My main beef with this offseason

[Diehardfan]

Cap space is fine. Not having depth at center isn't.

Bolland goes down like he normally does, this team is in deep shit at center.

Vinny Prospal is there. Rather have him & RJ than Fossil Mayers.

People drool over him for some god knows reason. (Mayers)

Bieksa will do the same shit when we play em.

And what exactly would that be? Go off and cower in the corners when Scott, Mayers or Carcillo hit the ice? Maybe, he'll feign injury till Stalberg is out there?

Who the hell give a **** what Bieksa is gonna do?

 

[southern_cross_116]

... Who the ... give a... what Bieksa is gonna do?

Not even Christian Ehrhoff did apparently... ( paraphrasing the People's Front of Judea -not to be confused with the Popular Front of Judea- he of which is sitting over there... : Splitter nanny boo boo )

Bieska ... he of the spectral testicals... (ie ghost gonads...).

 

[icehogfan08]

Starting to think joe has a man crush on Bieksa. Bieksa won't attempt to be the bully he thought he was last year.

On the center thing, if Bolland does go down there are guys who can step up and play center. Frolik can play it if needed, Olesz can if needed. You have some seasoned guys in Rockford that could come up and pay bottom 6 and kill penalties. Maclean can do his, and so can Brophey who needs to be resigned. There are also guys still out there who will take an AHL cntract and provide depth if there is an injury.

 

[dabynsky]

Not even Christian Ehrhoff did apparently... ( paraphrasing the People's Front of Judea -not to be confused with the Popular Front of Judea- he of which is sitting over there... : Splitter nanny boo boo )

Bieska ... he of the spectral testicals... (ie ghost gonads...).

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gb_qHP7VaZE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Great reference...

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YawagQ6lLrA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[DMelt36]

Agreed; however, flipping Soup is kinda a sexy move, though, no matter the return.

I'm still not entirely sold on that move, either. Not until I see how Leddy plays this season.

 

[DMelt36]

The Hawks have five of their top six forwards locked in. Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Brunnette.

I'd say they also have their top four D locked in with Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson and Leddy (which could be wishful thinking).

How many other teams have that in place?

The other eight roster spots are to be filled in with role players, such as the guys signed in the offseason. The 2010-11 Hawks badly needed some of those role players. Guys that can kill PKs, win important faceoffs, or provide an energy boost when the team is slacking.

The bottom lines that had guys like Dowell, Kopecky, Stalberg, Campoli, Scott, Hendry, etc. are paying for those mistakes too. Some of them are gone, while others will be in one hell of a competition to keep their ice time.

I don't feel like the Hawks did anything out of the ordinary this offseason, they did what every team does: build around your core talent with role players. Hopefully the role players this perform like they're supposed to.

 

[Everyday I'm Byfuglien]

Bieksa will do the same shit when we play em.

Suck ****?

 

[bobferg]

Agreed; however, flipping Soup is kinda a sexy move, though, no matter the return.

I don't see it. Keeping Soup instead of adding all the depth that will sit in the press box is only a few mill less. And there is still cap room right now.

Would have rather kept Soup and not added all the depth that will never play...

But I am not complaining about the way the Hawks look right now.

 

[tbo41fan]

This is the biggest part of the offseason that isn't getting enough press. The players that were added provide depth, and that was the biggest thing missing last season. I would love to add another top center to be the number 2 center, but having the various guys we added on cost efficient one year deals puts this team in position to be able to add at the deadline for the first time in 3 years. The top players on this team had to play extremely long minutes because Q had no faith in the bottom of the roster.

The top guys were also coming off finishing in the Western Conference Finals one season, then winning the Stanley Cup and some of the most important players playing in the Gold Medal game at the Olympics. Having a year off from a deep run in the playoffs should improve the play of Keith and a few others.

I think saying that this team is at worst a 4th seed is a bit optimistic, but this is a team that is capable of making the playoffs and doing some damage once they get there. It all depends on how these new pieces mesh with the core which we won't find the answer out until the season starts, however.

And for good reason...lol

Can't really disagree with anything here. I will say that counting on Bolland isn't a wise bet given his injury history, but you are right this is a team that didn't have problem putting up points. It did have a problem keeping the puck out of the net, however, especially with the lead.

