2011 Blackhawks Off-Season Thread

[cubsbears1225]

CapGeek

$4 mil in bonuses to Toews/Kane come off the books. CG says about $8.3 in space available (with Kruger and Smith factored in).

RFA's: Frolik, Brouwer, Stalberg, Dowell, Campoli, and Crawford.

UFA's: Kopecky, Pisani, Johnson, Hendry, and Turco.

Frolik/Campoli/Crawford....all must be resigned.

Brouwer/Stalberg.....i dont think they are due for raises. Please dont over pay. We may only see one return

Dowell....someone else needs your 500K contract...not us.

Kopecky....see ya!

Pisani.......see ya!

Turco.....Id resign him for no more than 850K

Hendry....resign for league minimum

Johnson.....maybe league minimum

[cubsbears1225]

I think Hammer is expendable

He has a hefty contract for blocking shots. He may very well be on the block as we speak.

[Boom!]

I wouldnt trade Leddy however there may be a log jam on D. The Hawks have a lot of prospects and draft picks they can use for a cheap 2nd line center. Now obviously if there is a trade Bowman cant refuse for Leddy, then you pull the trigger.

Look, I think Leddy is going to be great player, but how does he help us by being a #5/6 dman for the next 5 years on this team?

Our PP was great this year...but Leddy didn't have anything to do with that. Our PK sucked this year...and Leddy is not a PK type of player.

We need to add a tough guy that can kill penalties on our Dline. How can we do that? We already have 6 guys pretty much locked in.

[Boom!]

I think Hammer is expendable

Yes and No.

His contract kinda sucks.

Other than that, Hjalmarsson is the type of Dman that we just can't afford to lose. He blocks shots, he kills penalties, he uses his body. We can't afford to lose any sandpaper on this team.

[cubsbears1225]

Look, I think Leddy is going to be great player, but how does he help us by being a #5/6 dman for the next 5 years on this team?

Our PP was great this year...but Leddy didn't have anything to do with that. Our PK sucked this year...and Leddy is not a PK type of player.

We need to add a tough guy that can kill penalties on our Dline. How can we do that? We already have 6 guys pretty much locked in.

My thinking or should I say "hope" is that some how some way can trade Campbell in the next year or two. Is it going to happen? Probably not but thats what Im hoping for. Leddy would replace Campbell nicely.

[Chitown Sparty]

My thinking or should I say "hope" is that some how some way can trade Campbell in the next year or two. Is it going to happen? Probably not but thats what Im hoping for. Leddy would replace Campbell nicely.

I think that would be the best outcome, keep the young(cheap) talent, get rid of that terrible contract, open up a slot for a physical 3rd pairing D-man.

who has the cap room for Campbell's contract, and what else would they have to toss in to move something like that?

[DaSox_05]

Boom that sucks that you have to wear the sig for two weeks I believe is what you said. On the other hand I am sure as hell the Canuck fans would love to be former Stanley Cup Champs.

[Boom!]

Boom that sucks that you have to wear the sig for two weeks I believe is what you said. On the other hand I am sure as hell the Canuck fans would love to be former Stanley Cup Champs.

Yea, rough!

The Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup in the history of their franchise. I hope it stays that way.

[blams1989]

I'd kind of like to see them win, because of my respect for Luongo. I want a big time cup final involving mon/bos/was against det/van

That would be great for hockey.

This is a great article:

http://espn.go.com/blog/ChicagoBlack...-awe-in-defeat

[Dagwood]

Hjalmarsson was like a second goalie these playoffs. I'm afraid of what we are without him.

[Hammer9]

I am just thankful that Boom's sig is not a jiggle sig. That would bother me.

[1990]

This team needs a winger who has size and can score... Hang me now, but I trade Kane in a heart beat. We have plenty of skilled scorers with Toews, Sharp, Hoss, Frolik.. We need some meat on the wing to crash and create havoc in front of the net. Kane brings the O and thats it. Toews, Sharp, Hoss,,, even Benny Smith play the PK.. Kane doesnt.. He shows little interest in getting dirty and turns it over too much for my taste. A big trade like that will easily bring a big 20+ goal winger plus a role player. Its the lack of energy and hitting on the 3/4 lines that is the problem.. This team is too Euro and not enough North American.. You need the balance of skill with nasty.. We dont have enough nasty.. I can also see Hammer being on the block.. He wasnt worth the big $$$ we gave him to keep him away from the Sharks. Maybe Bickell takes that next step.. he has great hands and good size. He was showing signs of stepping it up physically.. then had surgery. This was Bicks first year playing alot and he did well. Plus..Morin is waiting to come up.. That kid will do it all.. Score.. fight... lay down and block shots.. Hes a keeper.. The core is good.. but I can see two major players going trade wise.. I also want to see a big/nasty D man for the 5/6/7 spot.. and not John Scott

[cubsbears1225]

I doubt Kane will be traded at least for a while from a marketing perspective but man, now is the time to trade him!

[blams1989]

They shouldn't trade him. He's a big aspect of a great team, they just need to add more depth so they have the scoring, speed and tough defense.

[C BABY MAC]

You don't trade Kane in my opinion. All we need is a physical d-man (or two) who throws his weight around and a big physical forward (or two) who does the same. We aren't far off from being one of the top teams in the league again. The team this year was just too much finesse. Certain guys played roles that were stupid for the kind of players that they are but that's just what Quenneville had to do with the cards he was dealt. Stalberg is not a checking line forward. In my opinion the lines should be Frolik-Toews-Hossa and Sharp-Bolland?-Kane or PhysicalWinger-Sharp-Kane. If they get a good scoring physical winger to play with Sharpie and Kane, then the third line could be Bickell-Bolland-Brouwer and then you could round out the fourth line with Ryan Johnson and two crazy antagonizing forwards who will aggravate the hell outta the opposition but not take stupid penalties. As was mentioned I'd trade Leddy and get a physical d-man. That would leave you with Keith-Seabrook, Campbell-Hjalmarsson and Campoli-PhysicalDman. I really like our defence like that because each pairing would have an offensive player and a physical-type player.

The team would look like this:

Frolik-Toews-Hossa
PhysicalWinger (Erik Cole?)-Sharp-Kane
Brouwer-Bolland-Bickell
?-Johnson-?

Seabrook-Keith
Campbell-Hammer
Campoli-(Erskine or Hejda?)

Crawford
Salak