Off Season Wish List

[bookjones]

This is great news, hopefully we'll be able to get a very good center and keep Hammer.



For the record, this Laich + Hossa love is crazy, I honestly doubt the combination would work since both of them are lefties.

Any crazier than wanting to pay a D-man to stay home, sacrifice the body and block a lot of shots for $3.5 mil? At this juncture I think Laich is more symbolic of the "type" of Centre those of us on TEAM 2C who want the Hawks to prioritize with that position first want. Although I REALLY, TRULY want him too, heh. People could just as easily be happy with Pavelski or someone just generally of their ilk. Eh, as for Laich shooting left, it never seems to be a problem when Toews-Hossa are paired up on the ice C-RW and look so good together both shooting left so I don't see where it would be a problem with Laich not to mention the obvious which is that the majority of hockey players (particularly Canadians and Europeans) shoot left so really at this point in the Pro level they're all used to playing with more left shooting forwards than right at any given time on the ice.

 

[Larmer83]

Bolland and Hossa have never played well together. What makes you think they will now?

Yeah, me no likey what I've seen of the Hossa-Bolland pairing so far---they have had a very few great moments but it's been largely underwhelming (and that's assuming they've both been healthy! lol).

I knew these observations didn't pass the eye test, nor do they pass the stats test.



From Dobberhockey.com with Hossa during the regular season at even strengh...



Frequency Strength Line Combination

17.63% EV 81 HOSSA,MARIAN - 82 KOPECKY,TOMAS - 10 SHARP,PATRICK

11.2% EV 29 BICKELL,BRYAN - 36 BOLLAND,DAVE - 81 HOSSA,MARIAN

10.63% EV 81 HOSSA,MARIAN - 82 KOPECKY,TOMAS - 19 TOEWS,JONATHAN

6.25% EV 67 FROLIK,MICHAEL - 81 HOSSA,MARIAN - 82 KOPECKY,TOMAS

6.11% EV 81 HOSSA,MARIAN - 10 SHARP,PATRICK - 19 TOEWS,JONATHAN

4.27% EV 36 BOLLAND,DAVE - 81 HOSSA,MARIAN - 10 SHARP,PATRICK



Now the points points for Hossa as a percentage of his overall total...



Str On Ice Line Combination Points %Total

Points

EV BICKELL,BRYAN - BOLLAND,DAVE - HOSSA,MARIAN 8 14.29%

EV HOSSA,MARIAN - KOPECKY,TOMAS - SHARP,PATRICK 7 12.5%

EV HOSSA,MARIAN - KOPECKY,TOMAS - TOEWS,JONATHAN 6 10.71%

EV HOSSA,MARIAN - SHARP,PATRICK - TOEWS,JONATHAN 3 5.36%

EV HOSSA,MARIAN - KANE,PATRICK - TOEWS,JONATHAN 2 3.57%

EV DOWELL,JAKE - HOSSA,MARIAN - JOHNSON,RYAN 1 1.79%



So 11.2% of Hossa's ice time was with Bolland and Bickell at even strength and 14.29% of his total points.



Edit: The numbers are not a true apples-to-apples comparison. The 14.29% is the percentage of all points by Hossa(Even, PP, SH) while the 11.2% is a percentage of his even strength ice time. Hossa at even strength with Bolland and Bickell was 8.86% of his total ice time.

 

[Pez68]

I just don't see why you would trade Hammer to bring in a "2nd line C" when you can just sign a guy to fill for the PK, faceoffs, and defensive responsibilities and keep Hammer. It doesn't make sense.



Dave Bolland is a top 2 center in this league. He would be just fine. Compare him to everyone's hero, Brooks Laich, who apparently is a "2nd line C", and you'll see Bolland is actually just as good as him.



We all know how good defensively Bolland is, but I think many overlook his offensive game. Compare his points per game with centers in the league, he falls in the same category as guys like Laich, Brassard, Connolly, Bergland, Jokinen, Bouchard, Weiss, Legwand, S. Koivu, Antropov, Fisher.... if those guys aren't top 2 centers, then who would be? After Dec 5th, which IMO was the end of Bollands slump, Bolland posted 33 points in the remaining 39 games of the season. Remember Bolland had a bad back to start the year and had some time to adjust. If Bolland paced that over the season he would have around 67 or 68 points to end the year. Even if he is on pace with last year, including his beginning of the season slump, he'll come out around 50 points for the year.



