The Ditch part deux

Mayers has been an excellent 4th line professional. I've heard amazing things about him and his character (professionalism, work ethic, attitude, etc.) well before he was in Chicago. I don't care for the fighting and instigators, but that's his role and I think he's done everything asked of him and more on an efficient contract. One of the guys I'm happy for because of all the records he helped make possible and because the cup win means people will remember them.

I guess he's one of those guys that drives everybody to workout away from the ice and in the offseason too, we know how important the start of the year was and what that did for the playoff run (resting people with the lead in the standings). Fans liked Mayers, so I don't think he'll be forgotten about.

I look at Chara as a step below Pronger in talent but a step above him with the dirty stuff. I still like Chara overall, but I liked Pronger too (while hating some parts of their game). His skating reminded me of 2010 Pronger, I don't like dated comparisons too often, but I saw game 5 2010 Pronger in Chara on multiple levels. Still excellent, but I think the steep decline is on the way. We'll have to see about the injuries. I seldom have those thoughts about players.

Me too, that's why I wanted to see Bergeron, Krecji, Seguin, etc. dominate for the Bruins, and that's why I loved the Lucic play for the 2nd goal last night.

lol. My 75 year old neighbor (and psychotic Hawks fan) came banging on my back window like a drunk college kid screaming at the top of her lungs after the Hawks won. I'm a big fan of yelling at the tv. I still believe it makes a difference. The spouses' sleep should not be a concern.

 

Bob. When I was watching the Mayers interview last night you know what came to my mind? A very long time ago I remembered an interview on Coach's Corner. It was Don Cherry speaking with Basil McRae. I used to think that guy was sick out of his mind and a psychopath but in the interview he used words even I don't understand. So well spoken, a great personality and a lot of fun listening watching him go back and forth with Cherry. "Goons" get a bad rap though.... Stu Grimson wrote children's books when he was all done playing hockey and Probert was privately sending sick kids to hospitals on his dime. They just have a different job then most other hockey players do, that's all.

LMAO Seriously? Me too !!!!! Sometimes I even tell coaches what they're doing wrong and try and pump up the players with positive reinforcement talk if they aren't playing well. I'll be watching a game downstairs and my wife asks me who I'm talking to. When I say "Babcock" or "Datsyuk" she says... hummmm ok then !!!!! Both my sons have asked me repeatedly if I honestly believe they can hear me through the TV. LOL

 

Olesz and Montador have a combined 4.9 + 1.8 (buried) cap hit and have already cleared waivers, twice. They are likely buyout candidates.

Stalberg, Bickell, Roszival, Handzus, Emery, and Mayers are UFAs. Emery and Mayers are probably gone for certain. Handzus is likely gone. I think one or two of the other three will be around next year, complicated to figure out if they stay or go. Bickell's contract demands may be Leino-esque. Stalberg is a UFA but in the doghouse. He may want 1 year at redemption and then a big payday. Roszival probably priced himself out of town, but if he's willing to take a discount, he'll be on a two year deal imo.

Leddy is an RFA and his negotiations will be complicated. I'm not going to be shocked if he gets an offer sheet like Hjalmarsson did. Kruger is easy to retain and will sign a 2 year bridge contract.

The hawks still have Brookbank, Smith, Morin, Pirri, and JHayes to fill in holes. Smith and Morin had each lost a year because of injury. Brookbank is a solid bottom pair dman. They'll lose some faces, but the turnover won't be a systemic shock like last time.

Bolland and Frolik are likely candidates to move if they want additional capspace. I like Frolik, but he's not on an effective contract. Despite Bolland's heroics, he's 3.375 of dead weight on the cap for the overwhelming majority of the time. I'll spare more details until I start the Hawks 2014 thread here.

 

Bickell and Stalberg will see a stupid offer if they hit the market. They're the challenges. I think Handzus is about out of gas. He was an excellent pickup and completely redeemed his contract from a few years back, but I think he'll be gone. Roszival, like Emery, had an awesome year. He played like a top pair dman for extended stretches. Somebody is going to give him a contract Chicago can't touch. Emery set a record for starting wins, and had 1 freakin' loss all year (Crow took one for him though). He played so well, he priced himself out of town.

The only person I was cursing in the organization more than Bolland the last couple years was Stephane Waite, the goalie coach...ate some crow this year on him. The goalies were the best we've seen since the drunken Eagle and his backup.

 

I love Bickell's grit, wouldn't mind seeing him in a Wings uniform. Don't know why but I'm not a Stalberg fan.

I watch plenty of Chicago games but probably not close enough to know a whole lot about Roszival. Would he fit in well on my Wings team? Ya see right now, everything is about my team. Your team won, I gave them credit and now it's time we discuss how we can improve the Wings. From 1 to 7, where would you slot Roszival in on Detroit?

