Townsend
NHL Player Development: Mike Ricci

Madden, Nabokov, and Ricci stood out to me (and of course Boughner).
- Chunk

I wondered where I heard the name before. Head coach of the Chicago Wolves the past 3 seasons. A career AHLer with only 25 NHL games to his credit and zero PTS in those.

Paying his dues. Good luck to him.