The Blues to Win the Central This year?

[Z and D for the C 712]

Where are the Sharp rumors coming from?

[eva unit zero 271]

one hell of a stab in the dark - you nailed it.

As for the rest of your points, I agree to some extent, but I think the drop off is going to be more drastic - chemistry is WAY too often discounted and just changing that many PEOPLE in the locker room, let alone quality players can REALLY mess with a team... I still think they'll be a playoff team, but I see them as maybe a 3rd or 4th seed... in OUR division... I think they'll likely be a 6-8th seed/fringe playoff team in the Western conference next year...

That's assuming that Sharp isn't dealt... which I still think he will be...

I think it's more likely they deal Niemi than Sharp. The Hawks have 10 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 1 goalie locked up with just over $3.9m in cap space; assuming you send Huet down and use Crawford as backup.

They need to sign Hendry, likely around $800k. That leaves just over $3m for Niemi and 2-3 forwards. John Scott can play both forward and defense, so they could potentially ride with a 21-man roster and Scott as the only spare. So If Niemi gets more than $2m, then it gets difficult. But it's still not a situation where they have to trade Sharp.

One question I do have that might help in this situation;

Hawks replace Huet with Crawford, save $4.825m. That will likely happen

But another situation that I could see happening, assuming the Hawks wouldn't get in trouble for it, would be the following:

Hawks buy out Brian Campbell's contract, pay him $4,761,917 per season for the next twelve years and face the same as a cap hit, saving $2,380,958 off their cap for the next six. That's perfectly acceptable. But what if they then sign him to a cheap deal, like $750k?

I could see them getting into trouble, but at the same time, there is precedent; the Ottawa Senators and Daniel Alfredsson. Ottawa is currently paying a buyout of $700k on Alfredsson which ends after the 11-12 season. Yet he never missed a season with the Senators.

If only I were Chicago's GM.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Well, let's look at the teams in the Central, and see what comes of it.

Detroit:

Forwards: A

Defensemen: A

Goaltender: B

Overall: A-

Chicago:

Forwards: A-

Defensemen: A

Goaltender: B

Overall: A-

St. Louis:

Forwards: B-

Defensemen: B

Goaltender: B

Overall: B

Nashville:

Forwards: B-

Defensemen: B-

Goaltender: B

Overall: B-

Columbus:

Forwards: B-

Defensemen: B-

Goaltender: B-

Overall: B-

So as it stands right now, there's your analysis of Central teams and how they will finish in the division.

Pretty generous grading system there eva. I don't really know if the Wings have A defense even with Nick, Raffi, Stuie, Kronner back there. And Columbus with all B-. Their forward lines got a bit better with Spezza but closer to a C. Not going to really kill ya on this though as I find most of your posts intriguing. I will say B in tending for the Hawks IF Niemi comes back but we have no clue about that. They lose him thats another C. Regardless though this order is kind of how I see it too with Nashville potentially finishing higher than St. Louis.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Where are the Sharp rumors coming from?

From here.

If I were the Hawks' GM I would make just about any other move possible to avoid having to trade Sharp though.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Chicago's bottom 6 has been demolished by the cap issue.Fraser,Eager,Burish,Ladd all gone.Madden likely on his way out too.Is Brian Burke still looking at Patrick Sharp?I remember reading somewhere that Toronto was interested in acquiring him.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Chicago's bottom 6 has been demolished by the cap issue.Fraser,Eager,Burish,Ladd all gone.Madden likely on his way out too.Is Brian Burke still looking at Patrick Sharp?I remember reading somewhere that Toronto was interested in acquiring him.

Forgot Versteeg too. He was beyond key and a 20 goal scorer and great character guy. Sharp goes.... ohhhh boy

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

I know if Sharp goes,I'm gonna laugh so ******* hard.Chicago is a great example of how not to handle the cap

[eva unit zero 271]

Chicago's bottom 6 has been demolished by the cap issue.Fraser,Eager,Burish,Ladd all gone.Madden likely on his way out too.Is Brian Burke still looking at Patrick Sharp?I remember reading somewhere that Toronto was interested in acquiring him.

Burish wasn't even in the bottom 6. He was not good enough.

Madden has already been replaced.

Fraser and Eager were competing for the #12 spot all year - Eager won for the playoffs; the only reason both played as many games as they did in the regular season is that Bolland missed half the season. Fraser played 3 postseason games because of injuries. Bickell, Dowell, or any number of minimum wagers could do as well or better than Fraser and Eager for much less than they cost.

Ladd is the only player on that list who hasn't effectively been replaced by a 'proven' player. Marcus Kruger or Chris DiDomenico might be able to serve as Ladd's replacement.

The Hawks are not in nearly as dire straits as one would think just because they traded away a couple of their bigger name forwards, and the rights to some spare parts. Ladd, Eager, and Fraser weren't even signed, so the Hawks got something for nothing there.

Stalberg should be able to provide much of if not all of the offense lost in the Versteeg trade.

Kopecky getting more time in an offensive role should improve his offensive output (see the second half of last season for Kopecky in an offensive role) which will also help reduce the loss.

All in all, the Hawks' "cap disaster" has been managed quite well.

[Guest Heaten]

Some writers don't write on logic and facts, instead they write whatever creates the most web-buzz and traffic / backlinks to their page. Clearly it is working - i.e. this thread. I usually ignore un-credible writers such as the one you linked to. And I didn't even have to click his link to see how un-credible he is.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Heaten

[Jaymister 71]

Halak is an improvement over Mason, there's no doubting that, but will he be so good they win the central, highly unlikely. Depending on how Howard and Niemi's sophmore seasons go of course. If they both fall apart like Steve Mason did last year, then it's possible, but the chances of both of them having bad seasons and Mason being as bad as last year seems highly unlikely to me.