It would be a ballsy move to offer sheet Johanssen. I wish Stan would do it. Probably same price as these free agents and better option than all of them. A legit young center with a future, not a rental. Better option than all others.
Losing next year's 1st, 2nd and 3rd would not hurt much, really. Looks like our drafting strategy is USHL to try to get players 5-6 years away.
It is a risky move, and way out of character for Bowman. Offer sheets rarely work, and it would piss off all his other GM buddies. They are all jealous and dislike the Hawks anyways, what with trying to fleece TT and all on draft day.
If it did work, the Hawks would have a great 1-2 center punch for years to come instead of a rental and then TT could ease his way in and we roll 3 formidable lines out there.
He is master of the cap? Wish he had the cajones to pull this off. I know, but one can dream. on the eve of free agency, can't one?a
Stan has said TT and Saad are untouchable. I agree with Saad being untouchable. I'm not so sure I agree with TT being untouchable though. They are running out of options now.
It would be a ballsy move to offer sheet Johanssen. I wish Stan would do it. Probably same price as these free agents and better option than all of them. A legit young center with a future, not a rental. Better option than all others.
Losing next year's 1st, 2nd and 3rd would not hurt much, really. Looks like our drafting strategy is USHL to try to get players 5-6 years away.
It is a risky move, and way out of character for Bowman. Offer sheets rarely work, and it would piss off all his other GM buddies. They are all jealous and dislike the Hawks anyways, what with trying to fleece TT and all on draft day.
If it did work, the Hawks would have a great 1-2 center punch for years to come instead of a rental and then TT could ease his way in and we roll 3 formidable lines out there.
He is master of the cap? Wish he had the cajones to pull this off. I know, but one can dream. on the eve of free agency, can't one?
Stan has said TT and Saad are untouchable. I agree with Saad being untouchable. I'm not so sure I agree with TT being untouchable though. They are running out of options now.
Eek, all that will happen is Columbus matches and then they start gunning for our RFA's - starting with Saad next summer. We desperately need a center - but I'm not on board with that one.
TT shouldn't be untouchable if you can find a longterm solution
Assuming the team remains status quo once again this summer, it is becoming painfully obvious that Stan's ultra-conservative style is quietly catching up to us. Hawks are in reality quickly becoming a middle-of-the road team. I reckon Kings, Avs, Blues, Ducks are all seeded ahead of us going into this season, with Wild and Sharks right on our heels. That's what happens when (for years) you neglect (arguably) the two most important positions in hockey: center and in goal.
Sorry to burst anyone's bubble but we all witnesed how overmatched our bottom 6 was in the PO's, and to compound the issues we have, there is little cap space available to alleviate anything. It sounds also like T/K are going to milk as much money as they can when renewing their contracts, making our cap situation worse still. It's difficult to be optimistic for another SC run anytime soon.
In less than a week, General Manager Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks has acquired two centers, Ryan Kesler and Nate Thompson.
In that same time frame, General Manager Stan Bowman has done nothing whatsoever to improve the center position for the Chicago Blackhawks. If I'm Patrick Kane, I'm not signing any extension whatsoever with the Chicago Blackhawks. If I'm Patrick Kane, Stan Bowman can have his precious pipsqueak Teuvo Teravainen replace me and suffer with stiffs at center like Michal Handzus in the future.
Thanks to Stan Bowman for the dynasty that never was, just to keep garbage on the payroll: Kris Versteeg, Michal Rozsival, David Rundblad, Drew Leblanc.
All garbage except for Paul Stastny.UFA Centers available
Richards, Brad » C NYR 34 $6,666,667 2014 (UFA)
Stastny, Paul » C COL 28 $6,600,000 2014 (UFA)
Ribeiro, Mike » C ARI 34 $5,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Jokinen, Olli » C WPG 35 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Legwand, David » C DET 33 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Roy, Derek » C STL 31 $4,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Koivu, Saku » C ANA 39 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Bolland, Dave » C TOR 28 $3,375,000 2014 (UFA)
Grabovski, Mikhail C WAS 30 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Ott, Steve » C STL 31 $2,950,000 2014 (UFA)
Fiddler, Vernon » C DAL 34 $1,800,000 2014 (UFA)
Boyle, Brian » C NYR 29 $1,700,000 2014 (UFA)
Goc, Marcel » C PIT 30 $1,700,000 2014 (UFA)
McClement, Jay » C TOR 31 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Moore, Dominic » C NYR 33 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
All garbage except for Paul Stastny.
Well heck, if the Hawks' window is slamming shut then why are we wasting time with T/K extensions? Gotta ship them out for picks and prospects. Get into the McDavid lottery.
Sorry, but the entire reason they're in this cap crunch is because they're so loaded outside of that #2C position. Meanwhile, all but one of the teams you mentioned passing the Hawks have played a game yet and didn't perform better last time they were tested. The Hawks are favorites to win next year. And though they don't play the games in Vegas they're favorites for a good reason.
If you honestly believe that, you're dreaming. Oh, we won't be discounted entirely. We will be mentioned as a contender, but hardly the favourites. Add a Stastny, our odds go up, but can we afford it?
TT shouldn't be untouchable if you can find a longterm solution
Cry me a river. TT has yet to prove a damn thing in the NHL.The issue with trading TT is that there is no point in trading him for a 1-2 year solution, and what the Blackhawks would want- a young stud center on a good contract-well, the other team holding that player's contract would have no reason to trade that player for TT, who is an unproven commodity.
TT IS the longterm solution....
If Grabovski could not last one season under Coach Randy Carlyle, Grabovski would not last one day with Coach Q due to his defensive deficiencies.At this point, Grabovski might be worth a chance? But they'd have to move some salary first (Bickell most likely).
He could be a longterm solution at wing too.