Kane has been good for us at center, i dont mind if he becomes pretty much permanent at that postion. He can learn to take faceoffs from the best faceoff guy in the league and learn some defense from Hossa.
FORWARDS
Brandon Saad ($0.925m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Patrick Kane ($6.300m)
Patrick Sharp ($5.900m) / Logan Couture ($2.875m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m)
Andrew Shaw ($0.565m) / Jason Arnott ($2.875m) / Viktor Stalberg ($0.875m)
Daniel Carcillo ($0.825m) / Jamal Mayers ($0.550m) / Jimmy Hayes ($0.875m)
Michael Frolik ($2.333m)
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan Suter ($6.875m) / Nick Leddy ($1.116m)
Duncan Keith ($5.538m) / Brent Seabrook ($5.800m)
Johnny Oduya ($3.750m) / Steve Montador ($2.750m)
Dylan Olsen ($0.870m)
GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford ($2.666m) / Ray Emery ($0.600m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
SALARY CAP: $67,500,000; CAP PAYROLL: $66,440,128; BONUSES: $730,000
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $1,059,872
I made a trade with San Jose I sent the Sharks the following two players: D. Bolland & N. Hjalmarsson and a choice of Kruger, Pirri or a Chicago 2012 or 2013 1st rounder.
We get a 2nd line center young player low cap hit. Logan Couture.
We picked up 2 free agents Jason Arnott & R. Suter.
We signed Oduya. We may have to part ways with Montador as we get close to the cap wall. Right now Montador is on my roster. I took the Salary Cap up to 67.5 million and I fall just below it.
First thing: one, I don't know HOW we could get Couture and still have all those core pieces intact. That's an underpayment IMO.
Second thing: no GM in their right mind would take that salary of Monty.
I have no issue with bringing Emery back. it's bringing Crawford back that I don't want to see.
Crow's been bad this year and Emery hasn't fared much better but I'm one of the few, maybe the only one, that believes Crawford can turn into a third-year Howard.
So what would it take to get Coture? Hjalmarsson, Bolland, McNeill & a 1st rounder
I can assure you Couture isn't moving unless you throw a core piece plus at the Sharks, if Rich Nash didn't get it done, a 3rd liner, 4th Dman, prospect and a pick isn't getting it done.
First thing: one, I don't know HOW we could get Couture and still have all those core pieces intact. That's an underpayment IMO.
Second thing: no GM in their right mind would take that salary of Monty.
Montador has a heavily front-loaded deal. He's making close to 5M this season, I believe. This summer, if he's healthy, there should be a team willing to take his contract to get to the cap floor. His salary will be lower than his caphit.
Montador has a heavily front-loaded deal. He's making close to 5M this season, I believe. This summer, if he's healthy, there should be a team willing to take his contract to get to the cap floor. His salary will be lower than his caphit.
correct Montador's deal in his last year he makes 1.8 million. The deal was set up for the purpose of moving him when D. Olsen or another prospect was ready. Credit Stan with structuring a deal correctly.
I can assure you Couture isn't moving unless you throw a core piece plus at the Sharks, if Rich Nash didn't get it done, a 3rd liner, 4th Dman, prospect and a pick isn't getting it done.
True, but that package is much more valuable than Nash, especially considering his inconsistentcies and cap hit. Either way, Couture isn't coming here.
Handzus is more of a specialty player at this point. I really wanted him over Brunette this past offseason but they passed and went with Bruno. Furthermore, IIRC, he signed a 2 year deal so he'll stay in San Jose.
I think a couple things need to be out in perspective regarding this season and the prospects for next season.
First, the power play is the biggest problem area the Hawks have had this year. They should easily have at least 10 more PP goals and at least another 5 wins because of the those PP goals. That would put the Hawks at 94 points (instead of the 84 they have today) and right in the mix for the #1 seed. Yes, the defense has given up too many goals - BUT - if their PP was scoring at the rate it should be, the team is in fine shape relative to the rest of the conference.
Second, a healthy Carcillo for the entire season and replacing Scott with Bollig will make a huge difference next year in the way the Hawks respond to physical play. Carcillo is Carcillo, so the only difference there would be to have him for the entire season. But the big gain would be having a guy that can do more than drop the mitts a few times a year - Bollig can actually skate and he actually hits in addition to standing up for teammates and dropping the mitts when neccessary. A 4th line or Carcillo-Mayers-Bollig would do wonders for the soft/skill players the Hawks have.
I'm a proponent of Kane taking another shot at center - mainly because I think he's the best option by default. I would keep Sharp and Kane together so Sharp would be the 2nd faceoff guy on that line. Hossa and Stalberg can be swapped between 1st and 2nd line to give Q something to play with. I'd also resign Oduya and let Saad and Morin compete in training camp for the other top-6 wing position.