Thats the only thing that scares me is Bollands injury history...but then again, we could say that with Hossa as well.......but its all "What if's" at this point

 

[Captain Iago]

I'm still not entirely sold on that move, either. Not until I see how Leddy plays this season.

7 mil for a guy who wasn't a key on special teams and wasn't special enough to go up against top lines?

I think they'll (the d corps as a whole) manage.

 

[Captain Iago]

Thats the only thing that scares me is Bollands injury history...but then again, we could say that with Hossa as well.......but its all "What if's" at this point

And it's not possible to have equivalent back-ups in a salary cap world. If they go down with injury, ya call up less talented experience or youth and cross your fingers they don't get exposed too much.

 

[tbo41fan]

And it's not possible to have equivalent back-ups in a salary cap world. If they go down with injury, ya call up less talented experience or youth and cross your fingers they don't get exposed too much.

yep...injuries affect all teams and the best teams work through them.

 

[southern_cross_116]

7 mil for a guy who wasn't a key on special teams and wasn't special enough to go up against top lines?

I think they'll (the d corps as a whole) manage.

Right on the money- Campbell was a luxury - he did contribute on the PP in 2009-10 - assume he had a similar (but less productive role) in 2010-11 - but there is no way in a salary cap environment that a team can justify carrying a #2 or #3 defenseman on their team that is signed for that much for that long - it had to be done, as it seems like Campbell's production had plateaued - meaning, conceivably you'd never be able to move him if you didn't go for it when the opportunity presented itself - in this case, because a team was below the salary cap floor.

As for depth and injuries- I suppose I took it for granted as being understood -as the other element that wins championships, outside of team defense --- depth.

Teams that stay the healthiest (and it is pretty rare for all of any given teams' top players - irrespective of sport) to stay healthy. It then becomes about depth management.

 

[Diehardfan]

The deal is that because of the cap, every team is gonna have some holes. Im not sure if this is by design or not but it sure makes for a balanced league. 22 out of 30 over .500 and 25 of 30 with 80 points or more....for teams like our Hawks its a pain in the ass because of the resources they have but its good for the league overall. That said, you have to take the good with the bad....a season like 2010 is a rarity with having so much depth in nearly all postions. This year the apparent hole is at center, its something they'll have to deal with. Hopefuly, a kid or two will step up and make the roster.

 

[tbo41fan]

The deal is that because of the cap, every team is gonna have some holes. Im not sure if this is by design or not but it sure makes for a balanced league. 22 out of 30 over .500 and 25 of 30 with 80 points or more....for teams like our Hawks its a pain in the ass because of the resources they have but its good for the league overall. That said, you have to take the good with the bad....a season like 2010 is a rarity with having so much depth in nearly all postions. This year the apparent hole is at center, its something they'll have to deal with. Hopefuly, a kid or two will step up and make the roster.

idk if we've ever gotten rid of that hole at center...remember in 2009 when we couldnt win a faceoff to save our lives and we got Pahlsson to try and rectify that...

2010 we were pretty solid and we got the cup to prove it...

last year, again we were all over the map with centers...

The young guns in Rockford however seem to look promising, so that should help in the future

 

[southern_cross_116]

Tbo reminded me that I should have added Pahlsson to that post I made about the Hawks having an obsession with centres' with faceoff win percentages - although I suppose just the fact that the guy was around for only a couple of months (after a trade deadline acquisition) during the 2008-09 season - supports the point that the team burns through these type of guys. Mayers may have been an acquisition along these same lines.

 

[Capt. Serious]

Sharks & Kings got better, we didn't.

But, Brunette will magically turn 27/28 yrs old again because he's here.

 

[icehogfan08]

Sharks & Kings got better, we didn't.

But, Brunette will magically turn 27/28 yrs old again because he's here.

again with your idiocrocy posts, that have no meaning. What do you think your Dewey or somethin with your rolleye smiley?

 

[ClydeLee]

C'mon man stop being silly. Stan Bowman is god to people here.

Every move he makes is the greatest thing.

Says the one who has been saying, **** Tallon every time a player had to be shipped away a year ago +

 

[tbo41fan]

Sharks & Kings got better, we didn't.

But, Brunette will magically turn 27/28 yrs old again because he's here.

oh hey dewey...