 

lotta love for Bickell, I dont see it. I think he had a great playoff and the Leino comparison is a good one. I like Bickells size but hes never been a big scorer or point producer so if he wants big money Id say later days. I also dont think much of Roszival, did you see any of his time w the blushirts - he was embarrassingly bad. your right though someone will probably throw a bunch of coin at him, and it better not be Holland. I really like Saad and Morin, I think those guys are gonna be solid. I give Stan a lot of crap but bottom line is that he is the GM and has done a very good job setting the Hawks up for the long term. Im gonna miss the rivalry very much but I think were changing conferences just in time, the Hawks beat us up too much this year

 

Jimmy hayes was picked up right after Kevin "poop in the stairwell" hayes for a 2010 2nd from Toronto. Saad was a 2011 2nd acquired from Toronto too....I miss you Burke.

I'm not sure if the Hawks are "loaded", I think they'll take a step backwards, but not too much. They should have a prospect emerge as a 2c option by the end of next year or the following. They won't be as strong in net either, that would be nearly impossible.

Look for extensions on Hjalmarsson and Crawford to be completed by September or October. I can't imagine they'll want to give up either one. If Raanta is a stud out of the gate, that may make things interesting.

 

tip of the cap to Armstrong.

How the hell did he pull that off?

I don't want Berglund anymore. He's now a stoopid in my book. He could have had 4.5 x 6, now, with the Blues hurting on their depth scoring under Hitchcock, he's looking to take it in the shorts on his next contract.

 

Those are the media types driving the Hawks fans.

Big difference lulz, get your haterizing straight or else I'll let you know about DOMINATE.

5 of the last 8 cup winners from NOT the conference YUR going to.

 

Oh, it's serious alright. Not a laughing matter.

 

To be honest, I would love to see him in a Redwings jersey. I don't trust his wheels or his consistency to match his contract. It won't be Lucic bad, but it will be bad. Hopefully post season play will vindicate the gm that signs or extends him. I like Stalberg, but he's a 2.5 million a year player and not a nickel more. He had a horrendous postseason after an excellent regular season. Lots of risk with signing either one of those two.

Roszival was on a monster contract not too long ago. He's a very good defender, skater, and is good with the puck. The knock on him is health/durability and his weak physical game despite his size. If I could rank Detroit's blueline 2-7, I could tell you where he fits but I can't. He's top 4 talent, but carries a ton of risk on a 35+ contract next year. After this year, he's not going to sign for just one year imo. I think he would be an excellent stop-gap for Detroit. Let him miss 30 games and keep him ready for the postseason. He was logging more minutes than most Hawks dmen the first couple rounds.

 

LOL So Chicago gets Hayes and Saad from Toronto. Boston gets Seguin, Hamilton and Tuuka from Toronto.

Burke is awesome !!!!

And if Gillis wasn't a greedy bastard over a year ago Vancouver would have Kadri who was in Burke's dog house. But Gillis wanted more then "just" Kadri and a pick or another prospect for Luongo who they might have to buy out now or get rid of for cheap.

Oh well.. at least the Canucks let the Leafs hold onto Kadri LOL

 

I don't see him as admitting it. I see his OCD front office itching to spend the money on a new toy, but they had already done that.

 

lol, Homer will never surprise me.

 

Gillis can't be happy about another proven veteran hitting the market after the Bryz buyout. I think Burrows is biting Gillis' fingers.

And AV laughs.

 

Forgot about Kadri.
Passed up Grabowski for the 18th too. Burke said he could have had how many firsts last draft Skinny, 4 + his was it?

 

Bickell took advantage of the opportunity. Time will tell, but we have a big pro sample size on him now.
Roszival was bad in NYR, but that was also because of how they used him. He was very effective in PHX and Chicago.
Morin projects well as a strong 3rd line player. Saad might end up a top 6 player in no time, sure looks like he has the skill set.

The system has plenty of NHL ready prospects and they just upgraded the goalie depth with the Raanta signing. I like what Bowman has done.

 

Nice catch Bob. I didn't look at Gillis's situation with Luongo that way but you're right, with Bryz being bought out that surely can't increase Luongo's trade value.

This whole Luongo thing couldn't have worked out worse for the Canucks if they tried. They held onto Luongo hoping for a big regular season and depth for the playoffs in case Schneider gets hurt or falters. A good regular season followed but even though Schneider wasn't great at all in the playoffs having Luongo made no difference Along the way they pissed off Luongo who remained professional but now can't wait to get out of Vancouver. And they aren't as sure about Schneider as they were a year ago. Since everybody and their brother knows Vancouver can't afford both goalies this year nobody is likely to offer up another Kadri for Lu either. And just when one could think MAYBE they could still get SOMETHING of value for Luongo the Flyers buy out Bryz. Wow.. talk about a bad turn of events for the Canucks.

 

If I'm the Wings I would overpay Roszival for 2 years, no more then that. If that's not good enough then I'd move on. The problem is top 4 talent doesn't come around very often and somebody might get really stupid.

 

Passed up Grabowski for the 18th too. Burke said he could have had how many firsts last draft Skinny, 4 + his was it?

Not only does he turn down the 1st round pick but proceeds to overpay him for 5.5 million per season. Grabovski goes from a marketable player to what's now a contract I'm not sure anybody would pay a whole lot for