Kane at center is a better option than everyone on the market.
He's a better option than most of the guys I'm always seeing proposals for too.
Our winger depth isn't really much better than our center depth. If Kane or Sharp plays center, we still really need some dependable scoring forwards and they just aren't likely to be coming in the form of free agents.
What do people think of Saad's chances of making the team next year? It's tough to project how well Junior stats can carry over to the Professionals but I think he's worth at least a look. However, if he doesn't pan out early I'd rather him go to the AHL rather than stick around and be mediocre in a top 6 role all year like Kruger this year.
I'm excited to get Carcillo back and hopefully healthy all year. Gives a physical presence and can be placed on any line.
Wouldn't be opposed to bringing Oduya back because I'm not sure where there's any better options in Free Agency.
Hoped to see Emery replaced with someone better to platoon/possibly surpass Crawford.
Hoping the cap space gets spent on a 2nd liner, ideally a Center but a Winger would do as well and Kane can play Center.
Bollig is actually making fights boring for me. I'm glad he knows his role, but a fight every night is just plain boring.
I know our winger depth isn't great, but moving Kane to center is less worrisome than it seems because both Toews and Kane are capable of making the guys lining up with them look way better than they actually are. Stalberg and Brouwer are perfect examples of that.
With Toews and Kane down the middle (most likely lined up with Hossa, Sharp, and Saad), the weakest link in the top six -- no matter who it is -- will still probably end up with at least 40 points. That could obviously be better, but it's not too shabby either.
Bollig is actually making fights boring for me. I'm glad he knows his role, but a fight every night is just plain boring.
I know our winger depth isn't great, but moving Kane to center is less worrisome than it seems because both Toews and Kane are capable of making the guys lining up with them look way better than they actually are. Stalberg and Brouwer are perfect examples of that.
With Toews and Kane down the middle (most likely lined up with Hossa, Sharp, and Saad), the weakest link in the top six -- no matter who it is -- will still probably end up with at least 40 points. That could obviously be better, but it's not too shabby either.
so should bollig just let people toss his teammates around? he fights when he needs to
a line of carcillo mayers and bollig would be scary as **** to an opposing team
Bollig doesn't fight when he needs to. He just fights when he can.
He knows fighting is why he's here, and he's more than happy to play the part. Especially since he knows that with every fight, he makes it that much harder to send him back down.
An example: Bollig hardly needed to fight last night. Late in the 1st, trailing 3-1, and he's there to invoke the instigator and put us a man down to start the 2nd period. Let's not forget our PK is in the bottom third of the league and our goalie had just let in 3 goals on 6 shots. If ever there was a fight that was not needed, that would be it.
Bollig doesn't fight when he needs to. He just fights when he can.
He knows fighting is why he's here, and he's more than happy to play the part. Especially since he knows that with every fight, he makes it that much harder to send him back down.
An example: Bollig hardly needed to fight last night. Late in the 1st, trailing 3-1, and he's there to invoke the instigator and put us a man down to start the 2nd period. Let's not forget our PK is in the bottom third of the league and our goalie had just let in 3 goals on 6 shots. If ever there was a fight that was not needed, that would be it.
Fighting is the most overrated part of hockey.
That fight was his most appropriate, if anything. His team was down, Reaves was running around like the ********* he is and Bollig stood up for a veteran teammate. All you have to do is listen/see the comments about the fight after the game from the team to understand the importance and the quality timing of that fight.
The Hawks needed to answer back, Bollig did that.. and from that point on, not only did Chicago dominate the play, but the came out ready to match the Blues physically.
What do people think of Saad's chances of making the team next year? It's tough to project how well Junior stats can carry over to the Professionals but I think he's worth at least a look. However, if he doesn't pan out early I'd rather him go to the AHL rather than stick around and be mediocre in a top 6 role all year like Kruger this year.
He made the team this year over all those HAyes, Smith and Shaws. Carcillo being out helped too.
I think he will make the team and will start on the 3rd Line
That fight was his most appropriate, if anything. His team was down, Reaves was running around like the ********* he is and Bollig stood up for a veteran teammate. All you have to do is listen/see the comments about the fight after the game from the team to understand the importance and the quality timing of that fight.
The Hawks needed to answer back, Bollig did that.. and from that point on, not only did Chicago dominate the play, but the came out ready to match the Blues physically.
I don't expect teammates to ever say anything bad about one of their own. Especially not to the media.
As for dominating the play afterward, correlation is not causation. How many other times have we watched someone get in a fight, and the Hawks did absolutely nothing afterwards?