His time on ice per game is also similar to guys like Bergeron, M. Richards, Laich, Fisher, Jokinen, Brassard, Berglund, Connolly, etc.. etc..



What more do you want in a top 2 center? I don't know. Forget the whole "2nd line C" and just grab a C who can get his hands dirty and play the PK. We don't need to make a big splash, if we do, we should do it at the deadline. We have our top 2 centers on this team, Toews and Bolland. Depth at the center position is welcome, but we don't need another star player. We simply don't have the room, and to get rid of Hammer in order to make room for that is unnecessary when we already have a guy that can fill that role.

Couldn't agree more. You also have to take into consideration that the Hawks need to sign Sharp after this season. Laich is a pipe dream. He is likely going to get $4-4.5 mil in the open market, on a 3-4 year deal(terrible UFAs this season). I'm sorry, he's NOT worth that to the Hawks.

 

[MassHavoc]

Clubs eyeing Sharp's free agency

8:41AM ET

Patrick Sharp | Blackhawks

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Patrick Sharp isn't going to be an unrestricted free agent until next summer but plenty of clubs are hoping he hits the market. While the Chicago Blackhawks and Sharp's agent, Rick Curran, are expected to talk at the draft next week in Minnesota, it will likely just be preliminary conversations.



That said, Curran tells ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, "In casual conversations with different clubs, he's the one player that is most often talked about as far as his likely future." In other words, there might be a bidding war for Sharp next offseason, so he'll be smart to at least test the free agent market. If the Hawks are out of the playoff picture near the trade deadline -- and they still don't have Sharp re-signed -- we might start hearing buzz about a potential Sharp trade.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

The Rangers want Sharp and are willing to part with Dubinsky and others.

 

[MassHavoc]

The Rangers want Sharp and are willing to part with Dubinsky and others.

Where are you seeing this?

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Where are you seeing this?

New York Times had an article about 4-5 days ago, got the link from HFboards. You will be happy to know that the Ranger's are not putting Avery on the trading block and are working on an extension so he won't be traded to the Hawks.



I saw Dubinksy and Prospal's name appear as the main players on the block.



How about Dubinsky as our 2nd line center? Not at the expense of Sharp... but what if the Rangers put together a good enough offer?



Dubinsky is making 2.0 mil

Prospal is making 1.08 mil



Obviously the Rangers would have to sweeten the pot with prospects.



Still don't think the Hawks would let Sharp go unless the offer was too good to be true and a trade that had Dubinsky/Prospal as the marquee players... not gonna get it done lol.

 

[R K]

Clubs eyeing Sharp's free agency

8:41AM ET

Patrick Sharp | Blackhawks

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Patrick Sharp isn't going to be an unrestricted free agent until next summer but plenty of clubs are hoping he hits the market. While the Chicago Blackhawks and Sharp's agent, Rick Curran, are expected to talk at the draft next week in Minnesota, it will likely just be preliminary conversations.



That said, Curran tells ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, "In casual conversations with different clubs, he's the one player that is most often talked about as far as his likely future." In other words, there might be a bidding war for Sharp next offseason, so he'll be smart to at least test the free agent market. If the Hawks are out of the playoff picture near the trade deadline -- and they still don't have Sharp re-signed -- we might start hearing buzz about a potential Sharp trade.

If the Hawks are out of the playoffs come TDL time there are going to be FAR BIGGER issues than what happens with Patrick Sharp.



To even suggest that is idiotic IMO.

 

[Ton]

Agreed, unless the Hawks are absolutely decimated by injuries (and I mean absolutely crushed) I can't see them being out of the playoff picture at all.



There would definitely be a bidding war for Sharp, but just because he might get a bigger pay day doesn't mean he would be "smart" to test it. If he only had intentions of staying in Chicago, he would still get paid well, what would it matter if he was making $1M-2M more somewhere else if he wanted to be here? I hope he takes the hometown discount, he seems to love it here, and I can't imagine him wanting to go somewhere else.

 

[CLWolf81]

New York Times had an article about 4-5 days ago, got the link from HFboards. You will be happy to know that the Ranger's are not putting Avery on the trading block and are working on an extension so he won't be traded to the Hawks.



