Confirmed with Link: Hawks sign Michael Leighton

[Hawkaholic]

Sometimes high picks fail at any position. We have no goalie prospects.

Simpson, Carruth, Namilov, Raanta, and Tompkins look like goalies that were drafted/signed by the Hawks. Maybe I'm mistaken.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Not impressive.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Not impressive.

They were just drafted.

 

[Kurtosis]

Raanta was a free agent, but the point still applies. Skaters are more of a sure thing and need to be replaced quicker than goalies. With Crawford locked up long term it makes a whole lot more sense to look at goalies in later rounds and pick up skaters early to replace the guys that leave via free agency or trade because of cap restraints.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Raanta was a free agent, but the point still applies. Skaters are more of a sure thing and need to be replaced quicker than goalies. With Crawford locked up long term it makes a whole lot more sense to look at goalies in later rounds and pick up skaters early to replace the guys that leave via free agency or trade because of cap restraints.

Which ones do you like?

 

[Hawknut 1]

I am simply stating a fact. And LA has won two cups with a goalie drafted in the 3rd round. The only poor depth we have in a key position is goaltending, which is set for the next 6 years anyway, and you can find good goalies for free without wasting draft picks on them.

Hawks can't be included in a group of the best teams in the league? is that what you are saying? How are the Hawks living anymore dangerously than pretty much every other team in the league? If any team loses their starting goalie, they would be in the same position as us with regard to depth. Not many back ups in the league could win a Cup.

The Hawks use to be Stanley Cup contenders NOW they are Stanley Cup pretenders.

Poor coaching and limited moves by Bowman to fill the holes with overspending gets you nothing but close. Close doesn't win Cups.

Name me one KEY addition that Bowman has made that been SIGNIFICANT? No #2 center like forever and the 3rd and 4th lines are not close to what they use to be. Bowman is no Holland and runs the show like a rookie G.M. Probably because that's how much talent he has.

Thanks to Q putting in Asst. coaches who operate just like him. The special teams has been an issue forever. Q has so many questionable lines (game by game) and players out there in key situations that even some of the rah rah's get confused.
.

Now until things change............as sad as it is............You can forget another Cup until management gets their act together.
Are the Hawks a good team. Of course but to say this team will win the Cup with the talent they currently have is a real long shot. The season after this one should even be worse.

 

[Kurtosis]

Which ones do you like?

I don't particularly like any of them, although I suppose Raanta has potential to be solid if he can clean up the inconsistencies that plagued him last year.

This team is inextricably linked to Crawford at this point though. I'm not going to be concerned about filling a spot that won't be vacant for a long time when there are more pressing needs on the team.

 

[Kurtosis]

The Hawks use to be Stanley Cup contenders NOW they are Stanley Cup pretenders.

Poor coaching and limited moves by Bowman to fill the holes with overspending get you nothing but close. Close doesn't win Cups.

Name me one KEY addition that Bowman has made that been SIGNIFICANT? No #2 center like forever and the 3rd and 4th lines are not close to what they use to be. Bowman is no Holland and runs the show like a rookie G.M. Probably because that's how much talent he has.

Thanks to Q putting in Asst. coaches who operate just like him. The PP and PK has been an issue forever. Q has so many questionable lines (game by game) and players out there in key situations that even some of the rah rah's get confused.
.

Now until things change............as sad as it is............You can forget another Cup until management gets their act together.
Are the Hawks a good team. Of course but to say this team will win the Cup with the talent they currently have is a real long shot. The season after this one should even be worse.

Bowman is no Holland? You mean the guy who just signed Weiss last season and acquired the services of one Daniel Cleary again? You have it all figured out.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I don't even bother reading his posts anymore.

 

[HLLYWD99]

Meh!

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I sometimes imagine what it's like for fans of bad teams that waltz in here to see some of the complaints we have from time to time. I imagine it's akin to a starving kid from the third world overhearing a steakhouse patron complaining about ordering a medium rare steak but getting a medium instead.... Oh, and they serve Pepsi products instead of Coke?!? Damn it, everything's ruined!

Hawks are pretenders now? Well ****, somewhere between 25 (pessimistic) and 29 (optimistic) other teams are screwed next year by extension.

 

[hawksrule]

I don't particularly like any of them, although I suppose Raanta has potential to be solid if he can clean up the inconsistencies that plagued him last year.

This team is inextricably linked to Crawford at this point though. I'm not going to be concerned about filling a spot that won't be vacant for a long time when there are more pressing needs on the team.

David Rundblad was not a need for this team. He stinks, and is unlikely to turn into a good nhl player. This is just one example, but if we're going to be cavalier with our 2nd/3rd rounders, who more often than not don't turn into into good nhl players anyway, then why not gamble on a high-upside goalie?

