hudson

Looking at Capgeek they are are nowhere near the trouble they were in after 2010. They probably will have a problem signing Bickel. They may have loose somebody like Bolland. But they have plenty waiting to replace them down in Rockford.

The Wings got very lucky to be up 3-1 on the Hawks. To have the their foot on the Hawks and blow it....that doesn't mean they are that close to the Hawks. The opposite is probably closer to the truth. The Wings couldn't have competed in these finals. With any of the 4 teams that were left in the conference finals.

Well at least Shaw's own teammates like him.

Its got nothing to do with "puck luck". The Hawks were playing like crap at the beginning of the last series. They have since found their game. If the Wings got a do-over and played them again the series would be over in 4 or 5 games now.

I know it seems like boarding or charging or something every time one of your guys gets hit but THAT wasn't boarding in THAT situation. I don't think it was boarding in any situation. He had the puck, he had seen or should have seen Bolland, he hung on to it a little longer to make a play, Bolland hit him from the side, Bolland was gliding all the way from center ice to the boards.... He wasn't defenseless either.. Rule 41 - Boarding 41.1 Boarding – A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who checks or pushes a defenseless opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to hit or impact the boards violently in the boards. The severity of the penalty, based upon the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee. There is an enormous amount of judgment involved in the application of this rule by the Referees. The onus is on the player applying the check to ensure his opponent is not in a defenseless position and if so, he must avoid or minimize the contact.

How many more breaks do you think the Wings needed? They got plenty. The disallowed goal in game 3, no call on hooking Saad on a break away and the coincidentals last night that shouldn't have been called. The Wings got plenty of breaks and still came up short. The better team won.

He said he felt the slash on his hands and he lost the puck. And from that you got he lost it purposely? So he might get a penalty shot? Really?

Actually factually....... Toews .29 goals/game and .87 points/game vs. Datysuk .26 goals per game and .73 points/game.

I know this risks a spontaneous singing of Kumbaya but..... As a Hawks fan I absolutely look forward to Hawks/Wings games. And the Hawks winning. Because they are usually good skilled hockey games. I completely respect the players and organIzation. Except maybe the occasional Bertuzzi. But even he has some skill. Nothing better than the Hawks beating the Wings. Except Vancouver. But for a different reason. Myself and every Hawks fan I know absolutely loathes that team, its players, coach and GM, the fans and everything else about them. Every cheap, dirty, whining, hair pulling, clipping, groin kneeling one of them. Cheers.

Alpo Suhonen, hired by Mike Smith. I think because he produced wonderful French plays. Sucked as a coach tho. Listen if you guys really can't understand why "Detroit Sucks!" is a complement than you must be a little concussed. I've seen the Hulls and Mikita play Howe at the old Stadium. I've a Hawks fan a LONG time. I've seen Detroit really did suck. Back when you couldn't get anybody to go to a game in Detroit. The same as it got in Chicago at the end of Dollar Bill Wirtz's mismanagement.Its just that the bandwagoners in Detroit have been around a little longer than the ones in Chicago. Only because Detroit's recent success has been going on for 10 yrs longer than the Hawks most recent success. I understood Packer fans chanting "The Bears still suck" even when the Bears kicking their butts. I really can't understand how Wing's fans don't get it.

Really? Chicago Toews - 21 Sharp - 19 Hossa - 17 Kane - 9 Stalberg - 9 Detroit Franzen - 14 Datsyuk - 12 Filpulla - 12 Cleary - 9

Well I don't know about great..but good anyway. To get the facts right.... Sharp was a trade as was Ladd and Versteeg. From their farm system Kane (draft pick but never played in the farm system) Toews (draft pick but never played in the farm system) Keith Seabrook Bolland Bickel Hjalmarsson Leddy Crawford as was.. Brouwer Niemi Byfugelien Fraser Burrish

