Has anyone else realized that...

[LonghornBob]

of our Cup squad there are SIX guys on other teams (Versteeg, Ladd, Brouwer, Byflugien, Kopecky, and Campbell) wearing the C or the A?

Man that team was STACKED...

Ugh...

 

[DewsSox79]

of our Cup squad there are SIX guys on other teams (Versteeg, Ladd, Brouwer, Byflugien, Kopecky, and Campbell) wearing the C or the A?

Man that team was STACKED...

Ugh...

yeah it was. Alot more stacked than we thought at the current time.

 

[BigP50]

I didnt realize that, but that is awesome. Ill always remember that season.

 

[Jntg4]

Add in our C's and our A's and we have 9 Captains there...

 

[inactiveuser1]

I want Versteeg back :crying:

 

[nwfisch]

I want Versteeg back :crying:

:nope:

 

[Jntg4]

I want Versteeg back :crying:

I want the whole team back, with Crow over Huet, and Stalberg and Leddy.

 

[DMelt36]

Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd skated on the third line with the Hawks. Now they're both getting top-6 minutes, just under 20 per game.

Byfuglien was a forward, now he's the #1 D-man in terms of ice time in Winnipeg.

Campbell was on the 2nd D-pairing here, now he's skating about 27/mins a game for Florida, tied for most in the league w/ Keith.

Brouwer was a healthy scratch for a few games in the postseason, and frequently didn't step on the ice for more than 10 minutes in the postseason. He, too, is getting top-6 minutes at 17 per game in Washington, and has been on their top line at times.

I couldn't stack a team this well in a video game.

 

[tbo41fan]

I want Versteeg back :crying:

god no

 

[Diehardfan]

Ladd & Buff would be just what the doctor ordered for this team. Damn Tallon...guy was great recognizing talent (other than goalies) but was worse than my wife with money.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Brouwer was a healthy scratch for a few games in the postseason

Wasn't that a family issue?

 

[ZDemp34]

That team was LOADED. Now I realize that it was so much more loaded than I thought at the time.

 

[DMelt36]

Wasn't that a family issue?

Very possible, because I know his dad was having some health issues that year. Scratch that point.

 

[DMelt36]

And here's why I'm not so big on the Hawks going crazy with moves in free agency and trades in the offseason. I'd much rather have them build from within.

Here's the guys off of that roster that were homegrown talent (drafted by Chicago and played in the farm system): Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Brouwer, Byfuglien, Hjalmarsson, Bolland, Burish, Niemi (technically undrafted, but Hawks signed him as an undrafted free agent)

A few veterans like Sharp, Ladd, and Versteeg were acquired by the Hawks a few years prior, and Versteeg actually spent some time in the Hawks' AHL team before joining the big club.

The big free agents signings were Campbell and Hossa. That's it. Madden was also a FA signing, but I don't know how "big" of a signing that is. Kopecky, too.

My point is, the vast majority of talent on that team was either homegrown or had spent a few years with the organization before that wonderful year.

In the salary cap era, you can't throw a ton of money at free agents or completely shuffle your lineup with trades. You have to grow from within. There are some guys with NHL potential in the Hawks organization right now: Saad, Olsen, McNeill, Clendening, Hayes, Johns, and plenty more.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't sign anyone. I'm saying that growing from within the organization is the best way to have long, sustained success in the salary cap era. And the Hawks have the potential to do that.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

But the Hawks don't have the homegrown talent, nor should they be expected to. The stars go to the teams that don't make the playoffs.

The Hawks don't have Keith Seabrook Toews and Kane developing in their system. They'd be lucky to even have 1 guy that could be mentioned in the same sentence as those guys.

The funniest part of the draft was when a reporter asked Brian Burke if he was a fan of the Pittsburgh Model of rebuilding a team. His response:

"They won a lottery. They won a goddamn lottery and go the best player in the game. Pittsburgh model my ass. "

Burke says Leafs' plan won't change: 'Pittsburgh model? My ass' - NHL - Sporting News

You want homegrown depth- suck. That is the Pittsburgh model.

If the Hawks are going to tell us they have a great core and just want to build around it- I'm good with that. I like that plan.

But it's not easy. You have to make incredible deals LIKE the Sharp and Versteeg trades. You glanced over those, but those were massively great deals made by Dale.

Do you think Stan is capable of those kind of moves? So far we've been stuck with Fernando Pisani and then Andrew Brunette for the last 2 years. Not off to a real good start and his bullshit press conference at the end of this season gave me no confidence.

 

[dabynsky]

But it's not easy. You have to make incredible deals LIKE the Sharp and Versteeg trades. You glanced over those, but those were massively great deals made by Dale.