Chicago's inability to generate even one good prospect from our late round goalie picks is not affirmation that the strategy is working. Quite the opposite.

 

[Kurtosis]

David Rundblad was not a need for this team. He stinks, and is unlikely to turn into a good nhl player. This is just one example, but if we're going to be cavalier with our 2nd/3rd rounders, who more often than not don't turn into into good nhl players anyway, then why not gamble on a high-upside goalie?

Chicago's inability to generate even one good prospect from our late round goalie picks is not affirmation that the strategy is working. Quite the opposite.

What high upside goalies are there in the third? The whole Rundblad tangent is a head scratcher as well.

The strategy is taking skaters. It has worked, as evidenced by the roster. Taking goalies early right now is pointless with Crawford on his current contract.

 

[hawksrule]

What high upside goalies are there in the third? The whole Rundblad tangent is a head scratcher as well.

The strategy is taking skaters. It has worked, as evidenced by the roster. Taking goalies early right now is pointless with Crawford on his current contract.

We traded a 2nd for Rundblad. Demko was taken in the second round. As I said, this is just one example, but I would easily prefer Demko over Rundblad for Chicago.

Yes, Crawford is on a six year deal, but it takes goalies a while to develop. I don't understand the reluctance to address what is the most glaring need in the system.

 

[Hawknut 1]

Bowman is no Holland? You mean the guy who just signed Weiss last season and acquired the services of one Daniel Cleary again? You have it all figured out.

Thanks for pointing that out. For some reason I thought Holland's record as a G.M went WAY past Cleary and Weiss. I guess not. Boy, the insight I receive here.

 

[Blue Liner]

Taking nothing away from Holland's accomplishments, the bulk of his success came pre-salary cap and like Bowman, he inherited an already excellent team when taking over as GM in 1997.

Post-cap, their accomplishments are similar, with Bowman actually being at the helm for one more Cup winner, but that was the season immediately after Tallon was fired, so for the sake of argument I'll even give that one up and say they've each won one Cup since the 2004 lockout, Bowman doing so with many less years on the job and after having to overhaul half the roster after 2010.

I like Holland, but comparing his tenure to others currently who weren't GM's pre-2004 is skewed on account of the salary cap not existing pre-2004. Bowman's been a GM for five calendar years and has been at the helm for a Presidents Trophy, four Conference Finals appearances, and two Cup wins in that time; hell of a lot more than Holland has done in that time, and again, that's no slight on Holland as a GM in the least. Just saying, if that's who you want to use as a comparison, there are holes in that.

 

[hockeydoug]

They've gotten NHL results with this strategy because at one time they picked a goalie in the 2nd who's worked out pretty well. At some point he will be gone, there is no one in the pipeline to take his place, and there's no reason to believe that we'll strike gold with a 7th rounder. The fact that people can name good goalies who were drafted late really has no bearing on our likelihood of accomplishing that.

Goalies are available outside of the draft too. Some of the value lost in drafting late for goalies is offset by having a pipeline full of opportunity for overseas and NCAA goalies that are FAs. We saw that with Raanta.

Even when teams have the right goalie in the system, on the roster, or in development, they often screw it up. We've seen that with Rask, Smith, Bobrovsky, etc in recent years. Even Anderson was botched in Chicago not too long ago.

Since its so difficult for most franchises to figure out how to draft and develop goalies, that I'm comfortable with Chicago focusing more effort in other areas. I trust them developing a 3rd round skater more than a 3rd round goalie. Keep the asset and work around the deficiency...and keep gambling.

 

[LordKOTL]

The Hawks use to be Stanley Cup contenders NOW they are Stanley Cup pretenders.

Poor coaching and limited moves by Bowman to fill the holes with overspending gets you nothing but close. Close doesn't win Cups.

Name me one KEY addition that Bowman has made that been SIGNIFICANT? No #2 center like forever and the 3rd and 4th lines are not close to what they use to be. Bowman is no Holland and runs the show like a rookie G.M. Probably because that's how much talent he has.

Thanks to Q putting in Asst. coaches who operate just like him. The special teams has been an issue forever. Q has so many questionable lines (game by game) and players out there in key situations that even some of the rah rah's get confused.
.

Now until things change............as sad as it is............You can forget another Cup until management gets their act together.
Are the Hawks a good team. Of course but to say this team will win the Cup with the talent they currently have is a real long shot. The season after this one should even be worse.