None of Chicago's signings has anything to do with the Red Wings. Hawks-Wings games for the last few years have been straight up hockey for the most part. Skating, passing, checking and shooting. The Hawks signed the players they signed to keep some OTHER teams from running their skilled players. Some teams got the idea that they couldn't skate with the Hawks so they would try and pummel them. Bieksa in Vancouver and Jackman in St Louis come to mind. They don't have to dress all the players they just signed on any one night but two or three of them should make keep of the "tough" guys like Bieksa and Jackman from misbehaving. I really don't like that kind of hockey but maybe just one game this year in St Louis I'd like to see a line of LW Carcillo, C Meyers and RW Scott take a few shifts and even up with the Blues for some of the crap they have started over the last few years. Then against you guys go back to playing hockey.

Understood. But you make sound like Hawks fans are not capable of understanding that their will be different challenges to a defending championship team than their was to young unproven team like this year's team. Yeah I know its been a long time since the Hawks have won. But Chicago does have other pro sports teams that have been successful. No, wait! Your from Detroit. You wouldn't know. Sorry. The Hawks will fall back some. That was and is expected. I just don't think it will be as far as some here think or hope. They will be able to keep the core and a little more together. There actually is some talent coming up from the AHL. Its time to see if the organIzation is as good as Hawk fans hope. And there is also the veteran player on the cheap. We'll see. The Hawks are going to lose another player or two still but they will have at least as good a chance as the Wings next year. I'm OK with that.

I actually do understand the advantage of being able to roll 4 lines. But my point was that Brouwer/Bolland/Whomever will be a decent 3rd line. The TOI for the Hawks 4th line in the finals was something like eager 4:48, madden 10:36, burrish/brouwer 6:00 per game. I think they will be able to find a couple players from the their Rockford team or veterans trying to restart their careers to eat those minutes.

I don't think I can agree with you that the 3rd and 4th lines are automatically going to struggle. Brouwer and Bolland are 3rd liners most any team would be happy with. They need Skille or somebody else to show up and play well. If the the 4th line is a "energy" line than Bickell and Dowell and Reasoner should be able to fulfill tat role well enough. How much does most 4th lines play in the playoffs? 4 or 5 shifts a game?

I don't think its "incredibly" different. Certainly not as strong but the Cap is the Cap. What are you going to do. Versteeg,talented but maddeningly inconsistent. As likely turn the puck over at the wrong time as he was to score a game winner. The Hawks would love to keep him but somebody has to go. Madden, Marty Reasoner is close enough and cheaper. Byfuglien, I don't he ever will reach his potential consistently and they got enough back for him. Kopecky, well you guys know about Kopecky. He may or may not be back. Just example salary vs talent that the hawks may have to move. Sopel, to expensive. Real good penalty killer but just painful to watch skate. Huet, I'd rather have Crawford. Johnsson, never played for the Hawks much because of a concussion. Don't think they will miss what hthey never really had. Burish and Eager, good to have them but it is time for some of the kids from Rockford to get a chance. Boynton was a lot better than I thought he would be. Maybe they can figure out a way to bring him back. If not oh well. vs Kyle Beach, 1st round pick that might be ready jack skille, 1st round pick that IS ready Bryan Bickell, was up with Hawks the end of last year and played well Jake Dowell, has been up and down with Hawks Shawn Lalonde, suppose to be ready. Hawks seem real high on him. Corey Crawford, now or never. Barely beat out by Niemi last training camp.

The 21st and 22nd player on your roster aren't going to be that big of a salary burden. Ladd's might be low, maybe. Niemi is about right I think. Him and Crawford were a coin flip coming out of training camp. I don't think many teams are going to break the piggy bank on a goalie that couldn't win the starting job until the end of the year when the goalie he was competing with was so bad everybody just assumes he won't be back. Hjalmarsson isn't arbitration eligible yet so it just depends on what other teams offer if the hawks and his agent can't work out something. The hawks aren't done with figuring out their salary cap problem but they are off to go a good start. So yeah, I think that is a workable roster or at least a start.