I saw Dubinksy and Prospal's name appear as the main players on the block.



How about Dubinsky as our 2nd line center? Not at the expense of Sharp... but what if the Rangers put together a good enough offer?



Dubinsky is making 2.0 mil

Prospal is making 1.08 mil



Obviously the Rangers would have to sweeten the pot with prospects.



Still don't think the Hawks would let Sharp go unless the offer was too good to be true and a trade that had Dubinsky/Prospal as the marquee players... not gonna get it done lol.

Dubinsky is decent, but he doesn't replace Sharp not in the slightest... Sharp is very tough to replace and Dubinsky had on/off times in New York. I think of Dubinsky more as a 3rd line center, anyway... and I'm with others here in thinking that while Bolland is a decent center, he's better off on the 3rd line where he's been at his best.



With that in mind, I seriously doubt we'd be looking at Dubinsky.



If the Rangers want Sharp, they're going to have to give up at least a couple of 1st rounders and maybe a 2nd or 3rd in addition to Dubinsky, which is why I consider Sharp to be untradeable at this point and likely why I'm not a GM at this point. He's valued highly in my eyes, especially at this point in his career. Honestly, I wouldn't trade Sharp, but business is business, sadly. I seriously hope we sign him soon.



And just for the record, screw the prospects, Stu... I don't know very many players that have come through their system other than maybe Del Zotto and Dubinsky over the years...



Prospal in the Indianhead... That will make me puke instantly... That's like having a lazy Russian in the Indianhead. I'll pass. He's weak, he doesn't like taking hits, and he's more of an east coast forward. No way, Jose! New York can keep him. I value a bag of pucks more than that guy...

 

[Larmer83]

Clubs eyeing Sharp's free agency

8:41AM ET

Patrick Sharp | Blackhawks

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Patrick Sharp isn't going to be an unrestricted free agent until next summer but plenty of clubs are hoping he hits the market. While the Chicago Blackhawks and Sharp's agent, Rick Curran, are expected to talk at the draft next week in Minnesota, it will likely just be preliminary conversations.



That said, Curran tells ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, "In casual conversations with different clubs, he's the one player that is most often talked about as far as his likely future." In other words, there might be a bidding war for Sharp next offseason, so he'll be smart to at least test the free agent market. If the Hawks are out of the playoff picture near the trade deadline -- and they still don't have Sharp re-signed -- we might start hearing buzz about a potential Sharp trade.

Posturing with a dash of tampering.

 

[PatrickShart]

I'd take Dubinsky on this team...



Faceoff %'s last 3 years...53%, 51.4%, 52.5% (Bolland has yet to crack 50%)



Hits..270 in past 146gms (Bolland 74 hits last 100gms)



Goals last 3 years....13, 20 (in 69gms), 24



He's physical, wins faceoffs, plays PP/PK and has scored 20 each of last 2 years.



I'd take him on the Hawks, he'd be great behind Toews

 

[the canadian dream]

I would LOVE Dubinsky on this club. But not at the cost of losing Sharp.



Trading Sharp would be one of the dumbest things this club does if they are even slightly thinking about it. You can take ALL roster players point totals down without Sharp on this club (including Kane and Toews)...yah I said it. He is just that important.



You don't trade versatile players like Sharp away and you certainly don't trade them for a downgrade to save a little cap space. There are NOT than many players that can do wing and center duties in this league and who can play a 2 way game like Sharp.



Nope..idiotic and stupid idea trading Sharp.

 

[Pez68]

I would LOVE Dubinsky on this club. But not at the cost of losing Sharp.



Trading Sharp would be one of the dumbest things this club does if they are even slightly thinking about it. You can take ALL roster players point totals down without Sharp on this club (including Kane and Toews)...yah I said it. He is just that important.



You don't trade versatile players like Sharp away and you certainly don't trade them for a downgrade to save a little cap space. There are NOT than many players that can do wing and center duties in this league and who can play a 2 way game like Sharp.



Nope..idiotic and stupid idea trading Sharp.

Bingo!

 

[sth]

I would LOVE Dubinsky on this club. But not at the cost of losing Sharp.



Trading Sharp would be one of the dumbest things this club does if they are even slightly thinking about it. You can take ALL roster players point totals down without Sharp on this club (including Kane and Toews)...yah I said it. He is just that important.