Do you think Stan is capable of those kind of moves? So far we've been stuck with Fernando Pisani and then Andrew Brunette for the last 2 years. Not off to a real good start and his bullshit press conference at the end of this season gave me no confidence.

While I won't defend Bowman's track record the past couple of seasons, he did trade Cam Barker for Nick Leddy which worked out pretty well for us.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

While I won't defend Bowman's track record the past couple of seasons, he did trade Cam Barker for Nick Leddy which worked out pretty well for us.

Yeah, that's a win.

He also moved Brian Campbell for Rostislav Olesz.

That was a loss, cap relief be damned.

 

[dabynsky]

Yeah, that's a win.

He also moved Brian Campbell for Rostislav Olesz.

That was a loss, cap relief be damned.

I agree that on the whole his moves have made this team worse. Some of which was out of his control, being over the cap and every team knowing it, and some were of us his making, various signings the past season that didn't work out. I don't have a ton of confidence right now in any trades making this team significantly better, but I was just pointing out that he made at least one Versteeg level trade of his own.

 

[DewsSox79]

And here's why I'm not so big on the Hawks going crazy with moves in free agency and trades in the offseason. I'd much rather have them build from within.

Here's the guys off of that roster that were homegrown talent (drafted by Chicago and played in the farm system): Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Brouwer, Byfuglien, Hjalmarsson, Bolland, Burish, Niemi (technically undrafted, but Hawks signed him as an undrafted free agent)

A few veterans like Sharp, Ladd, and Versteeg were acquired by the Hawks a few years prior, and Versteeg actually spent some time in the Hawks' AHL team before joining the big club.

The big free agents signings were Campbell and Hossa. That's it. Madden was also a FA signing, but I don't know how "big" of a signing that is. Kopecky, too.

My point is, the vast majority of talent on that team was either homegrown or had spent a few years with the organization before that wonderful year.

In the salary cap era, you can't throw a ton of money at free agents or completely shuffle your lineup with trades. You have to grow from within. There are some guys with NHL potential in the Hawks organization right now: Saad, Olsen, McNeill, Clendening, Hayes, Johns, and plenty more.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't sign anyone. I'm saying that growing from within the organization is the best way to have long, sustained success in the salary cap era. And the Hawks have the potential to do that.

you do realize that we dont have tallon anymore right? you trust stan bowman to do that? cmon now.

 

[DMelt36]

But the Hawks don't have the homegrown talent, nor should they be expected to. The stars go to the teams that don't make the playoffs.

The Hawks don't have Keith Seabrook Toews and Kane developing in their system. They'd be lucky to even have 1 guy that could be mentioned in the same sentence as those guys.

The funniest part of the draft was when a reporter asked Brian Burke if he was a fan of the Pittsburgh Model of rebuilding a team. His response:

"They won a lottery. They won a goddamn lottery and go the best player in the game. Pittsburgh model my ass. "

Burke says Leafs' plan won't change: 'Pittsburgh model? My ass' - NHL - Sporting News

You want homegrown depth- suck. That is the Pittsburgh model.

If the Hawks are going to tell us they have a great core and just want to build around it- I'm good with that. I like that plan.

But it's not easy. You have to make incredible deals LIKE the Sharp and Versteeg trades. You glanced over those, but those were massively great deals made by Dale.

Do you think Stan is capable of those kind of moves? So far we've been stuck with Fernando Pisani and then Andrew Brunette for the last 2 years. Not off to a real good start and his bullshit press conference at the end of this season gave me no confidence.

Burke's comment was hilarious, and he does have a point.

And yeah, Dale made some awesome moves with Sharp and Versteeg. They are the only reason I still know the names Matt Ellison and Brandon Bochenski (if you don't look it up).

Do they have another Toews/Kane/Keith/Seabrook in the system? No, probably not. But they don't have to, because they already have those guys. They need to develop the supporting pieces around that core: The Ladds, Versteegs, Byfugliens, etc.

There is some potential in the Hawks' system. C Mark McNeill, LW Brandon Saad and LW Jeremy Morin are all projected as future 2nd line guys by Hockey's Future. Adam Clendening, Stephen Johns, and Dylan Olsen are all projected as 2nd-line D-pairing guys.

If just three or four of those guys can develop into 2nd line/2nd D-pairing players, the Hawks are going to be very good. The issue is if that'll happen and when it'll happen. I cannot answer either one of those questions.

If the Hawks are going to return to elite status next year, it's probably going to take a shrewd move by Bowman to do that. While I think he's done a great job in the draft, I'm with you in doubting his handling of the Hawks current roster.

I think the Hawks can build around the core with some of these minor league players. It just may not happen next year. And until those guys can develop, Bowman will have to make some moves to bridge that gap. If you have doubt in his abilities to do that, I don't blame you.