From the Byfuglien trade thread.... 2010-11 NHL Salary Cap Calculator 2010-11 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR FORWARDS Patrick Kane ($6.300m) / Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Andrew Ladd ($2.000m) Kyle Beach ($1.171m) / Patrick Sharp ($3.900m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m) Jack Skille ($1.275m) / Dave Bolland ($3.375m) / Jake Dowell ($0.525m) Troy Brouwer ($1.025m) / Marty Reasoner ($1.150m) / Bryan Bickell ($0.500m) DEFENSEMEN Brent Seabrook ($3.500m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m) Brian Campbell ($7.143m) / Jordan Hendry ($0.625m) Shawn Lalonde ($0.800m) / Niklas Hjalmarsson ($2.000m) GOALTENDERS Antti Niemi ($2.500m) / Corey Crawford ($0.800m) CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion) ROSTER: 20; CAP:$59.4m; PAYROLL: $55.702m; CAP ROOM: $4.218m BONUSES: $0.520m

Agreed. He is the most important RFA for the Hawks. More than Niemi IMO. If the Hawks can't work out a deal with him then it depends on what he is offered from another team. I would think that he is a Hawk next year somehow.

I don't think he is arbitration eligible yet. The moves the Hawks made yesterday allow them to tender offers to all of their players they want to. So whatever happens with RFA depends on what they are offered by other teams. The roster I put up here is just a guess. Not even likely to be the real one but was meant to show it isn't doom and gloom and end of the Chicago franchise. They Hawks won't be a strong as they were..but they are supposed to have some good pplayers on the way up so it remains to be seen how strong they are next May.

Fraser can be replaced I think.. Most team would like to have Bolland as their third center. Skille looks like he can play in the few games he has been up for. As has Bickell. Reasoner is decent replacement for Madden. Brouwer scored 22 goals last year. No idea what pairings will next year but the 5th and 6th guys may only get 8 minutes a game. Its livable.

AHL..Europe...bye. I don't think the Hawks have a problem paying him what they owe him. They just can't afford it on the cap. Even if they don't move Kopecky they will some similar salary. Yes, they will be weaker at the beginning of the season but who knows.. Beach and Skille were 1st round picks. Dowell and Bickel have played well when they have played for the Hawks. The Hawks like Lalonde...it might work out. It certainly isn't the doom and gloom hoped for by some.

They can wait years for return on those picks...they aren't where next years players are coming from. I don't understand why so many people are assuming the hawks will have to fill their roster with scrubs. 2010-11 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR FORWARDS Patrick Kane ($6.300m) /Jonathan Toews ($6.300m) / Andrew Ladd ($2.000m) Kyle Beach ($1.171m) / Patrick Sharp ($3.900m) / Marian Hossa ($5.275m) Jack Skille ($1.275m) / Dave Bolland ($3.375m) / Bryan Bickell ($0.500m) Troy Brouwer ($1.025m) / Marty Reasoner ($1.150m) / Jake Dowell ($0.525m) Colin Fraser ($0.700m) DEFENSEMEN Brent Seabrook ($3.500m) / Duncan Keith ($5.538m) Brian Campbell ($7.143m) / * Niklas Hjalmarsson ($2.000m) Shawn Lalonde ($0.800m) / * Jordan Hendry ($0.625m) GOALTENDERS * Antti Niemi ($2.500m) / Corey Crawford ($0.800m) CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion) ROSTER: 21; CAP:$59.4m; PAYROLL: $56.402m; CAP ROOM: $3.518m BONUSES: $0.520m Gone Versteeg, Madden, Byfuglien, Kopecky, Sopel, Huet, Johnsson, Burish, Eager, Boynton 14 players stay from this year.. 10 move on Painful but livable I think...

I don't think it is correct to think the Hawks are purely offensive minded or want to win 6-5. They do what the Wings used to do. Possess the puck and play defense buy not letting the other team have the puck. They lead the league on goal allowed and by a wide margin in shots allowed.