I'm curious how you think that the 'hawks devolved so quickly:

• The assistant coach most responsible for the special teams' woes is gone.
• The #2C position has been addressed. Maybe it hasn't been ideally addressed but the team won 2 cups without one. By my count the last bonafied #2C our squad has was Robert Lang. That was before the bandwagon.
• Every single all-star caliber player is still on the squad--along with potentally all (or all but 1) Olympian. That is the bulk of of the top 6 FWDs and all of the Top-4 Dmen. That's not exactly like the team lost Roenik and had to replace him withy Vorobiev.
• The 'hawks lost in overtime of game 7 of the WCF - That's not exactly being overmatched. 2009 our boys were overmatched against a verteran RedWings squad. Last year an incredibly minor tweak could have sent our boys to the SCF.

IMHO the 'hawks will be in contention for the top 3 in the central and are poised to make another deep run.

Back on topic...

Still curious about the terms of Leighton's contract...

 

[Blue Liner]

I'm curious how you think that the 'hawks devolved so quickly:

• The assistant coach most responsible for the special teams' woes is gone.
• The #2C position has been addressed. Maybe it hasn't been ideally addressed but the team won 2 cups without one. By my count the last bonafied #2C our squad has was Robert Lang. That was before the bandwagon.
• Every single all-star caliber player is still on the squad--along with potentally all (or all but 1) Olympian. That is the bulk of of the top 6 FWDs and all of the Top-4 Dmen. That's not exactly like the team lost Roenik and had to replace him withy Vorobiev.
• The 'hawks lost in overtime of game 7 of the WCF - That's not exactly being overmatched. 2009 our boys were overmatched against a verteran RedWings squad. Last year an incredibly minor tweak could have sent our boys to the SCF.

IMHO the 'hawks will be in contention for the top 3 in the central and are poised to make another deep run.

Back on topic...

Still curious about the terms of Leighton's contract...

You're WAY too logical and grounded to be posting around here.

 

[RedBaronIndian]

I sometimes imagine what it's like for fans of bad teams that waltz in here to see some of the complaints we have from time to time. I imagine it's akin to a starving kid from the third world overhearing a steakhouse patron complaining about ordering a medium rare steak but getting a medium instead.... Oh, and they serve Pepsi products instead of Coke?!? Damn it, everything's ruined!

Hawks are pretenders now? Well ****, somewhere between 25 (pessimistic) and 29 (optimistic) other teams are screwed next year by extension.

First World problem.

I have said this before and I will say it again. We are lucky to be witnessing the best era in Blackhawks history. Savior it while it lasts


Back on on topic, here is what Leighton had to say

"In case an injury or anything else — an emergency — I'll be the call-up guy," Leighton said. "For me, it's just go down and play in Rockford. Obviously, I'd like to get called up and play in Chicago, but my mindset is to play my best hockey in Rockford for right now."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...oalie-leighton-signs-deal-20140818-story.html

 

[Blue Liner]

Hockey sure can be a wild ride in one's career. Come up with an organization, play for them, go elsewhere, lose to said organization in the Stanley Cup Final, come back to said organization and play for their AHL club. All over the map.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Fleury was picked 1st overall, and some would say he wasn't worth it.

We don't need to draft goalies in the first round, we're doing fine with drafting them a little later. Not to mention that we signed Raanta and Niemi without wasting a draft pick.

Trust the system, they know more than everybody here...except hawknut, obviously

 

[HockeySauce]

Simply through the addition of a few key prospects and some decent veteran signings, the Hawks have addressed Rockford's two biggest short-comings last season: Consistent goaltending and defensive depth. I'm really stoked about Rockford's team this year.

If Teravainen starts the year in Rockford, you're looking at:

Mashinter - Teravainen - McNeill
Ross - Danault - Hartman
Carey - Rasmussen - Broadhurst
Bass - LeBlanc - C-Labrie

Dalhbeck - Clendening
Cumiskey - Johns
Fournier - Van Riemsdyk
Svedberg - Brisebois
Holl

Leighton
Darling/Simpson

Ball's in your court two-face.

 

[Kurtosis]

Thanks for pointing that out. For some reason I thought Holland's record as a G.M went WAY past Cleary and Weiss. I guess not. Boy, the insight I receive here.

Oh, so he gets the benefit of the doubt, but nobody in the Hawks organization does? All you ever do is spew your negative tripe day in and day out about the Hawks and then pump Holland's tires when he has been a mediocre GM for years now. That's gold.

What moronic thing comes out of your mouth next?

 

[Bubba88]

Hawks don't Need to draft goalies high... draft late and hope. If not sign a finnish goalie. 1 has won a Cup as our starter and the other is currently our backup.

Not to mention that you can always find servicable goalies