You don't trade versatile players like Sharp away and you certainly don't trade them for a downgrade to save a little cap space. There are NOT than many players that can do wing and center duties in this league and who can play a 2 way game like Sharp.



Nope..idiotic and stupid idea trading Sharp.

Sharp was the MVP of the team last year he was huge. I think he is part of the core of the team with Toews, Kane, Seabs and Keith. And he was inches from winning game 7 on that power play.

 

[Pez68]

When Toews struggles, Sharp is pretty much automatically the ON ICE captain for the Hawks. You watch him play, and there's no question whatsoever that the team thrives off of his effort out there. I can't count how many games where Sharp went out, had one of his typical fly all over the ice shifts, and the team immediately reacted to it. Sharp would be the captain of this team if we didn't have Toews. I have no doubt about that.



I'm on the sign Sharp for life bandwagon.

 

[nana]

When Toews struggles, Sharp is pretty much automatically the ON ICE captain for the Hawks. You watch him play, and there's no question whatsoever that the team thrives off of his effort out there. I can't count how many games where Sharp went out, had one of his typical fly all over the ice shifts, and the team immediately reacted to it. Sharp would be the captain of this team if we didn't have Toews. I have no doubt about that.



I'm on the sign Sharp for life bandwagon.

Pez, you read my mind.

I was going to say tcd's post was almost perfect, but I would add Sharp's leadership and influence on the ice and in the room. Sharp is smart and clearly has the respect of his teammates.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Dubinsky is decent, but he doesn't replace Sharp not in the slightest... Sharp is very tough to replace and Dubinsky had on/off times in New York. I think of Dubinsky more as a 3rd line center, anyway... and I'm with others here in thinking that while Bolland is a decent center, he's better off on the 3rd line where he's been at his best.



With that in mind, I seriously doubt we'd be looking at Dubinsky.



If the Rangers want Sharp, they're going to have to give up at least a couple of 1st rounders and maybe a 2nd or 3rd in addition to Dubinsky, which is why I consider Sharp to be untradeable at this point and likely why I'm not a GM at this point. He's valued highly in my eyes, especially at this point in his career. Honestly, I wouldn't trade Sharp, but business is business, sadly. I seriously hope we sign him soon.



And just for the record, screw the prospects, Stu... I don't know very many players that have come through their system other than maybe Del Zotto and Dubinsky over the years...



Prospal in the Indianhead... That will make me puke instantly... That's like having a lazy Russian in the Indianhead. I'll pass. He's weak, he doesn't like taking hits, and he's more of an east coast forward. No way, Jose! New York can keep him. I value a bag of pucks more than that guy...

I'd take Dubinsky on this team...



Faceoff %'s last 3 years...53%, 51.4%, 52.5% (Bolland has yet to crack 50%)



Hits..270 in past 146gms (Bolland 74 hits last 100gms)



Goals last 3 years....13, 20 (in 69gms), 24



He's physical, wins faceoffs, plays PP/PK and has scored 20 each of last 2 years.



I'd take him on the Hawks, he'd be great behind Toews

As a homer Rangers' fan, I would love to see what Dubinsky could do as a 2nd line center role on a team like the Hawks (especially only making $2.0 mil). He has pretty much been stuck with crap on the Rangers.



That being said... I don't think the Rangers have enough of what the Hawks need to get a deal with Sharp done and I would HATE to see him go.



Mmmmmm Sharp on a line with Gaborik would be something to see, though.

 

[Tater]

As a homer Rangers' fan, I would love to see what Dubinsky could do as a 2nd line center role on a team like the Hawks (especially only making $2.0 mil). He has pretty much been stuck with crap on the Rangers.



That being said... I don't think the Rangers have enough of what the Hawks need to get a deal with Sharp done and I would HATE to see him go.



Mmmmmm Sharp on a line with Gaborik would be something to see, though.

Now you watch your mouth there son.

 

[winos5]

I hate waiting for stuff to happen in the off season.



Is Havi going to the Jets?



Are Campoli, Frolik, Brouwer, Stalberg getting re-signed?



Who the **** are they going to draft?



Which UFAs will they sign?



I hate the off season!



Drop the damn puck already!!!!!!!